May 10, 2006

Evolution of Dance

Take a minute (or six) of your day to dance back through time - which moves can you do???

May 01, 2006

May Day 2006





Sunny and warm, the day begged for some swimming!

April 29, 2006

Wiping of the Face

this is an audio post - click to play

Highchair Fun

this is an audio post - click to play

Real Science

Wow! It mystifies the cat and impresses the mom: real science right in our kitchen (no, not one of my receipes...)

One of the balloons from Zach's birthday party still has some air in it. It's been happily drifting around the house, but currently it's sitting in front of the kitchen's sliding glass door, in full sun.
I heard a noise behind me, and there it was, slowly rising 6 feet of the floor (as the air inside heated up), until it drifted out of the direct sunlight. Then it fell to rest on a plant.

April 27, 2006

4/27/06 A Day at the Park





A 13-Month Zach Morning

Well, to give you a peek into our mornings, here's what Zach's been up to this morning:

He slept until 7:54am!!! Woo hoo! So did I. :) I ran down to get him some milk, and by the time I came back up, he was standing in his crib, having thrown out: the small bear, the musical bear, two pacifiers, a blanket, a bear and blanket, a giraffe, the cow, the My Daddy and I book, the Taggie blanket ...

When he saw me at the door, he bounced up and down and walked over to the railing, smiling through the pacifier. It's a site to see him walking in his sleep sack, but it doesn't seem to slow him down.

We sat in the rocker for a few minutes as he slurped out 4 ounces of milk. Sumo made the floor boards creak outside the nursery door, which distracted Zach. "Dah-dy? Dah-dy?" So the meal was over. I put him through the torture of a diaper change -- "there's SO much I'd rather be doing, Mom!" -- and we went downstairs to find Dada.

Still dragging the feet of his PJs behind him, he toddled over to Scott who was sitting at the kitchen table, pouring over his business plan. Zach loves his Dada! And he has learned how to make his Dada pick him up - just cling to his legs, bury your head in between them, and make a pathetic little "I need you" sound.

Dada scooped him up, and they went for a walk around the block. Fresh air before breakfast...we should all do this! Meanwhile, I prepared some oatmeal for our breakfasts.

Zach came back in, unhappy that he wasn't able to walk around outside. So he wasn't pleased to be deposited into the highchair either. But he did enjoy the oatmeal, and especially the mandarin oranges. There are two indicators that meal time is over: 1) slapping of the food on his tray, or 2) plucking of the food from the tray and releasing it onto the floor. This morning we had both. So I put him through the (even more dreaded) torture of having his face and hands wiped.

Finally free, he zoomed over to the window look at Patches outside in her little cat house. "Ooo-oh, oh-oh!" I had the door cracked to let Spring in, but soon Zach had it pulled all the way open, so that was the end of that.

We made the move into the living/family/toy room. Zach found the train, and may be learning the chugga-chugga sign for train. (I don't know if that's really the sign, but it makes sense to me). The train was fun until it made a real chugga-chugga noise. At that point, Zach had to run over to bury his face on me. But a minute later, he went back to press the button and run away again (he didn't press it hard enough, and it didn't make noise that time, so the game continued).
The stereo (noise, buttons, speakers, etc.) is fascinating! Recently, Zach has discovered his love of dancing. So this morning he went to the entertainment center, and began bouncing near the door that holds the speaker. I turned on the music, and he danced and grinned away.

Soon it was onto the next activity, pulling the letters out of his name bench. And then dragging shoes around, and asking for "more" (of what?), and playing with blocks and pulling the magazine off my desk, and ... Now he's in his wicker toy basket, where he can adequately access all things toyful. Can you see all the toys flung within flinging distance of the basket?

It's time for his nap, so I will collect him for a diaper change and a story then put him into the crib (and replace all the stuffed toys). He's typically sleeping for 2 hours or more during this morning nap. And it's so wonderful that when laid in his crib, he may look around quietly for a few minutes, but then drifts off to sleep!

Sigh.

April 17, 2006

12.5 Month Update

I'm such a big boy these days!

I don't have much time to write as Mom's trying to get me upstairs for a bath. But here's a brief update. I...
- am 1!
- can do quite a few signs (from the Baby Signs book): more, milk, light, dog, kitty cat, frog, book, daddy, mommy (sort of), drink, and eat.
- can say "hi" (especially in the grocery store!), "booh" for balloon, "dada" and "Daddy", and occasionally "Mommy" and "baby," though I don't say these consistently.
- took my first step on February 17th, and was walking around pretty well by March 9th.
- am still afraid of the vaccuum cleaner (maybe if Mom did it more often, I'd get used to it).
- love doggies!
- have great facial expressions, and have very animated eyes.
- weigh about 22 pounds and am 30+ inches tall.
- eat all sorts of "real" foods - pasta and tomato sauce, veggies, chips, of course cookies, and lots of meats!
- am in the big boy setting on the crib - lowest level. I am still far off from being able to climb out of it, though I'm getting close to being able to climb out of the bathtub.
- still love my baths!! I learned to sign "frog" because of the froggie bath toys I got from Betty and Al Hagopian - thanks! So, of course I recognize and greet the froggie towel from Aunt Barbara and Uncle Dave, and all my frog bibs from Auntie Wendy's family.
- even like to go in the shower with Daddy. In fact, when he's in the shower, and I'm not, I bang on the door and stomp around...
- sure am adventurous (or mischievous), getting into the cupboards, rolling out the toilet paper, pulling things out of dresser drawers.
- am also VERY SWEET. My smile can make you forgive me.
- giggle if you get down on your hands and knees and look at me on my level. Then I romp on over to you!
- get so excited to see my Daddy, and run to him whenever he comes upstairs from the office or home from work.
- spend plenty of time moving around the kitchen furniture and my bigger toys. It's fun to push things.
- would love to meet you. I'll be making a tour of the US later this summer - PA in May, MN in August, and MT in early fall. Watch Ticketmaster for details!


this is an audio post - click to play

April 16, 2006

Easter








We spent Easter down in Colorado Springs with the Wallace side of the family!
Click on the title to see pics of the day.

Mamas and Munchkins Lunch Pics

Jill hosted a wonderful luncheon for some of us Inflow moms and babes. Chad came to take pics:
Jill and Baby Jay
Megan and Baby Cayley
Zach, Jay, and Princess Cayley
Mamas 'n' MunchkinsZach 'n' Me!

April 14, 2006

Liza and Abby's "visit" to Denver

Liza and Abby were in Denver for about 3 hours on Good Friday, en route to MN from TX. Caitlin and Greta and Zach and I trucked out to DIA for breakfast!

Croissants were eaten; "floor alligators" were avoided; Zach was plugged in; and English teachers everywhere are cringing at the passive structure...

It was great to see them!


April 12, 2006

Zach's 13th Month

LOTS of mischief this month!




Click on the title for more pictures!

Spring Fun (click for more pics)

Zach and I walked with Shelly this afternoon, then returned to the house to do some yard work.

He may have a future as a firefighter, though the hat is probably not regulation...

April 10, 2006

Happy Keester, er...Easter!




May you not run into any giant, SCARY, bunnies!


Happy Birthday Anne Peyton!


On Saturday, April 1st, Zach's friend Anne Peyton turned 1!

We fools (Zach and I) went to help her celebrate. Here's a pic of Zach telling AP's Mom, Lisa, Happy Birthday to AP! (Unfortunately, I didn't get any other pics taken.)

April 06, 2006

Zach's 1 Year Doctor Appointment

Well, we have a healthy boy!

He gained 13 ounces in two weeks, so I expect that he had lost some weight with his sickness a couple of weeks ago. Today he measured 30 ¼ inches and 21 lbs 15 oz.

The nurse practitioner said everything looks good, even as he was moving furniture around in the room, getting into drawers, pulling on the door handle, and walking under the desk that was just a fraction of an inch taller than his head…

Of course he didn’t like his shots, but he did much better than in the past. (Mom didn't even cry this time!) And so far, no chicken pox or fever resulting from them.

He and I went to the library tonight while Scott was at class. We picked up my next book club book, and he talked to the checkout lady and held the library card. A very good helper.

Now he's snoozing, and I'm trying to resist the urge to make cookies...I don't think I can resist...

April 05, 2006

Still Hungry?

I forgot to mention that after Zach's lunch yesterday, I took away his food tray but left him in the chair for a minute while I discarded the partially eaten bits...
When I glanced over at him, I noticed he was picking things out of the catch-shelf in his bib!
Maybe we aren't feeding him enough? He'll likely go to bed hungry like his mother did as a child...

BIG Eater!

Yesterday for lunch Zach ate, and ate...and ate!

He started with some snappea crisps, then had some noodles, followed by deli turkey, then mixed veggies, and finally burger sauteed with onion!

Needless to say, that meal was rather long and messy, so we ended it with a trip upstairs to the bathroom where he got a baby shampoo and head massage - picture the kiddo laid out on the counter with his head dipped into the sink. He did very well, perhaps enjoyed his reflection in the mirror?

April 02, 2006

Missing

***I'm sorry to report that the pair were found, having succumbed to hypothermia. Our prayers are with them and their family.***
Unfortunately we have a connection to a real MISSING PERSONS case.
My cousin is a friend of the family who is missing. A mother and son disappeared in Montana on Tuesday, March 27th.

Many of the emails forwarded about missing children are internet hoaxes. This one is not. Please take a look at the link below. Though authorities have been searching for days, there has been no sign of the pair, and it may take a grassroots effort to get anywhere.
We're praying Niki and Nick will be found soon.
www.findnickandniki.org

March 27, 2006

Zach's Birthday Party Pics

Getting ready for his party - Zach marched around the house with his "booh" in tow. LOVE balloons! Plugged in in Target, ordering a birthday cake.

Said cake(s) - Zach got a personal cake too, but still wanted to eat the one that the rest of us were eating!
Good stuff!
I'm ONE! And I have a BOOH!

Click on the link of the title to see more pictures.

March 19, 2006

Zach's 12th Month

Click on the link in the title to see highlights from Zach's 12th month.

March 17, 2006

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I went downtown for lunch and had a reuben and green beer! (Or, maybe that was Mom, and she didn't actually drink green beer...but it's a great idea!)

Leprechaun print

Cruisin LodoHappy St. Paddy's Day!
Stinky Daddy, post bike ride (notice the shamrock on this jersey?)
Zach and Mama, sportin' the green

March 09, 2006

Tai Chi?

Zach just took a short walk across the stage, waving his arms at the orchestra in front of him. (One of his first "legitimate" walks, actually traveling more than a couple of feet.) OR maybe he was practicing Tai Chi. I'm not sure yet. But he's really figuring out the walking thing.
Stay tuned!
Of course, that experience tuckered him out, so he's now lying spread eagle on a his mini-quilt on the floor, waving a spoon, or is it a wand?

March 07, 2006

Don't tell Verizon

Well, I recently had to replace my cell phone when the keypad no longer worked. Erg!

I called the customer service line, and they told me it was likely a battery problem. Batteries are $40. So I called several stores to see if they had the batteries in stock. I ended up at Colorado Mills with a baby who was ready for his nap. He concentrated on stretching my bracelet until it broke, sending beads all over the floor. And I talked to the sales person who said even a new battery did not fix the problem.

He offered to order me a new handpiece, two-day delivery, at no cost to me. Of course when it was rung up, it did cost me $50 because my phone was no longer under warranty. So, what could I do?

Three days later, I got the phone (on FedEx's second delivery attempt). The sales guy had told me to bring the new phone in before sending back the old one. Maybe they could transfer the phone numbers. I went to a different store this time, with the kiddo on my hip.

When I handed the new and old phones to this sales guy, he gave me an annoyed look and asked where I got the phone. "It was ordered by another store's sales person." Not from the insurance company? "No." Did the sales person talk to you about liquid damage? "Liquid damage? No." Well, whoever ordered the new phone for you shouldn't have. He'll probably get in trouble. This white spot here indicates that the reason your old phone doesn't work is because of liquid damage. You should have had to buy a new phone or reconstructed phone...blah, blah, blah.

While he "blah'd," I wracked my brain for a time when I might have knocked over a water glass or dropped the phone in the sink or something. Nothing.

It wasn't until I talked to a friend who recently had to replace her phone under similar circumstances that it all became clear. She said she'd taken her broken phone in to the store, playing dumb, shortly after she saw her daughter (1 week younger than Zach) with the phone in her mouth!

So, maybe the second sales guy wasn't glowering at me, but at my darling drooling machine?
this is an audio post - click to play
this is an audio post - click to play

March 06, 2006

Chocolate Biscuits and Teeth


Well, now that Zach has a few teeth - 5 - it's time to start feeding him the sweets.
Here's his first chocolate biscuit, and a glimpse of the two upper knobbin' teeth - he got the two off to the sides first! If you click on the photo and look closely, you might imagine you see the next one coming in, on the right between the two upper ones.