Fall festivals in NYC

So I have been having a problem uploading pictures from my phone.  I've had a few posts written without pictures for awhile.  I finally uploaded them to the computer, but I'm hoping the Blogger app is fixed soon! Actually blogging from a computer for once...

Living in southern California, we never had much variation in the weather or real seasons.  Well, it's definitely fall here on the East Coast, and there are festivals all over the city to celebrate!

The Harlem Harvest Festival had food, free pumpkins, and face painting!  It took us awhile to get there by subway, but the kids had a blast.
 

He requested a Shamu face painting.

We were lucky to have the Ecofest right next to our apartment complex. Even though it was overcast and drizzly, we stopped by for music and more food and face painting. 

The Madison Square Kids Fall Fest was by far one of the biggest fall festivals that we have been to so far.  A pumpkin patch, kids obstacle course, lots of musical performances, free cotton candy and pretzels, and face painting; there was so much that we couldn't get to it all. 

2nd visit from Nana

Shay had been looking forward to another visit from Nana ever since her last visit!  He will periodically say "I'm sad", and when I ask why, will reply "I want to go back to California now."  He usually needs a hug and a kiss to feel better.  It's hard, because we all want to go back, but we are also happy with how our life is shaping up here.  But, of course, it's always nice to have family and friends visit.

Nana spent a rare day with just Mila, then we picked up Shay from school.  He was very excited to show her everything that he was learning and introduce her to his friends and teachers.

On Saturday, there was the DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) Arts Festival. It's a great little area in Brooklyn that's right off our favorite mode of transportation, the East River Ferry.  There were food trucks and arts and crafts for the kids.

 

The weekend also included another trip to our favorite sushi place, where Shay ate his first edamame out of the pod and Mila showed Nana her finger-wagging skills.  I think she's going to be a handful!

My little man

Shay is getting to be such a big boy. 

 I finally got a picture of the inside of his school.  Although he will say "I don't want to go to school" in the morning, he never wants to leave when I go to pick him up!

Making flubber

He made art with his feet at school:


He loves cooking and eating!

Making pumpkin bread pudding recipe from his Highlights magazine



Pretending that he is making a smoothie in his "blender"



Eating with new chopsticks from Nana

He is becoming a very nurturing guy. He will tell Mila "I know you want to do that, but it's not safe" or will offer her a toy when she is crying (usually doesn't stop her crying, but it's the thought that counts, right?).

He continues to surprise me with his physical and mental development.  When we visited the playground at Union Square, he tried to climb the ladder on the tallest slide.  He got scared and asked me to get him down.  The next thing I know, he is trying again and got all the way to the top!

I told him the letters and he wrote them himself

"I made the Statue of Liberty, Mama!"

More fun and festivals as summer winds down

The weather has started to turn cooler in the last few weeks.  We have been taking advantage of Jermaine's weekends off and trying to get out as much as we can. 

Impromptu bubble party on the plaza


We went to the Feast of San Gennaro. Lots of Italian food - yum!


Street art on the way to the festival

    

Enjoying his first cannoli

When the weather doesn't cooperate, I've been taking the kids (separately) to the indoor pool in our complex's gym.  Shay is finally getting a bit more independent in the water.  He doesn't like to put his face in (kind of a prerequisite for swimming!), so it's been tough.  I loaded him up with every floatation device available, and he was really proud to be able to "swim" on his own.  Progress!