Remembering Dad, one year later

My Dad passed a year ago this past weekend on April 28, 2011. It's hard to imagine that it has been a year, and all that has happened since then. Last year was an awful year but I draw on the strength that Dad (purposefully or inadvertently) instilled in me. I find it hardest to know that Jack will never really know his Grandpa Jimmy when all that Grandpa Jimmy wanted was to know him. I remember vividly the days these were taken. And although I wish there were more of these days, I will be thankful for the ones that we did have together. Rest peacefully, Dad.

Christmas 2009


Fall 2010

Introducing tennis in baby steps

Looking on lovingly

Fall walk

One of my last pictures with Dad

SuperBunny

Jack loves to wrap his Bunny with his Lovey. With Jack's recent superhero obsession, Bunny has taken on an alter-ego and is now Super Bunny with Lovey as his cape.

Stella Turns 4

If Jack is 3 then that means our good girl Stella is 4! Stella turned a young 4 yesterday on April 17th.

As we do every night, I loaded Jack up in the stroller and Stella marched us up the street to Pet Food Express for her nightly walk. She is normally showered with treats and pats there and got extra of both since it was her birthday.

When we arrived home, Stella received a big hug from Jack:

Hug from Jack

Kisses in return from Stella

Jack was so excited to give her the pink birthday "bone" cookie we bought last week, that he opened up the package and gave it to her before I could take a picture of moment.

Happy Birthday princess!

Candyland

In Jack's Easter basket this year was everyone's first board game, Candyland. I actually remember playing Candyland myself as a kid, and today Jack and I played it for the first time together. He beat me two out of two games tonight.

Super Jack

Jack is really into Spiderman and Superman. Lola gave him a Superman t-shirt for Christmas that has a red cape which attaches at the shoulders with velcro. He wears that shirt every week. Recently he upped the ante and wants another cape. More specifically, he wanted me to "make" him a cape. Uh oh. Well, luckily I was in the hardware store (of all places) and there it was, the Superhero Starter Kit.  The kit comes with a shiny red cape, cardboard cutout wristbands and goggles, and lots of stickers of lightning bolts and other superhero-like designs. Jack has been wearing the cape to school since the Easter Bunny left it in his basket, and sneaking out of his room in the morning to look at the book and break out more wrist bands. The best thing about this latest obsession? When he asks if I can hold his hand when he flies.

G'nite

Easter Egg Hunt

Jack came home this week with bunny ears and an Easter basket that he handpainted and filled up with Easter eggs at the park. He has developed quite an affinity for chocolate and talked constantly about the two pieces of chocolate in the egg he found -- then demanded more and became upset when he couldn't come to terms that there was no more!

Studio Grow

Like all kids, Jack has a lot of energy to burn off which can be challenging when it's pouring outside. One recent rainy day we explored a new indoor place space, Studio Grow, in Berkeley.

Studio Grow has a few different rooms to explore. There's a dress-up room with costumes, hats, etc. I assume that's where one of the kids found a cape which Jack was obsessed with and drove us hunting around the bins for another one. Another room had a disco ball, mirrored wall, and music playing for impromptu performances. There was a room with Legos and one with blocks. And another with arts and crafts. We spent nearly all our time in the rough-and-tumble room with a ball pit, ropes, tunnels, slide, etc. Jack was in constant motion and ran around the room for over an hour.

We both needed a nap afterwards.

Rainy Triptych

We hadn't had much rain this winter and then we were hit with absolutely pounding pouring rain for a couple of weeks. Though, the rain doesn't bother Jack who insisted on holding the big umbrella and was nearly swept away by the wind.