Our 1st Grill and Gabe's 3!

We've been having lots of fun the past few days! Friday saw us picking up Rafi at the airport and then buying our first grill! Manny got the smallest hibachi possible (which equals cheapest) to fulfill our desires of grilled chicken and hot dogs as the summer progresses... We look totally ghetto grilling in the back of our apartment (which is a parking lot for our landlord's limo service business) but we make it work and love setting up the plastic furniture with old beach towels over it! One day, we'll look back at our first grill and "back yard" and get a kick out of it. 

Robin, Rob and Rafi were all here for our first urban barbeque experience and it went on without a hitch! 

After the BBQ, Gabe tried to do the big Number Two in the potty, and, taking the advice of a mom who has been through the experience, I gave him a book to read and "relax" but still... to no avail. I hope he gets this down before nursery school in September! 

On Saturday we went to a Strawberry Festival at a historic landmark in Queens called the Onderdonk House, where Manny and Rafi were quite nervous about me lugging them there ("A strawberry festival?" "Sure, sounds F-U-N!"). But it ended up being a very cute time, where Gabe stripped down to his Pull-Up and played on a slip 'n slide, we ate strawberry shortcake and took in the sunny day. Afterwards, we headed over to Astoria's Bohemian Beer Garden where we were greeted with a huge line waiting to get in (thanks to the EuroCup) so we scouted out an Irish pub a few blocks away and ended up playing pool, eating good food, and enjoying the evening... 

Manny and Rafi nursed New Castle's (quite a few) and I took in Coke and water. We arrived at 4:30, left at 9! On the way home, Mano was feeling good and suggested we go to Philadelphia one day this week for a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of the sandwich, but I am a fan of visiting the historic city for the, well, history. It's looking like we are going to go on Thursday. We did some research and it is only an hour and a half away. We also scouted out tour bus prices and the things to do there, and I am excited for a day spent somewhere else but New York!

On Sunday, we hosted Gabe's 3rd birthday at the apartment. We wanted to have it in Astoria Park but because of the dim weather forecast and lack of shelter to run to incase of a storm, we opted for the safer route. It ended up going really smoothly and were so happy that our family and friends came over to celebrate Gabe's birthday. He had a GREAT time as the photos depict and really, without Rafi's helium expertise, the balloons would not have been as cool as they were! 

I can't believe it was only 3 years ago that we were living in Steubenville, having a baby, planning life-changing events (graduating, parenting, marriage, moving) and in some ways it seems like a lifetime ago and in others, like the whole labor experience and seeing Gabe for the first time, it feels like mere moments have passed. It's been a stressful ride, but a momentous one. Manny and I joke that the last 2 years of our marriage have gone much quicker than the 1st year alone - it was met with so many challenges! But when we celebrated Gabe's birthday yesterday, it was also a celebration of growing into our own skin as a family, through everything, and sticking together.