Elia was just a few months old when this picture was taken – around five months – and noticed the iPad for the first time.
Rewind: Bumper Time Ale
October 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A few years ago during a brainstorming session about raising more money for the MDA, we bounced the idea of partnering up with the Rockyard Brewery to have a night where proceeds would be donated. Fast forward a long time to a random day when Adam and I happened to be on the ambulance together – which in an of itself is a miracle – and a bug bit us to swing by the Rockyard and engage in conversation. From arriving to the brewery without a clue as to whom to even speak with, to leaving with a promise to have firefighters design, create, brew, name, bottle, and sell a signature beer to raise money for the MDA was an absolute whirlwind.
The next few months featured some on-again, off-again work by a few of us to come up with what would ultimately be called Bumper Time Ale. Bumper Time is what we call the time that the crew at the firehouse sits down after a long day and just has a good conversation on the front bumper of the trucks. The tapping party was the culminating event, where the beer received many rave reviews. We had a wonderful time partnering up with the Rockyard and raising money for the MDA. We sold through 60 cases of beer, and finished off several hundred gallons of the beer on tap at the restaurant. There is conversation about this becoming a yearly happening, so stay tuned!
9/11 – 2013
September 11, 2013 by 1 Comment
Today we climb.
I promise that we don’t forget. We will NEVER forget.
Each year, I post this photo…a stunning capture in history (read story here). This is a photo of FDNY’s Ladder 118 responding to the WTC. None of them would survive the day. These guys knew what they were getting into, yet they didn’t hesitate. We climb to finish what they started.
The list of the 343 FDNY brothers that died on 9/11:
Joseph Agnello, Lad.118 Lt. Brian Ahearn, Bat.13 Eric Allen, Sqd.18 (D) Richard Allen, Lad.15 Cpt. James Amato, Sqd.1 Calixto Anaya Jr., Eng.4 Joseph Agnello, Lad.118 Lt. Brian Ahearn, Bat.13 Eric Allen, Sqd.18 (D) Richard Allen, Lad.15 Cpt. James Amato, Sqd.1 Calixto Anaya Jr., Eng.4 Joseph Angelini, Res.1 (D) Joseph Angelini Jr., Lad.4 Faustino Apostol Jr., Bat.2 David Arce, Eng.33 Louis Arena, Lad.5 (D) Carl Asaro, Bat.9 Lt. Gregg Atlas, Eng.10 Gerald Atwood, Lad.21 Gerald Baptiste, Lad.9 A.C. Gerard Barbara, Cmd. Ctr. Matthew Barnes, Lad.25 Arthur Barry, Lad.15 Lt.Steven Bates, Eng.235 Carl Bedigian, Eng.214 Stephen Belson, Bat.7 John Bergin, Res.5 Paul Beyer, Eng.6 Peter Bielfeld, Lad.42 Brian Bilcher, Sqd.1 Carl Bini, Res.5 Christopher Blackwell, Res.3 Michael Bocchino, Bat.48 Frank Bonomo, Eng.230 Gary Box, Sqd.1 Michael Boyle, Eng.33 Kevin Bracken, Eng.40 Michael Brennan, Lad.4 Peter Brennan, Res.4 Cpt. Daniel Brethel, Lad.24 (D) Cpt. Patrick Brown, Lad.3 Andrew Brunn, Lad.5 (D) Cpt. Vincent Brunton, Lad.105 F.M. Ronald Bucca Greg Buck, Eng.201 Cpt. William Burke Jr., Eng.21 A.C. Donald Burns, Cmd. Ctr. John Burnside, Lad.20 Thomas Butler, Sqd.1 Patrick Byrne, Lad.101 George Cain, Lad.7 Salvatore Calabro, Lad.101 Cpt. Frank Callahan, Lad.35 Michael Cammarata, Lad.11 Brian Cannizzaro, Lad.101 Dennis Carey, Hmc.1 Michael Carlo, Eng.230 Michael Carroll, Lad.3 Peter Carroll, Sqd.1 (D) Thomas Casoria, Eng.22 Michael Cawley, Lad.136 Vernon Cherry, Lad.118 Nicholas Chiofalo, Eng.235 John Chipura, Eng.219 Michael Clarke, Lad.2 Steven Coakley, Eng.217 Tarel Coleman, Sqd.252 John Collins, Lad.25 Robert Cordice, Sqd.1 Ruben Correa, Eng.74 James Coyle, Lad.3 Robert Crawford, Safety Lt. John Crisci, H.M. B.C. Dennis Cross, Bat.57 (D) Thomas Cullen III, Sqd. 41 Robert Curatolo, Lad.16 (D) Lt. Edward D’Atri, Sqd.1 Michael D’Auria, Eng.40 Scott Davidson, Lad.118 Edward Day, Lad.11 B.C. Thomas DeAngelis, Bat. 8 Manuel Delvalle, Eng.5 Martin DeMeo, H.M. 1 David DeRubbio, Eng.226 Lt. Andrew Desperito, Eng.1 (D) B.C. Dennis Devlin, Bat.9 Gerard Dewan, Lad.3 George DiPasquale, Lad.2 Lt. Kevin Donnelly, Lad.3 Lt. Kevin Dowdell, Res.4 B.C. Raymond Downey, Soc. Gerard Duffy, Lad.21 Cpt. Martin Egan, Jr., Div.15 (D) Michael Elferis, Eng.22 Francis Esposito, Eng.235 Lt. Michael Esposito, Sqd.1 Robert Evans, Eng.33B.C. John Fanning, H.O. Cpt. Thomas Farino, Eng.26 Terrence Farrell, Res.4 Cpt. Joseph Farrelly, Div.1 Dep. Comm. William Feehan, (D) Lee Fehling, Eng.235 Alan Feinberg, Bat.9 Michael Fiore, Res.5 Lt. John Fischer, Lad.20 Andre Fletcher, Res.5 John Florio, Eng.214 Lt. Michael Fodor, Lad.21 Thomas Foley, Res.3 David Fontana, Sqd.1 Robert Foti, Lad.7 Andrew Fredericks, Sqd.18 Lt. Peter Freund, Eng.55 Thomas Gambino Jr., Res.3 Chief of Dept. Peter Ganci, Jr. (D) Lt. Charles Garbarini, Bat.9 Thomas Gardner, Hmc.1 Matthew Garvey, Sqd.1 Bruce Gary, Eng.40 Gary Geidel, Res.1 B.C. Edward Geraghty, Bat.9 Dennis Germain, Lad.2 Lt. Vincent Giammona, Lad.5 James Giberson, Lad.35 Ronnie Gies, Sqd.288 Paul Gill, Eng.54 Lt. John Ginley, Eng.40 Jeffrey Giordano, Lad.3 John Giordano, Hmc.1 Keith Glascoe, Lad.21 James Gray, Lad.20 B.C. Joseph Grzelak, Bat.48 Jose Guadalupe, Eng.54 Lt. Geoffrey Guja, Bat.43 Lt. Joseph Gullickson, Lad.101 David Halderman, Sqd.18 Lt. Vincent Halloran, Lad.8 Robert Hamilton, Sqd.41 Sean Hanley, Lad.20 (D) Thomas Hannafin, Lad.5 Dana Hannon, Eng.26 Daniel Harlin, Lad.2 Lt. Harvey Harrell, Res.5 Lt. Stephen Harrell, Bat.7 Cpt. Thomas Haskell, Jr., Div.15 Timothy Haskell, Sqd.18 (D) Cpt. Terence Hatton, Res.1 Michael Haub, Lad.4 Lt. Michael Healey, Sqd.41 John Hefferman, Lad.11 Ronnie Henderson, Eng.279 Joseph Henry, Lad.21 William Henry, Res.1 (D) Thomas Hetzel, Lad.13 Cpt. Brian Hickey, Res.4 Lt. Timothy Higgins, S.O.C. Jonathan Hohmann, Hmc.1 Thomas Holohan, Eng.6 Joseph Hunter, Sqd.288 Cpt. Walter Hynes, Lad.13 (D)Jonathan Ielpi, Sqd.288 Cpt. Frederick Ill Jr., Lad.2 William Johnston, Eng.6 Andrew Jordan, Lad.132 Karl Joseph, Eng.207 Lt. Anthony Jovic, Bat.47 Angel Juarbe Jr., Lad.12 Mychal Judge, Chaplain (D) Vincent Kane, Eng.22 B.C. Charles Kasper, S.O.C. Paul Keating, Lad.5 Richard Kelly Jr., Lad.11 Thomas R. Kelly, Lad.15 Thomas W. Kelly, Lad.105 Thomas Kennedy, Lad.101 Lt. Ronald Kerwin, Sqd.288 Michael Kiefer, Lad.132 Robert King Jr., Eng.33 Scott Kopytko, Lad.15 William Krukowski, Lad.21 Kenneth Kumpel, Lad.25 Thomas Kuveikis, Sqd.252 David LaForge, Lad.20 William Lake, Res.2 Robert Lane, Eng.55 Peter Langone, Sqd.252 Scott Larsen, Lad.15 Lt. Joseph Leavey, Lad.15 Neil Leavy, Eng.217 Daniel Libretti, Res.2 Carlos Lillo, Paramedic Robert Linnane, Lad.20 Michael Lynch, Eng.40 Michael Lynch, Lad.4 Michael Lyons, Sqd.41 Patrick Lyons, Sqd.252 Joseph Maffeo, Lad.101 William Mahoney, Res 4 Joseph Maloney, Lad.3 (D) B.C. Joseph Marchbanks Jr, Bat.12 Lt. Charles Margiotta, Bat.22 Kenneth Marino, Res.1 John Marshall, Eng.23 Lt. Peter Martin, Res.2 Lt. Paul Martini, Eng.23 Joseph Mascali, T.S.U. 2 Keithroy Maynard, Eng.33 Brian McAleese, Eng.226 John McAvoy, Lad.3 Thomas McCann, Bat.8 Lt. William McGinn, Sqd.18 B.C. William McGovern, Bat.2 (D) Dennis McHugh, Lad.13 Robert McMahon, Lad.20 Robert McPadden, Eng.23 Terence McShane, Lad.101 Timothy McSweeney, Lad.3 Martin McWilliams, Eng.22 (D) Raymond Meisenheimer, Res.3 Charles Mendez, Lad.7 Steve Mercado, Eng.40 Douglas Miller, Res.5 Henry Miller Jr, Lad.105 Robert Minara, Lad.25 Thomas Mingione, Lad.132 Lt. Paul Mitchell, Bat.1 Capt. Louis Modafferi, Res.5 Lt. Dennis Mojica, Res.1 (D) Manuel Mojica, Sqd.18 (D) Carl Molinaro, Lad.2 Michael Montesi, Res.1 Capt. Thomas Moody, Div.1 B.C. John Moran, Bat.49 Vincent Morello, Lad.35 Christopher Mozzillo, Eng.55 Richard Muldowney Jr, Lad.07 Michael Mullan, Lad.12 Dennis Mulligan, Lad.2 Lt. Raymond Murphy, Lad.16 Lt. Robert Nagel, Eng.58 John Napolitano, Res.2 Peter Nelson, Res.4 Gerard Nevins, Res.1 Dennis O’Berg, Lad.105 Lt. Daniel O’Callaghan, Lad.4 Douglas Oelschlager, Lad.15 Joseph Ogren, Lad.3 Lt. Thomas O’Hagan, Bat.4 Samuel Oitice, Lad.4 Patrick O’Keefe, Res.1 Capt. William O’Keefe, Div.15 (D) Eric Olsen, Lad.15 Jeffery Olsen, Eng.10 Steven Olson, Lad.3 Kevin O’Rourke, Res.2 Michael Otten, Lad.35 Jeffery Palazzo, Res.5 B.C. Orio Palmer, Bat.7 Frank Palombo, Lad.105 Paul Pansini, Eng.10 B.C. John Paolillo, Bat.11 James Pappageorge, Eng.23 Robert Parro, Eng.8 Durrell Pearsall, Res.4 Lt. Glenn Perry, Bat.12 Lt. Philip Petti, Bat.7 Lt. Kevin Pfeifer, Eng. 33 Lt. Kenneth Phelan, Bat.32 Christopher Pickford, Eng.201 Shawn Powell, Eng.207 Vincent Princiotta, Lad.7 Kevin Prior, Sqd.252 B.C. Richard Prunty, Bat.2 (D) Lincoln Quappe, Res.2 Lt. Michael Quilty, Lad.11 Ricardo Quinn, Paramedic Leonard Ragaglia, Eng.54 Michael Ragusa, Eng.279 Edward Rall, Res.2 Adam Rand, Sqd.288 Donald Regan, Res.3 Lt. Robert Regan, Lad.118 Christian Regenhard, Lad.131 Kevin Reilly, Eng.207 Lt. Vernon Richard, Lad.7 James Riches, Eng.4 Joseph Rivelli, Lad.25 Michael Roberts, Eng.214 Michael E. Roberts, Lad.35 Anthony Rodriguez, Eng.279 Matthew Rogan, Lad.11 Nicholas Rossomando, Res.5 Paul Ruback, Lad.25 Stephen Russell, Eng.55 Lt. Michael Russo, S.O.C. B.C. Matthew Ryan, Bat.1 Thomas Sabella, Lad.13 Christopher Santora, Eng.54 John Santore, Lad.5 (D) Gregory Saucedo, Lad.5 Dennis Scauso, H.M. 1 John Schardt, Eng.201 B.C. Fred Scheffold, Bat.12 Thomas Schoales, Eng.4 Gerard Schrang, Res.3 (D) Gregory Sikorsky, Sqd.41 Stephen Siller, Sqd.1 Stanley Smagala Jr, Eng.226 Kevin Smith, H.M. 1 Leon Smith Jr, Lad 118 Robert Spear Jr, Eng.26 Joseph Spor, Res.3 B.C. Lawrence Stack, Bat.50 Cpt. Timothy Stackpole, Div.11 (D) Gregory Stajk, Lad.13 Jeffery Stark, Eng.230 Benjamin Suarez, Lad.21 Daniel Suhr, Eng.216 (D) Lt. Christopher Sullivan, Lad.111 Brian Sweeney, Res.1 Sean Tallon, Lad.10 Allan Tarasiewicz, Res.5 Paul Tegtmeier, Eng.4 John Tierney, Lad.9 John Tipping II, Lad.4 Hector Tirado Jr, Eng.23 Richard Vanhine, Sqd.41 Peter Vega, Lad.118 Lawrence Veling, Eng.235 John Vigiano II, Lad.132 Sergio Villanueva, Lad.132 Lawrence Virgilio, Sqd.18 (D) Lt. Robert Wallace, Eng.205 Jeffery Walz, Lad. 9 Lt. Michael Warchola, Lad.5 (D) Capt. Patrick Waters, S.O.C. Kenneth Watson, Eng.214 Michael Weinberg, Eng.1 (D) David Weiss, Res.1 Timothy Welty, Sqd.288 Eugene Whelan, Eng.230 Edward White, Eng.230 Mark Whitford, Eng.23 Lt. Glenn Wilkinson, Eng.238 (D) B.C. John Williamson, Bat.6 (D) Capt. David Wooley, Lad.4 Raymond York, Eng.285 (D)
Elia’s Growth: Statistically Speaking – Ten Months
August 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Weight
- Birth: 7 lbs 1 oz
- Three Days: 6 lbs 11 oz – 50%
- Two Weeks: 7 lbs 5 oz – 50%
- One Month: 8 lbs 6.5 oz – 50%
- Eight Weeks: 10 lbs 10.5 oz – 50%
- Four Months: 14 lbs 10 oz – 50%
- Six Months: 16 lbs 2 oz – 40%
- Ten Months: 18 lbs 4 oz – 40%
Length
- Birth: 20″ (we think this was .5 off)
- Three Days: 19.5″ – 50%
- Two Weeks: 20.5″ – 75%
- One Month: 21.75″ – 75%
- Eight Weeks: 22.60″ – 75%
- Four Months: 24.50″ – 75%
- Six Months: 26.5″ – 60%
- Ten Months: 28.5″ – 60%
Head
- Birth: Unknown
- Three Days: 13 7/8″ – 75%
- Two Weeks: 14″ – 75%
- One Month: 14.5″ – 75%
- Eight Weeks: 15 3/8″ – 75%
- Four Months: 16.25″ – 75%
- Six Months: 17″ – 60%
- Ten Months: 17.75″ – 60%
We Carry – A Poem
August 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A beautifully written poem by a great friend that has also lost like we have.
We Carry
We carry the grins
The belly laughs
The chubby cheeks
We carry the smiling eyes
The first steps
The shared naps
We carry the “I love you”
The hugs and kisses
The birthdays
We carry the could have been
The should have been
The memories
We carry the tears
The longing
The impossible good-bye
But most of all
We carry the love
The hope
The promise of One Day
We carry You
In our hearts
Always
J.R. Ganzel
Rewind: Food For The First Time
August 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Elia’s Age: 6 months
Ahem…by food, I mean solids (not that nursing isn’t food). I’m tell you, giving kids food for the first time creates some of the best faces, reactions, and sounds (and thankfully those experiences don’t stop with the very first food, but the first time that they eat many different things over the first few years).
It really is amazing how much things have changed in the four years between Ezra and Elia (of course we didn’t get to experience this with Liam)…for example, they are now suggesting that we no longer hold back on introducing food types or groups to kids – feed them anything, and do it early, as this is proving to help decrease food allergies. Ok, I can support it, but in moving from the theoretical to the logistical, we are finding some decent difficulty just trying new things before she gets ‘too old.’ Following the simple advise of introducing new things one at a time, and focusing on those things for a few days to determine how her body will react to the new food, it becomes quite the chore to introduce new food groups long before we would have done it previously. You almost need a organizational/planning chart if you want to aggressively introduce. Anyhow, as you can see below, her first reaction to rice cereal was about par for the course.
Rewind: Florida Spring Break
August 22, 2013 by 1 Comment
Elia Age: 6 months
Observations from Florida: March is a pretty decent time to hit northern Florida. My Grandparents are amazing. A last minute decision to drive 3 hours each way to surprise Ezra with a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom was awesome, tiring, expensive, and completely worth it (and Elia was a serious trooper). I’m amazed at what my Grandparents are still able to do with their Great-Grandchildren – build, play, swing, color, and read. I love that Ezra and Elia have a great relationship with their Great-Grandparents. If given a choice, there is no choice: non-stop flights are the only way to go with kids. Memories are worth the wallet hit and the headaches.
Rewind: Elia Hits The Pool
August 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Age: 6 months (as these rewind posts are created, age seems like an important thing to include in Elia’s case)
Given how much we like swimming, it’s somewhat surprising that it took us an entire six months before we found our way to the pool with Elia. But, it seemed to work out alright since after the initial environmental shock, she settled right in and enjoyed the experience. Ezra showed her the surroundings of the kid’s pool, and I took her to the deeper end for some underwater time. I’m always amazed at how instinctual it is for kids to hold their breath when underwater…I guess that I just presumed that it was a taught skill prior to having children. Going to the pool with Ezra and Elia is a different experience than with just one of them, but Ezra has come a long way in swim lessons, and he has afforded us the ability to just let him play on his own without constant supervision..which is both freeing and troubling at the same time.
Rewind: A Lack Of Posts
August 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I continue to completely underestimate the power that two kids have over time. It seems that they have the ability to manipulate time, space, and energy in ways that I never thought possible…with this blog being a primary target of theirs. Apparently, they are not big fans of being published, or they would allow for more time for me to write. Well, as promised several times prior, I am going to give it another attempt to start back to writing; and because there is so much to share, there will be a series of posts titled ‘Rewind,’ where we will journey back in time a few months and explore happenings that took place (what seems like) eons ago. Let’s begin…
The Life of a Little Hippie 