Bon Voyage

So? Satisfied people? The blog has now been updated as much as possible. Have to have everything current since we are flying out today for Barcelona. Leaving at 6:45pm, and arriving at 8:45am tomorrow morning. Weather in Barcelona on Thursday and Friday? Upper 70s. Sun. Perfect! Then we head out with stops in Cannes, Portofino, Florence, Rome, and Naples before heading home.

We have enough diapers and baby food to see us through the trip. He will be the best dressed baby in all of Europe. And, oh yeah - we managed to pack for ourselves as well. Lori's parents have been in Barcelona for a few days, and the plan is to meet at the hotel for Happy Hour on Thursday. All good.

Last-minute stuff to be taken care of today: some small purchases, haircuts, throwing a jacket in the wash, etc etc. Another part of today's plan is for us to head downtown and check out a gallery that is showing an art piece of Maria's grandmother. Opens at 1pm. We wanted to leave for the airport at 3pm. This has to be a well-oiled machine.
Will try and post from our travels, but no promises!

Missouri Football

Football season is here. And the Missouri Tigers are currently ranked at Number 25 in the nation. Yeah baby! Cooper can be seen sporting his onsies, bibs, tshirts, polos, basketball and football jerseys, and of course he owns a stuffed Tigers mascot. No pressure kiddo!

Fruit'apalooza

So we picked up this mesh "fruit feeder" thing, and Cooper had a ball with it. Allows infants to gnaw on and taste the fruit without choking on the pieces. Cooper, who is not such a fan of jars of baby food fruit, went to town with the peach we placed inside.
He was very proud of this accomplishment.

Sickness

Cooper went to bed on Friday night a happy healthy little boy, but woke up stuffed up and congested kid. Poor thing. Infant Tylenol wasn't doing the trick, so we decided to take him to the doctor and get him checked out since we are traveling this week. Turns out he had a little redness in his ears. Antibiotics. Amoxycillin. So happy we made the decision to run in on Saturday rather than wait until Monday morning. The more days he has to recoup before getting on an airplane - the better. We can not complain at all.... Even though he felt miserable, he was happy and smiling and still being such a good kid. But you can see in his eyes that he is just not right.

Dogs And Hats

Cooper had a great time playing with this silly stuffed dog.

It almost got away!

And he loves spending time in this jumpy-thing.

Up until the moment he started dosing off like an old man.

Mommy always proves to be a lot of fun.

Get a way from me kid, ya bother me.

Trouble Times Three

Alex. Mark. Cooper.
The future at Grandma and Grandpa's house? Alex's devising the masterful plan, Mark carrying out the deeds, and Cooper taking it all in! They twins love playing downstairs with all the toys. And we know the basement, much like what happens with all the cousins on Easter, will continue to promote a 'Lord of the Flies' type atmosphere.

Wheels On The Bus

Maria's parents bought this toy for the twins years ago - it is a big bus with different areas of play all around it. The boys still like it, but we think that it will become Cooper's domain in the very near future. He loves to stand up, hold on (with our help), and explore.
Very happy that big toys such as this one reside at 2581. No room in a New York City apartment for such equipment! Maria's family "threaten" to buy such things for Christmas..... Fine, but they are staying at your houses people!

Princeton, Here He Comes

This week starts the Fall semester for most children's classes in the city.  We, like every other Manhattan family, have researched different classes and activities for Cooper.  Don't laugh!  Many parents already have their infants on waiting lists for Preschools.  

When it comes to choosing a facility and the type of class, we do have extra issues to take into consideration.  Clara's comfortability is a key element.  Cooper is also getting into a pretty fabulous schedule with eating/sleeping/playing that we would like to preserve for as long as possible.  After much searching, we are quite happy with our decisions.  

Cooper will be taking an infant "gym" class at The Little Gym at a location that is in the general vicinity of our apartment.  Maria spoke to the instructor, James, before the class to discuss Clara taking Cooper to the class each week.  All seemed quite happy with the situation!  So here begins Cooper's athletic aspirations.  




We all know Cooper strives to stand up at all times and is serial jumper, so the kid was in heaven.  The small number of kids in his group gives him lots of opportunities for attention.

What else? Cooper is signed up for a Baby Fingers class at Karma Kids Yoga down on 14th Street.  The class is a music class that utilizes sign language in their songs and play.  We are so happy we finally worked out a day/time/location that is do'able.  

Cooper liked the music, and was absolutely fascinated by all the kids in the class.  He is quite the social butterfly.

Let's see.... Princeton?  Harvard?  Columbia?  Mizzou?

Video Music Awards

Lori was down at Radio City Music Hall for most of the day on Friday. The prep and rehearsals for the Video Music Awards were going on all around her, but her focus was the radio forum and interviews taking place.  The normal amount of "fires" had to be put out.  Nothing too terrible!  There was a last-minute shuffle of a great deal of tickets, and Lori found herself with an extra pair at the end of the day.  Rare rare occurrence.  

Who was the big winner? Lauren. Maria's cousin Lauren and her friend headed into the city on Sunday night to catch the show.

View from the outside.

The show was absolutely terrific, and it is a shame that an ass like Kanye makes the news. Amazing tribute to Michael Jackson, Beyonce is simply Beyonce, and Pink on a trapeze - MTV's 20009 Video Music Awards did not disappoint.  

Happy that Lauren had a great time!  We loved getting her texts throughout the show, and the videos she posted to her FaceBook page are way cool.  Can't wait to see her this weekend and hear her stories and her perspective.  

Kim's B'day Weekend

** H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y  K I M **

Had a great time celebrating Kim's birthday at the lake last weekend! So happy it worked out and all could enjoy the sun, cocktails, food, and of course - KIM. The birthday girl was on the winning team for 'salad bowl', was a key player in getting the wet bike functional, and single-handedly stopped a massacre of honey-makers. Someone get that girl a Grolsch!

It works! It works! It works!  The stand-up jetski.  The wet bike. Seriously, you can now turn it off, come back later, turn it on - AND IT STARTS UP!  Great job team!
Dusk.  Hanging on the deck and enjoying the perfect weather.  

Up, up, and away!  Later on in the evening the pair actually succeeded in their flying endeavor.

Don't worry Michele, Cooper will be having a another meal very soon.  And puffs.  Can't have the child be de'puffed.  




Friends.  Beer.  Kumbaya.
The look of love.  He had us at 'hello'.   

Hotness.  Squared.  

Cuteness.  Squared.

Orange and blue was the theme for these three.

Enjoying the sun on a Sunday.

Happy Birthday Kim! We love you!

Accident On The 4 Train

Maria is back to working full-time hours, which is a feat she has not attempted to accomplish since mid-December of '08.  No complaints. She has had the opportunity to work on a part-time basis and spend lots of quality time with Cooper.    

As Maria was headed to a job on the Upper Eastside yesterday, she grabbed a downtown 4 train from the Yankee Stadium station.  She knew she would get to the gig in plenty of time to grab a coffee and be where she needed to be by 4pm.  Her train abruptly stopped at 110th Street.  The PA announced that due to a "sick passenger" the train was temporarily out of service.  Now, the 4 is an express train, and 110th is not an express stop.   So the track is no where near the platforms.  A follow-up announcement had all passenger walk through the cars and towards the back of the train.  This NEVER happens.  

All could see out the windows that the NY Fire Department was called, and they were climbing onto the track from the platform with their equipment and a rescue stretcher.  A conductor told us that someone was struck by the local train and was killed.  But the local trains continued to run for a bit, and all the while the express (and all the passengers) were stuck and going nowhere for almost an hour at that point. 

It turns out it was the train Maria was on that struck and killed the man.  The details have not yet  been released, but she can attest to the fact that there was no slamming on the brakes or the train speeding through stations.  For someone to be on the express track - that takes willingness and inclination.  The poor man. 

Man killed by New York City subway train

by Associated Press

Tuesday September 15, 2009, 4:45 AM

NEW YORK -- Subway service on the Lexington Avenue line has been restored after a man was struck and killed by a subway train at a Manhattan station.

Authorities say the fatal accident occurred at about 4 p.m. Monday at the Lexington Avenue and 116th Street station. Some service on the three lines was suspended until shortly before 6 p.m.

Authorities did not immediately know the chain of events that led to the victim's death.

New York City police say the man's identity will be determined by the medical examiner.

Basketball Hall Of Fame

We picked up a new toy for Cooper.  It is Dunk 'n Cheer Basketball by Fisher Price, and he absolutely thinks it is the coolest thing in the world. 

Cooper helped us out by banging on the box with all his might and cracking himself up while doing so.

Checked it out. Took a shot.
We think Cooper likes this new purchase.

Kayaks, Bikes, Food

Great way to relax is to take the kayak out for a leisurely ramble around the lake.  Coves and lilypads and eagles to be experienced.  
Cooper wanted to try the kayak out too.
We decided it was better that he sit this one out. 

What a bike.  What a rider.
Havana has Cooper's eating down to a science.