Here Comes A New Shelmet

This past weekend Zoe and I spent some quality time together while Cheryl and Orly made fresh pasta. First, we took a bike ride to Honest Tom's where she ate a plate full of potatoes. She loves them and I can't go by the store if it isn't breakfast because she knows what's inside but doesn't know what it means when I tell her breakfast is only served in the morning. After that, we went to Clark Park where we got whoopie pies, played on the slides and swings and then rolled a big old tire. After that busy morning, we went home for a quick nap and then packed in to the car to go visit Mimi and Joe Pop. Part of what was packed was Zoe's bathing suit so she could take a quick dip in the doggy pool. We stayed for dinner and then got home just in time for bed. The day was a total success as Zoe had a great time playing and Cheryl made a ton of ravioli. As I left for jury duty on Monday morning, Zoe had woken up early, so I went and got her. Since I nor...

There's no getting around it, Zoe is growing up. As she does it is great to see her getting bigger and smarter; however, at the same time, it is sad to see some of the things I have come to know and love go away. Just the other day I asked her what color Rody is, and instead of answering arno she said orange . While that may not seem like a big thing, it was. I'm still thinking about it days later. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's growing up and I know she'd never get a call back from an interview if she was still saying arno instead of orange , but that doesn't mean I don't miss it. Thankfully she has started referring to both my computer and Cheryl's iPad by name. That is, when she tries to say computer , she actually says puh-que-kee . There are plenty of other things she says properly, but they are just funny to hear her say. Some examples are: After telling her you have a boo boo, she will walk over to you, kiss the boo boo, then loo...

This weekend we drove up to New York for Mermaid Parade. In order to avoid one long day, we went up and stayed in Staten Island overnight, so that it is just a short drive to Coney Island in the morning. This year, after we checked in to the hotel, we went over to Brooklyn to check out the Pier 6 Playground. There is a large sandbox area, a splash park and an area with a bunch of swings. Zoe seemed to enjoy most all of this. After that, we stuck around the area since there were a number of other piers with eateries, playgrounds and sport courts, all with an excellent view of the city. The next day we arrived in Coney Island well before the parade and went directly to the rides. Zoe went on a number of them, some with us, some by herself. For the most part, she enjoyed them all. In terms of weather, it was a beautiful day, and since we had our bathing suits with us, Zoe and I decided to go for a quick dip. The water was incredibly warm and Zoe had no fear of the oce...