The Parrillo Family

Over the weekend our little climber took a pretty serious fall and broke open/through his lower lip/chin area.  It meant a trip to the emergency room for some attention from nurses and doctors.  Just like his big sister Eloise, he ended up with the 'super glue' and not stitches, which is nice.  He was in a lot pain and the inside of his mouth is catching up pain-wise today so it will be a difficult week for him.  Nat sprung into action after he fell and handled the situation perfectly.  We packed up the girls (after I told them "This is not a drill.  Get your boots and coat on NOW!") and all went to Elmhurst Hospital.  Nat ran in with him while I drove the girls over to their cousin's house for a brief visit.  By the time I arrived back at the ER, he was just about ready to get treated.  He didn't cry a bit.  Until the 'exo-thermal reaction' hit him with the glue and he yelped loud! He was in good spirits and really loved the 'phone...

We took all three kids to the wonderful Easter Egg hunt at their school this weekend.  We've been to a few different Egg Hunts over the years.   Here's photos from 2011 when Eloise was not quite 2 years old.  It was out at Wilder Park in Elmhurst and it was total chaos.  Parents were literally 'boxing out' on other kids so their own kids could gobble up a bunch of eggs.  Other years, we've had an Egg Hunt at our house, like in 2012  and 2013 with the kid's cousins . Last year, Nat discovered that the girls' school was having their own Egg Hunt, so we went.   There are a few photos of Eloise and SD and their friends here on this post . This time, we decided to skip the 'town' version of the Egg Hunt and just focus on the one at school.  With Easter this year not really happening due to travel of cousins (or permanent living abroad!), this was going to be our one big Elmhurst hunt! We got there early and the girls scoped out a good spot t...

I tell you without hesitation that we have done NOTHING different between raising the girls and The Big Beef (as he's known).  And being a boy has something in his DNA in that he is magically drawn to balls.  Like any size ball.  Basketballs, baseballs, volleyballs.  It doesn't matter.  He wants to get his hands on sports balls and has a joyous look when he gets them.  This photo above is after I bought him his first ball and bat.  This *seems* like a seminal moment in a boy's life.  And a big moment between a father and son.  His first baseball.  It isn't a mitt.  That comes later.  But this is still big. I have so many fond memories of having a catch with my dad.  We usually threw the ball back and forth over on a patch of grass at the end of our cul-de-sac.  I still remember him getting down into the catchers crotch and having me practice pitching to him only to skip in a bunch of heaters that inevitably ended ...