Halloween, Part 200,000

Mom thinks Halloween lasted just about the entire month of October. Here I am at my preschool party. We played games, sang songs, ate snack, read a story and trick or treated down the hall.

Parker stopped by for a little while with Doreen, but they left so I could have some Mommy time.

I am a proud singer.

And a good listener. (Mommy was wondering who this kid was...)

Playing at the Garden Patch

On Coumbus Day weekend (and don't get me started about Columbus...I learned all about him in school and the princess and the three ships and the "land ho!" and he made a mistake and he had one big ship and one ship that has the same name as mommy's friend and the other ship and he got money from the princess and I could go on...) Mom and Dad took Parker and me to The Garden Patch in East Moriches. We had so much fun on the bouncies. We went on a haunted hay ride and even had zeppolies. Why oh why were Mom and Dad keeping those a secret?

September round up

Mom didn't think that going back to work, sending me to school, getting ready to move and deciding to run for Union rep at school would be too much. And really it hasn't been too bad, except she never gets on the computer. Here's some pictures of the last month. We have been pretty busy. Parker and I started swimming lessons. You'll see a picture of Parker, but not me because the swimming teacher told us no photos after Mom snapped a few of Parker and Daddy.
We went to the park a lot. Grandma and Grandpa came home from Austria and Germany and we had German dinner at their house.

Parker is hanging onto the laundry basket that holds a bunch of his favorite toys. Mom and Dad also use it as a barrier in front of the TV because Parker loves to turn the TV on and off. I tell him, "NO!" but he just laughs at me.

This might be the last picture of Parker crawling. He is a super walker now. He started walking a little bit after his 14 month birthday day.

Aunt Amber and I were "fishing" just like our friend Keegan in Texas. Well, almost just like Keegan. Keegan fishes in the water. I pretend fish with a big stick I found in the park.

Parker thinks he is a big boy playing in the park...

and then ... WOOPS! over he goes!

While Parker was falling over, I was looking for clues.

Grandma especially likes it when Parker has a dirty face. Right, grandma?

Here's that delicous German dinner. Mmmmmmm.

Another day, another park trip. I am getting super agile in my golden preschool years!

I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.



"

Me too!" Parker says!

Here we are at the YMCA. Parker loves swimming with Daddy. I am such a big boy, I get to swim alone. Mom and Dad aren't even allowed to stay by the pool! I even jumped in and paddled across the whole pool! Maybe mom will be allowed to take pictures on the last day of class.

It's All Happening at the Zoo

Okay. It's the Queens Zoo, not the Beautiful Bronx Zoo ... but it's all happening here in da 'hood, too ya know! Parker and I loved the carousel.

We pretended to be bald eagles.

You might remember I did this once before in 2008...

but I am a big boy now!

Phishy Times

Mom and Dad disappeared for two nights a few weeks ago. We didn't know where they went and they we saw these pictures!

It seems they were sitting in the 11th row at a concert. One night 11 rows from the stage and one night 11 rows from the back of the venue.

And here's Page McConnell. I am named after him, you know!

Park Time

Lest you think I have waned on my love of parks, here is a recent photo of me in the Margaretville School Playground/Park. Mom, Parker and I went to the cabin with Gram (I changed her name, you know, from Grandma Nancy to Gram and then just told her. No negotiating. This is what I decided.), Nonno and Uncle Greg and Aunt Lauren. Dad came up a day later. I loved the cabin as you can see from the photos below, mostly becuase fires were built and marshmallows were eaten, but also because it was cool.

I am instilling a love for parks in Parker as well. Did you know that Park and Parker sound the same/ I just figured that out. I am into rhyming right now. Mom and dad are sometimes shocked at words I rhyme, but I don't know "bad" words yet so I just think I am being smart!

 Here's the fire Uncle Greg and I built.

It's flaming. Can you see Aunt Lauren on the right? She is trying to detach the blackberry that is surgically attached to her hand.

Park. Parker. Park. Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!Parker! Park!

Birthday Part II

Mom and Dad hosted a party for my first birthday at our new house. It was a feat of engineering since there's not much there and there's even less since the party since Dad and Grandpa were very busy doing demolition in the kitchen and bathroom.
Mom doesn't think it could have been much hotter that day, but we all survived long enough to eat pulled pork and cake. I didn't mind the heat since I was the center of attention!

Mom made me a banana cake with all these yummy sugar cookies she decorated. I wore a sailor suit, so it was a good choice by her! The cake had blueberry preserves in the middle with vanilla cream cheese icing. Yummy!

 My sweaty, but lovable older brother Page helped me blow out the candles. He's very good at it since he practiced at school this year.

My godfather Blake helped Mom cut the cake and get me a piece. He is so cool, you know!

The cake was quite yummy. I didn't miss my mouth much.

The proud parents.

Uncle Greg enjoyed some corn with Page. Page loves corn. It looks like fun. When do you think I get to try that?

Mom's friend Nina dropped by early. If you look closely, you'll see that Nina's dress has anchors on it. mom's skirt has an anchor, and I am the sailor boy. Planned? Likely not. Mom and Nina have some weird mind meld where they end up in the same or similar clothes quite often.

It was a fun party. I can't wait to turn 2!

Birthday Part I

Hi all! The day these pictures were taken was my real birthday! July 16. Mom and Dad can't believe I've been here a year already! I can't believe it either. When will all these teeth be finished coming in? The pain is torture!!!!!!!! I got some great presents from my family for my birthday and Mom swears she will help me finish writing thank you notes soon. Mom got me that shirt up there with some matching shorts. USA!

 Dad got me this jack-in-box...or sock monkey-in-the-box as it may be. Page got me maracas that teach me colors and music in Spanish and English. Ole!

Liam, Luke, Aunt Shannon and Uncle David got me cool wooden vehicles and and wooden counting toy. I am quite obsessed with both presents and play with them every day. I espeially like biting on these wheels...like I said, teething is killin' me!

Uncle Adi and Aunt Janet sent me this awesome baseball toy. Page is teaching me the words to "Take me out to the Ballgame."

Family Reunion

 

Mom and Dad took Parker and me to a family reunion in Saratoga Springs. They said it was the Porto family reunion and somehow I am a Porto, but all I cared about was LIAM!!!!!! Here we are on the roller coaster!

And we bounced!

And we actually did a lot of other stuff that day and I swear all the parents were there too and Luke and Parker, but it was darn hot and we were a lot to handle so not a lot of pictures were taken. I like the word a lot, can you tell? Trust me, we had fun and I heard Mom and Aunt Shannon had fun with some white wine after we were all asleep!

Swingtown

This is our new hometown park. I have dubbed it the adventure park. It's real name is Nonno's golf park. Wait, no that's not it either. I don't know real names. Real names are silly!

Parker and I fight over this cool red swing.