Thirty TWO and ALMOST TWO....

Well, I'm 32 now and wondering when and how did I enter the 3-0 club? I hardly recall but I'm assuming it was approximately two years ago. ;-P I mean I feel in my 20's and some very generous souls said that they too thought I was in my early 20's . Buttttt I'm pretty sure that's what people say/do to make you feel better when you're a lady of my age to make you feel a little more optimistic about yourself. Right? That will just be the standard protocol now a days when you ask me my age-got it?

Funny, how birthdays and really any day is no longer about ME. Parents, remember when it was all about us? What the hell did we do with all of our time before our child(ren)? Once again, life proves to be all about perspective. But yes, lets get back to me. (Haha) It's so hard to even recall, I look at my days and 99% of my day is about someone else. Then I think all the years previously when I was living for me, I was doing it wrong and I didn't even realize it. Never have I been more content, more satisfied to give my all to my family, my career, and the big man upstairs. Isn't that how we are suppose to live-serving others? By doing so though-days can be so dang hard, and especially in jobs like mine nothing short of emotionally draining. To the point where after I come home I want to lay in bed in the fetal position and not even think  about how the world operates the way it does and how we can have horrific things going on literally in our backyards. But instead, I walk through my door and give my son my biggest smile and a "smooch, kiss" and give him the love and attention he deserves. And as always, while I still think it is healthy and necessary to have some "me" time it just happens at a much less frequency. Trust me, if you saw my nails and grey hairs you'd think come on girl....getchyo self together! But there's just no time for that! My baby is going to be 2 in just under one week!

Speaking of this almost 2 year old he's doing (and saying!) such amazing things I just can't wait to share (and partly because I don't forget a minute of it) some of the incredible things he is doing! The last time I blogged (too long ago, sorry baby) what he was up to was six months ago. Yikes. I looked back upon that blog (thank goodness for this keepsake, otherwise it would be more of a blur than it already is) to refresh my memory and it's like we have a new kid running around. He's so busy, so soooo busy. And the epitome of a boy-yep, pretty much Nico in a nutshell. While his friend Grace is trying to have him sit down for her tea party he grabs the whole teapot takes a pretend swig out of it sets it back down and then runs off to chase a ball. She looks a little flabbergasted and confused but it's all so funny to see and experience the difference in gender play. He loves balls, anything with wheels, and being outside.

And since we legit have had close to a Sicily summer this kid also has the tan that comes with it. Truly is my golden boy. 

Oh and his hair...changes everyday but some days are the closest thing to perfection as I may have ever seen!

HOW DOES THIS EVEN OCCUR?

This summer we fenced in a part of our yard to create an area that would be designated as Nico's safe outdoor play area. But wouldn't you know-that is no longer considered outside per Nico! Outside is outside of this area...you know the area we invested in? Stinker. So outside of the outside is where we spend our time. Summer is just the best isn't it? Perhaps it's because it seems to come and go so fast that we appreciate and savor every minute of it..and Nico does just very that. While he out running he will see a butterfly and point -"Mama! Butterfly! White butterfly!" Then at the very next moment he will hold his ear and go, "Listen! Airplane!" Gosh darn it kid- just absorbing ever sight and sound during every.single.second. Talk about living and being so very present in the moment. If you only knew how many life lessons you have gifted to me since your existence. Thank you for that baby.  

Back to our summer-as, you probably observed and kindly "loved" our recent travel Instragram posts of our recent visit to NYC and exploring the New England area-well once again my child proved to be an ideal travel companion. Both flights he fell asleep while we were taxing on the runway before takeoff and slept the entire flight. Perhaps that's because we let him run wild in the terminal where he actually ran behind the airport's gate desk and ONTO a jet bridge which was not ours. Nico had the whole terminal laughing while his mother and father wiped sweat and tried to avoid any encounters with TSA. Per usual, he charmed people from NYC to Boston and handled every adventure with ease and flexibility. Here are some fun photos from our trip and you'll see why traveling with him is so much fun!

Born Beach Ready

Beach Lover

Joy...Sheer Joy

Every second with Nico is an adventure. He brings us so much joy that even though he won't recall these times he's made these moments that much more enjoyable and memorable for us. Selfish I know. ;)

He further amazed me when we were at the beach and went by a group of young kids who were digging in the sand and stood there for a second observing and one of the children invited him to come play (bravo to his parentals) and Nico crouched down and side by side "helped" the group of kids dig. Can I tell you what this does to my heart?!? I'm just so proud of his ability to be independent and confident so young. Isn't this one of those parental passages-to help your children be able to become independent and to work well with others? Nico-you're not even two and you're passing these life tests! Although the independence only goes so far. We got Nico a big boy bed and I spent way too much "time" (code for money...don't tell my husband)  finding the perfect sheets, comforter, and quilt for this big occasion.

When I unveiled it Nico was as equally excited-"Nico's bed! Coooool!" Then he would lay down in it and pretend to sleep. Success right? No. That's what he does-pretends to sleep in it and Bellina really does all the real sleeping in it...at least someone is enjoying my efforts! In order to get Nico to go to sleep he prefers "Daddy's Bed" and at the moment likes to cuddle into me and he will pull my arm so it's wrapped arm him while I tell him "stories"-which he wants me to make up but my brain has such a hard time doing so...as it has been used over it's full capacity at my place of employment. So then I just decide to sing-and he sings along. And it's the most precious thing I may have ever been a part of. So precious that my not very sentimental husband will also lay there just to absorb the sweetness and innocence of it all. Don't worry big boy, you still needing me to fall asleep is quite alright by me. I know these days will eventually come to an end so I'm savoring each and every evening till then.

As I shared in my last update we surrendered 6 hours of our time with him each week to let him have a break from his smothering family. His time with Miss Ann has become a part of his weekly routine and he comes home each week excited and happy and talks incoherently about his time away and cries when he has to leave Miss Ann's house. I receive such fun pictures throughout the day of his adventures with her and his friends there.

Once again he not only shines for us but for her as well. I'm so thankful for Miss Ann and for our decision....

The funniest thing he currently is doing right now is learning to give the thumbs up sign. It has been hilarious to watch the dexterity...or at first the lack of…and his little brain telling his little hand/fingers to do this task. He would say "Good Job!" and then he would make a fist and shake it up and down and think he was doing a "good job" at this thumbs up thing. Then a few days later he realized...oh wait my thumb isn't up. So then he had his thumb and pointer finger up shaking it up and down and then it progressed to the pointer finger randomly triggering out and he would try to pull it back so hard but just couldn't.make.it.happen. Then we were at the point that his thumb was at such a weird angle and bent back so far I thought I'd have to make a call to an orthopedic surgeon to make sure all was OK. Now we are pretty much there and he goes around and tells everyone, "Good Job!" with an almost steady upright thumb. I'd rate him at a 98.97% mastering of this very very verrrrry tricky skill.

His other words of choice....

• "Your turn!" He makes me proud on what a good turn taker he is
• "Hi Baby" 
• "Hi, my daddy"
• "Thank you!" 
• "Pease" (Manners of a saint)
• "Bless you!"
• "Bood! Baby Boods! (Birds)",
• (In a really deep voice)" "Gogocycle (motorcycle), vroom vroom!" 
• "Ummmmmmm" When he's thinking really hard. 
• "Nana, come mere! Nana, back mere! Not istening!" (Loves to holler at Bellina)
• "Nice job!!"
• "Shoo, cats!"
• "No big deal"
• "Holy Cow!"
• "Whoa-whoa-wee" (Borat Style)
• "Eazzzzyyyy!"
• "Whoa-dude"
• "Santo Dio" while shaking his hands together Italian style…I'm serious.

Boy still lovesssss to eat. He will make appreciative noises and his favorite thing to say is "ooch (lips puckered) HOT!" Even when it's not hot at all. His current obsessions, "Snacks, pouches, and chocolate." He wakes up and wants something to eat. "Pouchhhhhh" I tell him that he can't have a pouch for breakfast! Then I say, "What do you want for breakfast?" His response? "Snackkkkk." Kid cracks me up! But he really is a nice eater. He loves his dad's cooking, "Nice Job Dad! Good Food cook!" He will gobble up his artichokes or chicken saying "Down, down, down into mache" (Stomach). Or being the smart kid he is-when he's hungry he knows who to utilize-"Dad! Daddy! Food!"

He knows all his body parts including his eyebrows, collarbone, elbow, chin, and neck. And he's constantly seizing to amaze me with his recall as well as his physical abilities. We got him a little scooter earlier this summer and I set it down in front of him and he jumped on and was like OK, now what? So, I showed him how it works and he tried a couple of times and I was like, "yeah, probably next year he will have this thing mastered." 5 minutes later he was scootin' along ringing the little bell like what's up? You underestimate me? I'll show you....Grandma recently told me regarding his smarts, "You can't send him to Kindergarten! He's going to make the other kids look dumb!" I'm not questioning her....she's 94 and I'm assuming she knows a thing or two!

Further example of his ability to make other kids look dumb (GRANDMA'S words NOT mine!) is when about a month ago we were outside playing with the chalk and he grabs a piece and goes "N-I-C-O" I almost choked because I could not believe my not even two year old just spelled his name! Talk about a proud mom moment.I know it's probably due to me writing his name obsessively whenever we play with the chalk outside. But whatever the reason, I'm impressed. My worries about him being color blinded are gradually lessening. As he knows his colors and everything is no longer "Blue!" but his current favorite color is "Orange!" When I ask him what color an object is, he will look at me and then go, "Blue" start laughing and then say "Nooooooo." Knowing that my fear of him being color blind and going around the world in non color coordinating outfits terrifies me a bit. Not even two years old and he teases just as much as his daddy loves to tease. Oh and you know what else this PUNK is doing? I will ask him for a "smooch" and he will look at me and say, "No!" and then grab his daddy with both hands by the face and plant the sweetest smooch on his daddy's lips and look at me and laugh. Eventually, he stops teasing me because he goes, "Mama, cryyyy." and then proceeds to give me a kiss and says, "Mama! Happee!" I sure am big boy. As I know most of you are quite aware but he truly is the sweetest little boy I or you probably have ever met. He will gently caress his baby friend's face and even more gently give a little smooch and say, "niceeee". Boy, you are going to be quite the catch. Smart, cute, funny...you got it all.

Nico also thinks I'm a Kardashin (not flattered), all the models at the stores (sometimes flattered), as well as the lady on the Startbucks cups....which I can kinda see some resemblance to as well. Most of the summer we took our daily strolls to the mulberry tree where Nico sat and picked ONLY the black ones to eat and he'd do a little dance and go "mhmmmm, mmmmhmmm!" and then go pick some more and do another little appreciation dance. We are enjoying the fruit that is coming now with the apple/pear trees and take daily walks so Nico can enjoy one. He knows that we pick the apple from the trees and then brings an apple to the horses from the ground. I like his ability to remember to care for others. I always find it so bittersweet that the very fruit Nico enjoys and loves so much is all labor and love of his own father and his grandfather-whom he never had the opportunity to know. But how sweet it is that long after he has gone he is still caring and providing and such a special part of our daily routine. One of those things in life that makes my heart feel a little more full knowing.

Summer has now concluded and all the fun that goes hand in hand with summer also feels to be slowing down. We've had numerous celebrations, holidays, days/nights of fun with family and friends, and now we are starting a new season. Which again brings me to another bittersweet moment. A new season, a new chapter. After I think about it, I guess it still is about ME...ME being  a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend to the best of my ability. Reflecting on the past year, I feel so humbled and blessed by it all. All the craziness, all the adjustments, all of it all. There's nothing more in life that I've wanted to accomplish in life then being a mother. Doing well at it (for now)...that's just the icing on the cake. And you Nico, you're the best gift that I have ever received. So bring on the birthdays for you and I both big boy. I will embrace each year as we both get older. And even though this "2" thing is happening to the both of us...YOU will always be my #1.

XO. 

JLOVE AKA "Mommy"