M&L - Sunday Stuff

Most Sunday mornings Lucia and I sit at home having breakfast and playing around, but today we were motivated enough to go see Mateo play soccer and also to bake. Pretty productive for a sleepy Sunday.

Mateo and Papi kick around the ball before practice

"He shoots...he scores...GOAL!!!!!!"

When we got home Mateo and Lucia decided to play with a favorite childhood toy -pots and pans "Yahhh!"

"Doesn't this strainer make a nice accessory?"

We also decided to bake brownies...Mateo was my little helper

Here he is looking sad and dejected after discovering that you must wait 30 whole minutes after you lick the bowl (notice the fudge mark on his cheek) before you can enjoy the fully baked brownies.

M&L Are Wagoneers

Today we went for a walk around Hoboken to run some errands. Since we don't have a double stroller we have decided to use the new wagon as a substitute. It is super handy and the kids still really seem to love it.

Lucia and Mateo, in their Yankee gear, are ready to roll

M&L Do Lunch & Dinner with Friends

Today Mateo and Lucia had lunch with their after-school regulars and dinner with their at-home regulars. It must be nice to have all of those friends.

Mateo and Lucia (in the background) dine at Will and Claire's house and were joined by Logan (in blue) and Maggie (lower right)

Nothing like lunch in a Bumbo to get you going. Earth's Best - "Mmmm mmmm, good"

After their nap, Mateo and Lucia (and Buzz) went down to the 3rd floor to have dinner with the Palermos

The gang - Lucia, John, Mateo and Luke (in the foreground) rest after a big dinner

M&L Go to the Blue AND Purple Parks

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. And as such, Mateo and Lucia went to visit not one, but two parks today. What a nice life.

First up, they hit the blue park. Here is Mateo trying to climb up the corkscrew

While Lucia grabbed a snack...she is really digging these Ritz crackers

More climbing

And still more climbing

Miss Lucia doesn't have the upper or lower body strength or coordination to climb so instead she toddles and socializes "Hey, what's up peeps!"

The story of their lives - he climbs up and she chases after him. Don't worry little miss, one day you will catch up.

"I know I will...one day, you just wait and see"

On to the purple park, where Mateo focused on climbing the rock wall

"I am sick of this climbing business, let's go home"

M&L - Shoots and Ladders

Another day, another park. By now, Mateo has visited every park in Hoboken and even some in neighboring cities (Jersey City, New York City). He is such a regular that he has now had to place color descriptors on each one so we know which he wants to go to. Sometimes it's, "I want to go to the Purple Park" or " I want to go to the Yellow Park." From the pictures, it looks like today Mateo, Lucia and Will went to the "Brown Park."

Will and Mateo doing a tandem slide

And climbing up these ladder rings

"Eh - Oh! What about Me?" - Lucia giving her best Rocky Balboa impression

You can see she enjoyed the slide action also

"Hey there"

M&L Go to Nikita's 4th Birthday

Let's get right to the point. Today Mateo and Lucia went to Nikita's 4th birthday party. This was the first party we went to that felt especially gender specific. Maybe it was the all pink affair. Maybe it was the princess theme or maybe it was because a real live Cinderella showed up to entertain and sing with the guests. Either way everyone, girls AND boys, had a great time.

Nikhil and Mateo decorate a notebook

A cute Lucia poses with a very tired looking Mommy

Mateo does the limbo under a feather boa

He also was the assistant in a magic trick (note: the intense stare as he focuses with his magic wand)

The birthday girl, Nikita, poses with Cinderella

Later we stopped by the Funfest at a local park where Mateo participated in one of his favorite things... a Bouncy House

Here he is climbing the bouncing house

He also climbed up these rungs on a jungle gym at the park

Lucia had her own fun cruising around the baby playground

Mateo also managed to house my cotton candy

Lucia TV

Today mark's Lucia's 10th month. Unfortunately, I could not capture very many good pix because she has been a little ill with a stomach virus. The poor girl has lost a pound and a half and just when we think she is recovering she upchucks and loses her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Other than the past few days I can say that she is definitely developing her own unique personality. While still being extra cute, cuddly and smiley she is also fiesty and I can tell she will be able to hold her own with her big bro. She is also sprouting 2-3 teeth on the top and loves to dance, bounce and babble.

This is the only pic I took today. Lucia TV - here she is passed out in the Pack N Play

Some of you may recall we took a very similar picture of Mateo back when he was a wee one