What have you been up to?

It's been almost 2 months since the last update, I'm sure your wondering what we've been up to.

Ben has lots of teeth now. He has 4 on top, 4 on bottom and half a molar on bottom. If you look and feel inside his mouth, he has 4 more teeth coming in. Poor little guy has his hands in his mouth most days now, he's a little clingy too, but I'll take that over some of the other teething horror stories I've heard.

Ben has gotten pretty handy with a spoon & fork too. Just this morning, he fed himself a bowl of Cheerios & Milk. 

He tries to dress himself, he's good at putting on shoes (both mine and his), but only slip-on shoes. He hasn't quite grasped the Loop, Swoop & Pull technique yet.

He enjoys spending time with his best friend Molly. He does a dance while screeching when we first get home and then he walks her in the back yard.

 Like his daddy, Ben's favorite food group is ice cream. He's able hold an ice cream cone and eat it all by himself. I think some of it actually goes in his mouth, but a lot of it goes on his face.

 Some of it goes on his shirt too.

He found out how fun it is to play with a roll of toilet paper. Don't play with it too much buddy. You may need to spare a square one day.

During our last playdate, he got to drive a tractor, well he sat in the seat, then he went for a ride on the tractor.

 Most recently he's learned the joys of sidewalk chalk. He has tried to color with crayons and Crayola color magic markers, but he doesn't put enough pressure, so you can't see much. The chalk was gold!

 Is he a righty?

 Or a lefty?

 Either way, he's very messy.

  

 Good boy, he even helps clean up.

Ben takes lots of trips to Disney World with Grammy and Poppy.

Here are some of the best shots of their time and some new friend.

 

Ben says "Hold on Poppy, I'm dropping the hammer" (Days of Thunder...anyone???)

I have so many more pictures and stories, but not a lot of time to put them all here. Check back this weekend. I'll have more stuff posted.

Disney Vacation Day 3 - The Big Pool

After the park we met up with Rene again to hit the pool. We had a great time. Her daughter is really funny and she's a smart little bugger. I asked her if she wanted to go on the slide. Of course she did, it's a really cool slide. (and would you believe I don't have a picture of it?) ME of all people!

I spoke to Rene and we both agreed that I would go down the slide first to wait for her daughter so I can be there when she hits the water. This is the same little girl that cleverly got me to hold her 2 years ago at downtown Disney. Story Here.

First trip down the slide, no problem. Second trip down...slight problem. She wanted to go down the slide first. The conversation went a little something like this:
ME: I know you want to go first, but I have to go first to make sure the coast is clear.
Daughter: But I want to go first. It's OK. I went down first the other day.
ME: Ok, here's what we'll do. You can climb the stairs first, but I go down the slide first.
Daughter: But I go down the slide first. OK?
ME: I have the perfect plan. I'll go down the slide, but then you go down first after me?
Daughter: But I want to go down first.
ME: You'll be the first one after me. That's pretty good. That's probably better than going first.
Daughter: yeah. OK.

She's a smart kid. I know she didn't buy that, I just think she saw me squirming and felt bad for me.

Now the other daughter, whose name I know..and can spell, but for security reasons, I wont say, had fun with Ben in the pool. Since neither of them can really talk all that well, take a look at how I think their interaction went down.

A Pretty girl and a handsome boy are sitting on the beach, looking out over the water.
Girl: Hi, Do I know you?
Boy: Hey...How you doin?

Boy: Wow, your skin is really soft.
Girl: Oh thank you. My mommy uses Johnson's baby soap.
Boy: Cool, my mommy does too. So, where are you from? How much longer are you on vacation?

Girl: Oh, I'm from New York and I go...
Boy (interrupting): WHOA! What's that? Look what I found! Is that a light saber? I think that's a light saber. VVVVRRROMMMM CHACHICHNGCH VROMMM. I'm gonna grab it.

Girl: UUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!! Why are boys so dumb!

Boy: Don't get upset pretty lady. It's not a light saber. It's a pool noodle. I got it for you.
Girl: For me?

Girl: My Hero!




And scene!!! I'm waiting for the Oscar people to call me any minute now.
It was a great vacation and even though we live in Orlando, when you go to Disney World it really does feel like a vacation. Forget that my house is 30 minutes away, you feel like you're in another world.

Thanks to Rene and her family for letting us crash their family vacation. Hope we can do it again soon.

Week 7 for Ben, What a week it was!

Ben turned 7 weeks old this week. He's getting so big and his cheeks have puffed out a little bit. He's looking cuter than ever.

This week had a crazy end to it. There was a shooting in an office building in Downtown Orlando. Allison and I used to work together downtown. I since have left and found another job, Allison was laid off and is currently unemployed. If anyone wants to hire her with a starting 6 figure salary, please leave a comment below. Anyway, being laid off is never a good thing, but I was glad she was safe at home and not locked down in her 16 story downtown office building. Next week Tropical Storm Ida is expected to hit Florida. Stay tuned for news on that one.

I noticed a difference in life before Ben this week, maybe even before marriage and life now. If you know me, you know about my hair. I used to use lots of gel. I styled my hair and it didn't move. I got it cut every 2 weeks and I made sure it looked good. Now if I got my hair cut every 2 weeks I'd ask if Allison heard bad news from the doctor and this was her way of breaking it to me. Ben is 7 weeks old and I've had 1 haircut since he's been born. I look ridiculous. I've been using Jim's dad from the movie"American Pie" as a comparison. "Don't forget your penis cream son"

In a simpler time before Ben and before Allison I would never NEVER be seen looking like this. I would call in sick to work or wear a hat if the job at the time would allow it. But now, oh well. I go to work, I go running, I take Ben places and I look like a schlemiel. It just doesn't matter what I look like anymore. I have nobody to impress and until Oprah calls for me big interview, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Speaking of taking Ben places, this morning we took him to Downtown Disney. First we met up with a longtime friend and his family for breakfast, then we went to Downtown Disney to look for Ben's first Christmas ornament. There is a store there that sells and customizes Christmas stuff year round. We did a few laps around the store and selected his ornament and stocking. Want to see them? Sorry, you have to wait until Christmas, well at least until the weekend after Thanksgiving when we decorate the house. You can trust me when I say they are awesome.
I tried to take pix of Benjamin with some Mickey Mouse and other character merchandise, but he was not cooperating. Mommy wasn't a big help with the photography today either, but still it was a good day. I think it's a preview of his first couple of Santa Claus and Easter Bunny pix. We did get a few good shots with the soldiers outside to make up for it.
Just like every other kid that goes to Disney, Benjamin came home and passed out. Get used to this kid, lots more of this in your future.

Some Pix from the 4th

I just remembered I took some pix of Baby C on the 4th of July that I haven't posted yet. My parents and Uncle Carlo came down from NY for a visit and these pix just slipped my mind.

First up, Baby C vs. a fire breathing dragon.
For those of you that don't recognize it, this is the Disney Electrical Water Pageant. The show came out in 1971 and I seriously don't think they've done anything to it except replace a few light bulbs here and there. It's very corny, but something about Disney & being on vacation...people love it.


Next up, Baby C shows his patriotism.
Disney had some odd musical selections for their 4th of July fireworks and the water pageant. I love watching 4th of July fireworks shows for 2 reasons. 1) the fireworks 2) the patriotic music.

I can't pick one favorite, but here is a list of my top few songs:

• God Bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
• America, The Beautiful - Ray Charles
• What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
• National Anthem
• America - Neil Diamond
• Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

The culinary highlight of the weekend was a toss-up. It was either Allison's homemade pasta (w/ homemade sauce & meatballs), Allison's homemade sloppy Joe's or Allison's homemade ice cream cake. My vote...The ice cream cake. I couldn't have too much of it because of all the chocolate, but this cake was possibly the best dessert she's ever made. If you've ever had any of her desserts, you'll know how huge of a statement that is.


Seriously, Allison outdid herself. Pregnant, she was in the kitchen working up 3 masterpieces. great job!

History of ACs - Our Engagement - Behind the Scenes

This is the second installment of the History of the ACs. Three years ago today, Allison and I were engaged. Most of you have heard our engagement story, but this is a behind the scenes look of what I went through leading up to and immediately after the engagement.

I knew for a while that I wanted to marry Allison. I just didn't know when the right time to ask was. I knew no matter how I proposed, we would remember it forever, but I wanted it to be in a special place or around a special event. Something that would really knock her socks off.

So while I was trying to figure that out, I decided to focus on the ring. I went to Gems of the Jungle in Downtown Orlando. They custom made a hell of a ring for me. I sold some stock to pay for it and waited for them to finish the ring.

I finally got the call that the ring was ready. I gave Allison some excuse for why I needed to go to work early so I could get out of carpooling with her and then it was time to get the cash and pick up the ring. I had to leave work early, get to the bank before it closed and stash the cash before Allison got home. Sounds easy right?

Got to the bank. No problem. Cashed the check and was ready to go home. Then Allison called with a list of things for me to pick up from Publix. For those of you who don't know me well, I can be a little paranoid at times. I always think someone is going to steal my wallet or take Allison's purse. Maybe it's from growing up in NY, who knows. Anyway, now I am in Publix, with a few thousand dollars in cash in my pockets. It looked like Mission Impossible picking out the groceries. I'm looking at the cans, trying to find the right type of tomato sauce, puree and paste. An old lady comes down the aisle, is she eyeballing my pockets? Did she just see me at the bank? Keep it moving grandma. Nothing to see here.

I checked out of the store safe and now I'm heading towards the car. There are some girls asking for money for their softball team. I could but the whole team, put my picture on their shirts. Nah, better not. Driving home, checking the rear view, making sure I'm not being followed. Got home. No sign of funny business. I went inside, stashed the cash and waited for Allison to come home. The next morning, I waited for Allison to get in the shower, locked the doors behind me and transferred the cash to the laptop bag.

I took Steven with me and we went over to the jeweler. Checked the ring, loved it and brought it back. I gave it to Steven to carry just in case Allison saw us. We worked for the same company, but in different buildings, but there was an odd chance that we could bump into each other. It was safe, so I took the ring back. Didn't see Allison, but Juan from HR saw us and said "What's in the bag? Engagement ring?" I had to play that off really quick. It's a small, close knit company, I would have been pissed if someone spilled the beans. So I came up with a quick lie. Who knows if he bought it or not, but the surprise was still intact.

Got home stashed the ring and got back to the planning of the engagement. My original plan was to buy tickets to Disney for Steven & Stephanie and have them take pix of me proposing to Allison in front of Cinderella's Castle. I though that was a good idea. I called Disney and made a few dinner reservations to make sure I had a table. Then I called Disney to get a reserved spot during Wishes. They said "We don't do that" but they did have alternative options. I went with dinner and a glass slipper inside the Castle.

My birthday is June 3rd, we got engaged on May 20th. I had my mother send me a birthday card with an insert saying something like "enjoy dinner on us at Cinderella's castle" It didn't make much sense since I am a grown man and not a little girl, but I sold it well enough to Allison and she bought it.

Today's the day. May 20th. I secured the ring. Let me tell you how I secured it. I put the ring in a ziplock bag. I put bubble wrap around that. I wrapped a handkerchief around the whole thing and taped it to the inside of my pocket. I did say I secured the ring.

We're in the park. I make sure not to go on Space Mountain or any other dangerous rides, even though that ring was not going anywhere. We headed over to the restaurant. Now remember those multiple reservations I mentioned earlier, here is where they come into play.
Me: Anthony 2.
Disney: Sorry, don't see it.
Me: check again, I know its there.
Disney: Oh here you are, table for 3, on Wednesday.
Me to Allison: (slightly panicking) Go in that store over there, I'll figure this out.
Me to Disney: Dude, I'm getting engaged tonight. I have a reservation for 2 at the center table. Get someone and figure this out.
Disney: Oh sir. We'll work this out for you. Have a magical day.
Me to myself: Magical day my ass...get me a table
Me to Disney: Thanks.
Disney Manager: OK, we have a table for you, but your glass slipper isn't here. It's across the park and it has the wrong date. Don't worry. We sent someone for it. Come back in 30 minutes Everything will be ready.
Me to self: Holy Sh*t

We killed some time. Went on Philharmagic and came back. The manager told me to leave the table after I ordered and meet her to exchange the ring. Allison wouldn't suspect anything because I often leave the table, or used to when my stomach was really bad. When I took the ring out of my pocket, I swear the manager laughed at me. I tried to explain my hanky, bubble wrap contraption, but she was too far gone. She was laughing and wished me luck.

We ate dinner and I was kinda freaking out the whole time. In the weeks leading up to this night, I had told Allison a fib about a special birthday dessert. The normal Anthony would not have stopped talking about this dessert all day. So I forced myself to talk about this fictional delight. They cleared our dinner plates and about 30 seconds later they brought the ring out in a covered platter, put it in front of Allison and revealed the ring. I was on.

I got on my knee and started talking. I don't really remember what I said. I thought about it a few days before, I was going to jot down some notes, but I thought that would be cheesy. I knew when I was there in the moment, I'd come up with something good. She said yes, so I must have said something right. While I was proposing, I tried to get Allison's hand away from her face. She was covering her mouth in shock and her hand seemed like it was crazy glued to her mouth. In stead of getting mad and forcing it away, I decided to try the other hand.

It all went well, she said yes and the rest is history. I knew I did I great job, but got assurance from a redneck man in a Nascar t-shirt. "Classy man, really classy" Well thank you Mr. Nascar fan. If anyone knows class, it's a redneck in a Nascar t-shirt. I don't mean to bash him, I did appreciate the compliment, but I thought it was pretty funny.

We finished the night by watching Disney Wishes and buying some Disney wedding stuff from the shops. Our parents both knew I was proposing and were probably flipping out, because we didn't call them until the next morning to share the news. Baby C, little buddy, when you decide to propose...call us, send us a txt, or do whatever fancy new type of communication is out 20-30 years from now, but let us know how it went!

Hope you enjoyed the story & Happy Engagement Anniversary to you Allison.

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears

If you don't know those lyrics, what rock have you been living under?

Today was Mother's Day. I took Allison and Baby C to Downtown Disney and to Disney's Beach Club Resort. Check out some of Baby C's adventures from today.

First stop, Disney's Marketplace. Baby C doesn't know who Stitch is, but is going to love standing in the Spit Zone and getting a cool spritz when he is a little boy. In the background, you can see the new hot air balloon ride. It takes you 600 feet up and you can see all of Disney property for just $16. We went to try it, but it was temporarily closed due to weather. (It was a little windy)

Baby C had his first Disney run in with Mickey Mouse. Mickey said "I want you...to come to my park!" We predict we'll take him by the time he is 2 and have season passes again by the time he is 4.

Baby C tried on his first set of Mickey ears today. They didn't really fit. Allison had to hold them and she wasn't feeling it. I mentioned trying staples, but she didn't like that idea either. We'll have to wait until he is born and is able to wear hats before he gets his first set of ears.

We stopped into the toy store in Disney Marketplace. I think it's called Once Upon a Toy. It's awesome. I can't wait for Baby C to be born and old enough to play with some of the toys in there. They had a voice activated R2-D2. I don't know what it does, but it was 2 feet high and voice activated, so it really doesn't matter what it does, it's cool...I want it.

They also had a GI Joe section and a Transformers section. I hope they are both still popular when Baby C is old enough to play with them and I hope he is into those kinds of toys.

Our last stop was the Cape May Cafe @ Disney's Beach Club Resort. It's a buffet style dinner with a New England Clambake theme. The food was good, so were the desserts. They have these Oreo Bon-Bons and they are awesome. Well worth the trip to Disney.

On a serious note, we are going to see Baby C tomorrow and hear his heartbeat. Allison has a doctor appointment and a sonogram scheduled. I can't wait. I want to see how he has grown and make sure he is doing ok in there. I don't have any questions for the doctor, but I am going to do some research tonight to see if there is anything I should ask him. I feel like I should have something to ask the doctor every time we go. Any suggestions? Let me know by noon tomorrow!

Good news & bad news about my belly

The good news, I no longer have the biggest belly in the family. Allison passed me this weekend. The bad news, I still have the belly of a 4 month pregnant woman. I measured it this evening and at it's largest point, it's 39.5 inches around. I have 5 months until Baby C comes along. My goal is to lose 5 inches from my belly by the time he is born. I'm not a health guy, so who knows if losing 5 inches in 5 months is realistic, but I'll do what I can.

We go to Disney a lot and we see lots of dads. Apart from the obvious of them all having children, there is something else most of them have in common, they have graying hair, balding heads and/or pot bellies or larger. I already have a few gray hairs and I have the pot belly too. It's only gonna get worse when Baby C comes, so wish me luck in losing it.

That's ok, I don't want to hold the baby

It was a long, but fun weekend. Glad to be home, can't wait to finish this post so I can go to bed. I had a great weekend meeting my nephew and seeing my niece again. It was hotter in NY today than in FL. They are having crazy weather in NY, Thursday was in the 30s, today it was in the mid 80s.

I used to hate touching babies. I always felt like I was going to hurt them somehow. I don't think I held my niece until she was 2 weeks old and Jack, I must have seen him 5-8 times before I would hold him. Now I love holding them. I feel a lot more comfortable with them and they love me.

I hope I don't jinx myself here, but kids love me. I have had kids walk up to me while we were shopping or at Disney World and just hold my hand. More than once, kids who do not like any men aside from their father warm up to me and want to hang around me.

The funniest story like this, is our friend Rene's daughter, Elena. We were in Downtown Disney and Elena always takes to girls better than guys. So we figured she would be all over Allison. We took turns holding her hand and carrying her all day, then we did some shopping and I was holding the bags. Elena, probably 2.5 or 3 years old at the time, was pulling the bags out of my hand and telling me to give them to Allison. I was laughing and taunting Allison. "Ha Ha, Elena said you need to carry them"

So I give the bags to Allison and the next thing you know, Elena is saying "UP UP" to me! What a smart little stinker! So I ended up carrying her around for the next 25-30 minutes. What can I say, kids love me and I am a sucker for them. Hopefully Baby C will fall for me just like the other kids around me have. If not, I am not above bribery.