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Illegal Apples and the One-Eyed Horse

View More: http://pinkelephantphotography.pass.us/pete-1-1

Whenever Staci Miller (from Staci Miller Photography) and the Fragola’s get together it there is a whirlwind of mayhem, a tornado of destruction and whole ton of amazing pictures!!!  This photo shoot was no different.  We had rotten apples being tossed around like a football, the Apple Orchard Police Department putting an APB on our lovely photographer and a horse who now looks like a pirate as a result of an inquisitive three and a half year old.

You know its going to be interesting when your day starts out with statements such as, “Please do not have your child ride in the apple cart, it is for apples not children,” and, “Watch your back and let me know if you see anyone looking out at us from the barn windows.”  Apparently, photographs (the simple process and practice, which has been around for almost 200 years, the word “photograph” was coined in 1839 by Sir John Herschel, is not something to take lightly upon entering a family friendly apple orchard.  But when you have an expert at snapping little children who smile for all of about 13 nanoseconds at a time, getting photos and getting out is not an issue.

There were some awkward moments and there were some priceless ones as well, with the low light coming when Jackson (by accident) poked the first horse he’s ever seen in person in the eye.  I mean like really jabbed it in there!  Surprisingly, Jackson didn’t get kicked into orbit, but there is a good chance that horse is now wearing an eye patch.  All in all, another successful day with Staci Miller Photography!

DISCLAIMER: “No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of this Blog” 

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Baby Cheeks and Uncle Peep

It finally happened. I finally have a child in the family that I can have fun with, rile up, teach to make farting noises and then send home… no further responsibilities, no worrying if he is going to tell his teachers where he learned to burp the alphabet from. I am now the cool uncle.  That’s a huge responsibility.

I remember my “cool uncle”.  He taught me to play Techmo Bowl and took me to the arcade is his silver Camero that would cause even most avid motor heads jealousy.  Going for a ride in a four door Honda sedan might not be as cool as speeding through toll booths in an Iroc Z… and there may not be any arcades left around, but I know I can figure something out.

With that being said… here are some pieces of advice I got when I asked Twitter for help on being a cool uncle:

  • Back off. Defer to the parents always.
  • Make it clear you want to spend time with all of them, but be cautious about inviting yourself over.
  • The parents are in charge, and your opinion doesn’t matter.
  • If the parents say, “Peter, please don’t do that with our baby,” then obey them.
  • spoil him rotten and ensure that he likes your favorite football (Go Pack Go) and baseball teams (Pinstripe Pride).
  • With your decent, disposable income open a savings account for emergencies and/or higher education.
  • give frequent small gifts, like a cool new flashlight.

All great advice for a new uncle… a new COOL uncle. Although I’m not sure who’s more excited over the new family member… me or Jax, who apparently after hearing someone exclaim they wanted to “pinch baby Dominic’s cute little cheeks,” has given his new cousin his official nickname: Baby Cheeks. Well I guess if Baby Cheeks is now officially part of the family that makes me officiant Uncle Pete. Or as Jax would say, Uncle Peep… or as I would say… Cool Uncle Peep!

Introducing my first Nephew: (I really hope I can afford a cool enough flashlight for him)

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Leprosy

So many people today are trying to tell us that you don’t need to vaccinate your kids… that diseases of the olden days are things of the past.  Well guess what… that’s not true at all. You know how I know… because my kid has leprosy.  Oliver literally has to be quarantined ET style.  

Apparently Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is a real 21st century thing.  It’s like actually something people get and apparently it’s not actually a disease, but a virus… and the name?  Come on… there has got to be something better to call it than Hand, Foot and Mouth?!!?   Right?!??

Listen, it’s not the dark ages… this isn’t Westeros… we have cures for things… we can send people to the moon, we can predict the weather years in advance, we have computers who are smarter than any human alive… yet my eight month old needs be locked up and quarantined like he’s a lepor… I’m just over here shaking my head.

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Aaron Rodgers is a Baaaaaad Man

Jordy and Aaron – Jax and Ollie … Tomato Tomoto #greenbaypackers #gopackgo #aaronrodgers is a baaaaaad man

Driving last night during the end of the game while listening to the Cowboys broadcast is not the ideal way to experience another Aaron Rodgers magical performance.  However, having Jax yelling, “Go Pack Go… Go Pack Go!!!” Was awesome.  The huge high five after Rodgers put a TD pass on a dime to Adams for the game winning TD, whileJackson screaming, “I did it” was well worth it!!!  #GoPackGo 


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Eight Months

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but it feels like just yesterday that this little chunk was born. A lot can happen in eight months… when you take a step back and think about that amount of time in a vacuum it seems like forever, but in this case eight months have flown by. 

  • Weight: large watermelon 
  • Length: second notch on his walker-car
  • Eating pasta, pizza crust, apples and bread
  • Crawling 
  • First Haircut
  • Loves playing w his colored cup-stackers 
  • Enjoys watching the dogs run and around and play
  • Stops crying when Jackson sings “Rock-A-Bye Baby” to him
  • Watched his first regular season Green Bay Packers game (9.10.17- SEA 9 – GB 17)
  • Became a cousin for the first time (to baby Dominic)
  • Loves to laugh

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Mobile Infant 2.0

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​So long ago (like three years) we were so excited to have a little crawler. I still remember the cheers and clapping like it was yesterday. But that excitement ended quickly.  We were so concerned about the table corners and fireplace hearthstone. We bubble wrapped and rubber corner guarded literally the entire house.  

And now… (Three years later) I’m watching my second son crawl around on the hardwood floor and chew on toys from who knows where. As I’m writing this something hard just bounced off the floor. I’ve narrowed the options down to the back of Oliver’s head, or… well, the front of Oliver’s head.  Then again I don’t hear any crying. No harm, no foul. 

There’s no bubble wrap, there are no corner protectors. There is a tiny carpet and to be honest. Most of the time he crawls out of sight… (out of sight- out of mind I guess).  That’s what is going to make this kid a beast.  He’s not overprotected. He probably won’t own a helmet for his bike. As a matter of fact he probably can just start putting himself to bed when he wants. 

All joking aside… I’m so proud that this little chubbers is mobile. He’s growing up so damn fast.  It’s kind of scary… even if hearing his head bounce off the floor isn’t. 😳

This is before Jax decided he wanted to measure how far Ollie could crawl and immediately before smacking himself and Oliver in the face w the tape measure.