Christmas in July

All right, all right, I know I've been away WAY too long from this poor blog. Six months to be exact. Today, Sweet P is 11 -- ELEVEN!?!?! -- months old. Hard to believe, no?

So, like I said, I've been away too long. Many times I've thought, "Hey, I should update that blog..." and then I haven't. So, today, I offer you a present in the form of one of those corny Christmas letters my siblings and I love to hate. Without further ado, Christmas (letter) in July:

Dearest Friends and Family,

I write to you from New York City on the sixteenth day of 90-plus degree weather in this month of July. Our last correspondence seems so long ago. Since we've been in touch, much has happened in the world of the Mercier family.

February brought with cold and snow. A pair of snow days for Mason let Mommy re-live the fun that they could be. During Mason's mid-winter break, we made a trip to the Bronx Zoo, Piper's first, and visited the another old-reliable spot, the Dinosaur Museum. Ice-skating season continued at school and the end of the month brought Mason's stint as Star of the Week in PreK. Piper and I were regulars at school that week. We schlepped in with his "collection" of puzzles one day and his favorite food, mac n' cheese (with broccoli, natch!) another day.

In March, we made like tourists and took the kids to visit the Statue of Liberty. It was lots of fun, though Mason was more impressed by the wide-open space at her feet than the Statue itself. He and Dad-O played "pretend" baseball in the shadow. We didn't make it off the island in time to go to Ellis Island, and have vowed to go again -- this time with tickets to the crown in hand. March also found Piper and I jetting off to Colorado sans boys to visit my Grandpa Seeley. He passed away on March 15, but we were there for his final few days. I had a visit I'll never forget during that time and Piper learned to wave -- at the Colorado Spring Hospital, through the glass of the ICU doors. She wasn't able to go in and see him, but the first time they locked eyes, he sat up in bed and waved to her. She waved back. It was a tough trip, but so important to be there to say my goodbyes and to be with family after he had passed. He is in a much better place. Piper and I returned from that trip at month's end to spend another school break with Mason. Spring break meant another Bronx Zoo trip, an outing at The Met -- where Piper almost got us booted because she was laughing and squealing too loud -- and heading out to Coney Island for the aquarium and amusement park with some good friends. Easter came and went. There was much candy and many eggs to hunt in Central Park.

April brought more sad news from Colorado. My Grandma Woodman died on April 16 and so I packed up both kids and headed home again with my second "eu-google-ly" in as many months in hand. Again, it was so tough, but as a family we got through the weekend, shared some tears and most important, some laughs. In kid news, Piper went from scooting to downward-dog poses to crawling. She developed a super-speedy move for whenever the gate blocking her in the living room was opened. Mason cruised through the end of skating season and into beach season.

In May, I joined Mason on one of those beach trips, to Orchard Beach in the Bronx. It was so much fun to see him and all his classmates splashing in the water. It was a big month in karate class, too. At the dojo's annual gala, Mason was given a special award for his development in karate. He was so proud when they called his name to receive the plaque. As he told everyone who would listen, "Everyone got a trophy, but not everyone got a plaque." We celebrated with dinner at IHOP. He ate mac n' cheese and a pancake and now thinks this is the greatest place on earth. Piper went from crawling to pulling herself up and tried to do away with the gate problem by ripping it from its hinge a few times. We closed out the month with our first family trip to the beach -- this time the Rockaways -- and celebrating Dad-O's birthday.

June brought the end of the school year. There were Spring Concerts to attend and field days to take in. In mid-June, we joined our friends for a day trip to the country and went to their daughter's school function at her school farm. Seriously. And seriously fun ... even when you consider the six hours we spent in the car that day. Nothing beats some farm-fresh cooking and some fresh country air. Mason and Rob made a whirlwind trip to Colorado to enjoy the birthday festivities of our nephews. It was less than 24 hours that they were away, but even a microburst couldn't prevent them from attending. From what I hear, it was quite the shin-dig, complete with a bouncy firetruck slide and appearances by Spider Man and Sponge Bob. We continued our tourist run with a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. Mason said NYC looked like it was made of legos from up there. It did. Piper thought she was Marilyn Monroe when she stood on top of an AC on the 102nd floor and let her dress blow in the air. She wasn't, but she was much prettier.

July has been all about Camp Mom. That's what I'm calling the summer. I am working freelance from home and spending every waking moment with the kiddos. Piper is jabbering up a storm and cruising all over the place. She is even -- ever so tentatively -- standing on her own. We gave up on the old gate and got a new, more expensive one in its place. She has yet to take it off the wall. We are at the pool at least three times a week for swimming lessons. Mason is fearless and nearly swimming on his own. We have been to the Bronx Zoo (again) where Mason and his friend, Kellyn, rode a camel. We have been to the Prospect Park Zoo, where they milked (fake) cows. We have been to the Queens Zoo, where we took in some really exotic animals, like elk and antelope! We have been to Jersey to visit friends. We have flown kites on Governor's Island. We went to Orchard Beach and had a great day. Found out Piper loves to crawl in the surf, and that it's a big pain to get home from there! Mason's graduated to a Yellow Belt in karate. He tells everyone he's almost a Master.

All in all, we're blessed. It was a tough spring, but the kiddos have given us plenty to smile at. As Grammy says, our hearts are beginning to be happy again.

From our family to yours, a very happy August. Hoping for a little more time to blog in this "new year."

Love from The Merciers

Goin' to the Series

For those of you who don't know, Mason is quite the Yankees fan. So, naturally, Rob and him walked over to The Stadium to drink in the scene for Game 1 of the World Series.

You know, just to walk around and see the sights (while Mommy stayed home with fussy, just vaccinated Piper.) Here's what they saw:

The outside of the stadium



The blimp hovering overhead



People standing in line to get in



A World-Series car



And, oh, yeah ... the inside of the stadium! Turns out they crossed paths with a woman who worked at ESPN and just happened to ask them if they were going to the game. When they said no, she immediately asked if they wanted to. Who wouldn't, I ask?!!?! So, she tells them to follow her, and gives, yes, GIVES them two tickets. They end up watching from Section 208!



Mason enjoyed some popcorn-y. His favorite...





And also made an appearance on the JumboTron late in the game (that, in case you're wondering, is not him!)

Needless to say, I was J-E-A-L-O-U-S, but oh-so-happy for them. Especially Mason. I keep telling everyone I was happy for him, but just jealous of Rob! Now, I'm off to hang up his World Series pennant. Here's hoping we will be able to post a World Series Champs one next to it...

Animal adventures

We had a weekend filled with friends furry, feathered and frisky. Mommy and Mason spent Saturday at one of our favorite spots, the Bronx Zoo, and then we followed that up with a Sunday at a National Geographic Family Day at Chelsea Piers.

At the zoo, we got our first peek at Moxie, the lion cub. He's the smallish one lying in the back.



And played at the new park put up near the giraffe exhibit by Tiki Barber -- who was in attendance, though Mason couldn't have cared less (like the good Cowboys fan his Dad-O is raising him to be).



We also got a look at some of Macey's other favorites, including the zebras. This trip, the kiddo was WAY into hearing all the info that the signs at each exhibit provided. It was really cute.



After an ice cream break, we headed to the children's zoo to feed the sheep, goats and all their friends and to climb the spider web. Mason climbed way above Mommy's head, but got blocked in, so I had to give him a hand getting down!

Sunday, we hit Chelsea Piers for the Nat Geo day. First, Mason was obsessed with playing in the airplane, but he perked up and got a bit more adventurous after lunch, working with Dad-O to unearth some dinosaur bones in a plaster cast.



Then, he got REALLY up close and personal with some exotic animal friends. He got to touch a boa constrictor, another snake, and a chinchilla.





We also saw a tree frog, iguana and alligator, but didn't get to touch those.






I thought it was cool when the handler demonstrated the tree frog's sticking ability by placing him on a nearby window.



All in all, we had a great time and left with a bag full of freebies, including some cool, new blocks.

Opening Day

With (the new and old!) Yankee Stadium nearly in the shadow of our apartment building, it seems we're raising a budding Yankees' fan. Here's the view we see coming down the hill on 155th Street from the subway, and looking directly across the river into the Bronx.



On the left is the new Yankee Stadium. On the right, the House that Ruth Built. In the middle of the foreground is one of the Polo Grounds Towers -- a housing project built on the site where the old Giants' digs once stood.

And here is the budding Yankees' fan as he headed off to daycare the day the new stadium was christened, thanks to Mommy's friend and Yankees' fan extraordinare, Nicki, who outfitted him with a CC Sabathia jersey for the occasion. He thrilled subway riders in the evening (many of whom were coming home from the Yankees-Indians' game) by telling them he PLAYED for the Yankees and referring to the Indians as the "girls" team. Too funny...

Let's Go *Ankees!*

For those of you who don't know, or haven't had the pleasure of visiting us, our apartment is just across the river from the South Bronx, and thus Yankee Stadium. If you walk three blocks up, to the corner, you can see the Stadium in all it's glory, so Mason has become well-acquainted with it, and will point out Yankee Stadium when we come home from the subway, or head to the park. So, imagine his joy when he was told we were actually going to go to Yankee Stadium. He's been before, but not in a year, and the last time we were there, he spent most of the game bundled close to Mommy, and napping on her chest.

After Dad-O called to tell us he'd snagged some free tickets to the Yankees-Tigers game, Mommy gathered Mason (and bundled him up ... it always seems to be cold when we go) and we made the trek across the bridge to the Stadium to meet Dad-O.

Unfortunately, the Yankees lost ... or should I say *Ankees* as that is what Mason kept referring to the team as. Curious that he can say *Yankee Stadium* but on this night -- and the following day -- he could only talk about watching the *Ankees* play. At one point, he looks toward the scoreboard and proclaims "Oh no, mama! The Ankees are wooooosing!" They were, they did 6-2 but the night was a memorable one.

As this is the final season at the Stadium, we thought we better commemorate the moment, and had the friendly couple behind us snap this photo, just in case we don't get an opportunity (read: free tickets) to go again.



Another highlight: spending the whole walk there, and much of the game singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" with him, only to have him proclaim that he didn't like the song, and would we please stop singing -- smack dab in the middle of the seventh-inning stretch. He recovered, however, to serenade Melissa with the song the following morning at daycare and has been singing it ever since.