Under Construction!

We are officially under construction with the new house!  The foundation is poured and the lumber has been delivered.  The framers are working this week and we are on schedule to be ready for move-in right around Thanksgiving! Will is particularly excited about this process as construction is his favorite activity.  He insists on a drive-by before school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We think there may be a little misunderstanding around the equipment that is parked in what will be our backyard...sorry Will, we don't get to keep the front-loader or bulldozer... bummer.  Here are some pictures of our adventures in stalking our new house!

Watching them digging the foundation.

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The enormous pumper truck that poured the foundation.

Foreman.

The frame for the foundation.

Having fun throwing rocks in puddles in our backyard.

Ella loved her muddy shoes!

The foundation with the forms taken off. Our basement and a view of our backyard. The kids are standing in what will be the garage.

Standing in the backyard looking toward the front while the front-loader comes up what will be the driveway to backfill around the house.

I'll be sure to post pics of the framing at the end of the week.  It should really look like a house by then and not just a giant hole in the ground!

School!!

Will started preschool three weeks ago and just loves it!  We are so proud of our guy! Time has certainly flown by, but it is such a joy to take each new step with our kiddos.  Everyday is certainly a new adventure and we are so blessed to embark on each one.

Getting himself ready by combing his hair.

 Nan bought Will and awesome shirt for the first day!  It was certainly appropriate!

 Being a goof!

 MUCH too cool to have his picture taken.  My life's work of embarrassing him begins...

God Bless Gabe

Gabe was baptized August 21 in a beautiful Mass at my mom and dad's parish.  Yes, he cried the WHOLE time!  Thanks to Father Tom for such a lovely occasion.  And, to Stefanie and Jason, our dear friends for serving as Gabe's Godparents.  He's one blessed little guy!

Gabe wore Joe's baptismal outfit. Here he is with his soon-to-be godmother getting him dressed.

 Will, showing Gabe his tie...

 Ella brushing his hair.  Look out Gabe!

 The big moments!

 Al la Lion King, Gabe's presentation to the parish.

 With Godparents.

 The Antonetti side!

 The Guarino side!

 Will and the love of his life...

Gabe's tricks!

Gabe rolled over last week at 11 weeks old!  He is such a sweet baby and quite a busy boy!

Some driveway fun!

Summer daze...

I truly can't believe that the summer is over. Before we dive headfirst into fall, I thought it best to catch you up on the rest of our summer activities.  We filled the days with amusement parks, mini golf, bike and scooter riding, swing set acrobatics, swimming lessons, and countless, and I do mean countless, hours in the pool.

Riding the turtle with Nan and Pap at Idlewild.

Biker dude.

Biker chic.

 A little boating.

 On the carousel!

Mini golf!  Will and Ella were a hot mess, you've never seen so much sprinting in a round of putt-putt golf.
Getting some instructions from Dad.

 Here they come!

 

 

Ella!

I thought that since the last post was dedicated totally to Gabe and the one before to Will, Ella deserved her own post.

We call Ella, Ella Bella, for obvious reasons.  She is so beautiful, sometimes it catches me off guard. She is NOT however, interested in having her hair washed, brushed, tied back, or generally touched.  She does, though,  love to have her finger and toe nails painted, which she calls "toe nailish" (nail polish was one of her prizes when she was potty training) and wear dresses that she can spin around in and "swish!"  She is also our resident class clown- ever the goof ball, showing off her singing, dancing, acrobatics or joke telling.  Her favorite things are her teddy bear, Baby Stella, scooter, M&Ms, money (she ALWAYS has change in her pockets) and her little brother.  She is a little book worm still, and I'll often find her sitting on the floor "reading" to herself.  Just turning the pages and saying what she thinks are the words.  A video of her reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is definitely in order.  It is hilarious!  She loves to play games- Memory, Zingo, Lucky Ducks, Shopping Cart Dash, and Candy Land. She really is so smart.  

She is also incredibly strong willed and I'm finding this to be the most challenging thing about parenting so far.  I would never want to break her will, and I'm not sure I even could :-).  I love that she knows what she wants and can be vocal about it.  But hope I can teach her a little more patience and better coping skills for when she can't immediately get what she wants.  We're working on it!

Showing off her pool cover up.

 At the park- a hot mess...

 Running away on the swing.  Funny trick, Ella.

 She's a fish!  Loves swimming lessons with Miss Melanie and swimming in Nan and Pap's pool.