dear milo

And now you are three. You make the number three by putting your first finger and thumb in a circle, and sometimes you make one with each hand, hold them up to your eyes, and make them into "binoclears". You are the best puzzle solver around. You just finished up your first year of camp with a birthday celebration, and though every morning you tell me that you don't like your new friends or your new morahs, by the end of each day you don't want to leave. Earlier this week, the Elmo stroller lost a tire, and you now have a monster stroller. You have started giving the sweetest hugs and kisses, using amazing manners, and cracking jokes that we all find hilarious. You and Penny have some serious dance moves to the Trolls and Moana soundtracks. This year took you from daycare to preschool, and you rocked preschool for sure. You can recognize an "up, down, up, down" letter M, you know how to spell your name, you sleep in a big bed, you can put on your own shoes and pants and shirts. I love everything about you. I love that you call me Mr. Mama. I love that you eat ice cream with the same gusto that I do. I love that when I read to you at night time, you either hold my hair, or you put your hand on my arm. You are an invaluable member of Team Zalben. There are so many adventures ahead this year - I cannot wait to share them with you. Happy birthday, bugaboo.

Oh, also, last week I asked you how your temperature was, as it pertained to which pajamas you should wear. You told me you did not have a fever. I asked you if you were hot or too cold and you said "I'm good. I don't have any tentacles. Jellyfish don't have bones."

And while waiting for dinner in a restaurant, you were reading the cocktail menu. All of a sudden you looked up and said "I got an email! It says 'When you grow up, you are going to be...an ostrich!'"

July catch up!

July has flown by - I can't believe it's almost half over!

Penny and Milo took their scooters out, and both have gotten quite good at scooting:

My aunt threw an early Fourth of July BBQ, for which I baked this ridiculous (but delicious) cake:

There were tattoos and glowsticks and all sorts of patriotism:

Penny had her first day of camp:

And afterwards, there was a screening of "Muppets Take Manhattan" in Bryant Park. A friend of mine arranged for a big meetup to make puppets, so we all met on the lawn. Penny and I did not stay for the movie, but we did make puppets:

One of the weird things about social media is that you sometimes find yourself documented in other people's photos. A high school friend of mine was also at the screening, and we are in her photo of the crowd!:

Afterwards I had Penny demonstrate her Patience and Fortitude:

We took our (what-is-now-an-annual) traditional trip to Coney Island for the Fourth of July:

Milo tried two spinny rides, but these are his speed right now.

Penny was so excited to be riding this horse with a picture of Zeus on it!

Please note that we did not actually ride the Cyclone. We're not QUITE there yet.

Mix your own Slushee! Penny went traditionally patriotic for the Fourth.

Penny stayed up to watch fireworks with me, making three days in a row that she stayed up past 9:30pm. This girl is living the life!