All the Magicians in the Room...

Sam has been working toward earning a new costume set by attending a weekly class without Matt in the room (he instead peers through a window, watching from the hall).  After 4 classes in a row all by himself, he earned and chose a Magician Role Play/Costume Set.  Complete with wand, vest, cape, hat (including rabbit for hat), and a rabbit coin (for some trick we will unlikely master before we lose the coin).  He showed it off while walking the dog in the neighborhood and brought smiles to many faces along the way. <:

 

Two of Minnesota's Littlest Lakes Visit the Big Apple

We were so excited to spend an afternoon playing at a Central Park playground with four of our favorite Minnesotans, who came to town to eat as much matzoh as they could during Passover in the City that Never Sleeps.

Spring Break in NYC

With the public schools and Sam's preschool on Spring Break, it has been a fun week so far (in spite of cooler than desired weather).
Matt put on a Sports Day Camp in Central Park for Sam and a little friend.  We had sports equipment for at least 8 different games and of course, they just wanted to chase each other. <:

We made a little makeshift fondue with two types of cheese (heat medium was hot water), dipping and enjoying both apples and butternut squash baked with olive oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Celebrated Matt's birthday with pie at Bubby's.

Auntie Andrea, Captain Brian (a title bestowed by Sam), and Aunt Jenny came for a weekend visit.  We toured the city (3 siblings together on "Siblings Day," April 10, together with Charging Bull of Wall Street), found new playgrounds, visited FDR's home in Hyde Park, and made yet another pilgrimage to DUMBO for a Shack Shake-fueled walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

Birthday Joy

Sheyna thoughtfully arrived at the apartment with a birthday breakfast hot and ready to eat, including a delicious cranberry muffin.  Later, Sam helped Matt celebrate his birthday with fun times playing with cars and being silly on the floor together--then Sam spots the camera.  Matt is likely the only one to really have enough interest to watch this in it's entirety (15 minutes), but it represents the joy of being Sam's "Daddy."  Could there be a better birthday present than the genuine giggles of a child?

The essence of the 15 minutes is captured in 15 screenshots below the video link or those who are interested, but on a time budget.

Passover 2015

We went to Albany to celebrate Passover and we shared in a lovely Second Night Seder with the Albany Family (Nona, Papa, and Willy). Matt and Sam also got a chance to get their hands dirty while helping prep Nona's veggie garden container for the spring.

 Trying matzah with horseradish on it.

 "Too spicy!"

 "[Ouch!]"

 Thinking: This is fun, why can't we did our fingers in our kiddish every week?

 Finding the afikomen!