Shout out to Papi!

 Since we have been back in DC I have been spending a lot of time going through my computer and old hard drives looking for pictures of my Dad.  I have found so many great pictures, way too many to post on here.  I'm going to put together books Ava, Jake and Lilly centered around pictures of them with him, so I'll share a few of my favorites.

Up until about 20 months old Ava was never too sure of Papi.  I don't know if it's cause he was so tall, but she used to give him stink eye from afar.  The Christmas that she was 1 and my family came out to Hawaii she spotted him in the baggage claim from about 2 carousels over, they made eye contact, and she freaked.  She didn't even know that he was her Papi, he could have just been some stranger.  They always warmed up to each other after a couple days though.  The summer that Rob lived in Virginia Beach and I lived at home, they made their peace and they were buddies ever since.

Ava and I flew to Naples from Hawaii for a 5 day trip when she was 10 months old, sometimes you just need to visit YiaYia and Papi even if it means flying 6,000 miles each way.  We got to spend his birthday and St.Patrick's Day with him.

 Lilly and Papi checking each other out the day she was born.

Christmas in Hawaii, we walked down to the beach on Christmas Eve just because we could!

Santa's Village in NH

Papi giving Jake his first football.  He was so excited to have a grandson!

As much as I complain about living in DC, I'm so grateful we have spent the last few years on the East coast and got to see so much of him between NH trips, Florida trips and him coming to our house.

One of my all time favorites of Papi with the girls

Swimming at Kimmie's pool

 Smile on his face and beer in hand at a cookout with his family, doesn't get much better than that!

 Playing in the pool in Naples.  He was so excited for all of us to spend time down there and to have a place that kids of all ages would love.

I love this picture, it looks so good on my huge monitor blown up.  In February Lilly stayed with us for a couple weeks and I flew her back to NH with Ava and Jake.  When we got to the airport the 3 kids ran out of terminal screaming for YiaYia and Papi.  The 3 of them ran into their arms yelling and we created an entertaining scene.  Jake wouldn't let Papi put him down, and then while we waited for luggage Papi played tag with them in the airport.  During that trip it snowed and Ava was so excited to have real snow, she wasn't impressed with DC snow after seeing NH snow at Christmas.  I promised her if it snowed that I would make a snowman with her, but it was so cold I didn't want to go outside  So Papi happily volunteered and the two of them went out at night after Jake went to bed and made a snowman and played.  I'm so happy for her that she has the memory of that night with him.

 Papi was always good for a good push down the hill!

Ava and Jake with YiaYia and Papi on race day!

There are so many pictures from Disney, Christmas and other trips and holidays.  I am so thankful we have so many amazing memories.  Talking about him and sharing memories with the kids will hopefully help the kids keep Papi in their hearts forever.  They are so lucky to have a Papi like him even if it was for too short a time.

I found this picture of my Dad from the Christmas he was 2, the back of the picture says "Scotty, 2 years 9 months"  The picture below of Jake is at the same age.  Jake is so big for his age, it was kind of cool seeing my Dad at the same exact age, both boys really big for their age and rocking some very nice buzz cuts.  :)  There is hope for Jake in having some height and size to him!!