I forgot to post my birthday pics…there’s just been so much going on.

We spent the day in Philly at the PLEASE TOUCH! Museum. If you are near the area ( about 2 hours from Jersey) it’s an amzing museum with so much to offer toddlers and kids.

A close friend asked me very sweetly, if spending the day in a kids museum is what I wanted to do for MY birthday- I explained to her that when your kids are happy, you are happy- and so yes, this is how I wanted to spend MY birthday.

One of the features there is this Alice In Wonderland world- it’s amazing, although Sunny found it a bit scary.

She preferred the gym.

 On our way out of Philly the little people napped and Matt and I grabbed a Philly Cheesesteak, they are as good as one might imagine. So good in fact, that I didn’t have a free hand to take a picture of us stuffing our faces. When we got back home we had cake and ice cream and that is how you celebrate a birthday….with a 2 year old and 12 week old. Bam! Bidened. (inside joke)

Like most happy new home owners, we thought what could we do to celebrate the newness of this blessed season? Oh I know, lets pick up our oldest kid and throw her in a fluffy pile of leaves like you see in the movies!

Only tree leaves are itchy, did you know that?

My neighbor stopped by to let us know that we can continue to rake our brightly colored leaves if we want to, but we will be raking until our arms are sore- due to the fact that we live  in a home surrounded by giant trees and they are all loosing buckets of leaves each day. Point taken Sir- we just wanted a movie moment.

We’re not into raking, or tossing our children into dead  wet leaves- but we like memories and movie moments. We want to look back and say “we did that”. More importantly we want our kids to say “I’ve done that. I’ve got that memory.” But in case they forget, I took 780 pictures.

* Side note: No babies or children were harmed in the making of this memory.*

We took our little Saint to church, and let the waters run over him.

 We probably should have asked the Priest to run some waters back over Sunny who was a bit confused as to whose “big day” it actually was. Here I am trying to keep her together…

Meanwhile back at the house Chris and Jazzy turned our home into a brunch buffet fit for a …Saint!

Jude with his Godmothers Erin and Nora.

 Lifetime friends are, well once in a lifetime, so we were truly honored to have them as Jude’s Godmothers.

 Jude’s Godfather, Kenny, Matt’s best friend from Ohio.

Here’s a rather sad attempt at a 2012 Christmas card…

Jude clearly LOVED taking 1 million photos!

A short break and then…

A happy baby!

My niece and nephews, who I swear where just babies themselves…

Nora makes the most delicious sugar rimmed cakes on Earth. She was kind enough to make one for my Mom’s birthday and Jude’s big day.

Thank you so much Nora!

We lovingly refer to my Mom as Alice- here she is with our little family. We love you Alice and thank you for all of your help.

It’s official, our Saintly boy is finally in line for the title of Saint Jude II

We love you our sweet and beautiful and precious and perfect little baby boy.

Hey Jude,

This past weekend was your welcoming party and Christening; how proud Daddy and I were, to present you to our friends and family. It took a small village to pull off a Saturday night BBQ and an early Sunday morning Christening and Brunch- but rising to the occasion is something we’ve managed to get good at as parenthood has set in. Nana and Papa came into town early, arriving with BBQ supplies, gardening essentials, and a plan for a basement/play room conversion. Someday you’ll marvel at how the two of them busy themselves to the point of exhaustion in your honor. Your uncles brought us giant squash and pumpkins, they planned table settings and prepared a brunch in your name. Your aunts and cousins and grandparents drove in from Ohio, along with your Godfather and his family. Your Godmother Nora made 2 cakes and hosted your Godmother Erin and Jonathan who flew in from Chicago, just to welcome you into our shared faith.Your Brooklyn friends rented zip cars, your Queens friends came from dance classes & work, your New Jersey friends brought gifts and future friends of yours in their arms.And there I stood holding you, passing you through the people who moved heaven and Earth just to meet you, to see you, to hold you, to adore you- my Saint you bring people together.

This little Saint is being Christened on Sunday. He LOVES his christening gown.

If this isn’t the face of a little boy who loves getting dressed up in his sunday’s finest- then I just don’t know what is.

Just wait until he blesses the whole church with his squeals of pure delight! And the best part is his shoulders are so broad I can’t fasten the covered buttons in the back…

That’s right, the family gown is too small. Press on we must my boy- you’ll wear this dress and LOVE it!

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