I'm Flying

Not quite Cathy Rigby style but soaring and weaving all the same. Where am I off to? Florida to see Nana Joan! Because that's where she lives. And it's going to be warm there, and I'll get to wear shorts and I don't have to bring a jacket and I'm going to go to Sea World! I'm so excited. I've been so excited for a couple days now and I'm so excited that I can't really stand still because I just keep walking around and talking about getting on the plane and checking the clock because daddy told me that when the first number turns into a 6 that it will be time to go to the airport so when it turned into a 6 I was all ready but really I was ready when it was still a 3 but daddy told me it wasn't time yet and that I had to find a quiet activity to keep myself busy while I waited so I kept watching the clock until it turned into a 6 and then it did and I went to the airport! AHHHHHH!

Been Around the World And I, I, I

Okay so I didn't exactly go around the world but I certainly did go places. Oh the places I went. We went down to Nana Mary's a little while ago and had a great time doing all our favorite eastern shore activities.


We even had a chance to start up what I hope (I REALLY REALLY HOPE) is a new eastern shore tradition even though it's not really on the eastern shore but it would be an activity that we'd do anytime we visit the eastern shore because it's only a short drive away and Uncle Thomas and Aunt Becky live just five minutes away from this place so it would only make sense that we visit them and then visit this place. BUSCH GARDENS! Sure there were rides and cotton candy and games and prizes but what I really enjoyed was a chance to learn another way that I'm very much like my mom and dad. Towards the very end of the night when it was dark, we were on our way to the park exit and mom and dad saw a ride that they both loved as kids and probably still do. Then, right next to it was a junior version of the ride. I think I discovered exactly why they liked this ride so much. Could be my new favorite too!


From the eastern shore we went back home to Brooklyn and my cousin Ava from California came to visit. It's seems like recently all these new playgrounds are opening up around New York. One day we all decided we'd check out one of the newest ones called Pier 6. Whoa! We could have spent the entire day there.


I wasn't about ready to say goodbye to Ava so I jumped on a plane and went with her back to California. See now the whole 'been around the world' theme is starting to make sense, isn't it? Highlight of the trip? Sure I got to hang with my cousins and sure I got to chill in the pretty palisades but c'mon. What I really remember and still talk about? Bowling!


But now I'm back, back in the New York . . . oh you know the rest. Can't get that song out of my head. Got a haircut yesterday! I see you but do you see me in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Nana Mary Was There!

We went on another road trip, this time down to Cape Charles. Yes I knew we were in Cape Charles just as I know I live in Brooklyn. So we went down to Cape Charles and Nana Mary was there! Okay, okay, of course she's gonna be there because she lives there but can a boy have a little excitement? I've been liking all this Nana Mary time.


This trip was by far the best trip of them all, and it wasn't even Christmas! Where do I start? Well one of the huge highlights of the trip was this treasure hunt I went on with Dylan and Andrew. There was this pirate ship that Uncle Terrell saw in the water and one of the pirates came onto the sand and buried his treasure and we had to find these clues and the X marked the spot and we dug up the treasure and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! Since the three of us were part of a team, we divided up the loot evenly and there was just so much stuff. I really hope the pirates come back next time. Do pirates know where Brooklyn is?


We also spent some time at the pool and you're never gonna guess who can swim. Go ahead, guess. Yup, that's right. I can swim! Mommy put these things are my arms and whadya know, I was floating. We had the best time together playing in the water and swimming around. I know my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather loves the water because he lives on an island. And my grandfather, well daddy tells me he was a swimmer back in high school. And my Uncle David, he was also a swimmer in high school. And daddy, well daddy wasn't exactly a swimmer but he was on the diving team in high school. Pretty sure you gotta swim to do that. So it's in my blood.


Another great trip down along the eastern shore. I can't wait to go back. Looking around for more of Crabby Joe's treasure in LANDEN'S WORLD!

I Choo Choo Choose You

I did Valentine's cards for the first time this year with my cousins. It was so much fun to be with Ava, Catherine, and Alexander as we cut out the cards and drew all over them. And not only was it fun times with my cousins, my Nana Joan was there to play along with us. On one of the first few nights there, we all took a little breather and chowed down on my mama's favorite - Subway.


One day while we were out there we took a trip to Adventure Plex. OH, MY, GOODNESS! Can we please put one of these in my room? I promise I will never complain again. There were slides, and balls, and ropes, and ladders, and kids, and fun, and FUN! I definitely wish we could have stayed longer.


After our trip to Adventure Plex, we walked down to the boardwalk of Manhattan Beach. Hey we have a Manhattan too! I like your beach better. Ava and I played all along the boardwalk and looked out across the ocean. I think I saw Tutu's house!


Our last day visiting we went to something called Skirball. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with a funny sounding name like that but mama sure was excited. I think Skirball is her new favorite word. Well once we arrived, the only thing I wasn't quite sure about was if I'd let us leave at the end of the day. We had the best time! It was kind of like that museum back home that lets you touch and play with all sorts of different things. Remember? I went there when I turned two. Ava and I really had a great time.


As always, we had a great time visiting our family aaaaaaaaaaaaall the way over there. Isn't it their turn to visit us? Tune in to the same bat URL at the same bat time to learn more about LANDEN'S WORLD!

Off to See My Cousins, My Most Wonderful Cousins Of All

I'm back up in the skies tonight, making my way over to see Ava, Catherine, and Alexander. I was lucky enough to get a seat for free so I guess that means no miles for me. Well, it's better than sitting on dada's lap the whole flight. See you all on the west side. Kicking back with the DVD player in LANDEN'S WORLD!

I'm Going Back to Cali

On my way back to see my cousins in LA. You'd think with all this flying around I'd get something for it. Dada, you better have enrolled me in some of those frequent flyer programs!!! Racking up the miles in LANDEN'S WORLD!

My Kind of Town

I was on a plane this past weekend. Up, up, up, up up! We went to see Uncle David and Nana Mary in Chicago. Uncle David had, a, triangle? Tricycle? I know I've heard the word before. Triathlon? Triforce? Well whatever it was, he did it. Good job!


It was a really busy trip for us. We stayed with some of mama's friends and they have a new daughter - Aubrey - who is less than a year old. I felt like such a big boy. I sure can learn a lot from her though because when we're at restaurants she's such a good baby. Aubrey, you're doing it all wrong. This is the time to fuss and go crazy because people expect it! As soon as we arrived, dadda said we had to go somewhere for lunch. He was a little silly about it but I'm glad we listened to him because they certainly don't have pizza like this back home in Brooklyn.


Then on Saturday we left the house pretty early and went to visit some of dadda's friends. I met Gary and Jill O'Reilly and Gary let me play with all his cool things. I have a feeling some of that stuff probably wasn't meant to be played with by little kids but has that ever stopped me in the past? After we left their home, we drove some more and stopped in at Dan and Penny Kurszewski's. Wow, do they have a fun home or what! All those toys, and the basketball hoop, and Noah's go-kart. I really liked meeting Noah and his little sister Ava. Penny said Ava was a little sick so we didn't play together as much as I wanted but we did all go to the park.


This was a really cool park.


Back in the car. Seriously though, how many stops were we going to make? At that point I just threw in the towel and fell asleep. Looking back I wish I hadn't because I missed out on Marquette!


Well I woke up just in time because one of our last stops was for ice cream. Oh wait, it wasn't ice cream. That's right because dadda kept saying it was something else very similar to ice cream. Oh whatever it was, it was good and I know why dadda went here many, many times while he lived in Milwaukee. Custard! That's it!


I had a really fun time on this trip. Chicago certainly is a fun place to visit. I'm hoping to go back again. Mama's friend, Sara, said something about coming back next year so my dadda could take me to my first game at Wrigley Field. Until then, dreaming of playing third for the Cubs in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Bicoastal Boy

I went back to visit my cousins in LA. Dada had to work so he didn't come but I got to talk to him a couple times in the computer. How did he fit in there? We always have so much fun in LA because they have certain things at their home that I don't have at mine. Let's see, there's the dog Coco, their backyard, and stairs. You know, those really cool things that I don't get to see every day. One of my cousins, Alexander, wasn't around much. His dada took him to New York. But Catherine and Ava were around and boy oh boy did we play a lot! Ava is shorter than Catherine so I think that makes her closer to my age. She's probably my favorite but I like them all so much.


OH! They also have this really fun house in their backyard. It's just my size. You know I really like how there are smaller versions of things that are just right for me - my chair, pools, cakes, and tractors. Okay so maybe not everything has a smaller version just for me but that doesn't mean I can't get my hands on it!


Oh and there were some surprise visitors too, just to see me! Grandpa Ryan came to town and Nana Joan did too. Nana Joan and I had fun blowing bubbles in the backyard. I tell ya, that whole backyard setup is definitely the way to go. Dada said something about bye-bye to Brooklyn if I really want a backyard. Maybe I don't want one that bad.


Ava has a bike that I really liked. I see them a lot when I'm at the parks at home but dada keeps telling me they're big-boy bikes and maybe when I'm a little older I can have one. Dada, if you read this, I didn't ride on it. This was just for the picture.


Like I said, it was a really fun trip. I'm always happy to come home, especially this time since dada didn't come with, but I sure do miss my cousins. Maybe they'll be in the computer one of these days and I can sit on mamas lap again and talk to them. Oh, I almost forgot. The swimming show is on - you know the television program where all they talk about and show is this guy who swims really fast? I sure wish they showed some other sports. Anyway, he's really strong and one day I want to be like him. Think I'm close? Flexing some muscle here in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Eastern Shore Style

I took a trip to see Nana Mary and she certainly knows how to do things right in Cape Charles. There were toys, a table that was my size for eating and drawing at, PLAYDOUGH!, and a little couch just for me with Elmo on it. I could not have asked for more. Oh and we went to the pool too! Such a good time. Getting there can sometimes be a bit boring but mama does a pretty good job of entertaining me from the front seat, as long as she's not busy telling dada to slow down.


Now wait, the trip gets even better. My aunt and uncles were there! Let's see - there was Aunt Becky and Uncle Thomas and Uncle David. I always have such a good time with them. And we're always so busy - playing in the backyard, reading books, wrestling, having screaming contests. This is when I was enjoying some quality bonding time with Uncle Thomas.


And it gets even better yet. I went swimming in the bay! Oh my gosh the waves were so much fun. Each time a wave would come, dada and I would scream as the water would splash our faces. We really had fun out there and out there really means OUT THERE! I looked out and all I saw was water, water, and more water.


Better yet. I really had fun with the Abby. I see dogs all over the place back home but I'm usually in my stroller and don't have a chance to play with them. Abby was right there for me to play with and that meant a lot. So much that I gave her a kiss to say thank you.


I know I'm only, what, not even two? But I do know how to appreciate some of the finer things in life. I mean I have a pretty nice ride in my Bugaboo, I am quite the little traveler (Hawaii, Florida three times, Chicago twice, South Carolina twice, Virginia three times, LA three times and hey I'm there right now), and my parents really are all about me because when I look around all I see are pictures of, yep, me! So yes, it's good to be me but I try not to let it get to my head because at the end of the day, nope, wait, I'm still me! Hey this is a pretty good deal. Sitting back, relaxing, and taking it all in, in LANDEN'S WORLD.

In My Mind I'm Going To Carolina

In my mind I'm still in South Carolina. I had the best time with my aunts and uncles and Nana Joan. Oh and Skip, the dog, wow we had a good time together. Skip would follow me around everywhere! But let me just tell you this, dogs don't like it when you pull their tails. I certainly learned my lesson.



There was this tractor in the garage and every morning they'd pull it out and I'd get to play on it. I'd stand on the side, stand in front, stand in back. Anything I could do to be near the tractor was fine by me. Of course sitting on it was the best.


Boy oh boy do I love soccer. And Aunt Christine has a huge backyard so there was plenty of room for me to run around, Skip too, and kick the soccer ball. Everyone was commenting on how good I was at kicking the ball. I don't see what all the fuss was about. I mean you see the ball and you kick the ball. Right?


As I look around my home I see tons and tons of pictures of, well who else, me! Okay well they're not all of just me. Some include mama and some dada and some even have all three of us. But the one thing I notice about all of them, I can make some pretty silly faces. Speaking of silly faces, check this one out!



I told you I was having fun on the tractor. VROOM! VROOM! VROOM! here in LANDEN'S WORLD!


Landen on the Lawn Mower from Brian Giambalvo on Vimeo.

Four Generations of Giambalvos

Has it been that long? I don't know my months yet but I think a couple have past since my last post and for that, I apologize. But hey, if I can't remember to put on pants every day, you can't really expect me to post just as often. Well we just had another great trip to Cape Cod to visit my my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather and guess who else was there? My Uncle David and Nana Tutu Kathleen - she came all the way from Hawaii. I went to Hawaii once. Anyway, the trip to see my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather included a parade! The parade was on July 4 but I'm not quite sure what everyone was celebrating. I saw lots of colors (mainly red, white, and blue), kids on bikes, dogs, big fire trucks, and lots of silly hats. Okay, I'll wear red too!








Now you know I like showers. And you know I like being outside. But I bet you can't guess what I like more than those two things. Can you? I'll give you a hint - it has to do with taking a shower outside. Give up? It's an outdoor shower! I KNOW! I was just as shocked when I saw it. I mean, this whole concept of combining two things you love is slowly starting to catch on for some but I've been talking about it for a while now. It was great. I'd walk outside, play around, then go straight into the shower and not even have to take my clothes off. One time, daddy joined me!

I did get to spend some quality time with my great-great-great-great-great-great-wonderful-super-smart-funny-loving-amazing-grandfather.

One of my other favorites is the hose. First, you only find them outside so already that's a plus in my book. Second, they squirt out water. Too cool! And third, it's not just for play because you can drink from it! How can so many good things come from something so simple? And as you can see, daddy agreed with me. Having fun outside AND being healthy here in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Am I a Maui Boy?

Everyone kept saying I was such a Maui boy. What does that mean? Well let me just tell you about my average day while we were "on island" (I learned that from the locals) and you be the judge. I really didn't like to waste much time because there's only a limited number of hours that can be spent in the sun; after all it too goes night-night just like me. So by around 9am I was out the door and down at the kiddie pool by one of the hotels.

That would last until about noon and then it was nap time for me. After my nap the fun started all over again. There are so many things on Maui that I can't find back home in Brooklyn. I mean just look at some of these flowers!


Then came dinner (should be dessert but the rest of the world hasn't caught onto my suggestion). We had ribs one night and I tell you, I fit right in with the rest of the crowd.

And when the big sun would start falling towards the ocean, I was cliff diving off Black Rock.


Landen Cliff Diving from Brian Giambalvo on Vimeo.

I mean c'mon people, doesn't that sound like the typical day for everyone on Maui? Well if it's not then a tourist I am not. So then what am I? To quote one of my favorite songs,

Oh beep, beep, honk, honk
Can you spare a dime
Grab a bagel and a schmear
And we'll see the Guggenheim
From the Bronx to the Battery
It's all mine
I'm a city kid!

Singing loud and proud in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Something Fishy Going On Here

Still on Maui. I could get used to it here. After all, there are water slides! Someone definitely knew two of my favorite things - slides and water. What a pair! Why don't they have swings in the water? Or what about grocery carts? I love riding around on both of those. Anyway, the kiddie pool has this water slide and daddy and I went for a ride.


Landen and Brian - Water Slide at Hyatt Maui from Brian Giambalvo on Vimeo.


Remember how I said the water shoots up out of the ground? I figured out if you put your foot on top of the shooting water, it sprays everywhere!


We also went to the Maui Ocean Center. We saw long fish, short fish, flat fish, round fish, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Oh no wait, that's one of my books. And there were sharks, turtles, lobsters, eels, and stingrays. If it lives in the water, they had it! Plus, the center had some parts where I could put my hands in the water and touch the animals. Getting a hands-on education here in LANDEN'S WORLD!

Leave the Trowel. Take the Rake

Why I love Maui, reason #329: we play in the pool every day! Today we didn't play in our pool, instead we decided to visit one of the hotels because they have this cool kids pool. And since I'm a kid, why not! This one had dancing fountains and water shooting up from the ground. It's so much fun because it's like playing at the beach without those waves. I don't think I like the waves because they're so big and I'm so small. But there is this beach just for babies because there aren't any waves. It's called Baby Beach. And since I'm a baby, why not! Maybe we'll go there tomorrow.


Then we went to lunch. I don't remember what the restaurant was called. I don't remember where it was. I don't remember what mommy, daddy, or tutu ate. But what I do remember is the dessert I ate. Okay let me just say this was the most amazing thing ever. Sure hummus and pretzels and hot dogs and clementines are great, but, why bother? Why can't we just go straight to the dessert? And another question - I'll share my shovels and pails at the beach, I'll share my blocks and cars at home, and I'll even share my hot dog with daddy, but, share my dessert? Who do these people think they are?


So they told me it was Hula Pie. Sounds good to me. It's Hula Pie for everyone in LANDEN'S WORLD!