Happy Birthday Mommy!

I'm so excited! Mommy finally came back from California, and just in time for her birthday. Happy Birthday, Mommy!

To celebrate the occasion, first thing in the morning I gave Mommy the card I picked out for her and a box of goodies baked by our neighbors at Whimsy and Spice. Here they are with some pretty flowers that Babcia and Ciocia Olga brought for Mommy:

Later in the day, I took Mommy out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We caught up on everything that has been going on the past week, and goofed around between courses (sorry the dinner pictures are blurry - I forgot to bring my camera, so had to use Mommy's phone camera.)

I hope you had a great birthday, Mommy, and I'm glad you're back. I love you!

Babcia

Since Mommy has been away all week, and I've been having all this fun with Daddy, Babcia decided to come keep us company and to mix things up a little over the weekend. We hand a grand old time going to the park, reading books and playing with my new Polish puzzle, my Magnatiles and my etch-a-sketch.

It was great to have Babcia around! But now I'm ready to celebrate Mommy's birthday with her back in person at home with me tomorrow!

Fun playdate

Today my friends Mia and Claudine came over for a playdate. They are neighbors in our condo buildings, and their parents are the owners of Whimsy and Spice, the Brooklyn bakeshop that I've raved about on the blog in the past.

At first, I wasn't so sure about playing with two girls, especially since they were enjoying my toys so much. They particularly seemed to get a kick out of my mini-racetrack...

While I stuck to assembling my puzzle pieces.

But when I couldn't find where some of the pieces went, Claudine and Mia helped me out, and we finished the puzzle as a team!

After that, I didn't even mind sharing my crackers and juice with them - that's how you can tell that we were really becoming buddies.

After a couple of hours of play (I couldn't believe time flew by so fast!) it started getting dark, and Mia and Claudine had to go home for dinner. After I ate mine, I got to stay up a few extra minutes to watch the beautiful post-thundershower sunset from our balcony.

Now I'm all tuckered out and ready for bed. Can't wait to see what fun tomorrow brings!

Trainwatching

I headed underground today to enjoy one of my favorite activities - watching subway choo-choo's go by.

Is the D-choo-choo coming yet?

Yes it is!
I don't know what it is about the sights and sounds of subways coming and going that entrances me so, but I just can't get enough!

Polish books

Ever since Babcia got back from her trip to Poland and brought me a mountain of Polish books, I've been getting more and more excited about learning all my letters in Polish, not just English.

So this afternoon Daddy took me to the Greenpoint branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. You see, Greenpoint is the big Polish neighborhood in New York, and the library there had a big shelf of Polish books just for kids. We browsed through all of them, and picked out a whole bunch that will keep me busy for the next few weeks...

PS - you'll notice that in each picture I've arranged all the books strategically around myself... that's because I'm in intensive potty training mode, which means no wearing diapers while in the house - so I'm naked from the waist down!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day everyone! Since Mommy left last night to go to California for the week, it's just me and Daddy hanging out and having fun today. To make sure Daddy has a good day, I prepared ahead of time, and made him a great big card! I was very eager to show Daddy all the hard work that went into it, and each and every detail of my craft work.

Besides the card, I had also ordered a special book for Daddy, filled with pictures of us together over the past two years, all the way from the time I was a little baby and Daddy used to carry me around like a football.

Daddy really loved the book and we've read it together many times already - neither one of us can get enough of it!

I'm glad Daddy is having such a nice Father's Day with me. Truth be told, though, between all the gifts Odin got on his birthday yesterday, and now Daddy on his special day, I was beginning to feel a little left out... luckily, an extra special gift from Auntie Alison came in the mail for me - a set of NYC subway choo-choo letter place mats!

Wow, these are great - I get to practice all my letters and numbers while I eat. Thanks, Auntie Alison!

Odin's Birthday Party

I think I've mentioned my friend Odin here before - he and I are in daycare together twice a week, and we've become buddies, especially since he lives on our block, so we run into each other on the playground and when we're out and about once in a while as well.

Today was Odin's two year birthday party, and it was held at La Villa Rustica, a local pizzeria that is also on our block - it couldn't have been more convenient or more fun. Odin and I spent a little time hanging out on the outside patio before the party started.

Once things got going, I went right for the balloons - heehee.

Best of all, Myriam, who owns and runs the daycare where we go - and takes such good care of me - came to the party. It was great to see her on a weekend!

Because the party started at 11:30am, and 12:30pm is my naptime, I was completely pooped as soon as lunch was over. And as I've said more than once before, you all know what happens when Jasper gets tired and is ready for his nap...

NOT funny, Mommy and Myriam!

Super Soccer Stars

Now that tumbling class is over, it's time to move on to the next activity. This summer I'm learning how to play soccer! Mommy and Daddy signed me up for a class with Super Soccer Stars in Prospect Park. I'm in the 2-2.5 year old class and today was my first day. I got in the spirit of things and wore my AC Milano Kaka jersey.

Unfortunately, I had to take the jersey off once class started but I got to wear my very own Super Soccer Stars jersey instead. After a couple of songs and warm-up stretches, we practiced running around the goal. I made Daddy run with me so we could both exercise.

Then we practiced our kicks - first kicking big cones, then little cones and finally soccer balls. It was a little tricky at first but I think that I got the hang of it. I had to concentrate very hard. It was hard not to use my hands to pick up the ball and carry it.

At the end of class, we all got a chance to shoot on goal. I dribbled the ball very carefully up close to the goal, planted my foot and aimed....

GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!!

At the end of class, I got three stickers for all my hard work from Coach Nathanial - even one on my nose! I think that I'm going to like playing soccer!

Teenie Tumblers Graduation

Today was my graduation day from Teenie Tumblers!! Wow. I completed the whole 21 week session and learned so much from Coach Mason and Coach Michelle. Remember when I first started the class and I cried the whole time? Well, now I LOVE going to tumbling class and feel so confident in my abilities that I don't want any help when I run the obstacle course or do my rolls. Plus, look at the huge slide they built for us!!

I know that you all want to know how I'm doing with my jumps. See for yourself. I'm getting a little bit more air, no?

Here's the grand finale - my certification and certificate presentation! Yipee!! I'm a certified Teenie Tumbler now.

Thanks so much Coach Mason and Coach Michelle! I'm going to miss you both over the summer.

Summer Haircut

You may have noticed, but since the last haircut that Mommy gave me, my hair has started to become quite bushy again. Plus, it's kind of hot out there with all that extra hair especially as the weather warms up. So, yesterday I got my summer haircut. Here I am before the haircut, playing with my ABC magnets...

And here I am after. Mommy is kind of sad that I don't have a bowl cut anymore. Daddy, of course, is thrilled with the cut.

And from the side...

What do you think? Do I look older or younger with the new 'do?

New Jersey State Aquarium

Today, Dziadek, Babcia and Ciocia Olga took me to the New Jersey State Aquarium, which isn't too far from their house. Can you guess what my favorite part was?

It wasn't all the fishies...

It wasn't the penguins...

It wasn't the turtle...

It wasn't even the big fountain...

It was the choo-choo ride to get there, of course!