Return to the Big Apple Circus

Long time readers of the blog might remember that I went on a class trip to the Big Apple Circus in May of last year. Last year I went with Ciocia Olga, but this year Ciocia had a big job interview at JP Morgan on the day of the circus, so I got to go with Daddy instead!

But besides the change in chaperones, everything else was pretty much as last year, which is how I like it. First, we took a school bus for a long ride to Queens, where the Big Apple Circus tent is set up right now. After the long ride, my classmates and I couldn't wait to get some exercise and play in the fresh air (and try to get away from our parents...)

But when our getaway plan failed, we just made some silly faces instead.

Then into the big tent we went, with great seats as always - front and center.

Then time for the show. Like last year, there were acrobats and trapeze artists and galloping stallions and lots and lots of other acts. I loved every one!

After the show, we got back on the bus for the long ride home, so I settled in for an afternoon snack...

And then a quick nap...

All the better to be rested, since once we got to school, guess what was waiting for us?!

Yes! Our school actually rented a Mister Softee truck for us, and everyone got to have a delicious frozen treat, even the parents.

I enjoyed my ice cream with some of my favorite girls (each of whom has been my girlfriend at one point or another this year...)

Meanwhile, Daddy went to pick up Everett down the street - and since Mister Softee was still there when they came back for me AND still giving away free ice cream to all the kids from our school AND since Everett technically goes to my school as well (even though his class is too young to go on a bus trip yet), well...

Pitcher or batter?

Since the weather was so great and there was plenty of green space while we were at Dziadek and Babcia's house over Memorial Day Weekend, I decided to put in a little baseball practice, both pitching...

And batting...

Right now I seem to be a natural at both, but I wonder which I should focus on?

In completely unrelated news, once we returned home, I announced that I'm no longer "little," but instead a "big boy," and not only do I not need diapers anymore, but I also no longer need my potty, since I can go in the regular toilet now. So, without further ado, I proceeded to dispose of the potty once and for all...

Hmmm, maybe throwing is my best skill after all?

A most excellent visitor!

Just when we thought Memorial Day Weekend was over, guess who we got to see on Monday night? Walter Cou Kung, who came to visit us all the way from Lagos, Nigeria!

You might remember that Walter Cou Kung visited us once before, about three years ago. I was a bit younger than Everett is now at that time (though I seem to have enjoyed french fries then as much as Everett does now...), and Everett was still inside Mommy's tummy, so he had not had an official opportunity to meet Walter Cou Kung until now.

While last time Walter Cou Kung came to visit us in Brooklyn, this time we went to Manhattan, since he was staying on the 27th floor of the very swank Essex House Hotel on Central Park South, with sweeping views of the park. Everett and I couldn't get enough of those views!

We could even see the playground we went to just a week ago with Dziadek, and with Auntie Alison, Josephine Pau-Pau and Desmond Kung-Kung on New Year's Day. Can you see the big rock outcroppings in the bottom-left corner of this picture? Those are the ones that Everett and I love to climb whenever we get a chance, but they look so much smaller from up here...

Once we got our fill of the views, Walter Cou Kung took us out for a delicious Italian dinner, where Everett and I had some great pizza, which Everett in particular seemed to enjoy.

Thanks for visiting us, Walter Cou Kung, and for the great dinner, and the super-great gifts (those might require a blog post all to themselves - all Everett and I could keep saying most of the evening was "we love our gifts"...)

Memorial Day Weekend

Did you all have a good Memorial Day weekend? We sure did. After visiting the ships for Fleet Week and a birthday party for my friend, we headed down to New Jersey to visit Babcia, Dziadek, Prababcia, Ciocia Olga and Wujek Chris. And you know what that means when it's a holiday weekend and hot outside - POOL!! Once again, Dziadek upgraded the backyard pool. What do you think? Next year, will the pool be as big as the backyard?

It wasn't all swimming all the time. Everett and I also discovered a new art medium - sidewalk, chalk and paint. We made sure to cover Babcia's driveway so that she would always remember us.

What did you all do this weekend? Did you have fun like we did?

Fleet week

Well, I know I said yesterday that we were heading to Dziadek and Babcia's house for the weekend, but I forgot that wouldn't be until Sunday, since Jasper had already committed to going to a friend's birthday party at Bounce U today.

Since Jasper has been to about a hundred birthday parties at Bounce U in the past and recounted many of them here, we won't bore you with the details.

Instead, what I will recount today is the most excellent morning we had at Fleet Week!  You see, Fleet Week is "a tradition in which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week, and the public can take a guided tour of the ships."

Guess which city some of the ships docked in today? That's right - Brooklyn! And so of course,  tour the ships we did! There were all kinds of battleships and Coast Guard Cutters and even tall ships, and we boarded every one we could.

We went up ladders and down ladders, and met lots of sailors, who told us all about each ship we toured.

Since it was a beautiful, sunny day, we spent lots of time on decks, enjoying amazing views of Manhattan, not to mention the ships' guns and artillery.

We even got to steer one of the Coast Guard Cutters!

At the end, we even got helium ballons. Maybe we shouldn't admit this - but that may have been our favorite part :-)

Update to another swimming update

I've added another video to my swimming update from a couple of days ago - this time with my backstroke featured at the end (or I should say, "back kick" - still working on the stroke part...)

"Chalk boxes"

You know how Jasper and I love to make chalk art on the sidewalk outside our house? Well, this week I invented a new sidewalk chalk game...

It's called "chalk boxes." First, you draw as many boxes with sidewalk chalk as you can...

And then you race to fill each of the boxes with whatever objects as you have at hand... 

The best part is that it's a team game, so Jasper and I both get to participate (though don't ask me why the objects I have on hand include multiple guitar picks, several toy cars, a bunch of pennies, some "jewels" and a random marker... that's just how I roll...)

I have a feeling we'll be playing plenty more chalk boxes over the long holiday weekend. Though we're skipping town for Dziadek and Babcia's house, where you play "driveway" chalk instead (and I hear there may be some "driveway paint" involved as well, we'll have to see what that's all about.) 

Have a great long weekend, everyone!

Another swimming update

Well, I think I have no choice but to admit it to myself, but I think I can pretty much swim on my own - no more conning Daddy into helping me float around the pool...

Now it's time to work on my form and technique. Watch out Michael Phelps!

Class pictures!

Yep, it's that time of the year again - portraits at school! And if I do say so myself, I think ours turned out pretty well.

Of course, Jasper has had much more practice than me, since this is his third year having his portrait taken at our school, so he knew exactly what to do -

As did all of his classmates -

But I think I did OK for my very first time, don't you?

At least in the individual picture, anyway...