Queens County Farm- April 2015

We've been to the Queens County Farm a lot of times since we moved to Long Island, but actually we hadn't been in a year and half. Miranda had never been before and James no longer remembered having gone. The farm can be super crowded during events but we went on the perfect day because it was almost empty.

Miranda meets her first alpaca.

James, what did you like about the farm? "I feed all the goats. And I think the goats like it if I feed them some of Dada's things (the goat feed)."

James carefully sharing the feed so each goat gets the same amount.

Feeding number 3.

There are sheep to feed too!

James then demanded we go on the hay ride. He's a little spoiled. He and I were the only ones on it, and I pretended it was exciting by squealing every time we went over a bump grabbing on to him so I could make him jump each time, and asking him to please hold me down so I don't fall off. He loved it. 

Chilling before the ride.

Super Secret Speakeasy 2015

Kevin discovered a (not-so) super secret speakeasy in our neighborhood! This is very exciting as our neighborhood is kind of low on cool. We have a new coffee shop with coffee that's actually good, and if you go through a little secret door there's a bar that more properly belongs in Brooklyn with delicious fancy drinks. If you want to know where it is you will have to come with us, or maybe message us. Ha.

Last week we snuck over there with Nick and Emily while Grandma watched the kids. Thanks, Grandma Kathy!

 

Me and Kevin enjoying an impromptu double-date

Emily and me- not pictured- Nick.

Miranda's 1st and James's 4th Birthday Party 2015

I am so grateful to everyone who came and everyone who couldn't come but sent presents for our little love bugs. Like crazy grateful- tears of joy grateful. I don't know what we did to deserve such amazing friends and family in our life or if we just got lucky but THANK YOU. (And sorry I'm late on the actual thank you cards, but I swear they are coming.)

Helping Miranda blow out the candle on her big chocolate/dulce de leche cake

James blows out candle on his Curious George "ganilla" cake (vanilla)

Super awesome Ash cutting up the cake.

Some special thank yous to Nana (my mom) who brought Miranda's cake and all the Cuban appetizers, Grandma (Kevin's mom) who brought the Curious George cake all the way from the Cape, and Ash who came a day early and did all the decorating basically on her own.

 

La Familia Cubana y Irlandes

Uncle David, Great-granda Daisy, me, Miranda

Hudson, Christina, and Tim

Rachel, Miranda, Eleanor mom, Tania

Dan, Eleanor, and Aria

Mom with besties Tania and Onel

Christina, Aria, Miranda, Bob

Jon, Nick, and Emily- totally candid.

James and Miranda opening presents.

I asked James if he liked his party and why. He said, "Yeah, and I like Happy Halloween, and Christmas. They are so fun." 

But what about your party? "I liked the cake." 

What do you think Miranda liked about the party? "I think Miranda liked everything about the party."

Miranda's Month Photos 2015

Oh, how my little baby girl has grown! I miss it all already! Here are her month photos.

The day Miranda was born

1 Month Old

Not her actual 2 month photo but I like this one much better


3 months, and showing a little leg!


4 Months, the month she meowed a lot.

5 Months, with her Nana

6 Months, sitting on her own

7 Months, cuteness explosion!

8 Months, enjoying Christmas, pre-crawling and scooting

9 Months, speed crawling and sleeping through the night!

10 Months, just a few days from walking on her own...

11 Months, walking and running everywhere

12 Months, running at her party (again, cuter than the sticker picture)

Okay, so despite all my promises when James was born that I would try to do the same stuff for them, I did not get a photo of Miranda every single day. This was not because Miranda was less adored though, it was because it wasn't much fun the first time I did it with James. But I took photos almost every day, since unlike with James, I always had a camera phone handy. I took approximately 2,400 of Miranda her first year, so does it really matter that they weren't all on consecutive days? No.

Almost 365 days... I couldn't get them all in one screen shot.

• James's Month Photos 2012

Miranda is a Year Old! 2015

The perfect little Miss Miranda

I'm kind of sad my baby is already a year old. She is the most beautiful, smart, sweet little baby we could ever have hoped for. We love her little raspy laugh, seeing her dance, hearing her say tickle-tickle-tickle, and have her give us "kisses" by smacking her tongue against her lips. Miranda, your dada and I are so in love with you that it's a little ridiculous!

She's in charge of the sticker this month.

Growth- Miranda had her 1-year doctor's appointment yesterday! Her measurements were 31.5 inches tall, and 22 pounds and 8 ounces. She's wearing 12 months pants (or he would if we had any) and 12-18 month and 18 month shirts.  She has 4 adorable teeth that she chews and smiles with.

Cute smile!

Eating- She just came off formula (hurray!) and she can, and does, to eat everything. She loves meat and sweet things, especially.  She feeds herself finger foods and has co-opted her brothers sippy cups for extra water and milk.

Her passion for food mirrors mine.

Sleep- If James doesn't disturb her, Miranda sleeps through the night from 8:00 p.m to 8:00 a.m. (2 more hours than her brother used to sleep at night at this age). She takes two naps a day in her crib, by herself, one 45 minute nap, and one 45-120 minute nap, depending on how much she slept the night before. 

Can you handle the cuteness? I cannot. 

Moving- She's been walking since 10 months, and within a few days she was running and carrying heavy toys with her. She had a little trouble at the park at first because she was still too little to do anything besides eat the wood chips, but she's gotten a little more comfortable with the concept and will run around for a little while before sitting down with Dada to enjoy the sights.

Running at the park

 

Enjoying the swing (sort of)

Language/ Social- She says, "dada," "mama" (though I rarely hear this one lately), "tickle-tickle-tickle," and "go!" She makes kissy noises to communicate love or playfulness, claps and dances when she likes a song, and points to people she knows because she thinks it's funny. She shakes her head no and yes, and when she does the latter she looks like Barbara Eden in a "I Dream of Jeannie." She scribbles on a little etch-a-sketch, and sometimes she steals the milk bottle to "paint" the coffee table.

Chilling with her etch-a-sketch masterpiece

She understands some things. She gets a book at night time when we ask her to. She understands, "no," but chooses to ignore us. Except for this stubborn streak and her HATRED of driving places, she's a pretty easy baby on the whole.

Sweet and innocent...

I would describe her personality as "purposefully mischievous." She thinks it's funny to do little mean things. This aligns pretty well with her father's sense of humor, though his is more witty, and hers is, so far, more slapstick.

Example: Pulling her sleeping brother's ear.

Fairy on the move! Watch out!

• Miranda at 11 Months, March 2014
• James at a Year Old, April 2012

James's 4th Birthday Interview and Quotes

Since James's three-and-a-half-birthday, he's developed a lot. He writes a lot more words and he reads a little - not just memorization of his books but actual sight-reading. He negotiates, whines, cajoles, and plays me and Kevin off each other. He either turned 4 years old or 14 years old on Monday. I'm not sure which. He had his 4 year appointment today and he's 36 pounds and 40.5 inches tall, and is otherwise completely healthy. We feel very lucky.

Autumn joy

Interview, 4/20/15
1. What's your name? James.
2. What's my name? Ma... uh.. Ericka.
    What's his name? Dada.
3. How old are you? Four.
4. How old do you think I am? Thirty-three? Thirty-five? (I am 36.)
5. How old is Dada? Forty-four. (He is 35.)

Holding worms at nature nursery school

6. What is your favorite animal? My favorite animals are all the animals. I like the animals in The Littlest Pet Shop. (TV Show)
7. What is your favorite color? The colors of the pet shop.
    Can you pick just one color? Blue, because that's a panda in The Littlest Pet Shop.
8. What is your favorite food? Apple.
    What's your favorite breakfast? My favorite breakfast is eggs.
    What's your favorite lunch? My favorite lunch is peanut butter and jelly.
    What's your favorite dinner? Peas and eggs. (Quiche?)
9. What is your favorite book? I don't know. My favorite is Goodnight Moon.
10. What is your favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle, and Itsy Bitsy.

 Interrupts... Can we please not talk this? Where's Grandma's iPad?

Building a Duplo castle

11. What is your favorite toy? My favorite toy is a coloring book.
12. Do you sleep with any toys at night? Just Fudgie.
13. What is your favorite show? All of them. The Littlest Pet Shop is my favorite.
14. Which is your favorite movie?  The Frozen movie, and the Lego movie.

Eating snow

15. What do you want for your birthday? Cake. A ballon.
16. Are you funny? Yep.
17. Who is your best friend? Everybody.
      Well who do you like playing with the most? Grandma.

Giving Grandma a checkup

18. Do you like school? Yep.
19. Who are your teachers? Miss Andrea and Miss Sue.

Strange and troubling things he writes on his own. Warning!

20. Do you love me? Yeah.
     What does it mean that you love me? That you're pretty.
     Do you love Dada? Yeah.
     What does it mean that you love Dada? He thinks he's pretty.

Definitely loves his sister.

21. Do you want to get married one day? Yeah.
     What kind of person do you want to marry? All the girls in the town.
22. What do you want to want to be when you grow up? A teacher.

Wrote "Good Mama, Good James, Good Miranda, Good Dada" on his own.

Quotes from the last six months

11/18/14:

K: Go use the potty, James.

J: I don't pee or poop anymore.

K: That's untenable.

Full of personality!

1/13/15:

J: Is it tomorrow?

K: The answer to that question is always no.

E: Tomorrow isn't like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Tomorrow is always the day after today.

J: What? That's a crazy story, Mama.

 

Selfie at Dada's reading

1/16/15:

Me: I have to squish you (hugs James)

J: Sorry I have to do my work.
Me: What's your work?

J: Lifting things.

Me: Well this is my work, I have to squish you.

J: (laughing) Sorry, gotta go work.

Too cool for words

1/26/15:

J: Dada, can I have balloons for my birthday?

K: Balloons for your birthday? Sure. How many do you want?

J: Mm, a "meeyon."

K: A million! No, how about another number?

J: Two?

K: Sure. How about four since you'll be four on your next birthday?

Drew a seriously awesome Pacman game

2/23/15:

J: Ericka...

E: Why are you calling me Ericka?

J: Because that's your name.

E: But I'm your mama.

J: That's your middle name, Ericka.

Sharing the chair

3/29/15:

J: "I only speak Spanish." (in English)

Super cool

• James is 3.5
• James 3rd Birthday interview
• James's interview at 2.5 years old
• James wasn't interview ready at 2 years old, but he was starting to use sentences.