There's No Place Like Home

Well, hello!  I have exciting news for anyone reading!  First, pardon the interruption here. We've been getting ready for a big move... back home!  America, here we come!   In just a few weeks, the movers will pack everything up and away we go to Texas.  We've been keeping busy here, soaking up all the goodness of Budapest while we still can, and getting ready for our return to Texas.   Here's a recap for the past two months... 

Well, this is what the end of winter looks like in Hungary.  These, friends, are Busos, dressed up in the traditional costumes and armed with huge, wooden noisemakers, ready to scare away winter.  If you travel down to Mohacs, Hungary, you can see them ride down the Danube River in canoes, carrying torches, and continue on their way throughout the city for a parade and a giant bonfire in the main city square.  

These two weren't a bit scared of the Busos.

Paddy petted this one on the head and called him "kitty."

It was certainly a nice day in Mohacs to scare away winter.

And just like that, the weather warmed, the fields turned green and spring found its way to Hungary.

Daddyboy has been busy travelling back and forth between Budapest and Houston for the past month.  He has been missed very, very much... especially by this little dude.  

Hand painted Easter eggs are popular here. I found lots of pretty ones shopping at the Easter Market in Vorosmarty Ter.  So far, they are all in one piece.  Fingers crossed they make it back to Texas.  

This little one did a great job dying her eggs again this year.  

And the Easter bunny left lots of great treats.

For career day at school, Claudia chose to be a nurse.  She spent the day vaccinating, bandaging and caring for her classmates.  

C's school also had a teacher/student swap day.    I wish I had pictures of all the kids in the class.  They all showed up in shirts, ties and mustaches or little sweater sets with old lady glasses.  She's wearing my old lady glasses, by the way.  

And she turned FIVE!  I have more pictures from her dinosaur party to share later.

We took refuge in an abandoned factory during a rainstorm... turned out to be a pretty great place to have fun and feel very small.  

For Russell's last night in Budapest, we went up to the Citadel to get one last look at the city.

Little man likes to hop up the stairs. 

So, that's all for now.  And now that things are relatively under control around here, I can say with near certainty that I will not go another two months without posting.  ;)  

A Party for Paddy

Somehow this sweet Paddy boy of mine managed to sneak in another year on me.   Drawing up this post about Patrick's birthday (which happened a month ago), I am reminded just how important it is to memorialize the special times in our lives.   The time it slips right through our fingers, but at least this way I can ink out my favorite bits and collect them here for memory's sake.   So, this boy of mine.  He is two!  We celebrated with a special little party.

I made cupcakes the day before the party.   He wasn't in the mood for napping that day, so he helped me get everything ready in the kitchen.  He wanted to make sure everyone's cupcake was just right.  

The sweet guy felt pretty special at the head of the table, especially when everyone started singing and smiling at him.  

Sweet little man was giggling so hard he couldn't blow out his candles.  

Birthday parties are pretty exhausting when you're two.  He took a tiny cat nap after the party and was back up to see what was going to happen next.  Sweet Patrick, I hope you always greet the world with your bright eyes and sweet smile!

Here's some pics of my sweet guy from this year.  The wonderful Regina Koszta took these and I am so happy to have them.  It's rare to have pictures WITH Patrick (and even pictures of Patrick that are not blurry), so I treasure these.

Sweet Paddy, we love you and love you and love you and love you.

Whether you are practicing your new favorite word ("no!"), drawing on the walls, running away from me in the post office, dancing wildly to Chaka Khan in the grocery store, throwing tantrums in the car, falling asleep in my arms, playfully squealing "No waaay!!" to old ladies in the grocery store who want to kiss you, nestling yourself in my lap for story time or giving us all kisses and slaps and kisses again, you are my one and only baby boy.  And I love you.