These visits

When we left Ohio, with our four-week old baby Gabe strapped in his carseat, I don't think I fully comprehended what it meant then when Manny and I drove away. The thought of leaving home forever was too much for me to ever really take in. Instead, at that moment in our lives, we could really only take one day at a time. So, that morning, we packed up his black Jeep Cherokee Sport, and only looked forward to the road within view. 

Since our journey went from, what essentially became stop overs in Florida and New Jersey before we found our feet, and subsequent footing, in New York City, we have cherished our time with our family, knowing it is never for more than a moment. Knowing it is one day at a time.

This past weekend, my mom and our niece Josie came to our home in Brooklyn. It's interesting, for me, writing this out now, because there has been such a break from actually documenting these moments beyond a Facebook or Instagram post. 

How many more of these visits, these special moments, should I have written, for Gabe's sake, for mine, to be able to look back? I guess my resolution with that is that it's neither here nor there. What matters is the now. 

Simon Says... Josie is in charge

Josie, six years old, blonde hair and blue eyes, is a BossLady, and I love her for it. The girl knows what she wants, and isn't afraid to say it. Hearing her somewhat raspy, little girl voice, fill the apartment is so special for us. With her "Uncle Manny!"'s and "Aunt Stefanie...."'s and "Gabriel"'s, they fill our days and our hearts. 

Gabe also plays along beautifully, with that big brother gene that was there for Anna and is still there for JoJo. 

On Friday, after a long week of work for everyone, we feasted on Italian at the house, had the perfect wine pairings, and sat outside listening to music and catching up.

Saturday morning, Josie and I went to the park and took the pup Ruby for a walk while everyone slowly woke up. At the playground, I showed Josie how to do burpees and air squats (she wasn't totally impressed) and we counted jumping jacks and push ups before moving on and conquering monkey bars and swings.

Josie's first tea party

Later, we headed to Alice's Tea Cup, where Josie wore fairy wings and was sprinkled with fairy dust. The food and tea were, as always, incredible, and then we had to work some of it off. We headed to a park just over the Queensboro in our old neighborhood. Watching Gabe take on the playground as a 12-year old was quite alarming for me as I recalled bringing him there as a toddler. It is amazing how fast - yet how slow - time goes.

Brain games and box-making with Uncle Manny.

This weekend, it was beautiful to watch Uncle Manny be, well, such a good uncle, playing Simon Says, and Red Light, Green Light, and Hide and Go Seek, as Josie pulled the back of his shirt and he acted like he didn't know she was behind him, while he looked in every area of the backyard, her laugh loud and giddy. It makes me love him that much more.

Our Memee and the Gabester

We then visited St. John's Cemetery, leaving pink roses on Anna's grave, silently praying, reflecting, loving, our little girl and commemorating her birthday.

We hit four different playgrounds this weekend

The ride home was uneventful - mom saw the new Kosciuszko Bridge and the old ones demolition, which, kudos Cuomo, is moving fast - and then we made delicious turkey burgers (thanks, NY Times Cooking!) and hot dogs on the grill, paired with salad and what ended up being the best guacamole in the history of guac. No, seriously, the recipe is called "Best Guacamole Ever" and it is for real. We skipped the serrano chile and halved the onion, and the entire bowl was scooped up, either by tortilla chips or spoons, adding it to the turkey burgers. Highly likely this meal will be repeated in the future before summer's end.

Later, it was another night of sitting outside, playing music sprinkled with dancing, and catching up, sharing stories and laughing out loud.

This morning, Sunday, we saw them off.

When it's time to say goodbye, that little ball crawls up into my throat, and I push it back down. Taking it one day at a time, and appreciating these days and moments with family for all that they are.

Now it's off to meal prepping for the week... And maybe a stop by the beer garden for the first time this summer.

XOXO