A little morning artwork

Soccer Picture Day

I took this shot Saturday while the professional photographer and his team were trying to get our DinoCats to pose. This is one of the better ones :) I love the look on our star player, Gabrielle.

Healthy Kids Day

Stephen and Evan eating lunch at the Purple Cat Cafe. We had grass-fed beef burgers and baked Lays. Stephen just ate the chips.

After lunch, lots of bouncing fun.

After bouncing, the boys got their hair sprayed orange. Stephen didn't care for it.

I'm more than a week behind on posting. These photos are from April 21. P.S. Stephen just hopped up to me, spotted this photo as I'm posting and said matter-of-fact "And there's me screaming" before skipping off to play in the living room.

Rockam's communication innovations

I was helping Stephen with something and I saw Rockam go into my office. He came out a moment later, having grabbed a diaper out of the diaper caddy I keep on the floor. He came up to me and swung the diaper around while making his characteristic "Hmmm! Hmmmph!" sound. Sure enough, he had made a big stinky and needed to be changed.

This morning, both boys had waffles for breakfast, as they often do. Stephen decided he only wanted a few bites of his waffle and then was off to play. Stephen eats at a little toddler table and Rockam watches him while he eats in his high chair. Rockam wolfed down his waffle and strawberries and began calling for me, "MMMMaaaaaaaa!"

When I arrived, Rockam had his arm outstretched and his little index finger pointing at the unfinished waffle. He was bobbing his arm up and down with a cross look on his face. I gave him the waffle and he grabbed it and smiled. "Jjguh-goo."

New Trick

Stephen recently learned how to do hand stands on the couch.

Evening with Tia Cris

On our last night in Cleveland, we enjoyed a fun time with the boys' Tia Cristiana, her sister Claudia and niece Isabella, who is a year older than Stephen. Jack and Cris just found out their little one is a girl! :-) Stephen was so excited to give Ti Cris a present for littlest Parrino.

Claudia and Cris's mom is also staying with Cris while hubby Jack is recuperating from his last round of radiation therapy. Jack got to watch his nephews play in the Parrino's back yard from the window.

Rockam ate more chicken dinos than Isabella and Stephen combined. Pretty amazing.

After dinner, Stephen and Isabella played hide and seek.

They were tired out after a night of laughter and running around.

Cleveland Clan

Well, Donald isn't really part of the family, but in Stephen's mind, all the Penguinos and other talking birds are family. This guy sang a quacky version of "Polly Wolly Doodle," and waddled. Rockam thought it was hilarious.

We stayed in a very nice suite at the Middleburg Heights Hampton. Rockam enjoyed a sink bath and some PBS kids.

We visited with Joe's childhood friends, Sam and Christy (Debelak) Neider, who have recently moved back to Cleveland. Here, Stephen hams it up with Jonah, their 4-year-old son.

We also got to gather with the extended Parrino clan at Scotti's restaurant. A nice noisy Italian dinner with our nice noisy Italian family :) Rockam enjoyed lots of saltines with is great-auntie Sally.

Stephen ate almost an entire calamari appetizer on his own.

He was really happy and hyper afterward.

He also enjoyed the teddybear waffles at the Hampton for breakfast.

We also visited with the Giammo side of the family, including Joe's cousin Jim... they're discussing the zero-gravity tower's foam pellet floor at NASA, where Jim works. He stopped in to our suite for a yummy Aladdin's meal on his lunchbreak.

I want to post pics from our yummy Nicaraguan dinner with my sister-in-law Cristiana and her mom and sister... but Google just told me I was exceeding my 1 GB storage limit :( Boo. Will post as soon as my purchase of more space goes through.

Easter in Little Praisers

Cupcake Outing

Stephen was a good helper at Aldi yesterday, so I decided to swing by Blissful Cupcakes on Sixth Street for a little reward. Julie, the owner, had already sold out of my suggested Magic in the Middle cupcakes (inspired by Joe's favorite chocolately-creamcheesy treat growing up), so Stephen had Lemon Drop with Chocolate Frosting.

Rockam had a cookie from my purse.

Mostly, Stephen just licked all the frosting off.

Julie's downtown shop is probably causing Hopkinsville to collectively gain a few hundred pounds. Since she opened four months ago, she's had several days of selling out before closing time. Last week she closed at 3:00 one afternoon after selling 3,000 cupcakes in a day. Her cupcakes sell for $1.50 and feature natural ingredients. For example, she juices real strawberries to go into her strawberry buttercream frosting. I could taste it.

Stephen's Soccer Game