The Best Summer of My Life!

Me and Daddy in the Pool

Okay so it's way past my bedtime but Daddy and Papi let me stay up late only if I promised to start writing this new blog post - so here I go!  This is a long one so stick with me - I've got 5 videos to share too!

The Summer of 2010 was truly fantastic - lots of fun and tons of memories!  We started the summer in Montauk with Aunt Dona, Tio Dave, Uncle Monroe, Titi Jessie and Tio Danny.  It was perfect! 

Texting with Uncle Monroe

Montauk Family Pic

Reading My Mags

My Own Pool!

Aunt Dona and Me on the Deck

Tio Danny Teaching Me Some Strokes

We had great weather and chilled by the pool all weekend.  I totally love swimming and SPLASHING is especially fun.  It makes me laugh so hard.  Even when I'm not in the pool and other people splash, I run around the edge of the pool screaming.  Too much fun!  Many thanks to the Hochbergs for letting us stay there for the weekend!

Right after we got back, Papi and Daddy went to a party to celebrate the great work of Elaine Hochberg so I got to have a sleepover with Ava and her daddies, Rob and Lew!!  We had a great time playing outside and having a tea party.

Greta and Papi and Me

Titi Nessa, Owen, Papi and Me

The following weekend was lunch with my friend Greta and her mommies and also Sofia's Birthday Party!  It was at a really cool gym and I got to ride in a car and on a carousel, walk in a bouncey room, play with lots of toys and some cool party games.  Sofia was the princess of the party for sure - but she and I didn't get any pictures together!  I got to see my little cousin Owen too!

Cri and Me

Soon after, we headed out to Denver to see Uncle Dean, Aunt Karen, and my cousins Maxine and Riley.  Just a few hours after we arrived, we headed up into the mountains and spent a few days in Keystone.  I have to admit it was really beautiful there, although I wasn't myself for much of our stay.  It may have been the altitude, or the time change or just the travel - but I had a bit of a rough time while we were there. 

Trying to Get Riley's Belly Button

My Chariot with Aunt Karen and Papi

My Marshmallow on a Stick - I made it last!

We went for a bike ride through the woods - I enjoyed the first half and then had a bit of a melt down - I have to admit that it was pretty though!  I most enjoyed spending time with my extended family - singing, dancing, and trying to get everyone's belly buttons!  After we left the mountains, we returned to Denver and chilled out for the rest of the week.  I really enjoyed checking out my cousins' trampoline and Maxine took Daddy and I to a really cool pool one day too.

Maxine and Me at our Cool New Playground

Riley and Me at our New Water Park

Maxine and Riley flew back home with us and were great company on the plane.  We took them on a quick tour of Brooklyn and the next day we all drove to a park in Pennsylvania to picnic with Nana and Papa so they could take Maxine and Riley back home with them to visit for a few weeks. 

Pennsylvania Picnic

The next day was the NYC Pride March so Papi and Daddy and I strolled through the city for a few hours.  We had a great time and I got a new set of beads!

Feeling Proud!

Aunt Dona and Me on Deck for July 4th

The following weekend was July 4th and we stayed in town.  We had a few friends over and enjoyed the sounds of fireworks in the distance.  It was a low key holiday this year -- but with all of our travels, I was just fine with that!

The next weekend Daddy's friend Sam came to town and brought a whole crew with her.  I got to see them all for a party at our house.  I had to go to bed but it sounded like they had a lot of fun.  I enjoyed seeing Sam again and hope to see her son Alexander next time.  (hint, hint!)

Big Kid Swing at the New Playground

Being Silly with Papi in the Subway

Blowing Bubbles at the New Waterpark

Papi and Daddy and I headed to Coney Island one Sunday evening to walk around and check out the new Luna Park.  It was nice to have some family time together and I really liked the rides at the park.  The only one I was big enough to go on was a little carousel - but I thought it was great!  I liked watching the big rides go round and round - I suppose I might like those one day too.

My Own Private Carousel at Coney Island

Helping out in Nana's Kitchen

Nana and Papa and Me in P'Town

Our big vacation started the next week!  Daddy and Papi and I headed up to Nana and Papa's and spent the night there together.  The week before I had a sleepover at Sofia's house and decided I was too big for the pack-n-play - I hopped right out!  The same was true at Nana and Papa's house so I got to sleep in a really big bed.  It took a little extra time for me to get settled in, but I think I did pretty well!  The next day Papi and Daddy headed out for Provincetown for their vacation and I got to stay with Nana and Papa!!  I had great fun with Papa and Nana and got to go to a party, a luncheon, a BBQ and saw all of their friends!  I was on my very best behavior AND slept in that big bed all week long!

P'Town Harbor

Very Excited to Join Daddy and Papi!

The next weekend Papa and Nana and I drove to Provincetown to join Daddy and Papi.  I LOVE IT THERE!  We had such a great time on the beach, at the pool, walking around town, shopping, eating, early morning play groups - it was fantastic!  It was Family Week while we were there so I got to see lots of other kids with two dads and two moms, which I thought was pretty cool.  My favorite was Lukas -- we got to hang out with him and his daddies, Tom and Jimmy, a few times!  Papi's family was on Cape Cod as well so they came to visit one day.  We had a great time together and I got to see my little cousin Owen, who is just so cute!  Nana and Papa stayed for a couple of days and then Papi and Daddy and I chilled out together for the rest of the week.  Oh, and I slept in ANOTHER big bed there too!

My First Parade in P'Town!

A Romp in the Daily Bouncey Room!

Getting Wet on the Deck

We got home and stayed put for a few weeks.  Throughout the summer I spent LOTS of time at playgrounds with Sofia and Cri and Papi and Daddy.  A super cool huge new playground opened right near our house in June.  I've gone down the huge slides, swung on the big kid swings, played in the big sandbox and I really love the water park area.  I love getting wet whenever I can!!

Silly Faces on the Playground

I continue to grow like crazy and it seems like my legs are just getting longer and longer.  I've checked out a few scales lately (the one at Aunt Dona and Tio Dave's was my favorite) and it seems that I weigh just about 30 pounds.

Tea Party with Tio Danny

I've been trying out pretty much every word I hear lately.  I'm saying more and more names and love singing and dancing - especially to Yo Gabba Gabba!  If I'm really listening, I can follow directions and I like helping out around the house.  I like helping to clean (especially vaccuuming!) and cook and still love watering the plants on the deck with Papi. 

New Haircut!

Fun in the Fountain!

Playing with My Apps on the IPhone

I continue to be obsessed with technology, especially Daddy and Papi's IPhones.  I have my own apps that I love to play with - lately the Talking Tom Cat one has been cracking me up!  You'll see in this video that I even like to kiss the Tom Cat!

I also got my own stroller this summer and I really like pushing it down the sidewalk from time to time - although I don't appreciate having my picture taken - I prefer to stroll in peace!

This is How I Roll

Last week I got my OWN big bed!  My big cousin Sofia just moved into a new house and she has her own bedroom and a REALLY big bed.  Lucky for me, she didn't need her toddler bed anymore so I get to use it.  I really love it!  I like to climb into it all the time and when I wake up, I still call for Daddy or Papi or Cri and wait for them to come get me.  I've heard they really like this and think it's cute so I think I'll keep it going for a while. 

Piano at Play Group

Before getting my bed on Sunday we were at Aunt Dona and Tio Dave's and I got to play Aunt Dona's guitar with Daddy.  It was so much fun and I really sang my heart out.  Then on Tuesday, Papi surprised me with my very own GUITAR!!! Wow!  I love it so much and I've been playing it every day.  I also love to sing "Taxi, Taxi" while I play it.  I'm getting more and more words of the song down and I think I sound pretty good - Daddy and Papi agree!  This video shows my excitement when receiving my new gift - and I've played my guitar every day since.

The big news around here is that Sofia is going to be a big sister - which means that I'll be a big cousin again!  We are all really excited about this and are so happy for Cri and Pete and Sofia.

This past weekend was Labor Day Weekend so we headed up to Nana and Papa's again.  We celebrated both of their birthdays and went to the New York State Fair!  Daddy and Papi were really excited to show me all of the animals there.  To be honest, I had more fun running through the buildings, but I did notice a few pigs and cows and goats and sheep on my way by.  I did notice all of the chickens and bunnies a bit more and even got to pet a cute little bunny rabbit!

Even more fun were the two rides that I got to go on with Daddy and Papi.  These were a first for me and it was so much fun!  At first I wasn't sure what to think.  On the carousel Daddy asked me "Do you like it?"  I said "Like it!" and then started waving to Papi and Nana and Papa on the sidelines - I just needed that little prompt!  The when I rode the next ride with Papi, I was excited to wave to everyone again, as you'll see in the video!

Naked Deck Time!

For many months, I have enjoyed pointing out our car - or any other Honda Element.  I point and very excitedly say "OUR CAR!"  For the past week however, I have been telling everyone "Our car" and then I put my lips together and blow out and make a "puh" sound.  Sometimes I say "our car, puh, our car, puh, our car, puh" over and over again.  No one is quite sure what I mean by this -- which makes it even funnier, if you ask me.  The true meaning of this is quite funny so I laugh when I say it- even though only I am completely sure of what I'm saying.  Ah, the beauty of toddler-hood!

Fall is now upon us and I'm looking forward to continuing to get outside, especially now that the heat is behind us.  Sofia and I are going to go to music class together and I may check out some tumbling classes too.  Daddy had been helping me do somersaults so perhaps I'll be a gymnast!  My Birthday is coming too so I'll have lots to share in the upcoming weeks!