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Project Big Boy Room (New York Yankees Style)

img_0911-1Jackson’s transition to his bigboy room was was what you do expect… a little hard at first with a few nights wanting to sleep in his old room. However for the most part he was excited to have a new room, with a big bed and most of all he was excited to help create it.

I wanted to have him help (in all reality he does have more DIY skills than I do… and is by far a better painter). Case in point: how is it possible to slice your finger open while opening a can of paint… img_0918 But I digress… the room was a navy blue and we decided to go with Yankees Away Jersey Gray with a large blue accent.  Everyone knows that the easier part of painting stripes or lines is using a laser level to make sure everything is straight.  But not Jax and I. We go by eye, or eyes, I mean between us we have four.  I’m sure the lines came completely level.

From there the gray paint just went on with ease… went on the floor, the windows, the dogs, Jackson, in my eye my eye… the ceiling… you get the picture. Ohh yea… Peppa Pig’s tent also recieved a little touch up as well: img_0942-1   Luckily the decorative hand towels were within walking distance and provides us an easy cleanup.  img_0912-1

Meanwhile, we both went to work on separate projects for the room. Jax created his own personal Mini-Monet painting

…and I transformed an old step stool into a Yankees baseball card collage.

I also refinished Jackson’s bedstand (that was once my dads and the was mine) from the red color in the nursery to blue, and added a few finishing touches:

Then it came time for the bogboy bed assembly. 14 trillion parts, yet according to the directions I would only need a Phillips head screwdriver and an allenkey… I needed a wrench, a hammer, some screws, my screw- gun, wood glue, and five zip ties.

Smartly, after seeing me assembly his bed, Jax decided to nap on his beanbag chair… on the floor: img_0976-1

From there things started coming together and we were able to add a few more Yankees details to the room to help add to the theme.

The final corner stones of the room came last as I added the three feature pieces.

1. The first being the actual second base that was used in the first game Jackson ever went to at Yankee Stadium (Derek Jeter’s 2nd to last home game) signed by Jeter and mated with the ticket from the game, the Jeter retirement patch from his jersey and our picture from the game:

2. The second is an original signed artist print by Bill Lopa which was also signed by Mariano Rivera. This painting is HUGE and looks amazing mated with navy blue suede: IMG_1636

3. Last, but certainly not least… what New York Yankees Room is complete without the famous Yankee Stadium Facade?  IMG_2567  …add to that, Jackson’s Yankees newborn photo on canvas and that’s a wrap… img_2778


PS… Yankees theme or not… had to have a Harry Potter tribute too:  

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Mile High Poop Club

Complete diaper blowout for the five month old at 38,000 ft. Had to change that mess in an airplane bathroom on the changing table of the size of the TV dinner stand. 
… there’s got to be some kind of club that I can join for that kind of thing…

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Tubby Time

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​Only a few things in this world can make this kid smile from ear to ear… bubbles, Peppa Pig, Frozen shaped graham crackers… and apparently now we can add the jacuzzi tub to that list!

PS… If we’re talking about smiles… how does a baby with a Mohawk not bring a smile to your face? 

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Hogwarts Honor Student

He’s either a Hogwarts Honor Student or is going to grow up to be one of the most evil dark wizards of all-time… 

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

 Really though… Is my son Grindelwald???? Is he one of the most evil dark-wizards of all time? Stay tuned to find out… same #Wizard-Time same #Wizard-Channel! #ThatHairLineThough #HarryPotter #JohnnyDepp
PS: https://chroniclesofanewdad.com/2014/05/03/little-wizard-on-board/

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Steamroller

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​We’ve got a roller folks. This kid is fast approaching Olympic Decathalon standards. He’s kicking his fee,  he’s waving his arms, he’s grabbing and pulling stuff, and now he’s rolling around.  

I feel like this is the first big milestone.  Forget eating anybody could eat A spoonful of creamy oatmeal when you’re hungry and have no teeth.  Making noises and cooing is completely overrated… It’s migraine inducing and causes sleep deprivation. I could go without that especially at night. But when you start rolling around… Even the basic roll from your back to your tummy… That’s the big time. 

Once you roll over, even though every parent’s first reaction is to cheer (see above video), immediately panic settles In. You’ve graduated to the “you can no longer can be left alone” status… or the “you can no longer be trusted to just lay there like a bump on a log” status. You’re technically mobile now. 

It’s time to bubble wrap the house again and gate all the stairways.  Prayers gladly accepted. 

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The Exorcism, I mean Baptism, of Oliver Peter

It’s Deja-Vu all over again, as the famous wordsmith Yogi Berra once said. Back at church getting ready to dump a bucket of holy water on my son’s head.  It was that time again… The Baptism of Oliver Peter. A time honored tradition of absolving The Original Sin and then eating and drinking yourself into oblivion.  That comes with the territory though.  When you mix being Italian with any religious event you get a seven course meal and lots of arguing family members. 

But this day was more than that.  It was about the exorcism of Oliver. (According to the priest a baptism is actually an exorcism). Just smile and nod. That’s what I did. 

It was a day to welcome Oliver’s godparents into the family. A day to commit to living a life of happiness and peace.  I can’t wish anything more for my youngest son… happiness and peace. I love you little man!  Congratulations on your exorcism… I mean baptism.  

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The End of Pre-K3

The many faces of the last day of Pre-K3. 6.21.17. Here we come summer!!!


The end of PRE-K3 seems like a pretty cool accomplishment… a little overrated maybe, its not kindergarten or elementary school or especially high school graduation… but considering this little guy has had a long journey to get here I could care less if it was just simply the ending of the week!

I try to live by the saying, “Little wins.”  This was, in the bigger picture, a little win… but knowing how far this little monster has come, has me feeling like he accomplished so much in so little time.  Case in point: Start PRE-K3 in May, never been to a “real school,” never been on a bus, never had a true academic curriculum and data driven goals as part of his everyday life, and now finish the year as the happiest and hardest working little guy to ever strap on an over-sized monogrammed backpack:  

I am so proud of the hard work and determination this little guy shows everyday. He works on his sounds and articulation and continues to communicate his points across (sometimes more appropriately than others) until he is understood.

This school thing was way more stress on mom and dad then it was on the actual preschooler. Especially a preschooler who has so much personality and charisma that he makes his “boosebus” driver blush after presenting her w some flowers. 

He loved the bus and his driver. The smile on his face every time he heard it coming down the road could light up the darkest places on earthI’d say any three year old who get a present from his boosebus driver with a note like this has had a pretty successful first year…  

…and just like that.. as quickly as the bus pulled up on that first day of preschool… it just as quickly pulled away ending his year in PRE-K3.