Big Boy Beds and Gilgo with the Cassaro's!

The boys are in the toddler beds and it's going very well. On Sunday we set it up and I explained them that the baby beds are going bye! bye! and their now going to have "Big Boy Beds"! when the kids saw it - they were SO happy. Screaming "BIG BOY BEDS"!! The boys are actually staying in their own beds for past 3 nights (since we set it up) and I'm thrilled. I also told them that lovies can not come out of the big beds or the baby beds will come back. After a couple of explanations - it worked! Although the lovies were never allowed downstairs - they are now to stay put in the beds.

We had another gorgeous Saturday - so as usual we hit the beach! Christopher & Victoria came with us and the kids had a ball! Its still taking Paulie a couple of hours to warm up to the sand but after seeing the other kids he tries to like it - he's a pool kid and thats it. Victoria brought her tents and the boys loved it. Click here for Photo's

Anthony is really a toy glom - however - lately he has been thinking of Paulie. We went to Toys R Us and (of course) the boys wanted more cars to add to their already 1,000 car collection. And Anthony picked out a pack for him and then said to me "Paulie too"! So he picked one out for him and then ran down the isle screaming "Paaauuullieee! look! for you!!!" I was soo proud of him. And now he makes sure everything he has for himself - he has for Paudie (As he calls him) i.e: ices, juice, slippers, toys, etc.

Sean's brief stop home/Beach weekend - and Park fight

Sean completed Boot camp! he stopped home for one day before heading to South Carolina for full duty - before then leaving on a ship. I couldn't be more proud of him! he had some hysterical stories about camp and I now have no doubt that he made the right decision for himself. Its amazing but we managed to get all my brothers together and go out for dinner. Andrew I have to say is a handful!! but in the end we managed and had a great time. I wish Sean and Jessica the best of luck and I'm going to miss my baby brother. Click here for pictures

We enjoyed Gilgo beach on Sunday and the Camacho's joined us for our annual beach trip. Again and all day affair. But the boys really enjoy it - therefore so do we! I forgot my camera and could kick myself.

On Thursday I came home from work and Anthony came running to me (as usual) saying Maaammaa! I looked at his face and he had some pretty deep scratches on him. I didn't want to scare him by screaming OMG! so I gave a quick kiss and looked firmly at Mimi (our Au Pair). She explained to me that he was in the park and wanted to play with a 4 year old kids truck well the boy wasn't happy and scratched Anthony's face. Anthony indeed hit back but - this whole incident took 5 years off my life. My first reaction (who ever knows me - knows this) was to take down his mother. I first calmed myself down - and then - sat him down and asked him "did a boy hit you in the park today? "yeah" Did you hit him back? "yeah" are you okay? "yesss". I then explained that if someone hits you - you are to hit back hard and quick. Then I sat Paulie down and explained that if anyone hits your brother - you are to hit them too! My cousin who is a teacher advised me against this - but I stand my ground on this one - I really don't care - at all. Its how I was taught.

The Boys first trip to Yankee Stadium!!

On Saturday we took the boys to the beach with the Griffin family - Paulie is still really disturbed by Sand - Anthony got really into it this time, but not until seeing Mark & Andrew playing in it. Amazing the impact kids have on each other - mommy & daddy playing in the sand means nothing. It was a long day 11am-6 pm - but the kids had a great time. We even went for dinner afterwoods at The Surfside - yum! pics here

On Sunday Uncle Ricky came to town from FLA and asked if we could take the kids to Yankee stadium for the MLB celebrity all star game - I at first was hesitant...the crowd, the heat, their only two. But we all agreed that if didn't work out we would leave immediatly. Well it was quite the opposite - actually cool, not crowded and the stadium was filled with kids and the staff was very accommodating and nice to kids (not usual). it was only 5 innings and it went quick. The kids had a good time - but are still too young for this - the blimp was much more interesting to them! click here for pics. The boys absolutley LOVE Uncle Rick - He had Anthony and Paulie cracking up with his acts and dancing - so much so that Anthony is chanting Uncle Ricky! Uncle Ricky! I hate to pick favorites but....

The Great Escape!!

I can't say I haven't been warned - however it has happened...the boys escaped their crips! Anthony accomplished this first and two days later Paulie caught on and now their both out! Paulie has been waking up at about 2 am for the past couple of days and after 3 days of it we got tired and just put him in our bed with us - simply so we could sleep (completely broke one of the rules I said I would never do). So the first day Anthony escaped Paulie was in our bed. Mimi our Au Pair wakes up very early by choice and was in the kitchen at 6:30 am and along comes Anthony (completely scared the crap out her) and is saying "Paudee?, Paudee?"
unbeknownst to Mimi Paulie was in our bed. Paul went to put Paulie back in bed and when he say Anthony not in his crib - just thought Mimi came up and got him. SO - when Mimi went back upstairs Paulie was back his crip and this confused Anthony! finally I got up and spoke to Mimi and we figured out what happened - The gate is now ALWAYS closed upstairs. Poor kids was just looking for his brother!
Okay now their both out and its a task getting them to bed. it takes about 6x of in and out and then finally they get tired of it and go to sleep.
The other night I heard them on the monitor saying Boo-Boo, Boo-Boo. So right away I think one of them got hurt - I run upstairs only to find Athony moved the diaper box so he could get on the dresser and took his Band-Aid's off the dresser and he and Paulie were playing them all over the room! Madonna mia!!
Anthony speech has improved much - he's on a roll. Paulie is slightly stuck and were working on it. Anthony also needs to improve his sharing skills everything is "Mine, Mine"! he also seems to like to con Paulie if, Paulie has something Anthony wants he comes over with a replacement toy for Paulie and says here! Paulie takes it and Anthony gets what he wants. priceless!

Water Weekend!

The boys are fascinated with boats and lucky for them their Uncle Tony owns one! Although when they see them they scream "Big Boat"! they have never been on one and I wasn't sure how they would react - in the waters near Orchard beach they put on a firework show the week before July 4th - its a 15 min cruise so if things didn't go well we could easily turn around and go home - silly me. I was telling them all day that we're going on a boat and Pauling was telling me "car, car" as if saying lets go! When we pulled into the marina the boys went nuts with excitement! the cruise went well and the kids just loved it! when we stopped - they said - "again-again! the show was nice and we had a good time.

We also went to the Ardsley Pool club with Victoria and Christopher and the boys went in the kiddie pool - Paulie loves the pool and Anthony loves the beach - I have to figure this one out. It really didn't take the Yanni boys much time to get in trouble (no big suprise here) they were happy and running around a tree on the grass and this apparently is against the rules - so "the old lady" came screaming at them. I personally thought it was a little extreme - but we have to follow the rules. So I bribed them to stop with Ice's - there ALL TIME favorite. click here for pictures.