Off to NY for Nonna's Birthday.... and for Lady Liberty

After Vince's preschool graduation ceremony, we literally jumped in the already packed van and headed straight to New York for a few days of family fun and to celebrate Mike's mom's birthday!  Lisa and Neal were also visiting from Atlanta with Noelle and Andrew so it made for extra special fun for the kids to have their Georgia cousins around!  Nonna and Pop-Pop's house was full to the brim with kids running(and screaming...) around, complete with barking dog, and toys all over the place.  Add in our ridiculously huge tent that we popped up in their yard to have a 'camp out', it proved to be a fun and chaotic weekend full of activities and eating.  Love that combination! ..... I'm sure Nonna and Pop-Pop breathed a relaxing sigh once they had their house back to themselves

First stop, the Stepping Stones Museum for Children! 

Noelle and Zoë take a break from house construction to say hello

 Noelle, Andrew, and Zoë checking out the giant light bright.... cool!

 Luca having fun with the water play area, love the little raincoats they let them wear!

 Vince watching the water push the toys around

 Vince loved watching the Rube Goldberg Machine(I had to ask Mike the name of that one)

Everyone scream for Walter's Hotdogs! I got my fill of sweet potato puffs

 Time for playground fun with more cousins!

Then there was our day trip down to NY City to visit the Statue of Liberty, and attempt to have at least some of us climb up into her crown.  Mike's sister and mom elected not to go, which was the perfect set up to pawn off Luca for the morning.... as he wouldn't remember the trip anyway ;).  Lisa has super cute pictures on her blog of the fun they had at home.  We drowsily made our way into the van at 6am Saturday..... dragging Neal, Noelle, and Andrew with us for the adventure.  Mike stayed with Andrew, Vince, and Zoë and explored the base of the Statue, as you have to be 4 feet tall to climb up.  After lots of reassuring that yes we'll come back when they are all over 4 feet tall, Neal and Noelle and I headed for the stairs that would spiral us up to the crown.  It was amazing reaching the top!! 

early ferry ride over

getting a little antsy on the ferry.....

ready for our climb up!

the double helix spiral stair case taking us up to the crown

 stop for a pic before going up

 obligatory photo at the crown windows

 her nose and lips from the inside, that was super cool!!

 Yes, I was that tourist that stuck my head out the crown windows to get some close ups of her arm

 and of the tablet in her left hand....

 Meanwhile, down around the base, all the 'under 4 footers' were apparently getting tired and cranky..... that is until they were coaxed around to the front, and Mike told them "hey guys! look up!"..... then they all screamed with excitement at seeing her so close!

All in all, the kids were pretty good for such a big day trip.  Their crankiness was nothing that a trip to the snack bar and gift shop couldn't remedy.  Well, all except Vince, who immediately spotted the $50.00 Lego version of the Statue of Liberty and wanted nothing but that.  He automatically acted as if he was a tortured and deprived child when we said that wasn't happening, then reluctantly settled for the consolation prize of a suggested Statue of Liberty snow globe.  He spent the rest of the way home grumbling about how his snow globe feigned in comparison to what everyone else got.  That made me feel less bad when later that night I dropped the globe and scattered little bits of globe glitter, water, and plastic all over the floor.  All we have left is the quacking Statue of Liberty Duck that Zoë picked out for her souvenir, and I have a feeling that thing is going to go missing soon. ;)

Vince Graduated....from Preschool!!

Talk about an example of over-inflated praise.  I don't remember getting a diploma coming out of preschool.  I've seen lots of articles lately on how we tend to over praise our kids these days.... 

That being said, I was SUPER EXCITED and VERY emotional at watching our firstborn little guy Vincent graduate from his preschool on Wed May 12th! I fed right into the over-praising with complete and total submission, telling Vince what a great job he did in his preschool career.

Their graduation show consisted of singing a group of songs that they had learned through the year, and each child having a 'solo' of reciting part of the alphabet to, and then recite a limerick associated with that letter.  N-Nurse Nancy nibbles nachos, and O-"Olly Octopus opens ovens"

 

 Lil sis congratulating Vince on his day

Brittany and Haley,  Vince's beloved sister pair that nanny for us on Wednesdays.  They came to Vince's graduation as well to help celebrate his big day!

 Vince with and his awesome teacher Mrs. Luciani from his last year, Brown Bear class!

Zoë's First Dance Class and Recital

On the day before Mother's Day, Zoë had her first dance recital.  We had been bringing her to "Tip Toes Ballet" every Saturday morning since September, and during the course of the year we could see and hear snippets of what they would perform, as they practiced for their year end recital. 

About two thirds the way through the year, the teachers started rolling down the shades so we parents couldn't watch them practice their routine.  It would be the same thing every Saturday morning: get into the dance room, stuff Zoë's ever growing feet into her dainty little pink ballet slippers, hear her state how she'd rather go play in the toddler room that has fun toys, and then watch her run off into the dance room once she found her friends Chloe, and Emma.  (As a side note, the Chloe, Zoë, and Emma trio have become known not only at our dance studio, but are also a favorite among their teachers at our preschool). 

Anyway, where was I.  Oh, I stuff Zoë's feet into her ballet slippers, hoping they'll fit through the year, and determined not to have to buy two pairs for one year.  The girls all prance off into the dance gym, and we the parents settle down, and start watching the chaos that unravels as the teachers try to warm them up for dance.  We get the occasional child that waves fervently to one of us... continuing to do so until whichever parent the kid belongs to acknowledges and waves back.  Once in a while we'll get the whole group of them back in the wait room area, because when one of them has to pee.... well, they all suddenly have to pee.  Mostly though, it's like watching a group of lovely, patient, elegant dancers, while they try and herd cats into formation.  I've seen more order happen from molecules under a microscope when I was studying random diffusion than I would typically see in this dance class.  Girls spinning around in circles, wandering off on their own.... some just sitting on the floor picking their ballet shoes.  When they started pulling the shades down so we couldn't see them anymore, most of the parents instantly went into "oh good, I'm off duty" sort of mode. 

That being said, it was actually fun not knowing what their planned dance routine was for the recital, and when Zoë got her costume a few weeks prior, it made me excited to see her in action.  We got to our seats in plenty of time, I was armed with lollipops for Vince and Luca.... as bribes, to keep them in their seats, or at least to lure them back when they escaped.  Well that didn't work.  All my bribe food was totally depleted before the show even began.  Luca was running around in circles, pushing his way through all the other girls and dancers.  Vince was complaining he wanted to go home.  It was a tough crowd.  Between my mom and her purse of never ending new gadgets for Luca to play with, we were able to keep him entertained until Zoë went on.  As soon as she did, both Luca and Vince stopped and just pushed their way over to watch.  It was so cute!  Mike got the whole movie, and it still was reminiscent of cats... or maybe more like deer in headlights, but it was their show, and it was adorable.  We brought flowers to give to Zoë, and Vince went over and gave them to her after her performance, and they hugged!  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that. 

Zoë's costume for the recital

 the class waiting for their debut

getting warmed up, my little princess!

 just getting her flowers from her brother....

 Luca and Vince paying no attention whatsoever.... until she went on, then I do have to say they watched with huge interest.

Next year we'll see how her combination dance and tap class goes... I can already imagine the tap shoes and how we'll get to probably hear them a lot at home! haha.... 

Mother's Day

This month has been packed full, and these kids are growing faster than I can keep the blog updated. Oh life!! 
We have been going to the Arnold Arboretum every Mother's Day, since I've been a mom.  This year was a little different, as it marked the first Mother's Day where my own mother is here!  I tried to figure out something we could all do, but kept having pictures of a restaurant/brunch scene gone bad with our three running around. In the end, my mom really didn't want to do much of anything except go get her nails done.  So that's what me and her did in the morning.  And it was glorious.  I would have put some pictures in of my mom and me but anyone who knows my mom knows she curses at you if you ever try to take a photo of her.... I have to keep working on that.

Anyway, by the time we were done with nails, and got the kids loaded in the van, the Arboretum was a packed madhouse of cars all over, with people looking for parking, and jamming up all the side streets.  With all the traffic around the Arboretum, and the kids chanting that they wanted to go to the zoo... well, that's what we did.

Here's my little cherubs on Mother's Day, at the zoo.  It couldn't have been a nicer and more sunnier day, perfect conditions for my idea of a Mother's Day! 

Luca fell asleep on the way over, so Mike got to hang out in the van until little sleeping beauty woke up.  But then he was bright eyed and ready to explore all the animals. Speaking of which, who's that animal growing that handle bar mustache!

Ok, that's about all the energy I can summon for this post.  I totally forgot to mention so many things: like waking up to coffee next to me in bed, and having breakfast served by the kids(orchestrated by my wonderful husband).  I do remember Vince declaring that he made me a bowl of cereal all on his own, and then watching Luca eat it.  I think the only other thing I remember is Zoë eating all most of my bacon.  But the best thing I remember from Mother's Day was feeling very loved by my three little people, and feeling so blessed to have my kids and my husband.