EC is 3!

We have a 3 year old! Here are some pictures from the big day. The big PARTY is tomorrow. :) We have passed along the cards and well wishes, which we are all grateful for. This morning we took him to his 3 year checkup, and he is 40 inches tall and 38.5lbs. Still somehow in the mid-90's for both of his percentiles, which is hard to believe.

Here he is 'eating his birthday' as he likes to say:

At Legends (not on his birthday, but cute pictures anyway)

Birthday morning, chocolate chip pancakes! 

Yumley With Chumley

5 or 6 months ago, a friend finished his kitchen renovation and invited us over for dinner - and has done this once a month ever since. We've known Tim Chumley for several years, but thanks to his monthly dinner club, we have learned that in addition to being a brilliant photographer and videographer, he is a fantastic chef and uber generous to boot. Here are some of the best things about Yumley with Chumley, as Dawn delightfully named it:

1. The food!! Always amazing, inventive, and carefully planned.

2. The people!! The Ilnickis are never one to pass up dinner at a friend's house, but aside from us and Dawn, the company varies a little each time. We have made new friends, gotten to know acquaintances better, and enjoy time with good friends.

3. Cocoa and Jake the Snake: dogs are welcome at YWC (Cleo and Otis have yet to make an appearance.)

4. Emmett is welcome!! While it is sometimes nice to get a sitter, it is also nice (and unique) to be the only person with a young child at this event. Our tradition is to get him Chick fil A on the way, and we pretty much let him eat as soon as we get there while we stand around and say hello and munch on appetizers. Then, he runs around with the dogs, plays a little, and when we are ready to start dinner he gets to watch a movie. He loves it and we've found a routine where he is fairly well-behaved. It's great to have an occasional break in our week-to-week routine that we all enjoy separately/together as a family. Everyone is super kind to him; no one overly or awkwardly tries to entertain him or center the evening around him. It's great.

5. Reciprocity is not needed or expected. After work, it can be difficult or stressful to run home and try to pull something together for an event that night. We don't mind doing this of course, but with Chumley, it is genuinely OK if you just show up with wine. He is collected and gracious, and this provides a little extra luxury for his guests.

In short: Chumley, we love you. We're moving in next week. XOXOXO

Valentine's day: shrimp and grits, arugula salad

March: Salmon with tomato relish over orzo; Swiss chard

Homemade flan:

Post dinner Ping Pong!

Easter Weekend

We are just wrapping up a gorgeous Easter weekend in Richmond, with the Ficarettas visiting from Saratoga Springs. Emmett has loved playing with his Aunts Bridget & Elise!

We went to Maymont, one of our favorite places this time of year, and enjoyed a gorgeous 70-degree day. Here's Grandpa Joe walking in the Japanese garden:

Mom/Grandma Debi and Elise crossing the Koi pond:

E playing in the dust, and checking out the waterfall with Daddy:

Running through the Italian garden:

On Easter, we went with Joe and Elise to a sunrise service at Dogwood Dell. (Grandma Debi stayed home with sleeping Emmett and Elise.) It was early, and cold... lovely and invigorating. Don't our silhouettes look sleepy?

Great egg hunt in our backyard:

Looking through the eggs and putting things in their proper places:

Old/new light fixture in the dining room - thanks Grandpa Joe for installing it with Andrew!

Humpback Rock Hike

On Good Friday, we took a half day from work and drove to the Blue Ridge Mountains for some family time before getting ready for visitors for the next few weekends. The most exciting and unexpected thing that happened: Emmett hiked to the top of Humpback Rock all by himself! This is a well-known hike with rewarding views, and is short but strenuous. It's just about 8/10 of a mile up an elevation of nearly 800 feet. So, steep! Especially for someone who is not yet 3 years old - but he did it, and we could not have been more proud! For the record, we had the hiking backpack with us and he rode down. The ascent took us about an hour and 2o minutes, the descent about 20 minutes. :)

Enjoying a post-hike chocolate milk

Phone Photos

We NEVER take pictures off of our phones. So looking back through about 4 months and many hundreds of photos, it is fun to remember some highlights! Here is another photo update, hopefully the last one before getting back on track with keeping up on the blog regularly.

Back in January, Nana and Pop Pop stayed with Emmett while we went to the mountains for a night away:

Emmett, looking at art at the VCU Anderson Gallery:

A mild winter afternoon at Legends, one of our places to relax outside:

A day trip to Charlottesville with the dogs, and attempt at hiking Humpback Rock. (It did not end well, as we flirted too closely with lunch/naptime.)

Emmett and his ukelele:

Celebrating Mardi Gras:

Listening to stories in school:

Daddy's 31st birthday:

Children's symphony:

At the Wishing Well playground with best buddy, Juddy:

March snowfall! We bolted outside and enjoyed it for about 20 minutes before it melted:

Emmett grooving to some yoga. He's good!!

Ice cream:

Trip to Wintergreen with our dear friends, the Gilberts:

This is a picture of beautiful Spring on VCU's campus... I took it to send to Andrew's sister BRIDGET who will be entering the Art Foundation Program in the Fall!

At Maymont with Nana and Pop Pop, who visited in March: