Family Safety Day

Last weekend was Skanska's annual Family Safety Day. We always have a good time there, and not just because we get to make bridges out of gumdrops.

I was so excited about Safety Day (and I'm so competitive) that I submitted artwork for next year's safety calendar competition. Wish me luck!

Love and safety first,

Zadia Love

Shades and Sprinklers

We definitely got the most out of our last few days of Summer.

Love and changing seasons,

Zadia Love & Aiyana Eden

Best Sisters

Aiyana and I really  miss each other when we're at school. Which isn't exactly why she's crying. She cries every morning because she doesn't want to go to school, but I'll let her explain that in a separate blog entry.

But being apart from each other means we're even cuter when we're together.

Love and sisters who prefer to do everything together,

Zadia Love

DUMBO Date

Daddy took Zadia on a special Daddy-Daughter date to Times Square (you'll have to ask Daddy for those pictures), and Mommy and I had a date of our own. We went to Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO for a carousel ride, a peach lemonade, a swing with an amazing view of Manhattan.

Oh, and Mommy says if this isn't the face of a Nicastro, she doesn't know what is :)

 

Love and giant lemonades Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass,

Aiyana Eden

Back To Being Best Friends

Ollie, Vivian, Tracey, and J drove up from North Carolina for a wedding and stayed the night with us! It was the first time we saw them since they moved in May. Not only was it great to see our old friends, but it was really fun to have one of my best friends sleep over. 

We had a lazy morning playing in our pajamas.

And then we had a Brooklyn staple--fresh bagels. Perhaps Ollie didn't think they were as good as he remembered?

We enjoyed the sunshine on our balcony and took a stroll along familiar streets. 

Then we met former classmates and friends at Sixteen Sycamore, our favorite neighborhood playground.

Ollie's Papa did Tracey and Mommy a HUGE favor and watched all four of us kids so the Mommy's could have some grown-up time. 

And we spent the afternoon being rockstars at our friend Emmett's house. (I was obviously the leader of this band.)

I think Ollie and I miss each other more than we realize. But once we saw each other, it was "back to being best friends again!"

We had an awesome 24 hours with the Maurer-Cohens. Hopefully we'll see you down south sometime very soon!

Love and friends forever,

Zadia Love

School Days

We have a lot of other stuff to share with you, but the most important thing happening now is SCHOOL! I had my first half-day of pre-K on Thursday. I had already met my teachers, some classmates, and learned that my good friend Emmett was in my class, but I was still scared to go.  I don't do well in new situations, especially when I don't know many people and Mommy and Daddy aren't with me. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy or cooperative with pictures that morning.

Daddy suggested I wear my watch so I could track how long until pick-up time. Not a bad idea.

Despite my fears and nerves, I was excited to see my name on the door, curious about the classroom, and happy to start drawing.

I was especially excited that Emmett and I had seats right next to each other, and that they served chocolate milk with lunch (WHAT?!?!?)

Despite being scared to be at school without Mommy (and having a traumatic drop off on day two), I did enjoy my new school enough to make a self-portrait that reads,

 "I'm happy because I just am." 

Well said.

Aiyana also had an important day, visiting her new school and meeting her teachers (her first real day is this Monday.)

She was very engaged by all the toys in her class.

 And it'll be fun to have her friend, Aisley, in her class with her.

Even though it wasn't really an official school day for Aiyana, she was still exhausted by early afternoon.

Last week was tough, but the real challenge begins this week, when I'm in school five full days per week, and Aiyana experiences school for the first time. It's an exciting and nerve wracking time for all of us as we adjust to new people, new environments, and new routines.  

Like lunch.

After 4.5 years of eating lunch together, Mommy had the bittersweet task of packing lunches for her big girls. 

Love and first day of school jitters,

Zadia Love