Singing In The Rain

Watching the big rainstorm and waiting for more thunder and lightning:

Swinging and singing: "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain! What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again..."

Mema and Grempa - Part II

Though we visit Coney Island pretty regularly, Lucas consistently associates the place with his grandparents. Every time we talk about Coney Island and the dragon roller coaster and the big train station and the hot dogs and lemonade and the sand and beach and the aquarium, he mentions wanting to go with Mema and Grempa. So of course we had to go with them again during their recent visit.

Lucas was as happy as a clam running through the sprinklers and playing in the sand:

We have no idea who the other kid is, but this shot was taken just before they collided:

Meanwhile, Jesse did what he always does best:

Lucas isn't a huge hot dog fan but Nathan's fries and lemonade are always a big hit:

We were so proud of Lucas. After months of turning down our offers and preferring to simply watch the kiddie amusement park rides from the sidelines, on this day he didn't hesitate or blink and rode the train ride with Mama and loved it! What a big boy! Can you make us out in the pic?

And it turns out that we're those parents. Because we didn't anticipate playing on the beach, as you can see we failed to pack swim shorts (or a towel or change of clothes) for Lucas. Our little cutie wore a dry t-shirt that Mema bought at a souvenir stand with just a new diaper and sandals -- all the way down the boardwalk, around the amusement park, on the little train ride, while eating french fries and a dog, and all the way home on the subway. Why we didn't take a picture of that unbearably cute but embarrassing scene beats me, so we'll have to let you use your imagination.

Mema and Grempa - Part I

The boys are lucky to have grandparents who travel a lot and sometimes stop through Brooklyn on the way coming or going from a trip. As usual, Lucas had a wonderful time getting so much special attention, and Jesse had some fresh arms to hold him often.

3 Months

These pictures were actually taken a few weeks ago and not at his 3 month birthday (I'm not that on top of things). Jesse and I had gone on a walk together, and when I took him out of the sling and put the rest of my things down, I turned back and looked at him propped up on the couch. He seemed like such a big boy, and luckily the camera was nearby, because this kid can't be trusted to be left alone any place where he could roll around and fall...

Sometime during that very week in the wee hours of the morning, I had heard Jesse stirring in his sleep when ready to nurse but I must have been more tired than usual because I didn't move as quickly. When I finally glanced over, I watched as he pushed himself from his tummy and onto his side! His eyes were still closed, then he half opened them for just a moment. I punched poor Papi in the side and yelled-whispered "He's rolling over!" but by the time Papi rallied, the big event was over. Jesse had given a big grunt and then pushed himself onto his back!

He looked even more stunned than we did.

Hammock

We know summer has arrived because the area on the porch where our a/c units were stored has been filled by our lovely hammock!

Jesse, Lucas and I have been spending a good chunk of time here most every day -- swinging, singing and inventing little diddies, enjoying the weather, and doing the thing we do best: cuddling.

Lucas is totally giving me the tongue on that kiss below.

And a hearty welcome to baby Guthrie! Congrats, Amy and Brian!

Reaching

These were taken a couple of weeks ago when we noticed he was becoming interested in his hands and started reaching out to grab things.

At the same doctor's visit (we were crazy enough to have them examed at the same time), our porker weighed 16 lbs even. (I think it took 4 1/2 months for Lucas, who was consistently in the 75%ile, to reach this weight.) And as usual, Jesse continues in the families' tradition of having a larger-than-average head size.

Off To The Laundromat

It seems that watching Jesse hanging out in some sort of sling all the time made Lucas get it into his head that he too should be held in a sling on this day that Papi and Lucas were running errands. Thanks to our friend Becca, we had this handy carrier to help Lucas get his little wish.

On a side note, we took Lucas to the doctor this past week for a physical exam (required for entrance to preschool this fall), and he was 1 oz. shy of weighing 31 lbs. Strong carrier (and strong Papi), huh?

Tio Bryan(t)

Mama's younger bro Bryan had a stopover in NYC on his way back to San Fran from his European Euro Cup Extravaganza vacation and stayed the night so that he could meet Jesse and hang out with Lucas. No matter how many times I said his name, Lucas insisted on adding a "t" sound at the end.

Poor Lucas keeps falling in love with people from out of town who keep coming and going. He knows that they live far away -- that some come by car and others by airplane -- and asks to go to their houses all the time but doesn't quite understand why we can't visit them so easily. He's been asking everyday at naptime if we can see Tio Bryan(t) again.

Even His Rolls Have Rolls!

Poor Blankie

(Don't worry, the blades were removed.)

Our Strong Bulldog

Papi