Lost Photos

               Hiking with the Navigators Club

                             Say cheese!

             Our Day at Huma Rock

             Getting some grandma snuggles

Family Reunions: Brino Style

Well I've failed again to keep the blog updated, as I'd hoped.  So it's actually October right now, but it's been a tough month so far, so I'd rather get back to where I left off in July...and fill myself with pleasant memories of friends, our pool, and the sunshine and lazy days of warm weather.  Zoë had just turned 4, we're in the midst of summer time... cooling off as much as possible.  Love this pic of me and Zoë

Next stop, as with every July, (the second Saturday of every July-to be exact), is my mother-in-law's yearly family reunion party.  Mike's Uncle Al hosts the party on his property at the Great Lake Sacandaga in New York.  It's great fun, with a nice little sandy beach for the kids to play on... lots of green grass for bocci ball, the Cornhole game, piñata smashing, and room for bonfires and fireworks at night.  The best part, however, is all the homemade Italian pasta dishes, meats, and vegetable dishes that everyone brings and Here's a picture of their lakefront at sunset.  I stole the pic from Aunt Beverly's Facebook page! sorry :), it was just too beautiful!

Rose is the youngest of 11 children, and came to the U.S. from Italy when she was only about 10 years old.  I can hardly imagine moving to a new country and culture at 10 years old!  I like hearing the stories about it, and often hear her siblings tell her that her Italian is still the dialect and vocabulary level of that which a little kid would have.  Well of course!  When she got to the U.S. she had to start learning a whole new language, wow that must have been hard. 

Every year the siblings take a group photo, and sadly there seems to be a few less siblings each year.  

We miss Uncle Cici, Uncle Tony, and Aunt Josefine.

top row L to R: Aunt Perina, Aunt Teresa, and Rose

bottom row L to R: Aunt Elvira, Uncle Paul and uncle Al

This year Nonna came along with us, as Mike's dad was not up for the trip.  She took the train to Boston and spent a night with us, the kids were happy to have her here!

Next morning, we all packed in the van to drive to NY!

me, bored in the car....

 We stopped at Aunt Perina and Uncle Tony's house, where we took a quick rest, unloaded our stuff... and Uncle Tony filled up Luca's sippy cup for me!  No spilling wine while the van is in motion...

 Luca's favorite buddy, Julie

Zoë picking up the remains of the piñata

 

having fun on the float

 Mike making sure everyone's got their drinks

 Luca had fun floating his boat

 Can't forget the 'WOP MOBILE'!  This is actually from last year's reunion....

Time for the fireworks finale!

 Sparklers are always a hit

 

Time to sit and relax in Aunt Perina's kitchen

Zoë's 4th Birthday!

I know I see my little people every day, and I watch them go through small changes and milestones all the time, which should remind me that time is passing.  But whenever one of their birthdays comes along, it never ceases to make me stop and look at them, like REALLY look at them, in amazement, and notice that they aren't that little any more.  And I realize, they're growing up.  And darn it, it's happening too fast.  And....another year just passed?  Really?  When did they get so big?!

Why didn't anyone tell me how painfully long a night with a sick child can be, and how the day of 'eventually not needing to buy diapers' seems as far from reach as a winning lottery ticket.... all while time marches on, and you suddenly wake up one day to find that your baby girl isn't actually a baby anymore... but a twirling, dancing, dress loving, pink laden little girl that loves to giggle and play dress-up.

We celebrated Zoë becoming 4 by re-enacting our generic backyard pool/piñata birthday party.  Making it unique to Zoë by letting her pick her Little Mermaid cake and party items.  She picked a crown to wear, mermaid decorations, and a Little Mermaid piñata.  There's nothing like watching little kids take turns swinging a bat at Disney characters....

Our big 4 year old at her 'Little Mermaid' party

complete with brightly colored mermaid cake

Happy Birthday Zoë!

Luca enjoying some ice cream, say cheese!

it was a warm day, good for relaxing poolside... with some snacks

 Our neighbors gave Zoë a collection set of Disney Princess Dolls, of which she lined up in her bed so they could sleep with her that night.  All was well with the world, everyone sleeping with what they wanted, and with full tummy's... until Zoë woke me up at 2:45am in a tizzy because her Princess Dolls were no longer all in a line.  She woke me up with a pressured and very frantic whisper that I had to hurry and come help her get her princesses lined up!  

The next day, Monday July 7, was Zoë's actual birthday.  We headed out early in the AM for our traditional birthday breakfast at Kristin's Diner, only to find that Kristin left town on vacation... and wouldn't be back for a week.  Apparently the Diner didn't get the memo that the Silvestro's were planning on being there!  Anyway, we ended up at another cute local breakfast place, and Zoë was just as happy to get a Mickey Mouse pancake, while continuing to sport her Little Mermaid Crown. 

all smiles for her birthday breakfast

I'll spare you the picture of what Luca was doing most of this particular birthday breakfast.  Everyone was still tired from the previous long day of swimming and candy eating at Zoë's party.  Especially Luca... who wasn't particularly interested in anything, let alone a pancake that looked like Mickey Mouse.  He proceeded to fidget with everything near his reach on the table: squirt open jam containers, try and eat the butter out of the little butter cups, poke holes in the half&half cups... all while slowly melting into a frenzy that ended with him screaming as he slid down on his back from his booth seat, landing on the floor under the table.  We tried just leaving him there, and ignoring his tantrum.  It was sort of like survival mode as I tried to finish my meal before inevitably having to take him outside.  The table and distance actually provided a sound muffle and visible barrier that made it easier to just pretend he wasn't down there writhing like a serpent.  Eventually I gave in and took him outside, but most everyone followed us in only a few short minutes....  we were all pretty ready to just go back home and go BACK to sleep.

Zoë wanted a picture with her brothers....

birthday year 4 in my CU Buffs shirt!  Some day little girl!

 Things I don't want to forget about having Zoë as my little girl: 

-how much she LOVES to snuggle all the time, and gives me a hug and kiss each night

-the dancing shows she puts on with the fireplace as her stage

-her love of swimming, just like mommy.... 

Fireworks for the Fourth, done on the Third...

Due to the predicted storm that was rolling up the East Coast, and planning to ruin the weather for the July 4th Boston Fireworks, most cities and towns in and around greater Boston moved their celebrations to either before or after Fri July 4th.

Mike and I realized this year, that we haven't seen fireworks for the 4th since Vince was 1 year old.  That was July 4th 2009.  We still lived in Cambridge, near the Porter Square T.  We could take the train to Kendall, and walk over to the Charles River to set up our picnic.... listen to the Pops, and celebrate with friends while waiting for the Big Boston Firework Finale.  I still remember my mom sitting there with us one year, repeating over and over during the show how speechless she was.

Fast forward to this year, where the highlight of our July 4th (spent on the 3rd), was when we finally got Luca out of the bouncy house after almost half an hour of him taunting us and running away from the little bouncy house doorway each time Mike would try and grab hold of him.  Back and forth, back and forth.  It became such a game to Luca, that it started gathering a group of onlookers who noticed him, and us, his anxiety ridden parents, as we struggled to try and get him out.  Even the bouncy house ticket lady was like "ok folks, your kid is cute and all, but he's gone way over his turn... time to get him out and let other kids rotate in".  Mike told me she referred to him as 'the Mayor of the bouncy house'.. at one point.  Well, we couldn't get him out.... until Zoë had the brilliant plan to lure him out with some of the popcorn she and Vince were eating as we waited.

I was able to snap the next sequence of events:
Luca getting more than his fair share of time in the bouncyhouse
 

Mike gets Luca's attention by showing him the popcorn he's got... here little Luca Luca!

 

Mike kept the popcorn in eye sight of Luca, lured him over to the doorway... made him reach for it... and bam! grabs him out of that little doorway that no reasonable adult can fit through.

Can you tell how relieved Daddy looks to finally have been able to grab his kid!?

 It was cause for celebration!!

 Now we could move on to getting ready to watch the Weymouth Fireworks display
We saw our old Nanny and friend Heidi, who was there with her son Cole.  Vince was soo excited to see him! 

And Luca had fun attacking him..

and attaching him again.....

Mike's patriotic suspenders...

Happy 4th of July!!