They are just too smart for me!

I have no good excuse for not posting, so I'm not going to make one. I just want to share a funny story.
This morning Andro is taking the boys out to the car to go to daycare. As he is putting Aidan in, Luka tries to get himself in the car. It has been raining pretty much the past 4 days straight, and everything is quite wet. He goes to the car door and pulls the handle. It slips out of his hand and he falls backward. Andro goes over to him and goes, "Luka, are you ok??!" Luka stands up and says, "Well, that wasn't supposed to happen!" In true Luka fashion he tries again, gets the door open this time. He's so proud and yells, "I did it all by myself!!!" I can't believe how big he is. Wow! It happens so fast! :)

Christmas 2008 & New Years 2009

Making a list and checking it twice...

Well, things have been exciting around here! Although we didn't quite make it into the new house for Christmas as I had hoped, we finally spend our first night there the Sunday after Christmas. I would like to say that after everything that we have gone through with this house, that moving day went smoothly, but alas, I can not.

Let me rewind a bit though and quickly go through Christmas, which was really nice. Since we were not in the house yet we went as a family to mass on Christmas Eve. Luka slept through most of it and Aidan ran around through most of it. We then went up to Aunt Barbara's for dinner which was delicious and fun. We went home, put the boys to bed and awaited Santa's arrival! Christmas was nice and the boys got so many presents from family, friends and Santa.

Ok...back to moving day...we spent all day packing and moving on Sunday, December 28th. When we finally sat down to eat dinner with the boys, Allie and Rebecca and Joe (who came up to help us out) we were all exhausted and a little stinky! :) So, Andro and I go upstairs to give Aidan a bath, Luka is downstairs in the new playroom watching Max and Ruby and Rebecca comes upstairs asking for towels...lots of them. Long story short, every inch of plumbing in the entire house was removed throughout the renovation except for the pipe running out to the street. At some point that pipe cracked and roots grew in...so the sewer backed up...into our new playroom... Thank God Joe and Rebecca were there and knew what to do! I didn't take any pictures. I should have, but I didn't. The vision is forever burned into our brains...photos didn't seem necessary. It was a messy and stinky way to christen our new house but God's got a funny sense of humor sometimes!

I think I will stop here and update New Year's Eve in Boston at a later date...

Slacker!

So...it is a full week after THANKSGIVING already and I haven't even posted Halloween yet! I would love to say that it is because we have been sitting around, staring at each other and that nothing exciting has happend but that is simply not the case. In fact things are moving along at break-neck speed! For those of you following the house extravaganza the painters are painting as we speak and claim to be finished by Friday evening! Our granite counter tops have been ordered and are scheduled to be installed on Monday. If the guys are really done painting on Friday we may actually start moving some stuff in over this weekend. My mom wants to get her tree up and it would be helpful if we could get some of the couches out of the way that have been living in her living room for more than 2 1/2 years!! I can't believe we are really going to be in for Christmas. I am dying to decorate!!!

Here's a picture of the outside with the trees taken down and the sod. Isn't it just beckoning for Chrismas lights...

Now, to rewind a bit...Halloween this year was fun because we trick-or-treated in our new neighborhood. Uncle Phil, Aunt Shari, Matthew, Pop Pop, Aunt Baba and Meema all met us there where we had a little dinner and got dressed to get the night started. Luka actually asked to be a pirate this year so poor Aidan was stuck being a Parrot. Of course, he wouldn't wear the head piece so he kind of looked more like a flower than a parrot and I got a lot of, "she's so pretty!" comments. Nice. Funny story, when Luka's costume came in he was disappointed to see that it wasn't a cow cosutme. Not sure why, all of a sudden he wanted to be a cow, but I was somehow able to convince him that he was a cow...dressed up as a pirate. Another one of those "little white lies" that I defintely won't get away with next year! It was cute to ask him, "What does the pirate say?" to which he'd reply, "Yo, ho, ho! Aargh, matey!" Here are a few pics...

Thanksgiving was great this year too. We went up to Fishkill on Wednesday night, stayed over and then went to my uncle's house in Middletown on Thursday. I won't bore you with the details...just the pictures.


This is Pop giving Aidan ice cream cake. We celebrate lots of birthdays this time of year. I think this was Aunt Katherine's second birthday celbration. Luka can't see cake anymore without expecting candles and a full rendition of Happy Birthday.


This is what pretty much every picture with my boys look like. Aidan eating. Luka struggling to get down.

Thanks to Aunt Donna who set up a play room for the boys which totally kept them occupied...most of the time. Here are Luka and Matthew playing with the castle and pirate ship.




I think I am pretty much caught up now...except for the story of one Saturday morning...
Luka: drops something says, "Oh, crap!"
Me: Gasping, "We don't say that, we say, Uh-oh."
Luka: "No, uh-oh. Oh, CRAP!"
Me: "How about, Oh, no!"
Luka: "No, Oh, no. Oh, CRAP!"
Me: "UGH!"

Aaahhhh Fall....

I have always loved Fall. I love the colors and the smell...when you walk outside and think "Yum...it smells like Fall." I love that it starts getting chilly and you have to grab a coat. I love pumpkin picking and apple picking and playing in the leaves. And I realized this year, something I could have never known before...I love Fall about a million times more with two little boys who love it too!

Pasta and Parks

Saturday night we had pasta for dinner. Aidan who tends to "double-fist" pasta also tends to wind up with it from head to toe. This evening was especially messy and necessitated a photo op. Needless to say, he was taken from his highchair directly to the tub. Sunday afternoon the boys and I went to the park for a while. Luka was up and down every ladder and slide along the way. They grow up so fast...and he is becoming such a big boy.

Go, BABY, GO!!!

They call him...Aidan-stein... :)

A Busy Weekend

Well, didn't we have a very busy weekend?!

Andro and I went to New Hampshire for Heather and Mike's wedding. I would love to post a picture or two of the happy couple but, although my camera made the journey, a memory card did not. I was therefore only able to take 4 pictures and decided it better just to leave the camera in the room. For any of you reading this who DID take pics, I would love to see some!! Thanks to Heather and Mike for a really fun weekend; we had a great time!!!

In the meantime, back in NJ, Luka and Aidan had the pleasure of keeping Meema and Pop busy! Yesterday they all went to see the "Big Trucks." Firetrucks, ambulances, construction vehicles and the like. Luka was even allowed to climb in the trucks, sit in the front seat and even honk the horn! I do wish I could have been there...he LOVES trucks!!! Thankfully, Meema was able to take a few pictures with her phone.

There was also a petting zoo!! When we called in from the car he was hanging out with the animals. I asked him what he was doing and he goes, "Mama, mama!! COW!!! MMMMOOOOOOOOO!!!" He was so excited! There were rabbits and goats and "Mmamas" (which to you and me are llamas but to Luka are "Mmamas"). I said, "Oh, Llamas?" and he goes, "NO! Mmamas!" So cute!

Here he is gently petting a baby goat!

At the end of the conversation I said, "I'll see you soon, buddy. I love you!" And he goes, "I You, Mommy. I You, Daddy." I just about cried. :)

Then, just in case all that isn't enough fun for one weekend, when I got home Aidan walked across the floor to see me.
Unassisted.
On his own.
Completely.
Walking.
By himself.
Oh.
Crap.

Video of Aidan walking to follow soon!

Pop has to "FIX" the TV

So we took a road trip down to see Aunt Melissa, Uncle Ernie and Sky's new house! We had a great day and I really wish I had take a picture or two. Alas, I did not. However, when we got home, since we had been out all day, the first thing Luka asked for when we got in the house, was to watch TV. Daddy told him that he couldn't watch TV because it was broken and the only person who could FIX it was Pop.

I had to get this on video because Andro, Aunt Barbara and I were hysterical. I swear, he is trying to say "FIX"...he's not swearing at Pop or the TV...

Pop Fix The TV Part 2

A's Birthday Party

Aidan's birthday party was Labor Day weekend and what a great day we had!! Meema made a great birthday cake and Aidan just loved it! Thanks, Meema!!!Mommy and daddy were very busy and didn't get to take too many pictures, but all the kids were great and we all had a wonderful time!

Happy 1st Birthday, Aidan!

Yummy...Yummier...

YUMMIEST!!!!!

Happy Birthday A!!!

Cruise to Canada

So, we have finally taken the boys on their first vacation. Luka, Aidan, Andro, Grandma Buneta, Aunt Katherine and I took a cruise to Canada last week. The trip was a short one, but it was fun to spend so much time with Meema and Aunt Katherine. We just don't get to see them enough!

Speaking of Aunt Katherine, it looks like Luka might be following in her footsteps, as he has deemed himself the new family photographer. We decided when he becomes famous these might be worth some money...

Yes, those are Daddy's and Luka's shadows...and no...we don't think he did it on purpose!

I like to call this one "Very close to a deck chair"

The second night at sea was formal night. We tried to get a family shot but no such luck. We did get a really nice picture of Aunt Katherine and Aidan though!

We enjoyed having breakfast out on the balcony (mostly because the crumbs didn't get all over the room that way)!!

We took a day trip to the Bay of Fundy and Reversing Falls when in Saint John, New Brunswick. It was very pretty but VERY windy!

Luka took some more pictures. We call this one, "A self portrait."

All in all, we had a really nice time. Luka ate his first (second, third, fourth and fifth) ice cream cone(s) on this trip and Aidan began furniture surfing. Not walking yet, (THANK, GOD!!!) But surfing all over the place! I have a video, but I won't bore you with that! :)

Stupid human tricks

Aidan, wave to Pop!!!



Come on. How cute is that??? :)

Helicopter + Mommy's Hair = DISASTER

Getting ready to leave for work last Thursday and I was delayed at the gate.
Luka has this helicopter with "real" rotors that actually turn. When I gave him a hug to leave he "drove" his 'copter up my arm and over my head. Well, half-way over my head anyway... As I started to stand up I said, "Hey, let go of my hair, Luka" as I just assumed he had a handful. What I had, instead, was a 'copter-ful. Yes. My hair was so wrapped around the rotors that Andro had to cut it out with a scissor.

Thankfully, I have enough and you can't even see the bald spot. I was, however, late for work. The email to my boss read, "Running late. Heliopcopter in hair."

A's First Time at the Beach

Aunt Lisa and Anna were in NJ this past week for some business and some fun!!! I was able to take two days off to spend with them and was able to see Lisa every day she was here. She and Anna flew home to Tampa this morning and I miss them already. It was great to have them around and to spend some time with Anna (who is growing up so fast!!) Luka and Anna played so well together...it is amazing to know they'll be friends forever!

Last Thursday we went down the shore for the day. Aidan had never been to the beach before and Luka had only been a couple of times last year, so we thought it would be a lot of fun! As you can see, we were right!

With both Luka and Anna running in and around the water, I wasn't able to take too many pictures, but here are a few!

Aidan EATING the sand (that kid eats everything!) Yummy! :)

Look, Mama, a SHELL!!!

You! Come here!

Anna was so good with Aidan and gave him lots of hugs and kisses!

We finished off the day with Lisa and I getting SOAKED while holding our children under the outdoor showers trying to get all the sand off. Luka started running across the beach totally naked, tiney hiney and everything. Lisa and I were absolutely hysterical and we drew a crowd with all the commotion. Once everyone had diapers and clothes back on, Luka and Anna shared and ice cream sandwich and Aunt Lisa and Aunt Jenn shared a Chipwhich. What a perfect ending to the day!

A Day at the Zoo

So, thanks to Steph, my husband thinks "we should do this too!" My entries won't be nearly as clever, but here's a look at our life, in the Nut House.

This weekend was Meema's (Grandma Miranda) birthday. She decided that we should go to breakfast and then take the kids to the Turtle Back Zoo. It was pretty warm, but a gorgeous day and we had a really nice time. Luka fell asleep on the way there and slept through the first 1/2 hour or so.

He woke up just in time to see the Mountain Lions! Luka thought the Alligator was REALLY cool and kept saying, "Wow!!" And couldn't get enough of the monkey...or of saying MONKEY!

Aidan just wanted to take a nap!
Everytime we were done with an exhibit, though, Luka would say, "Choo, Choo! I want Choo Train!" As we were waiting in line, Luka wanted to kiss and hug his cousin Matthew. So sweet! :)

We took some pictures in a photo booth which was VERY hot, but Luka screaming "Cheese!!!" totally made up for it! On our way out the door we had to pet and then strike a pose with the gigantic (and extremely life-like) Gila Monster.All in all, what a great day! We can't wait to go back again and go on the Merry-Go-Round!

Happy Birthday Meema!