M&L Go Trick O' Treating

Today was an extremely cool Halloween for many reasons. First, it fell on a Saturday this year so we got to celebrate all day long. Second, it was the first time Mateo really understood the concept and he picked his costume and spent all week practicing saying "trick o' treat". Also, it was Lucia's first Halloween. The weather was perfect which was good because we had a busy day ahead of us - starting with trick o' treating, walking the parade and having lunch with Luca, next trick o' treating in our building and finish the day with a Halloween party at Mateo's friend Jon's house.

Baby Cow Lucia strolls down Washington

Penguin Luca and Tyrone-the-moose Mateo strut down Washington stopping at every store to trick o' treat

Mateo and Luca stop into a pizza shop to say hi to Princess Emily

Lucia is all tuckered out by all of the activities

Mateo and Luca sitting on the curb checking out their candy booty

Fireman Jon poses with Mateo and Luca

We also spotted another friend from class, Lioness Maggie, at the Ragamuffin Parade

More friends join in on the fun - Luca in the foreground, Maggie, Mateo and Will (in the Batman suit) in the background

Once the parade was over we all went to lunch - Luca's parents and grandparents joined us along with Aba and Abu at a local pizza joint

Luca and Mateo finish their pizza lunch with some Cherry Italian icees

Later on...Mateo went to Jon's for a Halloween party and decided to be Fireman Tyrone. You can see here that while Mateo isn't looking, John is sneaking in a taste of the frosting on Mateo's cupcake

The kids had a great time dancing and running and listening to music at the parade

OXO Halloween

Every year OXO has some fun Halloween activities for its employees. Most times there are costumes and pumpkin carving involved as well as internal trick o' treating and they have always encouraged people to have their kids stop by at the end of the day. This year there were also a few activities set up for the kids. Initially both Lucia and Mateo were going to come in, but yesterday Lucia got sick, so she was unable to make it today.

Mommy and Mateo in his Tyrone (from the Backyardigans) costume say cheese

Mateo colors while Aba (who was kind enough to drive him into the city) watches

Munching on a Halloween Cupcake - he ingested so much sugar that he was a maniacal crack head by the time we left

The Painter and The Poser

Now that I am back at work, Mateo is no longer out of the apartment all day. Navita has added our home to the play date rounds and has also set up indoor activities for Mateo so he has something to do if their is bad weather outside.

Today Mateo channelled his inner painter and produced a very Pollock-esque picture

"Please do not interrupt my work"

Later on Aba stopped by to visit the kids and help out with bedtime. While I was upstairs, she and Miss Lucia were downstairs posing for pictures.

Day 2 - Things Are Fine

I can definitely say today felt better than yesterday. I am starting to get back into the swing of things at work and it seems like Lucia, Mateo and Navita survived Day 1 and are trying to establish a routine.

Speaking of "the swing of things" here is Miss Lucia taking her afternoon nap

Mateo is finishing up dinner (On another note - he has recently become obsessed and very aware of what he is wearing. I think it has something to do with a classroom routine. Lately he has found the need to wear a shirt with buttons, so no matter what shirt we put on him , he requests to wear this plaid shirt on top)

First Day Back

Well today was the day I had been dreading for 6 weeks. I say 6 weeks because before the half way mark I hadn't thought about what it would be like to go back to work. As the time drew nearer I started to get anxious and nervous and sad and now that it is here I just feel queasy. It feels different this time than with Mateo because I was leaving 2 kids now not 1 and I was a much more calm mother this time which allowed me to enjoy Lucia as opposed to being a nervous Nelly. I also had the pleasure of greeting Mateo everyday when he came home from his adventures. I know I am not built to be a stay- at- home mom, but I definitely feel like I could use some more "at-home" time with my family.

In the morning I tried to muster up a smile, but this is all I could do

Luckily, I instructed Navita (our nanny) to take pix of the kids now that I am back at work. Lucia seems to be thinking "who are you?"

M&L Celebrate Hoboken's New Cinema

Today was really busy. This morning Mateo had soccer, of course, and then midday we went to a pumpkin patch. On our way home the kids took a nap and I went to the grocery store. After nap time we decided to go to a fair that was being thrown by Clearview Cinemas to celebrate the opening of their new movie theater in Hoboken...whew!

Magical Mateo spins and balances a plate on top of a stick

Papi and Mateo take a ride on the big ferris wheel

If you look closely you can see Mateo peeking his head out and looking down at me and Lucia

Every good fair has the big slide and Papi and Mateo never pass up an opportunity to ride on it

Mateo running in the hamster wheel

Papi joins in the fun

Since the Teacups ride got Papi nauseous earlier in the day it was now Mommy's turn to ride the Spinning Dragon with Mateo

Mateo spotted an older boy (in the background) jumping from haystack to haystack and decided that was something he wanted to do. Initially he fell short, but he kept on trying. First he crouches into position...

...next he takes flight and catches air...

"YES - I DID IT!!!"

M&L Go to a Pumpkin Patch

I decided this year that Mateo was old enough to partake in some of the fun activities related to living in the Northeast, so today we went to a pumpkin patch (which, on a separate note, always reminds me of Charlie Brown). I actually wanted to pick apples, but they were all out, so we settled on pumpkins instead. The weather was pleasant and there were a lot of activities to enjoy- carnival rides, hayrides, yummy treats and let's not forget the pumpkins.

Demarest Farm located in Hillsdale, NJ (about 30 minutes NW of Hoboken)

Papi and Mateo ride on the Teacups

Next Mateo took on the Dragon Rollercoaster by himself - what a big boy

The family takes a break to eat some yummy homemade doughnuts

As you can see from his sugar-covered face, Mateo really enjoyed the doughnuts

Mateo and Papi on the hayride

Mommy and Lucia holding their own on the hayride

Close-up on a Bjorned Lucia

"Hmmm...which pumpkin should I choose?"

"How about this one?"

Good times- Mommy, Lucia, Mateo and Papi take the hayride back to the fairgrounds

Pretty Lucia

Hooray for Indian Summer! Today was in the mid-70's so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to put Lucia in one of the many dresses she has received and has been unable to wear due to the relatively short summer.

Serious pose

Smiley pose

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Today, of all days, Papi decided it was time to test out the kite that he bought at the beginning of the summer. It was freezing cold, windy, and gray, but at least one person had fun (take a guess at who)

Papi racing to catch the wind and keep the kite up in the air. Mateo running after him screaming "Let me try! Let me try!"

Mateo's attempt didn't really take flight

Mateo decided he was cold and bored and wanted to go home. Here, here..

Papi and Mateo flying the kite "together"

M&L Go to Shay's 5th Birthday Party

Today we went to Montclair, NJ to celebrate Conor's (one of my co-workers) son's 5th birthday. The weather was a bit gross and Mateo was a little crankier than usual because he didn't take a good nap, but things got better when cupcakes and candy were introduced.

Shay (in the Spiderman costume) was anxious to get started on his birthday cupcake

Mateo was happy with a cupcake in one hand and a squirt gun in the other. Oona, Shay's little sister (next to Mateo), later absconded with the squirt gun much to Mateo's dismay

Pinata time!

Mateo and Papi take a spin on Shay's scooter