The Loscalzos

JP's First Time Ice Skating

2011-12-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

JP LOVES watching hockey on television, and lately he's been pretending to "skate" around on the carpet. So, I asked him the other day if he wanted to put skates on his feet and go ice skating. He said "YES!"

So, off we went to an ice rink a few miles away to see if he'd actually try skating. He has a stubborn streak (must be from his dad :) ), so I was prepared for him to completely refuse to put the skates on and go back home. He was a little hesitant to put them on at first, but once they were on, he was ready to go.

Jason stayed with Luke on the sidelines, and I put skates on to help JP. I was shocked at how well he did. He actually kept his balance on the blades while I held one of his hands and pulled him around. He went through a few minutes of falling on the ice, because he thought it was hysterical, but my back was breaking!! Then, we picked up one of these little plastic things that kids can push to help them learn.

Once he got on one of these, he didn't want me touching him anymore. He was walking/skating, and getting his bearings on the ice by himself. I was so proud of our little coordinated guy!!!!

I think we're going to have to buy this boy some skates!

This was all on Monday. It's Wednesday and he WILL NOT let us take off his little paper bracelet from the ice rink. I think it's going to have to fall off...

LaRae's Visit

2011-11-23T12:48:00.000-08:00

My cousin, LaRae, visited us a few weeks ago. She left her chaotic household in Ohio to join my chaotic household for a long weekend. Since she has four little ones, our house *might* have been a little less crazy than what she's used to. I hope she at least got some sleep :)

We took one day to drive North to Rockport and take in the Fall colors and the coast - and of course, all the trendy, little shops the town boasts. LaRae wheeled-and-dealed with a local artist and scored four original paintings for her daughters' bedroom (well, two of them were for the girls) - I'm sure they will be thrilled with their fancy bedroom once it's finished.

Here are some pictures from the weekend...

Rockport:

On our way home, we stopped at the Westwood Tot Lot to run off some extra steam:

Luke Has Another Secret...

2011-11-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

Because he can't talk (yet), Luke likes to communicate through his clothing:

A Few Pictures

2011-11-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Just a few shots of the boys this morning rolling around on JP's new rug.

Where's Waldo?

Where's Waldo #2?

Time for the Buckles

2011-11-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

I think it's time we buckle Luke into the bouncy chair:

Please ignore the room's disarray...

Trees Down, Lights Out

2011-11-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday, we experienced our first Nor'Easter of the season. What's a Nor'Easter? Who knows! All I know is that it rained and SNOWED in October...unacceptable! Our power was out for almost 24 hours, which wouldn't have been a huge deal except it was cold outside and we didn't have heat (or hot water for a shower) ... so it got a little hairy. We almost booked a hotel room when the power came back on. Thank Goodness!!

Lots of trees were knocked down - one of our neighbors' car was smashed - and I believe there are some areas in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that still don't have power. Our subdivision in Alabama had the right idea by burying all the power lines underground. We never lost power there, even through the hurricanes.

Luke and I hung out by the fire to stay warm while JP napped:

Here's how our backyard made out:

We are very fortunate they didn't hit the house...they don't look that heavy, but they are!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

Because of a storm Saturday, our town decided to postpone trick-or-treating until Thursday night because some people are still out of power and there are fallen trees all over the place - lame, IMHO. This Thursday BC plays Florida State, so Jason won't be home, so we ventured out to Dedham, a neighboring town, to let JP do some candy collecting with Daddy present.

He was NOT thrilled to put on his Frankenstein costume, despite my efforts to find a minimally invasive costume. I knew he wouldn't wear a mask or anything like that, so when I found this Frankenstein costume was nothing more than a lightweight felt top and bottoms, I thought he wouldn't notice. WRONG! I think we have the most particular 2-year-old there is! But, with some Kit Kat bribery and distractions, we got him suited up and headed out.

The first couple houses, he tried to push pass the people and walk IN! hahaha! The next couple houses, he wanted to stand on their porch and eat the candy they gave him right then and there. By about the sixth or seventh house, he was getting the hang of it and even shouting "THANK YOU!" to the candy givers. He enjoyed trying some new sugary treats but his favorites remain Kit Kats and Hershey Bars. He was on a serious sugar high last night, but after some intense hockey playing, he crashed into his crib without incident.

Come Thursday, the boys and I will hang here and pass out the glowsticks I bought. I hope the neighborhood kids don't think we're lame for not buying candy this year and enjoy the glowsticks! I guess we'll see if our house or cars get egged or not...

Our scary family - Mommy, Daddy, Frankenstein and Frankie Baby:
Take Two:
Not Thrilled:

First House:
Costume Shot:
Leading the Way:
And for fun, JP on the left/Luke on the right:

Luke Has A Secret...

2011-10-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what it is?!

The Boys' First Pumpkin

2011-10-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, neither Jason nor I have ever (personally) carved a pumpkin. I'm sure our parents did, but not being the artistic sort, we've always left our pumpkins uncarved - if we've even purchased one. BUT, being parents makes you do new things, so Jason broke out a sharpie and one of my new Forever Sharp paring knives and headed outside for a time of father-son bonding and adventure.

Jason displaying his outline, with some uncertainty:

Precision and focus are key:

"Hey, I think I can do this!"

Where is JP during this father/son bonding time, you ask? Well, cutting into a pumpkin wasn't near as exciting as sitting by the road to watch the cars pass:

He still kept an eye on Daddy, albeit from across the yard:

Like a moth to a flame...literally:

Fascinated by the fire:

INTRODUCING (insert drumroll here)...The First Loscalzo Family Pumpkin!

There were no cuts, burns, curse words, tantrums, blood or tears. I'd call that a success!

Mr. Pivot and the Bouncing Boys

2011-10-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

Luke is about to take off crawling...as soon as he figures out how to lift himself onto his knees. Until then, he is getting around the room quite efficiently with a combination of rolling and belly pivots. I caught him spinning on his belly a few days ago, but since I shot this video, he has gotten a lot quicker! I think we have another "gross motor" kid on our hands!

Not one to miss out on some fun, JP pulled up his Rody pony next to Luke's jumperoo to enjoy some brotherly bouncing.

Boo at the Zoo

2011-10-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

While Jason is away playing Virginia Tech today, JP, Luke and I made our way to Stoneham, MA, to visit the Stone Zoo with our friends, Alison, William and Evelyn. Sadly, because of a frazzled mommy traveling with two kids and poor GPS directions, we ended up being over an hour late - but we were finally able to catch up with our friends to take in some wild animal viewing.

JP and Will had a blast holding hands, yelling, laughing, running and throwing leaves. I think they noticed a monkey and maybe a bear, but other than that, they were just content to be outside. (Let's hope they are always this easy to please!) The Zoo was hosting "Boo at the Zoo" with a scavenger hunt, treats and other special activities, none of which we participated in, LOL! Although, JP and Will did enjoy a couple snacks from the trick-or-treat tables.

Sidenote: Why is it that my picky-eating child will open a tootsie roll and pop it in his mouth without hesitation after never seeing one before, yet when I present him with some chicken or God-forbid a vegetable, he won't even taste it? Is it the wrapper? Should I wrap up a carrot with a pack of M&M's? Will he try it then? Can a two-year-old suffer from only ingesting peanut butter and jelly for a year? I digress...

Here are a couple pictures from the day :)

Checking out a "big kitty cat":

Will loves the camera:
The tiger was getting some sun:
Holding hands while exploring:

Yelling is HYSTERICAL:

Rainy Day Fun

2011-10-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was rainy, so I needed to think of something new to occupy JP indoors after nap time. After some thinking, I grabbed a sheet and showed him how to make a tent! He loved it, and even invited Luke to play inside his secret quarters..

Who's in there???
Peek-A-Boo!!!
Looks like Mickey Mouse was also granted admission into the fortress!

Ward's Berry Farm

2011-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the four of us went to Ward's Berry Farm in Sharon, MA, to pick out a pumpkin. Jason and I have never-in-our-lives carved our own pumpkin...stay tuned for those pictures, lol. At this particular farm, they have some 4-H animals you can feed. JP is an animal lover, so he was thrilled.

He didn't even mind the goat slobber on his hand!

Enjoying the Beautiful Weather

2011-10-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the boys and I took a walk around the neighborhood. It's not the exercise I used to get while pushing the stroller because, now, JP wants to get out and walk himself...you can imagine how my 30 minute power-walk turns into a 90 minute exploration of leaves, rocks, drainage grates, lawnmowers, squirrels, cars, trucks, a "sleeping" frog on the pavement...

You get the picture!

But, it started out like this:

Luke, like his big brother, LOVES being outside, so he was thrilled to just ride along and observe :)

Preschool and iPads

2011-10-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

Last month, J.P. started Junior Preschool! He goes M-W-F for three hours from September till May. We enrolled him in an attempt to encourage his speech development. We're hopeful that being immersed with his peers will give him some confidence and help him to talk more. So far, he is loving it! He happily goes into the classroom when I drop him off and runs for Luke (not Mommy) when I pick him up each day. The teachers seem warm and loving, and that's what's most important to me. :)

Here is the best picture I could get of him before his first day of school:
With J.P. in preschool, Luke and I have some alone time together. Luke can be the smiliest, sweetest baby in the world...as long as you are in his face and engaging him. Leave the room? Experience the wrath! I think we definitely have a social boy on our hands here. He's been rolling from front-to-back since he was three days old, but around three months began rolling from back-to-front. Lately, he's been putting his rolling skills in sync in order to move around the room. This child does NOT want to be a baby!

At his four month check-up last week, he weighed in at 16.25 pounds, two solid pounds more than what J.P. weighed at four months. He's in 6-9 month clothes, and some of the 6 month clothes are a little too small. Definitely gets that from his mama! ;)

Like I mentioned, he's a social boy. While J.P. is in school, we run lots of errands (so much easier with one child!) and Luke always flashes his fabulous smile to any stranger who peers into his stroller. It's funny, the little old ladies always make comments like "he must know I'm a grandma" or "awww, I've still got the touch!"...I never mention that Luke would smile at a dead body so long as he could see it's face. HAHAHA!

Here's Luke hanging out on the couch:

Jason bought me an iPad for Christmas. I've used it a couple times :/.... and this is why:

If you're wondering what you are looking at, it's J.P. in his "tent," playing on the iPad. He has more applications and games on it than I do! When I go to use it, the battery is always low. Haha! (okay, so he doesn't play with it all the time, but he sure does love it on rainy days).

My Athletic Boys :)

2011-09-23T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Batter Batter!

2011-09-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Story Land

2011-07-29T05:13:00.000-07:00

Last month, we took a two-day trip to Glen, NH - our first trip as a family of four - where we visited Story Land - a fantastic amusement park geared to kids ages 2-8 (I would guess). It was a great little park with lots of rides that JP was tall enough to go on. We had to coax him on a couple (the roller coaster) because he was hesitant. Jason was able to ride all the rides with him, so that helped.

If you've never been, you should certainly check this place out. It's awesome. I can't wait to go back next year! It's clean and had lots of "mother's rooms" for us nursing moms, which I greatly appreciated. :)

The little train you can ride around the park:
I spy some pirates at the top of the fort, do you??
JP loved riding around in the old, wooden strollers:
He was all business when it came to the tractor ride - he rode this 5+ times:
JP and Daddy riding the yellow shoes:
I thought this ride was adorable:
JP in a miniature house taking a water break:

Daddy's New Weightroom

2011-07-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d3rgKaJ4pY

Brotherly Love

2011-07-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Some photos

2011-06-27T12:33:00.001-07:00

I've been delinquent again...two kids is more busy than one - that's for sure! Here are some photos from the grandparents' visits and from the last couple of weeks.

Luke's First Days

2011-05-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

Luke has been a wonderful baby (knock on wood). He eats, sleeps, poops & repeats. In his first week home, he gained 12 ounces! His face is already filling out and he's in 3 month clothes because of his length. I'm afraid my baby won't be a baby for long!

Oh...and we thought we had a physically advanced child in JP when he started rolling (front to back) at 9 days old. Well, Luke's been doing it consistently since day 3!!! I think we're in for some trouble in a few months...

There is a baby under there...see the fingers?

Do We Look Alike?

2011-05-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Luke:

JP:

One Week Old

2011-05-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Luke has been in our family for one week now. He's been such a great little baby. He's a good eater and sleeper so far, knock on wood! He seems to be bigger than JP was at this age - the newborn sized clothes won't fit for much longer. Grandma and Pap Pap are here helping us out, which has been especially beneficial for JP. He's getting lots of attention, so Jason and I can focus a little more on Luke. Overall, JP is adjusting well, although the terrible two's are certainly among us. He checks in on the baby every once in a while to give him a hug or hold his hands. Then, back to playing he goes. It's been a good week :)

Luke relaxing in the playpen
Luke :)
JP and Pap Pap reading a story
"These are mine!"
JP and his buddy, Eliza, who visited us this week from Washington :)

Luke Coming Home

2011-05-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Luke Edward was born on May 17, 2011 at 12:34 p.m. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long. He's a great eater and already gaining weight. We feel incredibly blessed to have two healthy boys :)

Introducing Luke Edward

2011-05-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Luke Edward Loscalzo was born May 17, 2011 at 12:34 p.m. He took it easy on mommy and made his appearance after only three hours of labor. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long. He's perfect.

Here's a video of JP welcoming Luke home:

Happy 2nd Birthday J.P.!!!

2011-05-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from JP's party last weekend. We had a casual, backyard party with a few of JP's friends. I didn't get too many pictures, and missed getting pictures of a few kids. Enjoy!

Nathan!
Eden, the lone girl!
Sandbox fun!
More sandbox fun!
Michael!
Charlie!
Sam!
JP trying the cupcake...
That's a negative!
Opening presents with Daddy when the day was done :)

Amateur Hockey

2011-05-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Here's what you get with a miniature swiffer, a basketball and your Daddy watching the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs....

JP had his 2-year birthday party last Saturday in the backyard with some of this best buddies. I'll post some of those pictures soon!

Yard Work

2011-04-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

We actually had some decent weather last week, so Jason and JP were able to get some yard work done. I'm not sure how Jason could do it without his helper:

To The Right, To The Right...

2011-04-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

Baby Boy was hanging out completely on my right side this morning, causing my stomach to be quite distorted. Can you tell?

Catching up a bit

2011-04-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a while...Jason keeps reminding me... I'm not sure why I've lost my blog motivation...maybe it's the 25 pound ball hanging off the front of me? ;) Things are going great around here...warmer weather is on the horizon (trying to be positive and maybe it will be) after this incredibly long, cold Northeast winter. JP is talking more and more these days, and he's growing so tall. We had his feet measured the other day at Stride Rite, and I had to buy him size 8 sandals for the summer!!! His other little buddies are in 5's or 6's. I think these monster feet come from Pap Pap.

The newest addition is still cooking and has about four more weeks to go. I am starting to get a lot more tired and sore and uncomfortable. I'm hoping for an early arrival, at least a week! Grandma will be flying up May 7, so he needs to hang tight until then. Baby boy #2 still doesn't have a name. We are having a very difficult time agreeing on one and then continuing to like it for more than 24 hours. Boy names are hard!!

Here are a few pictures from the last week or so:

JP kissing his puppy sent to him from Grandma Marge in California:
Loves his football mittens! Even wears them in the yard when helping Daddy with the yard work...Daddy has work gloves, so JP needed some too:
Eating a snack like a big boy at the table:
We are instilling in him the value of saving money:
Yeah right...he just likes putting coins in the piggy bank (made for me by my sister, Lori, when I was a little girl):
Hanging out with Daddy, enjoying a little sunshine:
Not enough for a tan, though....who dressed that kid?!:

35 1/2 weeks pregnant:

22-month-old arm

2011-03-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

Ice, Ice, Baby

2011-02-28T17:16:00.001-08:00

This is from a couple weeks ago, although we're still under a couple feet of snow...

Cabin Fever

2011-02-02T15:44:00.001-08:00

We've got a bit of cabin fever going on here, so some of my mom friends were emailing ideas back and forth of "what to do with your toddler while trapped in the house" to help break up the monotony ... I was impressed by the creative activities they came up with (actually made me feel a little guilty for not engaging JP in more artsy projects like playdoh, fingerpaints and water colors - I don't think tackle football counts as art).

Well, one suggestion I thought could handle was to trace JP's body on a big sheet of paper and let him color on it. I have a tube of that brown paper you wrap packages in, so we used that. JP was pretty skeptical while I coaxed him to lie down on the crinkly paper to let me trace him, but once he got up and saw what I had done, he was intrigued. (Now, as you can see from the photo, I flunked art class, so bear with me). We colored his t-shirt, hair and gave him some snow boots like JP's. Then, we drew a football on his shirt. I think JP enjoyed rolling around on the paper the most and coloring the least.

In true JP fashion, after about 10 minutes of coloring "paper boy," he was through and moved on to something physical. He grabbed a football and started tossing it to "paper boy," then tackling "paper boy." It was hysterical!

So, although my junior high art teacher may cringe, my son now has an official teammate ;)

(oh yeah, paper boy has no pants...don't judge).

And another huge icicle discovery was made on the side of the house last night. It's about 5'5" tall and weighed over 16 pounds...that's right, Jason had to weigh it!

Holy Snow Storms!

2011-01-31T15:10:00.000-08:00

Boston has already seen around 5 feet of snow this winter (here's how the city is counting it, lol: ), and we're expecting more tomorrow. Here are a couple shots from the past week or so:

JP and Daddy walking on top of about 3 feet here:

Shoveling snow is becoming more difficult because there's no place left to throw it!
Where's a Sheltie to potty in this mess?
Backyard:

And with big snows come big icicles:

Signing Machine

2011-01-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

Catching Up

2011-01-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

Wow...it's been entirely too long since I've updated our blog. I wish I had a good excuse, but I think "lazy" sums it up! Things are going well here. We have about three feet of snow on the ground right now, but it's amazing how clear they keep the roads. I guess the insane taxes we pay DO go to something useful. ;) I feel a little sorry for the school-aged kids here, though, because they rarely get any snow days because of the town's snow removal efficiency!!!

I'm 23 weeks pregnant today with baby Loscalzo #2. It's a boy! We are having a very hard time coming up with/agreeing on a name. We may just settle on Jason Palmer #2. LOL! I've been feeling good, and I'm a lot hungrier than my first pregnancy...that may not be a good thing :o.

JP is doing great. He's 21-months-old now and definitely approaching the terrible 2's. He's quite a dramatic little man, working to perfect the throw-yourself-on-the-floor-screaming-for-no-reason skill. It's hard not to laugh at his antics, although when we do laugh, he normally joins us and forgets about his conniption.

He has been working with Early Intervention for a little over a month now, and he is beginning to talk a little more. He says "mama" and "dada" often and in the correct context, BUT he is a sign language machine! He knows at least 20 signs, and we've been having to research new ones to keep up with him. He wants to know signs for everything, he answers your questions with signs and he signs in sentences, too. It's really amazing. We have some Baby Sign DVDs to watch as soon as Jason hooks up the new DVD player...the old DVD player mysteriously stopped working when JP became mobile????

We spent the holidays in Boston, Wheeling and San Francisco, and despite the stomach flu in WV, the travels were mostly smooth. Here are some pictures to catch up on the past few weeks:

Christmas morning in MA:

Cousins in WV:
Grandma, PapPap, baby Jude & JP:
Touching Sea Creatures with MiMi in San Francisco:

Giving LaLa (Alicia) some Mickey Mouse tattoos:

Driving the bus to the airport:
And back in Boston to this:

Fall Colors

2010-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

I spent some time working on our landscape a few weeks ago. I enjoyed planting mums and other fall favorites, especially with our beautifully painted house! A long time ago I posted that Jason was going to take on the task of painting the exterior of our house on his own. It's mostly done and I couldn't be happier with the results. The color is a little tough to see in these photos because of the sun, but use your imagination until I can get some better shots :)

BEFORE (pay close attention to the chimney...painted on bottom, brick on top???):
AFTER:

Those tall things that are tied up are Canterbury Bells and while they have beautiful blooms in the spring and summer, they are a huge pain!!!

My dormant clematis :)

Time with Grandparents

2010-11-14T17:25:00.000-08:00

Both sets of JP's grandparents have visited us within the last couple months. JP had a lot of fun getting all the extra attention. He even got to meet his great-grandma Marge, great-aunt Betty and great-uncle John for the very first time :) Enjoy some pictures:

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

2010-11-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

JP would like to share something with everyone...

Here's a sneak peak...

Playing Catch Up

2010-10-05T18:01:00.001-07:00

I've, again, been a negligent blogger. So, where were we...

JP is now 17 months old. He is physically ahead of the game, but still not talking much. Early Intervention is going to come in and evaluate him so we can learn ways to help get him talking (I may regret this...). Otherwise, things are great. He is such a great little boy. So much fun, and definitely keeps me on my toes. I enrolled him in a "gym" class at a place called Kidville in Foxboro. It's perfect for him. He can run and jump and climb till his heart's content - and it's all safe, so I can relax and not have to chase him.

Last week, JP and I flew to Richmond, Virginia to visit my BFF, Robin, and meet her first baby, Jude Aaron. We had a great time. JP didn't care much about baby Jude, but he LOVED their staircase. We live in a ranch, so he doesn't get to play on steps too much, but he got to practice his skills at Robin's! It's funny with Robin and I, who have been great friends since high school, now forging our way as mothers - trying as best we can to fight off "mommy brain!" With our forces combined, we made it through the week and so did our sons :)

Also while in Virginia, we were able to visit some of my other BFF's from when I lived in Charleston, WV. Before I married Jason, I stayed with them for three weeks...which Chris somehow remembered as three years...haha. It was awesome to catch up, and I think I actually got an ab workout from the laughing we did. I miss them all so much :(

So, here are some pictures from the past couple weeks...I'm going to make more of an effort to stick with my blog! Promise!

On the flight to VA:
The Canfields :)

JP slappin' the bass:
JP and Jude:

BC vs. Va Tech...the faceoff:
hehehe

A few more pictures from WV

2010-09-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

PapPap took JP to Mt. Olivet Park, a park I grew up playing softball on. JP's cousin, Hunter, came along to play, too.

Heading to the playground with PapPap:

The boys loved the swings:

A pitcher, perhaps?

Taking in the morning news...(or mimicking his PapPap):

Showing Hunter his car stash at Grandma's:

Taking a break at the pool:

"Give me that!"

Return flight to Boston...looks like someone has adopted mommy's diet coke addiction:

Fun in the Sun...room

2010-09-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

JP loves watching Jason cut the grass. Here is his "perch:"

Another funny thing he does is to find the sunlight in the room, and sit in it. Like this:

These photos were taken pre-buzz cut :)

Oops!

2010-08-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

So, JP's 10th (? I've lost count ?) haircut didn't go as planned. I received clear instructions from my cousin, who is a stylist, on how to use clippers. The first nine cuts, I used scissors, but JP is a little too active nowadays to use only scissors. I'm afraid I'll cut an ear off!

Well, all was going well and I intended to use the #7 on the top of his head, and well, he threw the #7 under the bathroom cabinets, and I didn't realize it. So, I reached down and picked up WHAT I THOUGHT was the #7 and buzzed him. Uhhh...it was #4!!!

I didn't want it all one length, so I used the #1 and #2 to taper around the edges. He's so blonde, it's hard to get a good picture, but I think I made it look decent. He definitely looks like a strength coach's son now...all he's missing is the goatee :)

More from our vacations...

2010-08-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Mayflower Beach in Dennis, MA...Madison and JP playing in the sand:JP testing the waters at a pond on the Cape:
Swimming with Daddy at the hotel:
Pittsburgh airport:

It's been a while...

2010-08-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

So, I have been out of touch! Jason, JP and I went to Cape Cod for a few days at the beginning of the month. My nieces, Brittney and Madison, were here for a week, then JP and I (and the girls) flew to West Virginia for a week. We had a great time, but it went by too fast! Now, we are back in Boston, Jason is busy with pre-season football and JP and I are keeping busy, too.

Here are a couple shots from Provincetown, MA, a very cute and "colorful" town.

Race Point Beach (which was beautiful):

Lots of shopping:

Ironic:

Getting Down in WV

2010-08-15T20:35:00.001-07:00

A Boy or A Monkey?

2010-07-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, JP has been working on his climbing skills. If things get quiet and he's out of our sight, we find situations like this:

and this:
But, the worst/scariest was when he climbed the ladder to our loft. It's a real ladder and he was two rungs from the TOP when I found him! He was so very proud of himself, he just grinned ear-to-ear while I froze in fear...then, started laughing and considered running to find my camera. But, since he was a good 6 feet off the ground, I figured it wasn't a very safe photo op!

Here's the ladder, and here's my redneck solution to prevent him from climbing it anymore. Does anyone have any other suggestions???

Put That Kid On A LEASH!

2010-07-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

In a couple weeks, I will be flying to WV with JP. This will be our first flight since JP became mobile. So, in anticipation of the busy Boston/Pittsburgh airports, I bought our son a leash! That's right! I'm going to be one of THOSE people. And I don't care who looks, points or judges. This kid is fast, and it's worth the eye rolls and appalling glares to know he's safe beside me.

Besides, look how cute they make the leashes now:

JP couldn't be more proud of his "puppy backpack!" When I took it off of him, he was devastated. So, he sported his new friend for the rest of the evening:

Buddies

2010-07-20T04:24:00.000-07:00

JP and I invited our new friends, Shannon and Sam, to join us for a playdate one day last week. To make it easier, I picked them up, and Shannon installed Sam's carseat in my car. While driving and chatting, Shannon turned around and saw this:

Is that the SWEETEST thing you've EVER SEEN??????

Checking Email

2010-07-20T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is what it looks like when I try checking my email when JP is awake:

Parade

2010-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

We took JP to his first parade on July 4. He enjoyed the antique cars, the bands and the people in general, but the sirens on the fire trucks were another story:

Puppy Love

2010-07-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

JP has really started interacting with the dogs. And for the most part, the dogs enjoy JP. Sydney (brown sheltie) has surprised us the most as she is our most hyper and high-maintenance, but she's incredibly calm and patient with the baby. He likes to point at her "parts" (eyes, ears, mouth, nose) and she just stands there and takes it. He will also wrap his arms around her neck to give her hugs and again, she just stands there. Today, she was getting a drink and he walked up beside her and pushed her face away from the bowl. (of course, I corrected JP, but Sydney just stepped back...I'm sure she was fantasizing about biting his hand off, but she didn't! lol)

Today, he learned how to play fetch with the dogs. In the past, he would cry when the dogs would chase the ball. I guess he thought they were hurt or fighting. But, with the help of Daddy, he figured out how fun fetch can be!

Another dog-related tid-bit...JP LOVES playing in the dog food. He won't eat it, he just carries it around. Yesterday, I found two small morsels on the kitchen table (he can reach it now) and a single morsel on Jason's nightstand. I asked him if he had put the morsel of dog food on his nightstand and he said no. Which leaves one suspect....I'm sure we'll find some in the bathtub soon!

Here is JP playing with two pieces and sharing one with Jackson:

WYWC

2010-07-02T16:51:00.000-07:00

Back when we moved to Boston (over three years ago), I joined the Westwood Young Women's Club which is a service and social organization in our little town. I joined the group in order to meet some people, because if you know me, you know I can't survive without some friends :) It has been a great experience, as I've been a part of raising a lot of money for charitable causes in our area and participated in some fun social events too. I feel a little bad because I've been less involved since having JP, but nonetheless...

When JP was born, the group donated the funds to the Westwood Library to purchase a book in honor of his birth. The library was nice enough to put the book on reserve so that JP could be the first person to check it out. So, for years and years to come, anyone who checks out this book will see it was dedicated to our little man :)

Thank you, WYWC!

Have You Seen My.....

2010-07-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Lately, we've had a number of random things come up missing around our house: keys, shoes, books, pieces of toys, trash cans, whole rolls of toilet paper...

It wasn't hard to figure out the culprit, but where he was stashing his loot was the mystery. After some searching, we found his hiding spot...

That's right! That's our bath tub. And anything JP can get his hands on ends up here. In these photos, you can see the trash can from his bedroom (the dirty diapers were emptied onto the floor first) and a small white block from his toy train.
He finds this amusing:

Sneaky Boy!!

She Thinks...

2010-06-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

...My Tractor's SEXY!!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

Jason had to work today, so JP thought he'd help his daddy out by taking care of the grass:

Maybe next time, we'll put him outside with a real mower!

Representin'

2010-06-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

JP has some Southern roots, and sometimes he likes to show them:
This shirtless Redneck loves him some Corduroy:

This Time Last Year

2010-06-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

When things get quiet...

2010-06-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

...he's into something...

This time, it was our shoe basket.....

Sticks and Blueberries

2010-06-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

JP loves to be outside. If you run out to get the mail, you can guarantee there will be a little blonde boy standing at the door watching your every move. He will grab his shoes and wheel his car to the front door...very subtle. He also loves to explore outside, and every time we do, he finds a souvenir. Nine times out of ten, his souvenir of choice is a stick. One time out of ten, he will chose an acorn (but those are becoming more hard to find since they have buried themselves in daddy's well-manicured, green lawn where they are sprouting into little oak trees!). We have found sticks throughout the house. Just yesterday, I found one in the bathtub!

Here's JP enjoying a snack, stick-in-hand:

Now blueberries. JP is a fruit lover - (definitely his mother's son!). The first day we gave him a blueberry, I believe he ate the entire pint. Needless to say, I've been scouring the grocery ads for sales on blueberries to keep our fridge stocked! I think the child has eaten about eight pints so far this blueberry season :)

The Boston Globe

2010-06-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

JP has really taken an interest in the Sunday paper...

New Kicks

2010-06-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

JP loves shoes. I've never seen a toddler (wow, is he a toddler now?!) love shoes. All I have to say is "let's put on your shoes!" and he finds them, brings them to me and sits down for me to put them on. It's the cutest thing.

We've been through a few pair already since he started walking three months ago, not because he's worn them out, but because he's GROWN OUT OF THEM!!!! The child is in a size 6!!! I haven't met anyone with a bigger-footed baby. He must get this from Pap Pap Palmer, who wears a whopping 13.5!

So, here are his new Reeboks. The best part is the laces light up when he walks...he is just too cool for school now! He will certainly be the envy of his playgroup! ;)

A Painted House

2010-06-04T10:35:00.001-07:00

Ever since we moved into our house (over three years ago), we have loathed the color. It wouldn't have been terrible, but since the previous owners only used one coat of paint and only painted half of the chimney, it looked ridiculous. So...we had a couple estimates, which came back insane, so we decided to do it ourselves!

It took us a while to find the right color, but we settled on a sage green with a taupe trim...eventually a deep red door. So, here are a couple "before" pictures...

Jason working hard
I dug this flower bed myself :)

Stand by for "after" pictures...

Speed Demon

2010-06-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

JP's Aunt Patty got him this car for Christmas. Since we live in Boston (aka winter is cold!), we kept it hidden until his first birthday. Since May 4, I believe this car has driven at least 100 miles. And no, it's not electric, those miles were pushed by mommy, daddy, grandma and pappap!

He has now learned how to climb in and out of it himself. The first time he did it I was in another room when I heard the blinkers on the car clicking. I snuck out into the living room, and there he was! Sitting in his car, ready for a ride. When he noticed me peeking, he made his "truck noise" (which sounds like a motor with a little rolling of the tongue) to let me know he was ready for a ride.

We can't get enough of this kid! ;)

A few weeks ago...

2010-05-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

I turned 30, and Jason took me to the Big Apple to celebrate. Grandma and PapPap flew up from WV to watch JP for four days (THANK YOU!!!). They were nervous that JP might have some separation anxiety or miss us....uhhh, I don't think he noticed we were gone. He even said "pap pap" several times and they taught him how to say "light" although it sounds more like "LIE?". When we came home, he gave me a quick hug, ignored Jason and went back to playing. I guess we should be happy about that? lol

Back to NYC, we had a great time together. We did a TON of walking and exploring. I think NYC has better pizza than Boston, sorry friends. Our hotel was great. And the best part about this trip was that Jason planned everything!!!! EVE.RY.THING! The train tickets, hotel, restaurants, wicked, etc. It was wonderful! Oh, and Jason loved Wicked (although he might not admit it!).

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Party Time

2010-05-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was JP's first birthday party (a little belated, but nonetheless...). We had beautiful weather and a great turnout of friends for our backyard bash. JP was a little overwhelmed at times, but overall had a good day. He slept great last night, so I think the little guy was beat! Here are a few photos from his special day:

JP enjoying his friends in the make-shift ball pit:
Marcus, Nathan and Sam also enjoying the balls:
Liam meeting Heidi, the puppy (don't worry family, it's not OUR puppy!):
JP's cake...when he saw it, he made his "truck" sound (sort of like a motor sound):
Coaches cutting the cake:
He did not appreciate the singing:
But, he enjoyed a little taste of cake:
After the party died down, Daddy jumped in the ball pit with JP:
"Thank you, everyone, for making my day so special!" Love, JP

Happy 1st Birthday, Jason Palmer!!!!

2010-05-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, it's been a rough day for mommy...I had plans to post JP's birth story, but I think if I attempt that now, I may ruin my keyboard with the tears that are bound to fall. So, I'll give it a day...I'll digest that our little miracle boy is one year old, then I'll try again.

Until then, here are two pictures from our photoshoot yesterday with Sara Colket Photography (colketphoto.com). She emailed me these two this morning. JP was not very cooperative, and wanted nothing to do with the cupcake:

Posing with mommy, but smiling at daddy:

Get into the Groove

2010-05-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

JP is...

One's Not Enough

2010-05-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

Can your baby do THIS?!?!

A Seasoned Pro

2010-04-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

JP took his first steps April 1, and here he is on April 29....

Don't Stop Reading, Daddy!

2010-04-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

JP LOVES his Corduroy books, just don't stop reading once you start or else:

The Boys

2010-04-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

Daddy and JP looking at some paint supplies at the Home Depot...

...that's right! We are going to paint the exterior of our house! Yay!!!! Stay tuned for before/after pictures :)

Pick a Winner

2010-04-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

Someone has discovered his nose...

Marathon Monday

2010-04-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

STUD

2010-04-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm just chill-axin'...waiting for some more Cheerios...text me...

W.A.L.K.I.N.G.

2010-04-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

That's right. JP took his first steps April 1 (and that's no fool!) and hasn't stopped since. I've been trying to get it on film, but he gets so excited and laughs when I try to get him to do it on cue, that he falls down and crawls instead.

Here's what I was able to capture this afternoon (sorry about the shaky camera work):

take one

take two

take three

Mount Washington Resort

2010-04-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

So, my BFF, Robin, and I spent three days at the Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire a couple weeks ago to celebrate (or mourn) our 30th birthdays. We had a great time relaxing, laughing, drinking (by myself, Robin's preggo) and being pampered at the spa. This hotel is over 100 years old and absolutely gorgeous! Here are a few pictures :)

And while driving, we kept our eyes peeled...

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!!!

2010-04-13T03:33:00.001-07:00

We are still alive!

2010-04-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted...My nieces flew back home after staying with us for a week, I turned 30, I spent my first nights away from JP (at a spa with my bestest bud who also turned 30) and JP started walking (and crawling in circles and picking his nose!)...all since my last post. Whew!!!!

I'll get some new pictures downloaded asap and do a real update.

It doesn't take much...

2010-03-26T18:15:00.001-07:00

to entertain us. Brittney spent an hour in DSW trying on the "best" shoes she could find while Madison and I cracked up. Here are some highlights:

Street Ready

Snow Ready

Jazz Hands!!!

Did someone actually buy these?

I've laughed more this week with my nieces here than I can remember. They crack me up!!!! Right girls?!?! HEY! A NINJA!!!, Lainey & the Butterflies, weird guy singing on the street in Cambridge, weird lady screaming on the street in Cambridge (what's wrong with Cambridge, by the way?!), low flying birds, THE CURB!!!!! Love you girls!!! Come back soon :)

This Little Piggy

2010-03-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

This Boy Loves Trucks!!!

2010-03-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

And he's too busy to stop for a picture...

Columbus Has Invaded Boston

2010-03-21T15:52:00.001-07:00

and JP is psyched!

He's FAMOUS!!!

2010-03-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Check out our photographer's website: http://www.colketphoto.com/

Click "All in the Family," then

Click "Children"

Who's that beautiful boy?!?!

A couple more

2010-03-18T15:48:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited about JP's 9 month pictures. My goal is to actually frame one of these.....maybe....

Sara Colket Photography; www.colketphoto.com

Poor Benjamin!

2010-03-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

JP has begun applying the wrestling moves his daddy taught him...unfortunately for his buddy, Ben...

Oh, and he crawled away from me while I was trying to change his diaper. Hence, the lack of pants...

Wrestling with Daddy

2010-03-16T11:56:00.001-07:00

Maybe this is the reason JP tries to tackle all the babies in his playgroup???

Some Candids...

2010-03-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

Love My Pap Pap

2010-03-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

A Sneak Peek

2010-03-10T17:42:00.001-08:00

We had some professional shots taken of JP last month (9 months old). We haven't seen them yet, but we were sent this "preview" via email today:
Sara Colket Photography, www.colketphoto.com

It's been forever...

2010-03-09T20:03:00.000-08:00

I'll update soon, but here are a couple pictures in the meantime...

JP's first "concert":

JP with his buddy, Michael, at a play date:

Bathroom Fun

2010-02-25T09:01:00.001-08:00

JP was awfully quiet, so I snuck around the house and found him in the bathroom...
Busted...
My work here...
IS DONE...

Standing

2010-02-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

He does this more and more every day...I'm not sure we're ready for this!!

Stuff a Sock in it!

2010-02-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

JP was busy playing yesterday when Jason whispered for me to grab the camera...Look what's in his mouth! This kid cracks us up every day!!!!

Left Out

2010-02-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

JP and Blitz were NOT happy when Daddy decided to play ball in the other room without them ...

I'm An IAMS Dog

2010-02-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

or boy....

Still Saving...

2010-02-11T06:40:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted about my couponing lately, but I'm still at it. It takes some time, and Jason is starting to get annoyed with all my coupons floating around the house, but I think it's worth it! Here are some items I got for free on a recent shopping trip to CVS:

And I paid only a couple dollars for this bunch:

And check this out! The Children's Place is having a mega sale. I got all these clothes for JP (18 month size) for $44!!!!! There's 9 pairs of pants, 8 shirts, a hat and pair of shoes. If you go, be sure to print out a 10% off coupon online first!

Snow

2010-02-11T06:33:00.001-08:00

So, a lot of talk and not much action here in Boston. We only got a couple inches of snow last night (no argument here!). However, JP had some fun in the snow a few weeks ago with Daddy. Thanks, LaRae, for the snuggly outfit!

My First Shiner

2010-02-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well, about 2 hours before taking JP to his 9 month check-up, he falls while playing and gets this:
He's super mobile now, crawling fast and pulling up on EVERYTHING! He's so much fun! He weighs *almost* 20 pounds (19.8lbs to be exact) and is 29 inches long! He has the most laid-back, easy-going disposition. He has ZERO stranger anxiety, sharing his 2-tooth smile with anyone, and he loves playing with other kids (or watching them play). He's had his FIFTH haircut this month, claps his hands, eats everything we give him and cries when you take something away - mainly things he shouldn't have to begin with...wires, remotes, dog food, etc. It's hard to believe he'll be a year old in three months. It's been a wonderful adventure.

Here are some 9 month shots :)

Poor Blitz...he loves it, though!!!