Miranda is 14 Months 2015

Looking at James's 14-month post I'm really sorry that I've used my phone to take so many pictures of Miranda instead of my camera. I'll fix that a little this month.

One with the camera at almost 14 months, June 19

Miranda is up to everything. She has 5.5 teeth, and is in about size 18 month clothing.

She says Mama, Dada, yes, that and "tickle-tickle-tickle" and but understands A LOT of what we say to her. Nonetheless she rarely follows the instruction NO.

iPhone Selfie at about 13 months

James is both her best friend and occasionally her oppressor.

At the park


At home

She's a pro at feeding herself and she's eager to use utensils though she's not adept at it. She loves all food.

Go-gos


Civilized dinner


Smoothie dessert

She loves books and electronics. Her favorite books are "Dinosaur Versus the Library, " "Nosy Barker," and "Dora and the Rainy Day." She steals James's LeapFrog and my phone and Kindle whenever she has the chance. 

With the LeapFrog

She loves loves to dance and she's so good at it! Nothing makes me happy like seeing her dance. I will retroactively insert a video here tonight.

James at 14 months, 2012

Mike and Havi Visit- June 2015

Mike and Havi visited and they were full of awesome. I made some beef and broccoli for dinner, because I cook all sorts of things now, haha. And Havi made this super fun dessert that looked like worms in dirt, but was actually gummy worms in a chocolate-oreo pudding wonderfulness. They also brought gifts for the kids- books and toys that they love.

Miranda checking out her new book-obsession, James and his baseball game.

Snuggly bonding time.

Dessert!

Oh and there was an impromptu dance party, because they are awesome.

Dancing!

Showing their Scottish-dancing roots.

Reading by osmosis.

Reading by actual reading

Also we decided to group Skype Andrew in Japan, though admittedly it must have been weird for Havi to meet Andrew for the first time via Skype. And then have to keep speaking to him while we gave him lots of unsolicited and uncivilized advice. Haha, oh well! Family.

Our view of Japan

Japan's view of us.

Michele Visits- June 2015

Michele came to visit again! This because 1) she can't stay away from NYC, 2) she loves me too much, 3) Nina made her, because she's getting married.

Michele! In a beautiful dress!

We had a Monday to go adventuring. Sadly it turns out New York does sleep- all freaking Monday. Everything was closed, particularly the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. So we decided to go for a short walk in Prospect Park. We actually walked over to Prospect Park, then got lost, checked a map and chose a "short cut" back which turned out to be longer than the long way around, and long story long, we ended up going on about a 10-mile walk. The walk will surely grow longer every time I tell this story.

Selfie in the park...

Starting to lose it.

We've lived in this park for so long now, we know other people that can take our picture

We got out!!!

Praying to the gods of hydration.

Finally, finally, finally, we ate lunch at Koto, reviving our old tradition of eating sushi every time we saw each other. We also had the best mochi ever- so good it actually converted Michele into liking mochi. Then, just to up the torture quotient a little we jogged to the train (but really so I didn't miss it).

I miss you already Michele!

Father's Day 2015

Happy Father's Day to seriously the best dad ever, Kevin. Just in numbers alone, he works a full-time job and still spends an average of 8 hours a day with the kids! Yes, that's an insane number. But he's that deeply awesome. Our kids are so lucky to have have two full-time parents. We try to repay you in love.

Happy Father's Day!!

Although he's getting some belated alone hiking, he decided to take us to Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium on Father's Day. The kids loved it.

James got to feed the fish food pellets

There were trout and some other crazy fish (like the HUGE goldfish here)

There were also chickens?

Miranda pointing at the chickens. She was a little afraid of them initially.

Here I am, doing what I do in the wild- taking photos of the kids.

Turtle pond! Super full of turtles and kind of awesome

Turtle pond was my favorite.

Inside James could get a close up of tiny turtles

Miranda spots some water snakes

Also, there was a secret Nature Conservancy walk on the property, St. John's Pond Preserve. You had to know to ask the front desk for a key, and you had to unlock the property gate with said key. Secret garden! It was beautiful with a view of a gorgeous kettle pond.

Opening the gate.

Miranda's second hike- Aw, she rides on his shoulders now!

Dad of the year and kids in front of the kettle pond

James's Nursery School Graduation 2015

James had his first move-up ceremony! On the one hand, I feel that wistful my-little-boy-is-growing-up feeling. On the other hand, it's only nursery school. He goes to preschool next year, and Kevin and I both started school in preschool. I'm really glad he got a little school this year though because he was home a lot with me before that and he needed some socialization with other kids. He's come a long way with sharing and cooperating. Plus we really enjoyed that he went to a nature and science nursery school with a lot of outdoors time and worm-handling and gardening.

Same sign as first day.

One of his friends, Celia.

The move-up ceremony was really quick. Like don't-blink-quick. The kids walked out, sang a butterfly song (which James did not seem familiar with, perhaps because he didn't actually attend school this week), and then they called their names for certificates. They also got a little gift bag with a book, their art projects and their final report card. James got his first perfect report card with improvements in sharing and caring and whatnot. 

Ready to perform a song about a butterfly before "graduating"

Close up! James, ?, Peyton, Riley, and Micah

Future Class Clown? What he did when he saw I was taking A LOT of pictures.

With his teachers Ms. Sue and Miss Andrea standing right there no less!

Getting his certificate (15 seconds)

Posing with his certificate. Ready for summer then PreSchool!

My own report on his progress is that he definitely communicates like a toddler now and tells little stories about what happened. He been able to read and write all the letters since before he started nursery school, but now he can sight-read some words. I'm not sure if he knows about sounding stuff out or not, but I think I might clue him into that this summer. He can also do a little simple addition. I'd also really like him to focus on Spanish this summer. Honestly, the hard part is making myself focus on it when it's so much easier to just stick to English.

Then they all got to play a while because they're 4 years old.

With his best school friends Elena and Sabina

He trusts Dada will catch him.

We told him we were proud of him for working so hard and being good in class. Then we took him for ice cream.

Good job, buddy!

Post-graduation ice cream treat! (J picked cotton candy and M shared lemon with Dada)

• James's First Day of Nursery School- September 2014
• James's Nursery School Video- Fall 2014
• James's Nursery School Holiday Party 2014
• Reading at James's School- March and April 2015

Cape Cod- June 2015

The kids were extremely excited to go to the Cape. Specifically, James was very excited to go see Grandma and his "best friend" Ellen. Miranda didn't totally understand what was going on, but she knows that suitcases mean someone is going somewhere, so she decided to spend the entire day sitting in the suitcase so that no one could leave without her. In an act of solidarity, James joined her.

M and J's reaction to a suitcase.

I wish Miranda's enthusiasm had carried over to the actual car ride though. She cried so much in one leg of the trip that we had to pull over to pacify her. And then she thanked us like this:

Smart ass.

But at last we made it! This was a big trip because my mom also joined us, and together we went to Truro for my Grandmother Catherine's very belated memorial service. She passed away in December, but the family agreed it was best to do the service over the summer. We had a full Catholic mass, I did the eulogy, and her other three grandkids Graham, Rachel, and Griffin did some bible readings. Afterwards we went to the cemetery to place her in the family plot with Grandpa Jim, and Uncle Kevin.

Our contingent before we left for Truro

Grandma Catherine's family: Maura, Rachel, Graham, me Richard, mom, Elaine and Griffin

That took the better part of Saturday but we had until Monday at dinner to enjoy the Cape. Aunt Nesie, Aunt Mary, and Great Great-grandma Ruth babysat for us, we had lunch with my mom, hiking with Kevin's mom, and the kids spent lots of time at the pond.

Aunt Nesie showing Miranda how to pet Harry

Aunt Mary snuggling the kids

Great Grandma Ruth attacks with a teddy bear!

A little quality time with Nana on the deck

Hiking with Grandma

Lots of time at the pond on different days:

James and Ellen sitting on the water (adorable)

Miranda rocking her new bathing suit

Drying off at the pond

We also got to visit with Uncle Steve, Uncle Chris, and a few of Grandma's friends on the Cape. And James got to play with Ellen every day we were there. A very busy trip!

Uncle Chris entertaining Miranda

Miranda, James, and Ellen playing with Grandma's mini iPad

Playing doctor