I know, I know, I've been a total slacker about posting. And it won't get better anytime soon since Rob and I are jetting off to Italy next week.
While you're waiting for me to get my act together, enjoy this picture of Zack and his buddy Sebastian, taken last night at our favorite pizza place. It was a lot of fun watching these two imps interact during dinner.
Until later, ciao!
Zack is trying to knock down a 50 foot oak tree by throwing acorns at it. He is convinced this is possible.
And this is a few minutes later. I'll spare you the pain and agony and hystrionics that occurred when we tried to move him into his bed. Suffice it to say that there was much screaming and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The result of a couple hours at the beach and a couple hours in the pool topped off with some pizza.
It's rained for two solid days. A lovely rain, really, but not conducive to the beach. We went to the aquarium yesterday, which was quite fun. Today we just kind of hung out.
Under the wildly-remarkable-news category, Zack tried and liked both steamers and lobster. Woo hoo!
We took Zack to see his first movie in the theater today--Cars 2. He did a great job and really enjoyed himself.
The movie was not the highlight of the day, however. That came when it started pouring after the movie and he got to run around in the rain. Figures.
...is serious business.
Zack and I went to our favorite pizza place tonight since Rob is (wait for it--it's a shocker.) out of town for the week. We sat at Zack's favorite table, from which we can see the train tracks, the fire station, and the guys throwing the pizza crusts. This is also called 3-year-old heaven.
Pretty darned well, thank you very kindly! Our efforts to enrich our horrible soil seem to be paying off. We've picked quite a few cherry tomatoes already---Zack is learning when they're ready and when they need another day. We've picked a number of squash already and are waiting for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
I learned last year that I have to grow basil in pots to thwart the slugs. That strategy is definitely paying off this year as I've already been able to harvest an armful each of Thai and Genovese basil for the freezer, and after looking last night, I think I could do it again.
The flowers are doing so well, too. Last year I helped our neighbor cut back the (formerly) huge bushes along our fence, leading to far more sunlight for our flowerbeds. What a difference! It feels like things are finally coming together.
Zack loves to help water, pull weeds from the patio, watch the bees and butterflies, and just generally be outside with us. We try to be outside as much as possible, but the gnats have been horrible, the mosquitos are horrible, and the heat has been oppressive. There seems to be a break in the heat this weekend, so it looks like we'll be back out there again!
...my baby is this big is beyond me. But he has outgrown his tricycle, so here we are.
He was beyond excited to go get this today. He did really well, though going down (very little) hills was a bit scary. He's getting the hang of the coaster brake, though, and was so thrilled when he realized that he could control more than he thought he could. I expect him to be zooming around in no time.
This morning as I was putting him in his carseat, he said "I like your beautiful necklace, Mommy."
I'm starting to think he's buttering me up for something.
Zack and I were getting ready to head out the door this morning. He had his milk and I had my purse on my shoulder when he turns to me, points to my bag, and says, very seriously, "I like your new bag, Mommy."
I've lost my voice the past few days. The first day this happened, I picked Zack up from school and he was chattering away in the back seat like he always does. I was doing my best to answer, but not much was coming out. All of a sudden he stopped for a second, then said "Mommy, your mouth not making any noise."
"I'm getting frustrated with you, Mommy."
This after about an hour of him fighting going to sleep. I informed him that he wasn't the only one who was frustrated.
So Zack faired very well with Grandma and Papa. And to their credit, Grandma and Papa didn't leave the second that Rob and I arrived home! Rob and I went to pick the little guy up at school the day we got back. When we walked in the room, he looked at us for a minute, then asked "Where are Grandma and Papa?"
We've been busy since then. Zack's school had an end-of-the-year celebration last Friday, with a Mardi Gras theme that included yummy food and pony rides. It was lots of fun!
We spent a lot of time outside this afternoon, with Zack doing a great job of alternately helping us, making "cupcakes" (this involved water, dirt, weeds, and a watering can, with just the right amount of stirring), picking wild strawberries, and otherwise amusing himself. I suspect that he'll turn a few shades lighter after his bath tonight.
And yes, his shoes are on the wrong feet. He put them on himself and he adamently insisted that they were on the correct feet. Aside from being VERY disconcerting to us when watching him walk, there was no harm done, so it seemed a battle that need not be picked.
I'm on my way to Providence, RI, for a conference as I type. I was telling Zack that I was going on a trip, and I got the requisite "don't go" that I was expecting. I told him that I had to go but I'd miss him. "I'll be sad when you leave, Mommy." Yikes! That really tugged on those heart strings!
It only took us one and a half days, three planes, and an unexpected overnight in Chicago (there are certainly worse cities for an unexpected overnight, to be sure), but we are finally in Santa Fe for our first vacation sans Zack. Grandma and Papa are keeping him busy (or, more likely, the other way around) while we're gone, so we know he is in good hands. By all accounts he is behaving better for them than us, so we can relax.
Though we must admit, we do miss that sweet little face just a smidge.
