Going to the Party

Ryan had his fourth birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese this past August and Jada was immediately enamored with the venue and with the concept of birthday parties in particular, but of all parties in general. 

So now, every time Michele and I take her to Va Beh' she points past the Barclay's Center and asks sweetly, "Mommy, we go to the party?" Most days, we are too busy working to spare a moment to take her across the street to the Atlantic Center but this Saturday I found the time and let her roam free for two hours. She had a blast! She even went crazy for some of the more advanced games like skee-ball. This game is an old favorite for me, from family summers spent on the Jersey Shore, and I was so excited to see that she was in to the game. We stood there and played together, enthralled, for thirty minutes: Jada tossing the balls half-way up the lane indiscriminately and me picking them up and throwing them in earnest to try to get enough points for a cool prize. We walked out with with a Dora notepad and four Sponge Bob stickers. Jada was thrilled!   

Jada and Ryan...

...are loving living together. They are inseparable...

 at the beach with Pop-Pop

 styling and profiling 

 tucked in together at night 

 walking to school together in the mornings

 and most importantly...

 having a lot of fun! 

Home

I made a big clam bake for dinner tonight to celebrate moving in to my mother's house today and to show her my appreciation for letting us stay here as we wait to close on our new house a few blocks away. Old Bay, beer, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, the works. She, my step-dad and I sat around the newspaper covered kitchen table and left piles of red shells and chewed up corn cobs until our fingers were raw.

Strange and comforting to be home with my parents. I never imagined that I'd ever live with them again, even for a short period. I never imagined that I'd call Staten Island home. It is a new life and a new lifestyle. Comforting to have their support during this transition. Showing me the ropes and taking me under their wings, the support of my parents never fails in any circumstance.

I'm looking forward to more time together and the greater intimacy that comes from sharing days and meals and space. My sister lives in the apartment downstairs, with my four year old nephew, and Jada is already relishing this new arrangement too.

Coming Home To Rainbows

Labor Day always feels more like New Year's for me than the actual holiday. There is new focus and determination after the hazy days of the summer. The jump start of new demands of work and school motivate reflection and assessment. How to make the most of what is left of the year? 

Michele and I have come to a few conclusions this summer, the most substantial being our decision to  move to Maui! And here's why: 

 white sand beaches  

happy babies 

blue skies and soft surf

 spending the day in bathing suits 

long days on the beach together 

laughs

quality time with BFFs

good mornings 

 cool shades are a necessary accessory 

 Maui onions in matriciana

 blue skies 

better time together 

 black sand beaches

 Hana

 laughing at the sun

 Bob Marley

 tikis 

 delight 

 Sunsets 

 gathering...

...together at dusk

 ...is ambrosial

 views of the sea from the front porch...

 ...and driving down in to town

 we love our best friends more 

 and spend more time together

and our children...

 ...are more free and beautiful in Hawaii's light 

There are also, in no particular order: shooting stars, no traffic or honking horns, no crime, constant 82 degree temperatures with no humidity, the spirit of aloha (love, peace and tranquility) as the dominant value system, breathtaking sunrises, pineapples, POG and the strongest sense of belonging we have ever experienced in any place in the world. 

Our timeline is still being defined...stay tuned...