Fenway Park

As part of the 100-year anniversary of Fenway Park, there was a day you could go and tour all around it for free.  Sophie and I went and although were lots of people there, it was really neat and I'm glad we went.  Plus, we got some awesome photos, including some from the field and on top of the Green Monster.  Go Red Sox (next year anyway...)!

 We headed up on top of the Green Monster first.  With this view, you understand why they wanted to add seats up here.

 Lansdowne Street, with the Pru Center in the far background

 I asked Sophie to sit down so I could take her picture... she chose the seat that was farthest away, natch

 Ooh, real-live players

 We got to go on the field and walk all the way around!

 In front of the dugout

 I told you there were lots of people there, which meant a long line which bottlenecked at the Green Monster

 Of course we had to seize the opportunity to actually touch it, even if was against the rules...  You could see inside it too, where the scorekeepers work

 100 years!  Can you believe they wanted to tear it down?

 Wally, the embodiment of the Green Monster.  This prompted the purchase of a Red Sox shirt with Wally on it, so Sophie can learn young about which team to cheer for

I love it - the park and the city in the background.  We love you, Boston!

Spring Break in NYC

This post is long overdue, but I'm publishing it anyway, for two reasons.  The first is to thank our gracious hosts in New York, Boyd and Emily.  My family came to NYC for my sister's Spring Break and B & E hosted them, plus Sophie and I, then Loren when he came on the weekend.  Loren and I love them and their kids so much and I'm so appreciative of their kindness and generosity.  The second reason for the post is to help share fond memories with my sister, who's now off at college.  We had a good time in the city and hopefully these pictures will cheer her up and ward off homesickness.  And now, a brief review of our Spring Break in New York, via a rush of pictures.

Sophie and I got to go into the plane's cockpit in Boston

My dad, sister and I saw Death of a Salesman, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield.  It was amazing!

We went to see Lady Liberty

I love this picture!

Trying out the ever-popular jumping picture

Her crown was under construction, so we had to stay on the ground, but it was a surprisingly emotional and special visit for me.  It made me proud to be an American.

Ellis Island

Spoiler alert:  This is her upcoming Halloween costume

At the World Trade Center Memorial.  I thought it was very moving.

Central Park, still no Loren

On the lookout for family

We decided to go rowing in the park...

and Sophie was excited to be with her cousins...

so I got stuck in a boat by myself.  Yes, I got some pitying stares.

Sophie and her newest cousin, Joshua.  Pretty sure he's almost as big as her!

The Hawkins girls went out to Phantom of the Opera, then we met up with my dad for some Junior's cheesecake

Loren made his first appearance(!), for an Easter egg hunt in the park

There were many variations of this picture, each with different expressions from the kids

Dyeing eggs

Easter morning

Beautiful Easter picture of cousins - Sophie, Eli and Gavin

We also got to spend one day with Loren's sister, Sherilyn, who came into town for her own Spring Break.  It was wonderful to see both of our families in one visit!

First Day of Preschool

Catching (way) up on the blog has been on my to-do list for months, but I want to start with a big current event at our house.  This week Sophie started preschool!  Sometimes I really do have to stop to think about it and I realize Sophie is 3 1/2, almost 4.  Wow!  We were all excited for her to start school.  Based on a recommendation from a friend of a friend, we found a great at-home preschool close to our house.  Sophie's teacher, Miss April, is so nice and has been teaching for many years.  There are nine kids in her class (all 3 years old).  Last week we went to an open house at the school, so the excitement had been building.  Then on Tuesday, her first day, Sophie started out looking like this:

We were getting a little pressed for time, which is a habit I am really trying to change, but... I rushed Sophie out the door, then remembered I wanted to take a picture of her.  I asked her to come stand in front of the house, which of course she didn't want to do because it was "too cold."  Not wanting to be late on the first day, I opted to drag her out of the garage against her will and take a picture anyway.  Before I snapped the pic, she opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could to express her displeasure with me.  Sorry neighbors!  I also tried to get one of her with her backpack on, but that was definitely not happening.

But don't worry, this all ends well.  In the less than five minutes it took to get to school, she had a change of heart and ended up looking like this, right before she walked in:

 
She seemed to have a great first day, although she was sad that she didn't have anything in her backpack to show for sharing time.  One girl had a bracelet (!) in her backpack, but Sophie remedied the situation by asking Miss April to please mail her a bracelet of her own.  Good thinking, kid.  Hooray for this milestone!  I hope this is the beginning of a long and happy relationship with formal education.  (And yes, I realized this is the same outfit she wore for her last day of co-op preschool in Cambridge.  Hey, if it ain't broke...)