Old School Batman

Dash at Lots-of-Tots with Jennifer this morning.

50 lbs baby!

It's Not A Party Unless They All End Up In The Tub

As the weather gets cooler, we're enjoying more indoor play dates with friends from Hugo's school.  The kids are at an age where they're really connecting with friends and find new places exciting (last year at this time Hugo struggled with social anxiety, making outings tough).  Not sure if this is just a NYC thing, but a really good play date ends with everyone in the bath tub!  Nothing better than clean kids in jammies ready for bed to cap off a wonderful day.

Fly Guy

...that's the book Mommy is reading in this picture.

America's Got Talent?!

Here's a video of Hugo singing in school today.
Hello, pop star!  :)

 

My Recent Ride To Work

Z

For reasons too lengthy to explain, Hugo lost the use of his school bus this past week, so I have had the pleasure of biking him in.  Although, things did not start out as any great pleasure.  Biking Hugo into the city meant a change in routine ("I want bus"), which in turn means a couple full-on ragers until Hugo warms up to the idea of something new.  Thankfully in this case, he did. 

For instance today, when we entered Manhattan, I could hear him behind me, counting the cars when we stopped at traffic lights;  his count would always start slow, then get faster as he counted into the teens, and then break off in jibberish numbers after 18 (even though he knows numbers beyond this).

Anyway, the best part of all this for me has been the drop off.  He's immediately greeted with elation by teachers who care for him, and he greets them back, remembering all their names, keeping their identities straight.  He get's into the classroom, puts his coat away and engages in something immediately, today it was Legos.

A sense of ease and peace is not something our son comes by readily.  So to see him so comfortable, engaged, and aware as he starts his day, as I part with him and head to work, fills me with simple yet undefinable happiness.  It's back on the bus tomorrow, though, and I will miss saying goodbye in these moments (if/until another bus issue comes up).

Dash with Pals

At Alley Park Playground.

A boy and his duck

At the Alley Playground in Eastern Queens.

Hair did

Much needed grooming for F and D.

Time-honored tradition

The consuption of RediWhip goes back a few generations on Jennifer's side of rhe family.

Boy Blanket Soup

With our friends Max and Phillip.

Couch Potatoes

Pacifying Screen Glow

Picnic in the park

Jen got this great shot of Dash and his girlfriends from this morning...had to post.

An Afternoon In The Orchard

We can never know what the future holds, but there's nothing like an afternoon on a bucolic hillside orchard in New Jersey picking apples to help Jen and I appreciate the wonder and delight of being in the moment with our boys (notwithstanding the odd flaming-hot tantrum here and there).   If you can't view the slideshow below, click here.

Some mornimgs are more entertaining than others

Just photos

Rainy beach day with friends

The boy you see in the red is Philip.  He spent two years in the same class with Hugo.  As families we finally realized all our boys are very close in age.  Philip's mom Renata is Polish and quite the cook, which makes for great playdates.  Watching these friendships grow with the boys is really special.  Hugo adores Philip and will say his name dozens of times and chase him around.  The younger boys Dash and Max are best buds. 

Parenting kids on the Spectrum isn't always easy.  A day out can be up-ended by crowd noise or something that may spook Hugo.  But on this drizzly Sunday it was a best-foot-forward kind of day.