Birthday Boy!

Looking Back

{infant - 1yearold }

{One year and counting!}

{and on and on. . . }

until Desi turns FOUR years old today!

Receiving BIG BUCKS in his bday card!

Shopping spree at TOYS R US in Time Square

{Thanks G&G Jones}

Questionable cupcakes from Mom

{I didn't want cupcakes mom!}

Watching anime with Dad

Checking out new toys with mom.

Desi Candor

Is heaven in your belly?

Dad? Do you want to smell my feet?

I wanna turn on the light, please, for my conscience.

mmmm. . . that banana cheered me up!

My imaginary friends are gone now they went to go around the world to buy toys and treats and stuff.

It’s math-a-roni!

Jesus made me to like all kinds of colors -- Jesus make me that way.

I’m done! I don’t want this. I’m going to bed – maybe tomorrow you’ll make me a yummy dinner.

Des: Mom? Did you get mail today? A guy named Smithy-Howard was sending you a letter.
Me: Who’s Smithy-Howard?
Des: A boy who survived by bad guys.
Me: . . .

My penis is the tambourine and my bum is the drum. Lets rock-n-roll! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

Des went apple-picking with his preschool class and I commented that I was sure the apple orchards were beautiful. He quickly corrected me, “They weren’t beautiful, they were hideous!”

Des: I have good news for you Zo. I’m gonna buy you a princess when I turn 4 years old!
Zo: Wow!

Why is Zoe crying so much? It’s hurting my ears. I wish I had ear muffs. Can I get ear muffs when I’m 4 years old?

I want to hug you in your hug.

Des: When am I gonna have a baby boy?
Me: Are you pretending?
Des: No. When I grow up and get married I will have a baby. I want a baby boy – I will name him Thom after my friend Thomas. I love him when he’s all snotty!

“You’ll miss all the fun!” Des declared as he headed to the bathroom to go potty.

I want to grow up to be like dad so he’ll know I like pina coladas, hot sauce and lumberjacks.

I like my bum. Do you like my bum?

It’s math-a-roni! My imaginary friend was talking in my ear and said, “Can I have you math-a-roni?”

More Pics

These are all the pics I've gathered from DPJ's apple picking preschool field trip.

Weekend in the Country

Sometimes it's nice when friends move out of the city but still stay within reach. Visiting our friends, the Blosils, is a citydwellers dream: to escape for a weekend and enjoy another side of New York.

They live in their builded house with their 3 daughters and new son. They are excellent cooks, fairly expert Tivo-ists (we're usually subjected to their saved favorites), and they enjoy sparing politics into the late hours.

We usually try to go to a Farmers Market when we visit this time of year.

Nate got into the spirit of things.

Des overcome with all the pumpkins -- it's a carvers canvas!

Nate single-handedly managing all the babes (I was weilding the camera, Magda was with sleeping babe-in-car, and Kent? Kent? Oh, yeah, on the phone talking sports with his bro)

Hello Zoe!

The three cute Blosil girls, Gabriella, Sophia and Natalia.

Carving a pumpkin with Kent.

Baby James

A Walk in the Rain

The longest recorded hand-holding stroll -- I think I took pics every step they took together.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

{a look back }

Apple Picking

Big excitement for Des and his preschool class -- they went applepicking! Took a bus to the country, boarded a hayride to the orchard, picked apples, had a picnic, and made it back to the city in time for his full preschool schedule. I dropped him off at the school early in the morning, which meant Zoe and I had till late afternoon before we had to be back. So the first thing on my mind was lets head downtown! We met Jessica and Noah for playtime in Union Square and a trip to Trader Joes!!! Fun times.

Des had some of his usual motion sickness on the way there but they were ready with a bag (!) He managed to eat apples non-stop while there in addition to his lunch. Once we met up he was still eating them and I swear he polished off another 5 before I convinced him he was going to get a stomach ache!

Outside the bus

On the bus with my friend Laura and her son Alex

The hayride!

Kids! Kids! Kids!

Des enjoying the scenery

Ahhh. . . a country lane in New York

Picking apples with buddy Devon

This week they've made apple boats and apple crisp in class.

I LOVE THIS PRESCHOOL!

Afternoon's with Zoe

Des is going to preschool daily which means Zoe and I have 2.5 hours together 5-days a week! Sometimes she falls asleep, or we run errands, get busy on domestics, read, or I take a nap myself. But most days we spend playing and exploring things together.

We are spending a lot of time walking. Here we are one afternoon walking to Preschool with our friend Porter.

Yes! Now mom is mine-all-mine!

I love my brother, but it's nice to have a break!

Having friends is fun!

Zoe loves to play with Loretta. After dropping Des off at school on another afternoon, the three of us went to the playground!

Family Time - Cookies!

Sunday. Something was different about this Sunday.

Nathan came back around 6pm and we joined forces for a large Broccoli Rabe dinner, new recipe, and then N8 and Des decided they wanted to make cookies. Nathan has *never* had the inclination to make cookies himself -- he has inclinations occasionally on my behalf though. So they got to work but it became clear that they really needed some help and soon I was interpreting the recipe for them (Eryn, we're still making your cookies!) Then before long Zoe pulled up a chair and I realized that the 4 of us were all side-by-side, totally engaged in this yummy project and I was smilingsmilingsmiling and feeling joyjoyjoy!! Des&I have cooked together frequently but to have Nathan&Zoe there working with us was so cool!!

Most of you know our crazy schedule, it's either NPJ with the babes or me. Having the four of us together, at one time, engaged in stuff, happens infrequently. So moments like these are priceless. So simple, so mundane but totally blissful.

Comic Relief

Thanks to Leila for bringing up Ali G amid our non-stop, political, social, intellectual, spiritual conversations these past few weeks.

She's given me so much to think about and then from time to time there is humor.

These series of clips have to be my favorite of what I've viewed so far on the Ali G YouTube assortment. They are sports related and I'm the last person you'll find watching/talking about sports. Nevertheless, funny is funny.

Of Persian Persuasion

Reading through some blogs tonight and was provoked into thinking more on that crazy week of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and especially the visit by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The hardest part of that week was having a close relative of a dear friend of mine remark that we should just "nuke" Iran before their nuclear program develops full scale. I know people feel this way, but hearing someone say it, over a nice dinner, someone who is actually sort of a government person, completely rattled me.

Here's where I'm coming from: I love that part of the world. I love the Arab world, I love the South Asian world, I love the Persian world. I simply have a soft spot, in general, for the Muslim world. I love their history, I love their spiritual truths, I love their art, I love their music, I love their food, I love their films, and all these things have created a lovelovelove for the people. I have only been to one little city in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, but I dream all the time of going to others throughout.

So, specifically, about Iran. I know Persians. I love Persians. It seems to me that our media, our government cannot bring us any depth beyond what to fear, what to protect, what to defend. OUR INTERESTS. The President of Iran seems for most important purposes a loathsome creature. But more intriguing that week, in and around the U.N., was what Persians were saying about him and why. The Iranian diaspora is coming from a different place -- than the US media/government -- they condemn Ahmadinejad out of fear and love for their country, their people. Why is he evil in our eyes? Are we concerned more for our nuclear monopoly/safety or for the dignity/freedom of the Persian people? What are the motives for the U.S. abhorrence of Iran's leadership? Where will that lead our actions? Will it be positive/constructive for the average Iranian?

Does it make us love the Iranian people?

I just don't understand the math -- so we punish Iran with nuclear weapons for wanting to have nuclear weapons, ostensibly to protect themselves from being destroyed by said nuclear weapons. Are they not permitted to defend themselves? We are likely a real threat, especially when one considers that the only country in the world to have ever used the nuclear bomb on another country has been the United States. We are rather threatening. Should we really be telling others not to have bombs themselves?

I HATE all this, I really do. No one should have the bomb. I love America. We should be nuclear free, that should be our pride in the world. We should lead with the most astounding non-violent act: Get rid of it, get rid of fear, initiate peace and reconciliation.

The great American Thomas Paine, who proposed so many revolutionary ideas for this country (including it's name!), said this:

The world is my country,
all mankind are my brethren,
and to do good is my religion.

Amen.

Film, art, music, literature inform me a great deal when I want to understand a culture/people – watch _Children of Heaven_ by Majid Majidi. He’s made numerous, unspeakably lovely films about his people. Ahmadinejad should not be the only face/voice/instrument one thinks of when Iran is mentioned.