First Halloween

Dad's little "Tiger" was a Tigger for his first Halloween.
He bounced over to the neighbors, but declined candy this year. He doesn't have any teeth to damage yet.
Note: Tigger's claws left marks on his cheeks. :( We need to get him a scratching post...


You may not have known, but there are four "cats" in the family. (not pictured: Patches)

Trick or Treat!

Vegas Wrap Up - Pheasants Win! Pheasants Win!

Yes, the 60+ team from South Dakota won the tourney in a decisive 11 - 8 championship game Saturday.
Zach didn't win his college fund...in fact he was nicely asked to leave the floor of the Bellagio. Apparently, perched in his Bjorn, he looked like he might take the slot machines for all they had...
The little pumpkin assumed a "napping" position on the ride home. It's a lot of work to watch every single light in a casino. Just try it.

The littlest fan was a good traveler, and upon his return home, Dad thought he had surely gained a pound over the week. (He did put away quite a lot of sweet potatoes and squash.)

The weather in Vegas was beautiful. It's just too bad we weren't able to swim. Next time.

Next time is also when we'll win Zach's college fund, I guess.

Colorado's Vail valley reminded us we live in a different region, as we drove by snow-covered roof-tops and spruce trees. Winter is near, and you know what that means:

New material for the baby (songs)!

Who's Snoring? (hint: not Grandma this time)

Lights, lights, lights

Bellagio light show (again)
Grandpa, "Marvelous" Ayres, and Marv's brother Dennis near the Plaza in Old Vegas, en route to dinner
The gang after dinner - set to watch the laser light show.
The show was great! Zach was hilarious - eyes following the planes, rockets, eagles, etc. from one end to the other.

Go Grandpa Jackalope!

Superfan!
Grandpa's going to third...
Who's that second baseJackalope?
Two ball players

Vegas 10/25 and 10/26

Guest Blogger- Grandma Smith [actually, just Lazy Blogger editing Grandma's email message as a post]:

Dad had a sore shoulder when he tried to catch a double play ball at 2nd base. [We've seen the left-hand batting Smith turn several double plays from second base; these Jackalopes rival the White Sox! Or maybe the runners are a little slower than they used to be, but probably the former.] He fell onto his left shoulder, but otherwise he's happy and chatty (spends a lot of time at the pool with the guys). [Who knew Jackalopes were such hydrophilic creatures? Or maybe beer-philic...]

Vickie and Marv Ayres came to town to visit us! [Ayres are friends from Morton - part of the infamous "Culture Club."] They arrived yesterday with Marv's brother who lives in Illinois. They will take Dennis to the airport tomorrow to go back home, then Ayres will leave for their home on Fri morning. They will meet us at the ballpark this afternoon to see Dad's second game, the Pheasants, who are the 60 and over team. We haven't seen them play, so it will be fun to see the difference between 50+ and 60+. His Jackalopes team is playing even as we speak--8:45 game. [Both Jackalopes and Pheasants won, the 60+ers beat the pants off a Denver team: 20+ to 6 or so. Most of the team members are enjoying the watering hole this afternoon. And the Jackalopes believe they owe their victory to the many beers enjoyed at the Hoffbrau Haus last night. Their coach may not agree, as it took them several innings to realize their game began at 8:15, not 12:15.]

We called Aunt Jessie and Uncle Lee on our way to Denver on Sunday afternoon(they're near Tampa, for those of you who don't know). They had buttoned down the hatches and were prepared to wait out the storm. They wouldn't have left home unless ordered to do so. They are all ok.

No rain in the forecast. My goodness they make a big deal out of it here!!

Vegas, Baby! Vegas!

Well, I've been busy here in Vegas. Today, Monday, we went to Grandpa's baseball game. The famed 2004 National Champ Jackelopes won their first game 6-1!

I cheered and helped mom with her hairdo.

Grandpa had a welcome banquet with the team, so Grandma, Mom and I went to Olives in the Bellagio. I wasn't offended when they stuck us in the corner table. I could climb the railing and people watch - Prada was across from the restuarant...not that I'm interested in Prada...


Before dinner, we saw the light show outside. It reminded Mom of the final scene in the Ocean's 12 movie. I just liked the motion and music.



After dinner we walked through the conservatory. They had HUGE pumpkins. 400+ pounds a piece...that's like 22 of me!

I sure like Vegas. It's great for babies...so many lights and noises!
- Zach

On the Road (to Vegas)

Well, we made it! Zach, Grandpa, Grandma and I set out from Denver at about 9:30am on Saturday, and headed west. We lunched at QDoba in Glenwood Springs, changed a diaper on the most expensive changing table Zach'll ever see (trunk of the Cadi) at a rest stop somewhere in Utah, and settled into a motel in Richfield at about 6:30pm that night. Having all shared one room - not the most peaceful slumber arrangement, is it G & G? - we had the buffet breakfast next to the hotel, and hit the road again at 9:50am. We were about 4 hours driving time from Las Vegas, which doesn't exactly translate to 4 hours on the road, when you have a 7-month old. (And he did turn 7 Months OLD yesterday!) With a few exceptional screams of delight (his voice DOES get loud!), Zach was a great traveler, sleeping and playing and talking. We arrived in Vegas at about 1pm, local time. This is only my second time here, and it's a completely different experience than the first (when I came out with Katie and some of her coworkers for a leave-at-7pm-Friday-night-in-two-suburbans-and-drive-through-the-night-to-arrive-in-Vegas-at-5am-before-we-could-check-in...-sit-by-the-pool-and-drink-until-we-could-check-in-and-then-nap-for-a-few-hours-mabye-then-go-out-until-the-wee-hours-and-then-sleep-for-a-couple-of-hours-and-then-drive-back-to-Denver trip). Last night we ate at the Pink Taco in the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. Zach was impressed with the skimpy pink taco tank tops, and tried some of the meat-on-a-stick, but best he liked the margaritas. Ay carumba! He's enjoying a well-deserved rest now. Grandpa's at the ballpark, watching those over-60's play until his over-50 game begins at 12:15. Grandma's keeping busy. Time for me to shower and get ready for the Boppin's lunch time. More later. And I'll try to get some pics downloaded too. :)

Zach 7 month photos

Ofoto album for Sept 24th - Oct 23rd

Noises

Grandpa and Grandma are here!

Grandpa fed me breakfast - yum, rice cereal!

Jay Engel and Baby-to-Be Visit

Today Jay Engel and Baby-to-Be (via Mom Megan Howson) came to visit me.
We had a great time, sleeping, bouncing, and just generally staring at the mommies in the room.
I like Jay. He's a fun dude. I borrowed his binky holder, but he couldn't do anything about it cuz I'm bigger. Some day we'll wrestle in the mud and eat bugs and stuff.

WARNING - Contents May be Alarming

Think twice before reading below.
But if you do continue, feel free to add comments from your own experience...

Having a baby changes everything. Words have new meanings, you have new appreciation for bodily functions, and that shower-humming habit blossoms into a full-blown song and dance routine (you wonder why Julliard never called)...

Post-Baby Dictionary:
MILK SHAKE - when baby is latched onto boob or bottle, braces his feet against the arm of the chair or couch, and does baby squats to shake up the meal
NAPPING LUNCH - baby latches on and conks out
BABY SPA - during a napping lunch, dad cuts baby's fingernails (a nap, a meal, and pampering - life is good as a baby!)
MULTI-TASKING - having lunch, while acting as if the source of lunch is a banjo, kicking the pump bag/cat/pillow off the couch, and blowing bubbles while also filling your diaper
CAT - 1) target; 2) bait; 3) fluff with a great handle

Oh, the functions...
(Things I probably WON'T say 15 years from now)
"Good burp, little one!"
"Oh, good poop. It's nice and green." - quote from the hospital nurse
"What cute feet; I just want to munch on them!"
"He had 8 nice, wet diapers today."
After Do you want to change his diaper? "Sure."

Don't forget about how you re-write all the songs/rhymes:
- Zachary, Daiquiri, Dock...(pictured above)
- Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry, when I take Cakes out in the surrey, when I take Cakes out in the surrey with the fringe on top. (Alternately can be sung: "Cakes n Cakes n Cakes better scurry...")

Is it cannibalism?

If Zach is Daddy's "Little Potato," is it cannibalism when he eats sweet potatoes for dinner?

Dada? (need to get a longer recording...)

Sweet Potatoes

Zach tried his first sweet potatoes on Saturday, Oct 15th. He wondered what they were all about at first, but then found they cover his face (and fill his tummy) just as well, if not better, than rice cereal. Color is good!Tonight he went after them full throttle - not one, but TWO jars of sweet potatoes.
Of course, after a meal like that, one needs to relax in the tub...no nudity on this post...that will come later, with a warning in the title.
(still figuring out the order I need to select pictures, so sorry about the un-chronologicality of the above)
P.S. the author realizes the "sentence" above is not a sentence and "un-chronologicality" is not a word, Laura and Mom.

This just in...

Keep your eyes on the NYT Best Seller list (or maybe this Blog)...Our sources tell us that, having reached the ripe old age of 1/2, Zach has been asked to compose his memoirs. Apparently, he has spent many of his waking hours pouring out the stories that will put Paris Hilton, A Geisha, and Lance's works to shame. This blog will have exclusive rights to the first edition of Zach's yet untitled work.

Daddy's Funny!

Bathtime Humor

"Mom, please hurry home. I'm hungry."

The Evolution of Nicknames

By Mom:
Sweet baby...Little One...Little Babe...Babycakes...Little Cakes...Cakes-n-Cakes...Sweetest Cakes...Sweetie Pie...Cutie Pie...Little Pie...Pie...Pie-Pie...Pooper Scooper...Scoop...Scoop-a-doop...Be Bop...Baby Bop...Boppin' Babe...Scoopin' Bop...Scoopin' Boppin' Babe...Scoo Boppin' Baby Do N Be-Bop Baby...
To Be Continued, surely...
By Dad:
Tiger...Little Burrito...Little Potato...Little Tomato...Tiger...Tiger, Not "Pie"...Tiger...Scoop - At-Least-That's-What-Mama-Calls-You...Tiger...No-More-of-this-"Pie"-Stuff...Tiger
Dad's got a thing for "Tiger" and foods, huh?
By Auntie Laura:
Zachy...Zachy Wacky...Little Zachy
By Grandpa Paul:
Zach Man
By Susie:
Zach Mac (for Zachary McClay)

Ah...sleep at last (turn your volume way up)

Ski Season is Coming!

Zach's sporting his ski hat in hopes that you'll come take him skiing. One of the ski resorts may open as early as this weekend, not that we recommend heading up for that one, crusty, fake-snow run, packed with every anxious snowplower in town from TX or CA...

You might have heard on the news that some CO areas near us got as much as 14 inches of snow on Sunday. Not us. We were in a warm spot, so while it snow/sleeted all day, none of it stuck. That's okay, because we need to ease Zach into cold-weather walks.

This morning was crisp and sunny, so Zach and I went for a short walk.
short: just long enough for him to conk out.

His falling asleep in the stroller always poses a dilemma - do we try to move him from the stroller to his crib and hope he doesn't wake? Or do we just stroll him into the house and let him sleep there, so as not to interrupt his nap? Today I gambled and pulled him out of the stroller - I lost! He had been sleeping for 10 or maybe 15 minutes, and when I pulled him out, then he was UP.

He napped later, but poor little guy has been a little out of sorts with this cold. Hopefully he'll recharge overnight.

It figures...

Everyone forgets about the cat. I'll be under the covers, if anyone cares.
- Sumo
P.S. Be sure to let me know (or I'll let you know) if it's dinner time.
P.P.S. When's that kid going back to the hospital?