Not Just a Carousel Ride...

It all goes back to a single photo of Dylan when he was 6 months old and we went to the Westmoreland Co. Fair. It is one of my (12) favorite pictures of him in his first year of life. There are also a few places where I like to retake a pictures year after to year as a means to track how fast they grow and change. The carousel has turned into this place for me with Dylan. 2008 Westmoreland Co. Fair

So each year I corral him on to the carousel at the Fair and try to get a "good one." At the 2009 Westmoreland Co. Fair, it worked pretty well. Not a favorite, but a great demonstration on what a difference a year makes. He had fun and was proud of himself for riding alone (mostly).

I didn't even post the 2010 picture - cooperate child! Please look at Daddy, please smile, for Mommy? This is the BEST one. I-am-a-zombie-and you-will-never-see-a-smile-or-acknowledgement-from-me kid!

I try to go with the flow, but I admitted always have ulterior motives. Arriving at the Fair this year, I wanted the 2011 picture. I had to BEG my 3 and a half year to ride the carousel. Standing in line I figured I was doomed and started to talk myself into the horrible truth. He's too big. He will not cooperate. He has moved on, and so should I!

So, what does he do? The stinker gives me a great picture (despite being dark and not the best do to the use of my cellphone camera - tahnks to leaving the camera SD card at home...)!

Thank you Dylan for indulging your mother! Thank you for showing me how big you are and how much you've changed. Thank you for still riding the carousel with (for) me. I love you Bubby.

Wheels

Dylan is obsessed with anything with wheels, specifically two wheels. He has been riding a tricycle since last August and a two wheeler with training wheels since October.

He is also a terror in his power.wheels at Gammie and Papa's house. The driving has improved as long as his eyes are pointed in the direction he is driving.

He desperately wants to ride a dirt bike or motorcycle. It began very early - 2nd bday party - and this hot.wheel was a Christmas present. He has discovered, through feedback from his parents and grandparents that he must ride a bike with peddles and without training wheels in order to progress to his dream.

We have been riding rails to trails as a family since last summer. Pete has been hauling Dylan around in a kid's bike seat since then.

Dylan has been riding his two wheeler with training wheels since the driveway cleared from snow in April. Loves it. He has also been happily riding with the family on Daddy's bike in the seast on the trails but the seat has become too much. He is within a few pounds of the weight limit. So, we moved on. Trail-a-bike. Pete got it of craigs.list just before beach vacation and they broke it in good! Pete thinks that he rode, with Dylan, about ~25 miles during the week.


The only other thing that has been happening - just before vacation - was that Dylan started riding the two wheel scooter. I'm still looking for a picture - think Pete has one? But he mastered that as well.

So right after vacation - literally the next day - Dylan started riding his two wheeler with no training wheels. About 15 minutes in the driveway with Pete and here he is!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

It is NOT July anymore...but it was really fun, really hot and our first family professional baseball game. Pirates vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. The Pirates had the entire city buzzing, their record was 0.500+ and they beat the, now World Champion, Cardinals 4 to 3. It was exciting! The kids had a blast, lots of snacks and treats. Tons of water! Did I mention it was HOT!?!?!

The highlight of the day (ignoring a bee sting waiting in line...) was running the bases. I can't believe that they survived the hot day and managed to run all the way around! It was great.

Happy Third Birthday Dylan Oswald Vitale

We had birthday month extraveganza! Gavin kicked it off on his birthday. This was followed by a trip to Splash Lagoon. This was our family weekend get-away for bithdays. Much more fun that kids' party options.

Dylan's birthday was Friday and Grandma, Grandpa, Gammie and Papa came to town for a visit. The guys and boys-night-out. They all went to Monster Jam. Good time...male bonding..you get it, right? Hmm

We celebrated with a pizza dinner and cupcakes (blue cake (vanilla) with chocolate icing). Dinner choice per Dylan's request of course.

"I'm three ('fe-we')!" Dylan says. "Look at me Gammie."

So, Dylan can't hold up the first three fingers in a row - like Gammie. His picky pops up so he holds down his finger instead. He can even count on his fingers this way. Index - 1, Index+Middle -2, Index+Middle+Pinky - 3, and then all four fingers - 4. We are working on 5 and 6...

Cool - Monster Truck Mater - One, Two, Three - The Winner!

Don't ask Dylan to smile for you...this is what you get.

Condensed

I have completed the nearly impossible task, for the third time, of condensing an entire year of life into 12 precious photographs. Nevermind that it is a first year of life, when every day offers some new development, a change, growth over night or just the latest best picture ever taken. I could not have completed this task without the help of my very good friend, Christine. Thank you my friend! She took these 12 photographs and provided the final condensation, the final mixing and organizing to create something precious.

This experience was not any easier or harder than the first time or the second. It just took me longer as we juggle through life, work, kids, activities, more work, commuting, etc. Irregardless, this collage is just as breath taking, wonderful and special to us as the other two on the wall. Dylan's first year was fast, but despite the pace, these pictures hold distinct and precious memories.

Splash Lagoon

A Vitale 5 family weekend at Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. Good times and as the sign says, "Get Set to Get Wet." Pools, family friendly hot tubs, water slides. Awesome.

Slide and repeat - approximately 300 times. Follow with water logged 'hot tub' to wrinkle extremities beyond recongition and float until you need to sleep. Take breaks for potty, snacks and sort-of-food from the Island grill. Follow with arcade time and a snack in the car.

Beware of oreo cookie vampires on the way home (I regret not taking Dylan's picture in car, snoozing away, drooling oreo cookie drool).

Did I mention the Kid's Suite? Aka room with alcove with a bunkbed, TV and table. Apparently all I had to do was give Gavin the opportunity to sleep in a bunkbed to be happy.

Boys Night Out

Pete took the boys to Nuclear Cowboyz for a Boys Night out to celebrate all of the Vitale boys' birthdays. Of course this was a big hit for all of them but Dylan loved the yellow quad! Who exactly lights themselves on fire and then jumps a dirt bike. Not sure but apparently that is good entertainment.

This is the best Chrismas ever...

"This is the best Christmas ever," says Dylan after putting up the Christmas tree. He also repeated the line tonight after a visit with Santa and shopping and pizza dinner - did I mention a trip to Toys R Us tonight? They had gift cards burning in their pockets. Funny that their spending turned into my spending...

I'm grateful for all of it. No tears during a nearly perfect Santa picture, movie and popcorn, shopping, dinner out and no dishes and a evening on the couch with happy kids and a husband that doesn't have to work tonight.

O' Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree basking...

Bikes: The Beginning

Dylan learned to peddle!

He has desperately been trying to figure it out and foot peddling the big wheel bike had become over rated. After vacation, he jumped on his tricycle and despite barely being able to reach the peddles. he took off. He is, of course trying to catch up to Gavin and Nora.

In addition to Dylan's milestone, Gavin has shed his training wheels. Nora has been riding without training wheels since late June. Gavin has been frustrated by this, especially on his scooter. She is faster. He got over the hump with Daddy's help. Circus bears have evolved...

Another magic carpet ride...

Pete took the kids (solo) to Idlewild! They had a blast despite HOT, humid weather and a heat index around 97 degrees. No swimming since Daddy was solo but they must have had fun since they all napped in the car on the way home as well as were in bed by 8 pm. Pete took a few pictures with his cell phone camera. Thanks Daddy!! I love them!

Nora?!?!

So, the kids took another magic carpet ride in Story Book Forest. Can a whole year be summed up in a comparison of two pictures? Gavin hadn't visited elementary school, ridden a school bus or lost a tooth. He was still in our family-world of home, daycare and family. He was still 5. Nora still wore toddler sizes, couldn't write her name and she hadn't started to catch up to Gavin in height. She was still a toddler - 3. Dylan was still a baby - not technically - more of a toddler - but still had short baby legs, a waddly walk, pudgy cheeks, and chubby rolls at his wrists. He had never spoken a sentence and had just given up the last bottle.

They were tall to short, just in a row - boop, boop, boop.

2009

2009: Last year...Idlewild

This year, they barely fit...legs are everywhere, torsoes have stretched, arms that can reach, and the glory of the lollipop has been passed on to the younger generation. The older two most likely either did not have one or chewed it up fast to get rid of the stick.

Gavin has finished kindergarten, now has a mohawk and has more legs and arms than he knows what to do with. He can run and I mean run. He can beat me in Mario Cart. Nora is fast approaching 5 with Mommy putting on the breaks. She is growing faster than Gavin and threatens to pass him ~8 years of age, as far as I can tell. She is starting to read, writes efficiently and has learned a ton of new songs, including pop-music favorites. She has a MP3 player! Dylan speaks with sentence structure and the vocabulary of a 3 year old spoken with the linguistic ability of a 2+ year old - adorable. He is insightful yet is a mocking bird. He is following as closely behind his siblings as his now-longer legs can carry him. An amazing year of differences.

2010

Some things are the same. They still love their lovies (Bunny, Li-Li, Pink Bear, Frogger and Roary), they still snuggle down into their beds the same way: Gavin on his left side, Nora on her right with one leg up and Dylan on his belly. Gavin has already reached a beautiful shade of tan for the summer and they are all turning their summer shade of blonde. Blue, chocolate and brown eyes between them. Smiles from all. Laughter, squeals and rare tears. They love the water, Nora loves to be soaked and Gavin likes to dish it out. They are slaves to their routine and they are wonderful.

Kelleys Island, OH - Vitale Family Vacation

Post is LONG overdue, but here it is...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kelleys Island Ferry: You gotta wear shades...

We went to Kelleys Island this summer for a nice long weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Vitale. We had amazing weather for summer in Ohio. Blue skies, warm weather. It was great.

Prettiest Girl!

We visited to limestone Glacier Groves while were there. They are glacial markings in the island limestone that are part of the State Park. Much of the natural groves were destroyed by limestone quarries.

As you can see, Nora started out dry, with merely wet feet. That did not last...

Nora Mermaid, so pretty.

Trip to the Park and a Picnic at Home

Nora the explorer at the park...

So hot! I need a drink..."I do it."

Saturday was beautiful! Hot, sunny...good day for a park trip and for a picnic. We did both.

I am really enjoying Dylan at the park this year. He is so much more free to roam and try on his own this year. I watch his every move but he is so independent. He LOVES slides and all of the climbing that goes with it. He tries desperately to keep up with the big kids. Little legs only move so fast.

Gavin has taken his independence to a new level as well. He quickly found some kids near his age to play tag with and was all over the entire playground. We played at the park for more than an hour and they were all so tired they ALL took a nap. Very little push back and were asleep in minutes. Amazing. It did help to have the bribe of fireworks, picnic, fire and playtime with Hutchinson family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We indulged Pete's inner-pyro this weekend and stopped at Prism fireworks. Nothing giant but some good rockets, small mortars, and some fountains. Eric and Carrie Stopped down with their girls and fun was had by all. The kids had a blast. We had a campfire and fireworks after dark. So much fun!