Brien's St. Patrick's Parade watch party returns!

After a three-year gap caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Brien once again hosted a party at his apartment along the route of the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 18.

The parade was back to full strength, lasting a good two hours and drawing big crowds. And the family gathering filled Brien's apartment for the whole afternoon.

Genevieve joined the festivities along with the newest family member, Liam, and his big sister, Bea. Owen and Ellen were down from Cape Cod, and Mary came from her home in New York's North Country. Kathy and Robert were there, and Dan and Julie crossed the river from New Jersey, So did Shanna, Rick and Lucy. Kevin came up from Manhattan to join his parents, Kevin and Kathy, in the walk over from their Yonkers house.

As in its pre-pandemic heyday, the parade included units from Yonkers, the big city just to its south, around the metro area - and from Ireland. Many of them likely had marched in the New York City parade the day before. 

The natural and unnatural progress of Spring

Dan writes: As May passes into June, the azaleas and cherry blossoms have faded and the first roses are blooming here at Birch Street Web HQ. Julie and I are lucky to live in a neighborhood that's very pleasant for taking walks and watching the progress of everyone else's flowering plants and trees. The early magnolias were followed by the dogwoods, and now rhododenrons are in full bloom. For "sheltering in place," this isn't a bad place.

Some of our family members have decamped to their Noyac houses -- Kathy to hers, Genevieve, John, Bea and Jack to theirs -- where they can continue to work remotely and in somewhat more pleasant isolation.

Shanna, Rick and Lucy are safe at their New Jersey home, where this lovely family portrait was taken.

Likewise, Vivien, CJ and Charlie at their home in the Garden State. And yes, there was Easter this year, if not traditional Easter gatherings.

Dan and Julie have been having weekly get-togethers on Zoom with Julie's parents and a cast of family members that varies from week to week. Christine and Jamie, Andy and Shannon, Cathy, Christopher, Stephanie, Lisa, Elizabeth and Rebecca have all participated from time to time. This shot is from late April.

We hope it won't be too long before we can see each other in person again. But in the meantime, let's all stay safe and well, and keep in touch as best we can.

Lucy celebrates 1st birthday

Lucy turned one year old on March 26 and enjoyed digging into her cake on the back porch of her home with Mom and Dad.

Shanna and Rick had planned a family celebration the following weekend - but unfortunately, that was one of the gatherings that had to be canceled due to social-distancing restrictions.

Earlier in March, Lucy celebrated St. Patrick's Day in proper style, even as the traditional parades (and Uncle Brien's annual parade-watch party in Yonkers) were canceled.

2019 Christmas family snapshots

We hope everyone in our extended family had a wonderful Christmas season. Here are just a handful of photos from the holidays. We'd love to post more if you send them our way (birchstreetweb@gmail.com). Happy New Year to all!

Lucy's first Christmas, with mom Shanna and dad Rick

Charlie with cousins Bea and Jack

Christmas on the Cape with Nolan (aka Capt. America) and Josie

Josie's first Christmas

Bea and Jack with grandma Kathy

Andy and Shannon with Julie and Dan on Christmas Day

Christine and Jamie playing with a Christmas gift from Julie and Dan

Holiday season family gatherings begin

At least two big family gatherings took place on the Saturday before Christmas. Kevin and Kathy hosted the annual Yonkers Christmas party, which featured the first appearances by the family's newest members: babies Lucy and Jack, and Owen's bride, Ellen.

(Click images for larger view)

Meanwhile, Bonnie and Jay hosted their annual Cape Cod gathering of their extended family.

Christine and Jamie joined Jamie's mom and stepdad, sisters and cousins and other relatives in the festivities.

Lucy receives sacrament of Baptism

Lucy Jean, the daughter of Shanna and Rick, was baptised on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge, N.J.

Rick's sister, Steph, is Lucy's godmother and Shanna's brother, Kevin, is her godfather.

Lucy with her parents and godparents after the ceremony

Cousins and second cousins

Following the ceremony, family and friends enjoyed fine food, drink and each other's company at a reception at Aldo & Gianni Restorante in Montvale. Among the guests were Lucy's second cousins: Bea, 4; her 3-week old brother Jack; and Charlie, whose first birthday is coming up Sept. 9.

Lucy celebrates her First Fourth

Above, Lucy greeted her first Independence Day in style, wearing this red-white-and-blue ensemble.

Below, the now 3-month-old Lucy with her parents, Shanna and Rick.

At 2 days old, Lucy heads home

Shanna and Rick took their baby daughter home on Thursday, two days after she joined the family.

New grandpa Kevin writes: "Lucy Jean surprised us all when she decided March 26th was the day to arrive into the world, a little more than two weeks before her expected day -- but we couldn't have been more thrilled to welcome her."

"Named after Rick's Grandma Lucille and Shanna's Grandma Jean, she is doing well," Kevin wrote shortly before Lucy headed home with her Mom and Dad. "We are all so thrilled that she is now part of our family."

Shanna and Rick have a baby daughter!

Rick and Shanna welcomed their daughter into the world on Tuesday morning, March 26.

Lucy Jean arrived at 7:22 a.m. at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, weighing 6 pounds 1 ounce. "Everyone is doing well," reports grandfather Kevin.

More details as they become available!