Happy Birthday Grandpa Stella!!

We've had quite the busy Sunday!
This morning Addie and I headed into NYC for a playdate with some friends in Central Park.
Unfortunately, no pictures- we were having fun and talking and wrangling kids!

After Central Park Addie and I met up with Nicholas and Daddy at Grandpa's restaurant for a surprise birthday party for him! Grandpa Stella celebrated the big 6-8 today surrounded by friends and family! It was a really nice time filled with family, fun and delicious food prepared by our favorite chef- Daddy!!

Grandpa Cutting the cake

Some of the fam
Aunt Cathy, Aunt Madeline, Grandpa and Rocco

More of the Fam
Uncle Nunni, Uncle Anthony, Cousin Anthony and Pat

Walter, Grandpa, Nicholas and Rocco

A Nice Group Shot

Grandpa and Addie

Happy Birthday Grandpa, hope you had a great day!

New Layout

Ok, so we've been having problems with that dots layout. Apparently, people could see what was written and only the pictures or vice versa. So, I did another change. And another poll. Be sure to vote on the side about what you think of this new Springy Green layout! Don't worry, we can't see who is voting for what so be honest!!

Swinging Through Spring

Spring is in full swing here in Jersey!
The past few days have been beautiful and Nicholas was even able to wear shorts one or two days. This past weekend we decided to bite the bullet and purchase a small "swing set" for the kids to play on in the backyard.

We figured that the kids would get a lot more outside time and enjoy playing more if we didn't have to haul them to the park every time they wanted to go out and play!
And really, bubbles and water play only lasts so long before they get bored!
So far, the small swing set has been quite a hit with both Nicholas and Addison!
Addie loves the swing and is getting used to the slide.
Nicholas just loves everything about it! He plays all sorts of different stories on it and loves that it has a pirate ship steering wheel and castle theme and anxiously awaiting the telescope attachment that was missing when we put it together!
Hopefully, this love of the new toy will last throughout the summer and into early fall!!

Nicholas being the greatest big brother and pushing his little sister on the swing

Daddy, Addie and Nicholas enjoying the outside time!

Loving the weather!

King of the Castle!

Someday, I will capture both of them smiling!!!

The Early Recording Sessions

This weekend has been quite eventful for the Stella children!
Not only did they get to experience their new swing set and the box it came in (photos to come later) they also began on their quest to become the future Osmonds.

We went over to grandma and pop-pop's today and ended up helping to clean out the basement. While down there we found a gift that grandma had bought for Nicholas for Christmas but decided to put aside.
Nicholas excitedly opened the piano and microphone combo and was eager to help put it together!
Once all together he sat right down and began singing along and loved hearing his voice amplified on the microphone. He made up his own songs and even brought Addie and grandma and pop-pop in on the act.

Thank you Very much!
You're all so kind!!

A much nicer rendition of "Three Blind Mice"
No on loses their tails in Nicholas' version!!

Showing Addison how to compose her own music

Addie decided it would be better if she worked behind the scenes on got right on the phone booking gigs!

Hanging Out

Pat is out playing poker with "the guys" tonight so I'm home alone with the kids. Right now they're emptying the toy box in an organized fashion. Addison will be heading to bed soon and it will be just Nicholas and I. We have very little planned for the evening....some relaxing, maybe some movies, and resting!

Pat and I spent last night at a benefit for a local hospital by us. Tonight is quite a welcome break from our usual hectic, but good, lives. It will be nice to hang out with my little man and just enjoy the evening!

Here are a few pictures from the evening so far!!

I guess this is why they cleaned out the toy box!

Thanks, Aunt Kelly

Aunt Kelly sent over a few more pictures from Saturday.
How could I resist sharing this one!??!
It's just too cute!
Excellent shot Aunt Kelly!

Happy Birthday Great-Grandpa!

The kids and I headed down to my grandpa's house today to celebrate his 81st birthday! We had a nice time spending the day with all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and especially their great-grandpa. Nicholas spent the day running around with his cousins and getting nice and dirty!
Addison pretty much spent the day attached to me or pop-pop since she is not feeling well. Although we were able to snap a few shots of her being snuggled by a few other people!

Great-Grandpa and Nicholas inspecting Aunt Jessica's bike

Enjoying some delicious bbq

Aunt Ann and Addie

Aunt Kelly and Addie

Nicholas enjoying his cupcake

Helping to blow out Great-Grandpa's Candles

Addison received a belated birthday gift today from my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Peter- her very first baby doll! I was so excited for Addie to receive it, although not as excited as my Aunt was to give it!
Addison now has her first Madame Alexander doll to name and love!


Here she is inspecting her baby when we got home
(She actually said the word baby when she was given the doll after we told her what it was a few times!)

Nicholas being a "ham"

Nicholas showing Addie how her baby's eyes open and close

Addison is actually smiling in this picture even though it looks like she's screaming!

Don't forget to vote on the new blog background
The poll is on the left!

Batting Practice

After surviving round two of the stomach flu yesterday, we welcomed the sunny weather and a chance to head outside!

Baseball season has officially started for MLB and it has also started around here.
The Yankee games are on regularly and Nicholas and Pat ventured outside this evening before dinner for a little batting practice.
Nicholas is just getting "into the swing of things" with his baseball bat but we have a feeling the majors will be calling soon!
(We're just hoping it's not the Mets!)

Addison watches longingly.
She'll soon have her own bat and ball to play with!

Weekend Fiestas

This weekend has been quite nice thus far!
Friday night we spent a quiet evening at home watching movies while the kids slept! (They were in bed nice and early and cut us a break!)
Saturday, we relaxed a bit in front of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" which both kids loved! I highly recommend it to anyone with young kids, it was cute. Although the believability factor of chipmunks being able to sing and going rock n' roll was slightly out there! That could just be me! :)
Saturday night, our good friends Uncle Geoff and Aunt Jen and Maryliz and Paul came over for a fun filled Mexican themed fiesta. We enjoyed all sorts of Mexican foods and drinks as well as each other's company!
We didn't take many pictures but the few that we did of course involved our little model, Nicholas!
Today, we're off to Newark for the evening to have dinner with grandma, pop-pop and Aunt Jessica to celebrate Grandma and Pop-pop's 35th wedding anniversary!
Stay tuned for, hopefully, more pictures!


The boys relaxing
Notice the child splayed out across the table

Nicholas in his "coy" pose

Nicholas' centerfold pose

Our smiley, happy boy!

Mid-Week Blast

It's really not the middle of the week, just yet, but here are a few pictures from yesterday and today.

Addison enjoying her strawberries
I tried to get a shot of her licking the bowl but she just kept playing peek a boo with me!

Nicholas and Daddy hanging out on the couch

Addie playing tackle Daddy
Her back molars are coming in, hence the "crooked" smile!
(She's rubbing those gums like nobody's business!)

Tonight we got blasted with the stomach virus! Nicholas, the kid who can't seem to catch a health break, all of a sudden started vomiting and has been doing so just about every 30 minutes for the past two hours. Who knew there was so much to bring up in that skinny little body!?! Hopefully, he's sleeping off whatever remains of the virus and the Lysol that I blanketed the house with has killed any chance of any of the rest of us getting it!

This might be the only time this child has ever used the Boppy!!