An exciting last two weeks!

Last week, I begged Doug to take us OUTOFHERE for the day, so we rented a car and he took us the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, NY.  Friends had said that it wasn't better than the Coney Island Aquarium which is very near to us (and that we had declined to visit with Jenn and Joel a couple of weeks ago), but it was still pretty fun!  Oliver was very much engaged and I think his favorite activities were feeding the koi and watching the sea lion show.  It was fabulous to see him running around, laughing and enjoying himself.  In comparison to the outing when Doug, my Mom and I took Oliver to the Prospect Park Zoo when he was 3 months old, he actually had a personality that made it enjoyable!  It brought me back to times at the airport when we've seen little ones toddling around and their parents walking behind them to make sure they don't fall.  So adorable!  We'll definitely hit up the Coney Island Aquarium at some point this summer.

Heading out on his own...

 

Holding up the sea.  You know, no big deal.

Loving up some amazing fishies.

It's Ollie size!

Stud.

Tried to eat the fish food himself.

Giggling at the sea lions.

We finished the Aquarium around 1pm and we were already starting to get sunburnt.  A beach was out of the question, even though it was a gorgeous day.  Tanger Outlets, a giant, amazing shopping experience, was nearby so we decided to go make some bad decisions.  Somewhere between Ralph Lauren and Old Navy, I locked us out of the car.  Almost ruined the day, but mall security was able to get us back in, ensuring that the ruining of the day would come later - with a tuckered out and car seat shy son screaming the final 40 minutes back home in traffic.  Thank the good Lord that YouTube comes up on my phone and Sesame Street clips don't drive me as batty as a shrill and folded up toddler.  We were able to salvage the night by stopping for some take-out at Spumoni Garden, but not by much. 

Before the screaming started.

On Father's Day, Doug's only wish was to watch the Euro Cup in a bar.  Jenn was able to drop everything and sit for Oliver while we went to LongBow Bar, had some draughts and enjoyed a short little date.  He also got a iPod speaker for the kitchen from Oliver (so generous!).

This past Saturday, we took Oliver to his first ever Mermaid Parade at Coney Island.  Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling was King Neptune and is the uncle of Jess, Doug's co-worker, our good friend - AND Oliver's Valentine.  We met him at church on Easter Sunday when he tried to feed Oliver a giant chocolate lollipop.  Jess was in the parade as well, dressed as a cross between Arielle and sassy Jessica Rabbit.  Joel was also in the parade as part of The Polar Bears!  We didn't have the greatest spot, it was hella hot and Oliver slept through the parade, but I got a new hat and Oliver got to eat his first Coney Island hot dog, which he luuuurved.

Oliver's asleep?  I can actually pay attention to my husband?  WHAT?!?

And then he does this?

Joooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllll!

And he made that polar bear.

Oliver, you have now been to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade.

And you liked it!

Sometime this weekend, Oliver showed us that he can blow a kiss!  I was smooching up on him making exaggerated mwwwaaaaa sounds, and he put his hand to his mouth like he was blowing a kiss.  He did it a couple of times!  And then never again...which I'm starting to realize is how this works - every trick he does only happens a few times before he moves on to something else - and before I can get a picture of it. 

He also wowed us in a big way yesterday morning.  I was going through a giant picture book with him that Jeffneeoah got us and pointed to a puppy in a big pink box.  I said, "Where's the puppy?  Ruff ruff!"  With his pointer finger (which is big right now), he touched the picture.  Twice.  Then he slapped the book and pushed it away, so we went on to something else.  Hasn't done it since.

It's funny how this parenting thing works - I just don't realize how old he is and what he can do until he shows me that he's already learned it - most likely at daycare. The marvel of that place is that there are more minds that can teach him things I haven't yet thought of. I'm hoping that I'm paying attention and not just constantly treating him like a 6 month old.

Other newbies: you may have seen a video of Oliver on Facebook answering the phone.  Stop it with its cuteness.

He can also brush his hair.  Kind of.  It's not like he likes it, either.  Typical gross boy.

Also on Saturday, we opened a lovely present from the Brajkovics!  For Oliver's birthday, they sent him two rat puppets.  As soon as he opened them, Doug put both on his hands and started to play with Oliver.  Oliver promptly turned around, shuffled to the other end of the room and hid behind the bookcase.  Later that day, when Doug was picking up, he put them down on the floor.  Oliver gave them such wide berth that when he was trying to get out, Doug moved them to guard the threshold of the room.  Oliver didn't leave.  At one point, when I left to get something, he started chasing me, stopped, quietly and suspiciously regarded the puppets and slipped through like Atreyu walking through the gate of the Southern Oracle.

Carla, they are fabulous and he's definitely warming to them.  Thank you!

Have a lovely week!