Sunday in New York City with Daddy

On Sunday Daddy and Nick went on the train to New York City. Daddy works in a tall building downtown and he took Nick to look out the windows.

Nick could see buildings and the water, and two of his favorite bridges! He saw the Brookly and Manhattan Bridges and even took a picture.

When Nick came home he showed mommy a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge. Nick always looks at pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge and mommy said "yes, that is the Brooklyn Bridge and some day we will walk across the bridge together." Mommy did not understand until later when she saw these pictures that Nick was trying to tell her he had seen the bridge today.

Nick's Shopping List

On Friday, Nick and his class took their monthly trip to the supermarket. Mommy tells his teacher things he should buy. Then at school, Nick cuts out pictures of the food and makes a list. When they go to the store, Nick puts the food in his shopping cart and checks them off. Then he waits on line and pays for the food with money.

On Friday, Nick had to buy oranges, pear, raspberry and flowers for Mommy.

This is the list that Nick made in school.

And these are the beautiful flowers that Nick picked out.

Mommy told Nick "you picked out tulips, they are my favorite flowers." Then mommy cut the stems and put the flowers in water. The next day we had raspberries and oranges with our breakfast thanks to the good job that Nick did shopping!

Snow on Monday

Today is Monday but there was no school. It is a special day called a holiday and Nick stayed home with mommy.

When we woke up we saw that it snowed last night. The grass and trees and sidewalks were covered with white snow. We also had company today, Grandma and Grandpa came to see us. They brought Nick a present; sticker books and an Elmo sign. When they left we stood at the door and took their picture.

After Grandma and Grandpa left mommy took Nick outside to shovel snow, but Nick did not want to help. In fact, Nick did not want mommy to shovel at all. He tried to take the shovel away and said "no! no!" Mommy told Nick we have to shovel so people can walk and be safe. If we do not shovel people may slip and fall down. Finally Nick let mommy do her work, but he was very serious and would not help.

Saturday in Long Beach

On Friday night mommy told Nick there would be no AHRC the next day. Nick looked sad, he likes to go to AHRC to play.

So on Saturday mommy took Nick to places in Long Beach. Nick showed mommy he found pictures of Park Avenue on Google Maps, and he found a picture of the Laurel Luncheonette, so mommy took Nick there for lunch. We sat at a table and Nick looked around the restaurant. When mommy asked Nick what he wanted to eat Nick said "bagel." We sat at the table and ate lunch together. When we were done Nick paid for lunch with money. Then we went to another new place.

We went to the Long Beach Ice Arena. There were big boys playing a game called ice hockey. We watched from the floor and Nick said to mommy "stairs," so we walked high up into the chairs until we were at the top. We could see the whole ice rink and we watched the game together. Nick did not do good sitting or quiet voice but no one noticed because it was very loud. Nick liked when all the people jumped up and said "yay!"

Then we went outside and Nick wanted to play in the park. It was very cold outside and the sun was going down and it was getting dark. Mommy told Nick he could play for five minutes. There was snow on the slides and it was not easy to play so Nick went to the swing. We got too cold very fast and had to run to the car to get warm.

The Google Maps Master

Nick loves the computer. And Nick loves buildings and looks at buildings on the computer all the time. At first Nick could find them from his Real Estate Magazines, but then Nick learned how to type words in Google to find his favorite buildings in Long Beach and New York City.

But Nick has learned something new. Nick has found Google Maps, and he can start in our town and follow the parkways to take him to other places, then he can zoom in to look at those places on the computer.

Last month mommy and grammy and Nick went in the car to celebrate Christmas at Henry's house. When we were on Rt. 95 Nick remembered the exit ramp that mommy used to take to grammy's old building. Grammy has not lived there for three years but Nick remembered and told mommy "turn! turn!" when he saw the exit ramp. Mommy explained that we could not go that way, it is grammy's old house and we cannot go into that building anymore.

But Nick remembers the way to this building. One day Nick brought mommy to his computer, and showed her that he had used Google Maps to find a picture of grammy's old building.

He even found the pizza shop where we used to eat dinner together.

Mommy was so surprised! When we used to drive to grammy's we were in the car for one hour. On Google Maps Nick had to follow a lot of roads and a bridge to find what he was looking for.

We printed the pictures and Nick cut them out and taped them to the wall.

Mommy always calls Nick a backseat driver, but now mommy knows that Nick is really paying attention when we are in the car!

Bye Bye Tree, Hello Snow!

Last Sunday, when daddy and Nick went out the car, Nick came home and found that mommy put the Christmas tree outside. Nick was upset, he tried to pick up the tree and put it back in the house. Mommy told Nick we only have a tree in December, in January the tree is all gone. Nick came in the house and cried because he wanted the tree back in the house. He said words like "Merry Christmas", "Christmas tree" and "branches." Daddy put the tree on the porch so Nick could see it out the window.

The tree has been outside on the porch all week. On Saturday, when mommy and Nick came home from AHRC it was snowing. Nick loves the snow and did not go inside, he stayed outside the house and played for a little while. Mommy took this picture of Nick and his tree in the snow.
But Nick is sneaky. When mommy was carrying bags from the trunk of the car into the house Nick tried to pick up the tree and bring it inside. Mommy said "what are you doing?" Nick said "tree house." Mommy reminded Nick that the tree stays outside and we put it back on the porch.

Nick said "bye bye tree" and went inside to play computer.

Time for a Haircut

On Saturday, there was no school and no AHRC. Mommy told Nick he will go to school in two days. Nick said "mommy, no school."

Then mommy and Nick went in the car. Nick's hair is very long and mommy said it is time for a haircut, so we went to the Barber Shop. Nick waited in the chair and read a Long Beach newspaper until the barber called him to the chair.

Nick did a good job sitting in the chair. He got a buzz cut, and all his hair fell onto the floor. Nick likes to feel the spikes of his hair with his hands. That night Nick took a shower and he put on mommy's white bathrobe. He was looking in the mirror and mommy said "do you like your haircut?" and Nick said "haircut."

Then mommy clipped Nick's fingernails and showed him how to put lotion on his face and legs. Mommy said we have to take care of ourselves as we get big. Mommy said "now you are clean and handsome and ready to go back to school," and Nick of course, said "mommy, no school."

Happy New Year

Today is New Year's Day.

When Nick woke up, he saw that there was snow on the ground and Nick pointed out the window and said "snow." Mommy said "yes, it snowed last night, but there is not enough snow on the ground to play." Nick moved his animals together on the floor and said "Merry Christmas" to them. Mommy told Nick it was New Year's Day, but Nick kept saying "Merry Christmas."

Later mommy and Nick went in the car to have lunch. We had lunch at Burger King and Nick paid with a gift card he got for his birthday.

Tomorrow is Friday. There is no school but Mommy has to go to work. Nick will stay home with Daddy.