I'm 2 1/2!

Mikey,

How are you 2 1/2 already?!?!? Where has the time gone? Daddy and I are really enjoying this stage that you are in now (Ok, we have enjoyed every stage---but this one is REALLY fun!).

Here are just some of those fun things you are doing now:

* You are TALKING! Every day we hear "Mama, Mama, MAAAAMMMMAAAA!" and "Daddy, Daddy, DAAAAAAAADDY!" at least a thousand times a day! You say "thank you" when you hand things to other people, which I find super cute. Other favorite phrases are "I did it", "I got it", "I am ALL done", "bedder" (better), "wadder" (water), "run run", "Green! GO!" (while we are driving in the car at a traffic light--you especially loved to do that to Grandpa Bob!), "I pooped!" (with this high pitched ending on the pooped);

* You inconsistently use the potty but overall it is a good experience. You have done both pee-pee and poopie on the potty multiple days in a row. You will not tell me when you have to go and I am not really pushing you.....yet. I ask you if you have to go and if you say "no", I don't force the issue;

* You LOVE your crib. You can play for over a half an hour in the morning and when you wake up from nap. In the morning I will lay in bed and listen to you have full conversations with Elmo and your doggie over the monitor. When I go in to get you, you lay down and tell me "no". Sometimes I have to leave and come back to get you in a few minutes because you are resistive;

* You go to bed around 8:00-8:30 and wake up around 7:00. Since we have been home from New Jersey you have been napping for 2 or more hours. You are still attached to all 7 loveys that we rotate throughout the week;

* You will consistently eat hot dogs (your favorite), chicken nuggets and turkey pepperoni as your primary sources of meat. You continue to love carbohydrates, dairy and fruit. Veggie preferences change on the day (currently you are obsessed with cucumbers and grape tomatoes);

* You have begun to engage in pretend play with your food and stuffed animals now. Last week, Elmo accompanied us to the gym, grocery store and to Eva's. You talk to Elmo as if Elmo were a baby, changing the pitch of your voice to a higher level. Very adorable. You "cook" food for Daddy, Mama and Elmo almost daily. You are still obsessed with cars, trucks and trains and now have also branched into the world of tools (thanks to "Handy Manny");

* Another huge interest now is SPORTS. This makes Mommy and Daddy so happy. You see baseball, football, soccer or hockey on TV (or in a magazine/newspaper) you can correctly identify it and want to see "more". You can spot a Boston Bruins car decal/banner/jersey/t-shirt from a mile away. There is nothing wrong with your vision. We are looking forward to taking you to the BC football game this weekend! You are going to LOVE it!

Happy Half Birthday, little man! We love you lots!

xoxo
Mama & Daddy

Hurricane Irene

Today is August 27. Today is also "Tomato Day". And we are here in Boston due to Hurricane Irene. What looks like will only be a Nor'easter or Tropical Storm (for our area) has shut down most of the highways in New York and New Jersey limiting our travel capabilities. According to the weather reports it seems that Boston will be safer in comparison to Manalapan.

We are prepared with bottled water, flashlights, batteries and non-perishable food. Now we just sit and wait---hoping that we stay safe and preferably don't lose power. As we sit, I will close my eyes and visualize the hustle and bustle of tomato day, all the yummy foods that are consumed, and the smell of the fresh sauce that permeates through the house. We miss you guys and are so disappointed that we couldn't be a part of our special family day.

Here are shots of Mikey on his first and second "Tomato Days":

Vacation Days 9 & 10: NYC

In addition to my gorgeous "initial necklace" (the letter "M" for BOTH of my Michaels) that husband and son gave me for my birthday, Michael also took me to New York City for the weekend! This was my first time away from Mikey overnight. After a thousand kisses later and a few tears wiped away in the car, we were off for our weekend of "Mike and Alli time".

Michael got us a room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Times Square. Staying in the city is such a novelty for me---we only lived an hour away so we would only visit the city for day trips. We were able to check in early so we dropped our bags off in the room and quickly hit the streets of New York.

At 2:00 we saw our first of two Broadway shows on the weekend agenda: Rock of Ages. Very funny. Very fun. I totally wanted to jump up out of my seat so I could dance and sing along at the top of my lungs. Mike and I have made a mental note that when this show comes to Boston we gathering up all of our friends and seeing it again.

To hold us over until our 10:45pm dinner reservation we grabbed drinks and appetizers at Charley O's (directly across the street from the Milford Plaza hotel----remember that jingle?!?) before heading back to the hotel to change for show #2: Jersey Boys.

Jersey Boys was excellent. The singing was phenomenal as well as the set. Highly recommended.

After the show we had dinner at Bar Americain---owned by famous chef, Bobby Flay. On this night I had one of the most memorable meals of my life. We didn't order anything exotic. It was just simple food made well. What did we order? I'm so glad you asked! We shared an appetizer of Corn Soup, Blue Crab and Barbeque Potato Chips---which was really like a Corn and Crab bisque in a HUGE bowl. Michael ordered steak and I had Grouper--Florida style, which was grouper with southwestern rub over pureed black beans and spinach topped with a mango and avacado salsa. We were so stuffed (and exhausted) that we couldn't bear to think about dessert.

Mikey spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa visiting Allaire State Park where they had a picnic under the gazebo and rode on a train! They came home and Mikey showed off his baseball skills as he played t-ball in the yard and did "run run". He wasn't able to stay awake for an ice cream outing to Jersey Freeze but he did do pee-pee in the potty for Grandma before his bath!

The next morning we were able to sleep in until 10:00!! We got dressed and walked around the city until we met up with my parents and Mikey for lunch before we headed back to Boston. We had lunch/dinner in Little Italy and grabbed some dessert from Ferrara's. The perfect ending to a perfect vacation.

Michael---you gave me everything I wanted for my birthday and more! I had such a wonderful time on our weekend away. Thank you for taking such good care of me always. I love you MUCHO! Muah! xoxo

Now were are back. Home sweet home.

Vacation Day 8: MMP

The high school gang reunited again on Friday for a day at the Metuchen Municipal Pool (MMP). Erin, Lauren, Erica, Alli and kids spent the day playing and soaking up the sun! The kids had a great time in the pool as well as playing in the nearby playhouses and shooting hoops.




We headed back to the Casey Casa for birthday cupcakes (decorated with sprinkles by Jimmy!) and pizza. Auntie and Uncle Scotty also came over.




It was like our days spent in Boston all over again. The boys played in the pool, ate dinner, took a bath together and read books. And shared lots of hugs and kisses.




At 8:30 we left to pick Daddy up at the train station. Mikey fell asleep in the car and transferred easily into the pack n' play when we got home. Another fun day in New Jersey!

Vacation Day 7: "Happy Mama"

Today is my 32nd birthday. Wow.

Mikey woke me up at 5:40 am. Apparently I am not the only one who likes to celebrate every minute of my birthday! I very politely gave Mikey a book and told him it was too early to party. Thankfully he fell back asleep (as did I) until 8:00. That was birthday gift #1!

Mom and Dad made me "Pina Colada Stuffed French Toast" for breakfast. Yum-o. Then I was off for a morning of "me" time. I got a pedicure and then hit the mall to use some of my birthday coupons. After a successful shopping excursion I headed home for lunch. Mikey had just gone down for his nap when I got home. Grandma and Mikey had gone to the party store and got me a birthday balloon as well as a "Bob the Builder" balloon for Mikey, which he insisted was Handy "Manny". When Mikey came down from his nap he told me "Happy Mama!" (which translates to "Happy Birthday, Mama!"). Love him.

We headed to dinner in Belmar at a place called Klein's where we had fried soft shell crabs...Yummmm. The weather was iffy (as was Mikey) but we decided we would try to head to the boardwalk for the rides and ice cream. Mikey loved the "rides" and requested he go on the "boats" first. He "rang da bell" on the boats and the fire trucks. He appeared very comfortable and SO happy!

















Mommy and Mikey got to ride the train together. The entire ride he kept making chugging sounds like "choo-choo-choo-choo". This kid loves his trains.




Then we headed for ice cream--Mommy and Mikey both got soft serve vanilla and chocolate swirl with rainbow sprinkles. Mikey ate his ice cream until he was distracted by another child on our bench with an Angry Birds stuffed animal that he had won from a nearby game. That is until the fireworks started.......

Mikey immediately freaked out, lunging for Mama and squeezing my body as tightly as he could. If he could have crawled into my skin he would have. He kept repeating "Car. Car now." When we started to walk away from the fireworks (as Mikey was on Grandpa Bob's shoulders) he turned, waved and said "Bye-bye fireworks". When we got to the car I asked Mikey what sound the fireworks make and he replied "BOOM. BOOM. BOOM." Then I asked him if he liked the fireworks. His response: "Yeah!".

I had a great birthday. I received so many phone calls, texts, facebook posts, and cards acknowledging my day. I feel so special and so loved. Thanks everyone!

Vacation Day 6: BEACH!

Finally the sun returned and we took full advantage of it! Grandma Anita, Auntie, Mommy and Mikey went to Avon-by-the-Sea for the day (11:00am-5:15 to be exact!).

We had another perfect 10 day in terms of weather. No clouds, just sun and a nice beach breeze. Mikey had a great time playing in the sand and in the water. He also enjoyed sending Auntie to the ocean to fill his bucket with water---in which he would just dump on the sand and then request "More wadder, Auntie". Over and over and over...........His other favorite game was finding and poking Auntie's belly button!

("A shell")

Mikey passed out on the drive home. While Grandma and Mommy put dinner together, Mikey and "Bob" went for a "bike ride" (which translates to Bob pushing Mikey on his bike). Mikey inhaled a HUGE dinner consisting of 2 hot dogs, veggies and an OJ pop.

That night Mommy and Mikey read books in his bed but when given a choice of where he wanted to sleep, Mikey chose the pack n' play. I told him he could sleep in the next morning. Mommy wouldn't mind. Really.

Vacation Day 5: Time for BED.

Mikey must have been very excited about his vacation in New Jersey because every morning he was up around 6am ready to begin another day. The only problem with this (in addition to me wanting another 3 hours of sleep) was that I would get him from the pack n' play and he would be yawning and still acting tired. I wondered if he was uncomfortable in the pack n' play and that was why he was still tired in the morning.

To resolve this issue (and prolong my sleep) I went to the store and got an Aerobed twin sized mattress. We had two empty beds in the house he could have slept in, however, since he is still used to sleeping in a crib at home, I wanted to make sure he was safe if he rolled off the bed. I also got him "Cars" sheets for the bed.

Finally it was bedtime. Mikey watched "Bob" as he set up the mattress and as we made the bed. We completed our normal bedtime routine and then read books in his new bed. I explained that Mikey was going to sleep in a big boy bed tonight and that he was to stay in bed ALL NIGHT LONG (I had brought a gate from home that I put in front of the door to make sure he stayed in his room). Mikey went to sleep without a peep.

He slept all night long and woke up in the morning......

at 6am.