Robert Anthony and Claire Emily

Watch Out, John Hancock

2009-08-03T20:14:00.002-05:00

Robert wanted to write all of our names on his dry-erase-board easel, so he asked me to write them so he could copy them.

Me in the black, obviously, him in the green. I circles all of our names individually in MSPaint to show you. (Ignore the R25N -- long story.) From the top:

ROBERT - The R is very long, the O down and to the right. The B is above the O, with the long stem. (He skipped the E for some reason.) The lowercase R is in the bottom right corner, with the T to its left.
MOMMY - The first M is actually the large letter, second from right, that looks like an upside-down U. The O is on the right, then the MMY goes right to left, next to the big M. (YMMMO.)
CLAIRE - The C is in the bottom left corner, the lowercase L just above it. The A is down and to the right, the I is the two dots just to the right of the C, then a lowercase R, then the E is the little squiggle below the R. No idea why he threw a T on the end.
DADDY - This is actually pretty clear -- just read right to left, and understand that the DDY looks like PPP.
PEANUT - Across the bottom, left to right, in the correct order.

A little hard to explain -- makes a lot more sense if you were watching him do it!

This Is How Lennon & McCartney Started

2009-07-30T20:22:00.004-05:00

Robert asked me to bring my guitar up for a little jam session this evening.

We even switched guitars for a while.

And Robert tried adding drums as well.

Robert also drew a family picture on his easel. The magnetic letters have no specific significance, but they do serve to tell who's who. The green "M" is on Daddy, the red "F" is on Mommy (the thing that looks like a tail is "a lot of hair"), the green "D" is on Claire (her head is the little circle on the top right corner -- her head is much smaller than ours, her legs are very long, her arms are sticking out from her legs, and her belly is the oval-shaped thing in the middle), the red "N" is on Peanut (surprisingly accurate, really), and the yellow "C" is on Robert.

(Looks like he has a future designing album covers for the Meat Puppets, at least.)

"You Have Underwear"

2009-07-25T20:37:00.001-05:00

I don't know that words are necessary to describe the lyrical genius.

Playing Library

2009-07-16T20:36:00.000-05:00

Robert set up a bunch of boxes and put his play laptop on the boxes, along with the phone and a couple of Grandpa's paperback books on top.

"What are you doing, Robert?" I asked.

"I'm not Robert," he replied. "I'm a Librarian."

At first I was tickled. He pretty much got it right, based on what he sees going on at the library. He sat there on a stool, typing away and occasionally picking up the phone and saying, "Hello, Hi. OK, Let me see."

And the thing that tickled me most was the fact that the books were sort of an afterthought. He occasionally picked one up to refer to it, or "beep" it with an imaginary scanner. But mostly his library work was done with the phone and computer.

Then something a little disturbing happened.

Robert got more boxes, some pillows, and Grandma's leg, and used them to create a barrier around himself and his little setup. Soon, he was entirely closed in.

"Now what are you doing?" I asked.

"I not want those kids bothering me. I is the Librarian. Don't bother me."

Really???

After a few more minutes, I asked him again what he was doing.

"Go Away! I'm too busy!"

He looked at me with a disgusted expression.

"Go away! I'm too busy!" He told me, and turned back to the computer.

Oh, really??

"I is a Plant!"

2009-07-16T20:34:00.000-05:00

When Grandma went to water her plants, Robert decided to help. Form inside, Mommy heard squeals and shouts, so she went to investigate. Grandma was "watering" Robert as he stood there shouting, "I is a plant!"

Seneca Park Zoo

2009-07-15T20:17:00.001-05:00

Eric, Rachel, and Claire at the zoo... with the back of Robert's head. He refused to turn around.Robert was excited to see one of his favorite animals, the alligator. He had been disappointed the previous day with the lack of alligators on Grandma Place's farm.
Rachel and Claire

When Robert saw the wading pool thing, he immediately dropped hi pants to go for a swim. After he was decent once again, he went for a wade instead.

Claire, smiling as usual.
Stopping at an educational tortoise exhibit.
Claire, reading the map to be sure we did not get lost.
Robert with Eric and Aunt Chrissy.
Trying to break in to the Elephant barn.
Watching the elephants get ready for their bath
Face to face with a baboon.
Rachel and Eric posing with some of the wildlife.
Rachel and Robert on the train. The highlight of Robert's day.

What do you know? Macaroni and cheese!
More water fun.
The ladies taking a break while the boys play.
Robert is now obsessed with "getting way bigger" like his cousin, Eric.
Looking at the Rhinos.
Claire liked the Orangutan, and he seemed to like her. They looked at each other for a while, until the orangutan suddenly threw up all over, and there was a swarm on orangutans fighting over who would get to eat it. Yuck.
Mommy then took Claire to see slightly less gross orangutans.

Claire's First Visit to Geneseo

2009-07-14T20:43:00.010-05:00

Reunion weekend! Claire (Class of '31) enjoyed her first trip to Geneseo. Robert (Class of '28), of course, has already been there, but enjoyed the fountain.

And running around campus.

And taking pictures of himself.

Including "timer" pictures.

And taking pictures of us.

And of Claire.

What a cute mother-daughter combo!

1890's Fair

2009-07-14T20:37:00.012-05:00

Our church has an 1890's fair every July 4 weekend, so we went to check it out.

Robert made sand art...

...and lots of 1890's "celebrities" were on hand to educate the kids. Here, Robert meets Wilhelm Roentgen.

We sat and watched the puppet show for a little while:

Robert was thrilled with the barbershop quartet.

Seriously, thrilled. He moved up to the front row.

A Quiet Morning At Home

2009-07-14T20:31:00.013-05:00

The morning after July 4, we spent a quiet morning playing with Robert's car mat.

Robert put all his animals and cars out.

Claire got to play too!

Because every playground needs a lion:

Some of Robert's photo expertise:

At the Farm

2009-07-14T19:04:00.000-05:00

Robert, Claire, Grandma and Mommy took a trip up to the farm last week. Robert immediately wanted to see a cow up close. But not too close.

"OOOHHHH! Look at that chicken! That's a BIG chicken!"
The calves were more Robert's speed... but as you can see, this calf wanted nothing whatsoever to do with Robert.
Grandma and Claire.
Heading into the barn. Robert was fascinated by the gutters. "Why that floor have a hole in it?" he asked.

The highlight of the day was taking a tractor ride. Unfortunately we have a before and after picture, but the camera batteries died for the "during" pics. Suffice it to say, Robert was a natural when it came to driving tractors. If by "natural," we mean he steers like a drunken monkey.

Grandma Place and Claire.
Then, Robert discovered sheep.

Grandma showed him how to feed hay to the sheep.

Claire, meanwhile, lounged around in her "Kentucky Derby" hat.

Grandma Place helped Robert find more hay for the sheep. ("Where that green stuff?")
(Pardon the "soft focus" on this shot.)

Our New July 4 Tradition at the Ducks

2009-07-14T18:05:00.014-05:00

For the second year in a row, we spent the evening of July 4 enjoying fireworks with the Long Island Ducks. Claire slept through the beginning...

...but woke up eventually, and enjoyed the company -- and the taste -- of Mr. Met:

Robert, meanwhile, stuck to the fries.

And his quacker.

He quacked at the whole row.

We picked up a Quackerjack to go with Mr. Met for Claire.

Robert was thrilled with the fireworks!

July 4 - Happy Birthday Aunt Lauren & Pop-Pop!

2009-07-14T17:36:00.017-05:00

For July 4, we went over to Nanny and Pop-Pop's for the birthday celebration. Robert celebrated by playing wiffle ball with his cousins:

And by eating watermelon.

Claire celebrated by chewing on her caterpillar.

Then Robert brought out... well, his "parade drum." He marched...

...and marched...

...and marched...

...and marched.

But he came back in time to help blow out the candles:

Robert took the blanket and a chair... and made himself a bed.

We convinced him to use a baseball glove instead of the chair.

Eventually, he went back to the parade, using his tee as a trombone.

Letchworth State Park

2009-07-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

Monday brought a trip to Letchworth State Park and the waterfalls. Robert was tired:

But he was eager to see the big waterfalls.

Cutest. Baby. Ever.

We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch by the falls. (Thank you, Wegman's subs.)

Robert asked Emily to take a picture of him.

Then he asked her to take a "silly picture."

Then Robert had to take silly pictures of everyone else:

(I know. Even "silly," she's still the cutest baby ever. You're welcome, world.)

After lunch, we walked down to see the middle falls.

There were two layers of rainbows, as Robert indicates here.

Robert's actually become pretty good with a camera, considering he's only three and a half:

We also stopped at the Glen Iris Inn to look at the koi before we left.

Red Wings, July 12

2009-07-13T19:30:00.013-05:00

Part of our sojourn to Geneseo included a trip up to Frontier Field, where Robert got... macaroni and cheese.

And a claw.

And a sticker.

By the end of the game, Claire was pretty exhausted.

So was her big brother.

But not too exhausted for cotton candy!

After the game, Robert used his cotton candy energy to run the bases with Spikes and Mittsy, the Wings' mascots...

...and apparently, every other kid in Rochester.

I swear these photos are in order; it was like that big group swooped in on him as he rounded third, and were gone by the time he touched home plate.

UU Flower Communion Today

2009-06-28T19:52:00.002-05:00

The past few Sundays, we've been visiting the Unitarian Universalist fellowship in Stony Brook. Their annual end-of-fiscal-year celebration, the "flower communion," was today, so we each picked out a flower and joined the ceremony.

It's damn near impossible to get both of them smiling and looking at the camera at the same time, so this was as close as we were going to get:

Claire was much more interested in how her flower tasted.

When we arrived, Robert was excited to add his flower -- and our flowers -- to the vases in the front of the room.

On the way out, Robert chose one of the big orange flowers to take home:

Messy Eater!

2009-06-27T21:18:00.004-05:00

Doctor Robert

2009-06-27T20:58:00.018-05:00

Always concerned with his sister's health, Robert gives Claire a daily checkup.

He listens to her heart,

gives her at least on shot,

and checks her ears.
Claire usually giggles and tries to squirm away. She's good at rolling, and it's only a matter of time before she can actually escape.

But, for now, she really can't escape Dr. Robert's evil clutches.
Tonight, he had some trouble getting her to "Say Ah!"
She just wanted to eat the flashlight.
So, when Robert wanted to take her temperature, he tried another tactic to get her mouth open.
"6 pounds." Whew, that's a relief! Last night her temperature as "35."
Claire looks stunned, but has a clean bill of health. Until tomorrow.

Summer! Finally!

2009-06-27T20:40:00.018-05:00

Today, Robert (with help from Daddy) went through all of his toys and picked out everything that was a "baby toy" to give to Baby Claire. As a reward for his generosity, we took him to Toys R Us and told him he could pick one toy. Robert chose a pool. Since it was hot out (and finally not raining!!), we set it up after lunch. Robert was thrilled.

(Please disregard the baby doll floating face down in the background of the pics. I know. It gives me the creeps, too.)

"Swimming":Dancing:
Bending:
Yelling at his toys, "You not go near the hose!"
Here he is reprimanding "Fisherman Pete" for going near the hose.
"Take a picture of me for Regular Grandma!"
When Claire woke up from her nap, we brought her out to try the pool. Robert explained the rules to her: "No splashing water, and always have a grown up with you."

We dipped he toe in, and found out quickly that she was NOT A FAN.
I took this picture to prove that she can cry.
So Daddy went in with Robert instead.
Mommy and Claire just watched.
I guess this is an ankle-deep version of water polo?
Photo courtesy of Robert:
Claire was much happier sunbathing on a towel. Just like Mama.

Weather Day, Part II

2009-06-27T20:34:00.002-05:00

Here is an excerpt from a recent performance of "Weather Day." Notice how it abruptly ends with a bow.

Weather Day, Part I

2009-06-27T20:18:00.022-05:00

Robert, the budding musician, loves to do 20-30 minute long performance art pieces that he makes up as he goes along. Lately, he does these for the benefit of his sister, often with guitar accompaniment. Lately, he has been doing variations of his composition, "Weather Day," Which features dramatic dynamic contrasts, emotional outburst, and a catchy chorus. It can (and has) go on for hours.

Claire is always suitably impressed.

Apparently, this one had some sad parts in it. It usually does.

Father's Day, 2009

2009-06-27T20:11:00.011-05:00

(OMG How cute is she?)
Claire and Mommy getting ready for Father's day (photo credit: Robert)
The best we could do for a father's day picture. It is so hard to get them both looking at the camera and not looking dumb.

Daddy and his little girl.
Because of the terrible weather, we moved the picnic inside. Luckily, the roses love the rain.
Claire and Pop-Pop:
Pop-Pop and his grandkids:
Father's day!

Flag Day!

2009-06-27T20:07:00.006-05:00

On June 14th, Chris got out the flag and brought it outside. Robert spied him and said, "Daddy, why you have that flag?" Before Chris could respond, Robert's face lit up and he got very excited. "Is it FLAG DAY?!?!?! YAY!!!!" Good job, preschool.

Flowers and Mommy

2009-06-27T20:06:00.000-05:00

Taken by Robert.

First Day of School

2009-06-27T20:01:00.004-05:00

Claire had her first day of school on June 9th, 2009. Here she is all ready to go...

And a flashback from May 30, 2006 when Robert had his first day. There is definitely a family resemblance..

Swingin'

2009-06-27T19:47:00.014-05:00

Got the baby swing back out for Claire.

Robert immediately took over. Apparently, it is the big brother's job to push the little sister in the swing.

STOP TAKING PICTURES!

(As you can see, the fence is still not painted. Give us a break - we're working on it.)

Robert decided to twist himself up on his swing...
... and fell off the most graceful manner.
Mommy eventually took over pushing both of them, which is more of a feat of dexterity than you might think.

How Do They Get Along?

2009-06-27T19:38:00.005-05:00

Robert and Claire, BFFs.
Here they are, playing together, as is typical.
Peek-a-boo:

Playing with Mr. Met:
Chatting:

Robert "eating her belly":
Singing and laughing together:
Chicken imitations:
A kiss for the little sister:
BFFs, I tell you.

Baby Claire

2009-06-27T19:34:00.001-05:00

Photos courtesy of Robert.

Robert the Master Puppeteer

2009-06-27T19:24:00.013-05:00

Robert decided to give a Sesame Street Puppet Show. So he got out his SS finger puppets...

... and began to "entertain" Baby Claire

Then he remembered that usually the puppet master hides behind something......and puts his hand up to make the puppets talk. Well, he didn't quite get it right.
He then moved on to making each puppet move while doing their voices.
Daddy gave him a demo of how puppet shows are generally done.

Instead, Robert decided the characters all needed to be put into baby cereal bowls. Life rafts, apparently. I guess the house was sinking.

Oscar fell out and could not be saved.

Daddy's Little Helper

2009-06-27T19:18:00.002-05:00

Trying to get all caught up on a bunch of pics we've not posted yet.
Here is a set from a few weeks ago when Daddy and Robert decided to start painting the fence. Robert was a great helper, but the job never got finished... thanks in part to the three straight weeks of rain we've had!

Brother and Sister, Best Friends

2009-06-15T21:31:00.000-05:00

Includes a cameo from Robert's fake bellyache, which can only be cured by his daily vitamin. (Don't ask.)

Into The High Chair!

2009-05-28T21:06:00.001-05:00

Cutest Baby Ever

2009-05-25T20:41:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day with the Centerport FD

2009-05-25T20:00:00.023-05:00

Got to spend the day with Uncle Lou and Aunt Lauren at the Centerport Fire Department Memorial Day Picnic. Good times; they had lots of food and drink, and tons of fun for the kids. Robert was happy to join in the fun. One game involved digging for candy through a big pile of sawdust... Robert "dug" right in:

He found a nice little pile of candy off to the side, which was much easier than digging through all that mess:

Robert took his loot back to the table and dumped it out:

Robert then wanted to go check out the fire truck. Baby Claire was less enthused:

But Robert was excited to follow Uncle Lou:

He got to talk on the phone ("to Mommy")...

...and check out the new heat-vision camera...

...and of course, play with the sirens!

Suddenly, Robert and Uncle Lou appeared on top of the truck:

But Robert was definitely excited to hang out inside!

Then he went over and checked out the ambulance as well.

Cutest baby ever:

Ice cream and watermelon!

Aaaaaand... cutest baby ever.

When we got home, Robert wanted to play in the sprinkler for a bit.

What a great day!

Hangin'

2009-05-25T19:58:00.001-05:00

Baby's First Cereal

2009-05-24T21:36:00.001-05:00

Claire is slowly starting to join us in the wonderful land of food. Here are a few photos from her first rice cereal experience, which she really enjoyed! (And Robert was a great helper!)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

To the best mom in the whole world!

The Cutest Baby Ever

2009-05-10T20:48:00.001-05:00

The Mighty Bug Hunter

2009-05-10T20:38:00.004-05:00

Robert took his bug jar outside to look for bugs. Mom helped:

They couldn't find any on the lawn (thanks, Long Island Tree Care), but found an inchworm hanging from a tree down the street. Robert named him Wormy:

He fed him a leaf, then opened the bug jar... and Wormy fell out and returned to the wild.

Playin'

2009-05-10T20:33:00.003-05:00

Who Gave The Toddler The Camera?

2009-05-10T20:24:00.004-05:00

A Visit To "Music Class Park"

2009-05-10T20:10:00.007-05:00

After Music Together class on Saturday, we took a few minutes to explore the park outside the Village Center. Robert enjoyed playing on the beach...

...picking up big rocks...

...and hurling them into the water...

...while Claire just enjoyed watching.

Then Robert danced on the boat in the playground, pretending to be a pirate.

This is his "pirate face":

Claire enjoyed a dolphin ride too!

Since the park is right outside the building where we have music class, Robert christened it "music class park."

Getting Ready For Bed

2009-05-02T19:58:00.008-05:00

Bed time after a busy Saturday. Robert took his bath first...

...while Claire lounged in her bathrobe and slippers waiting her turn.
Robert put on his jammies, and buttoned them up all by himself. (Yes, it is May and those are Santa jammies. Just try to pry them away from Robert. I dare you.)Robert helped Mommy give Claire her bath.

Then Daddy started reading Claire a book.

"Daddy, I want to read it to Baby Claire!"
"Goodnight, little cow sitting on the moon. Goodnight, mouse."
"Goodnight, oatmeal. Goodnight, mouse.""Goodnight, three bears sitting on chairs. Goodnight, mouse."

"Goodnight, mouse."

"Goodnight, balloon. Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, mouse."
"Goodnight, stars..."
"Look! The mouse! Goodnight, mouse."
Peanut hates us and wants us all to go away and leave him alone.

A Fine Spring Afternoon

2009-05-02T19:32:00.017-05:00

It stopped raining and turned into a really nice afternoon today, so we spent some outside time as a family. Claire couldn't stop smiling.
Daddy and Peanut went with Robert as he rampaged around the neighborhood on his trike.

Robert, Daddy, and Peanut, about to get hit by a car.

Still smilin'.
After all of the tricycle adventures, the whole family went for a walk.

Robert the wildlife explorer ventured into the wild to observe some native fauna. Or, he stormed into the weeds to see the neighbor's chickens.
"Here is a flower for you, Mommy!"

We told Robert we would go as far as the yellow sign before turning around. Here he is touching the sign.
On the way back, Robert suddenly announced that he "have to go pee-pee!" and dropped trow right there on the side of the road. What you can't see here is that this is actually right out in the open at a busy 5-way intersection. Sigh.

Some of Mommy's early flowers:

And back home again, doing some yard work. Rest assured, our lawn has been thoroughly bubble mowed.

Still smilin'.

You Guys Are So Boring.

2009-05-02T19:30:00.000-05:00

Asleep on her play mat on the floor.

A "Digital Native"

2009-05-02T19:24:00.002-05:00

Robert is fascinating to watch using the computer. It's so interesting to see him do intuitively things I see adults really struggle with on a day-to-day basis. The only thing he seems to have a hard time with is using a mouse with his right hand. (The pictures below are from before we remembered to change the mouse over for him this morning. After that, he was having a much easier time.)
The Elmo toothbrushing game. Second only to "Elmo's Potty Time."

Who's A Big Girl?

2009-05-02T19:16:00.002-05:00

Miss Claire is getting so big! Here she is modeling her Bumbo seat for us.

Chillaxin'

2009-05-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

Lump

2009-05-02T19:12:00.002-05:00

That last one is of Robert pretending to snore.

Claire and Grandma and the Hungry Caterpillar

2009-05-02T19:03:00.011-05:00

Grandma and Claire, spending some quality time......with a caterpillar.

That Elusive Shot

2009-05-02T18:51:00.003-05:00

We have a great photo of Robert at about this age on our mantelpiece, and wanted to get one of Claire to go with it. We must have tried for half an hour to get her to smile for the photo, but we finally got the same shot of her:

Here are a few of the failed attempts to catch a good smile. Cute nonetheless.

PS it was 90 degrees that day, and thus the tank top.

Planting Flowers With Mommy

2009-05-02T18:42:00.003-05:00

Robert has been helping Mommy get her flowers planted for the spring. He is such a good helper!

He checks on everything he has helped plant every day when he gets home form school and again before bed.

Wildwood State Park

2009-04-18T20:12:00.008-05:00

Wildwood State Park is a quick fifteen-minute drive from our house, but for some reason, we hadn't been there in the eight or so years we've been living in this area of the world. So today we went there for a picnic. They have a nice playground:

With a digger:

And of course, a swing set:

Grandma and Claire enjoyed the bench and a nice book.

Daddy crossed the monkey bars...

...and Robert played tic-tac-toe.

Claire wasn't impressed.

Then we had a nice picnic:

And then it was on to the beach, which was pretty deserted. (Actually, the whole park was pretty quiet, which was bizarre for an 80-degree Saturday in April.)

Robert enjoyed tossing rocks into the water.

(You can see below one of his many handfuls of pebbles, flying into the sea.)

Robert took a few moments to explore the big rocks:

Robert wanted to take a picture of Mommy, but he couldn't quite figure out the camera:

So he gave the camera back to Mommy instead:

Completely exhausted, we staggered back to base camp for some bubbles.

What a great day we had! I'm sure we'll see lots more Wildwood this summer.

Hangin' With Grandpa Tom & Grandma Kathy

2009-04-18T19:57:00.010-05:00

Emily's dad and Kathy came to visit for a few days, and the crew all went out to see the Montauk lighthouse on a blustery spring day:

The next day, they visited the aquarium... and dug:

...and visited the koi pond...

...and the enormous turtle. (Thanks to Emily for taking this picture, which I think is awesome.)

Easter 2009

2009-04-18T19:44:00.015-05:00

Lots of fun with the Bunny this year. He hid eggs all over the living room:

And brought a pack of bubble wands!

~~Emily made~~ The EB brought a lovely bunny hat for Claire, too.

Aaaand... glasses:

First we visited with Chris's mom:

Then Emily's mom helped Lauren learn how to cook:

Nanny and Pop-Pop brought Robert a bubble mower:

And Claire a little duck, which she loved:

A Few Pre-Easter Photos

2009-04-11T20:49:00.020-05:00

Claire has finally discovered her hands, and by extension, a rattle.

She's not so good at getting it into her mouth yet, though:

Grandma bought us a new vacuum today. Well, Robert is pretty sure it's for him. As we know, he's long been obsessed with the vacuum (see here, here, and here), and, well... he was beyond thrilled.

Claire was not as impressed, but she was happy to spend some time with Grandma:

A boy and his vacuum. I'd swear, you'd think we bought a puppy, or a Joe Schlabotnik baseball card or something. But no. It's a vacuum. Yes, he's three.

We finally tore him away from the vacuum long enough to dye some eggs.

Baby Claire was... well, not impressed with that either.

But Robert was proud of his work.

Robert then read Claire an Easter story:

And before bed, laid out some carrots for EB:

Coming tomorrow... Easter baskets!

Citi Field, Sunday, April 5: Mr. Met's "Kiddie Field"

2009-04-11T20:39:00.019-05:00

Out beyond the center field fence, they built a kid's zone, the centerpiece of which is Mr. Met's Kiddie Field, a wiffle-ball version of Citi Field.

After running around Kiddie Field, we checked out the old home run apple, on display on the right-field concourse:

One tired little dude:

Citi Field, Sunday, April 5: At The Park

2009-04-11T20:25:00.019-05:00

Arrived at "Not Shea" a little after 10:00, giving us plenty of time to check everything out. Parked in our usual spot under the subway tracks, which gave us easy access to the main gate behind home plate.

Robert started the day pouting (below), because he just wanted to see Mr. Met, and had not done so yet, even though we'd been inside the stadium for almost a full minute by that point:

Our first view of the field was through the Ebbets Club, right behind home plate:

Mr. Met!

We grabbed a seat and relaxed for a while:

Even Bobo got to explore the park.

Robert observing a moment of silence for Shea, which used to exist in that giant pit of gravel in the middle of the parking lot:

(Okay, it wasn't really a moment of silence. He was fascinated by the big window, and he wanted to try to look straight down... so he took his hat off and got up really close to the window.)

The old scoreboard skyline made it over to Citi Field, which I was really happy to see, even though it now lives over the Shake Shack concession stand:

The new apple, ready to pop:

These windows in left field contain an exclusive restaurant of some kind:

Citi Field, Sunday, April 5: Pre-"Game"

2009-04-11T20:11:00.003-05:00

Scored a couple of tickets to the Mets "ticket plan holders day" last weekend, so we geared everyone up and hit the road.

Claire, From Robert

2009-03-29T20:21:00.001-05:00

(photo courtesy of Robert's camera)

The Many Faces of Miss Claire

2009-03-29T19:21:00.006-05:00

I challenge you to find a cuter baby anywhere.

Brother and Sister

2009-03-29T19:18:00.001-05:00

So cute!

A kiss for Baby Claire!
But it's not long before Roebrt is up to something again!!!

Hairy Beast

2009-03-29T19:12:00.007-05:00

There are two things that fascinate Claire more than anything else. Robert and Peanut. Here she is inspecting the hairy beast with a lot of interest. Peanut, however, would just as soon eat her, I think.

A Sweet Moment Goes Horribly Wrong...

2009-03-29T19:05:00.002-05:00

Look at these sweet pictures! Robert sure loves his little sister!

Maybe he loves her just a little too much. A gentle little hug...

... turns into a squeeze...

... and a desperate attempt by Claire to escape...
...until Mommy stepped in and it was back to a little hug. But for how long? I don't trust the look in Robert's eyes...

Robert on the Loose

2009-03-29T19:00:00.003-05:00

A crummy, rainy day isn't about to stop Robert! Here he is leading a parade through the house (what you can't hear is Daddy behind him making "flute sound" as ordered by the little drum major):And here he is with daddy playing Mario Kart on the wii.

Another Flashback

2009-02-25T16:24:00.004-05:00

Why are babies fascinated with the ceiling fans?
I remembered Robert loved to watch the fan in his room go around when he was Claire's age, so I brought her up today and let her watch it while I got a few things done. I'll have to find the pics of him doing precisely the same thing three years ago.

She jsut watched it go around and around...

...until I think she got dizzy!!
And of course, Peanut was standing by, as well.

April 30, 2006

2009-02-25T16:19:00.000-05:00

Look familiar? :)

Playtime With Claire

2009-02-25T16:12:00.004-05:00

I was totally mad when Robert outgrew this play gym and we had to put it away... it cost a fortune, don't you know. So I'm pretty psyched that Claire seems to love it.

More Birthday Fun

2009-02-25T16:04:00.004-05:00

Robert insisted on building a house for his new Clifford bobble head:

And taking a picture of Claire to comemorate his birthday. (But he erased it immediately.)
After school, we continued the festivities with Macaroni and Cheese and some exciting rounds of Puppy bingo while watching The Cat in the Hat on TV.

On Tuesday, Grandma Mary Anne gave him a guitar for his birthday!

OK that is enough birthday fun. We're done now. I hope.

Unimpressed

2009-02-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

Claire was not impressed by all of the birthday revelry.

Happy Birthday, Robert!!

2009-02-25T15:48:00.006-05:00

Here are some shots of Robert opening presents on the morning of his third birthday!

In this one, he is reading his name on the card.

A little help from Peanut.
A PEACOCK!!

Here is the Peackock with his "Little Alligator" (actually a lizard).

Mommy and Baby Claire

2009-02-25T15:46:00.001-05:00

I guess we both look tired in this one...

Claire Celebrates Robert's Birthday

2009-02-25T15:44:00.002-05:00

Doesn't she look thrilled?

Robert's Birthday Party

2009-02-25T15:35:00.004-05:00

When asked what kind of party he wanted for his third birthday, Robert replied, "Pizza and Cake in my dining room." OK. He wanted to invite Nanny, Pop-Pop, Aunt Lauren, Uncle Lou, Mommy, Dadd,y, Baby Claire, Peanut, Bobo, Little Bobo, and Bobo's Blankie.

Unfortunately, Pop-Pop and Uncle Lou were both sick and couldn't be around Baby Claire. So Robert requested that his friends Sophia and Olivia (and their parents) instead. He was thrilled to show the girls his house (including the inside of the freezer) and play with them.

And apparently, Mommy got the cake right!

Robert picked out the hats himself.

Birthday Cake!

2009-02-25T15:33:00.001-05:00

Robert had a very specific order for his birthday cake this year:
A chocolate white triangle cake with strawberries, chocolate cookies (oreos) and orange candles.

Mommy was happy to oblige.

His Daddy is Appalled

2009-02-25T15:31:00.000-05:00

Storytime

2009-02-25T15:25:00.002-05:00

Robert has decided that one of his primary jobs as a big brother is to read to his sister. He has yet to realize that her attention span will not last through the number of books he tends to pick out. But it's cute, anyway.

Thing One and Thing Two

2009-02-09T22:41:00.005-05:00

This evening, Robert brought one of his favorite books downstairs to read to Claire. He really did a good job reading it to her, getting it almost entirely right.

(Claire was a little perplexed, despite the excellent rendition of the tale)

Big Brother and Little Sister

2009-02-09T22:24:00.004-05:00

Robert just loves his little sister!(Although he looks like he's plotting something evil here)

A kiss for Baby Claire

And a hug: What just happened????
"I Wuv You!"

Crazy eyes:

These two look like they are up to no good... partners in crime:
And another big hug: (don't worry, Mommy saved Claire from this one)

Blue Eyes and Crazy Hair!

2009-02-09T22:19:00.002-05:00