September 10, 2006

Vail, September 2006










We had a family trip to Vail when Scott had to attend a trade show up there.
Actually, Scott only had to work a day and a half, so we had a good time enjoying the mountain air.

September 07, 2006

Cute & Not-so-Cute ALL BOY

Our ALL BOY, Starting with the Not-so-Cute:

Tonight was "interesting." Scott returns later from his 3-day trip to Chicago, so Zach and I have had some QT. Most of it was fun and cute, but tonight was something else.

A sampling of his antics while I made dinner, cleaned up, etc.:
  • Open the sliding door and step out into the rain (while I was at the grill); go back inside and pad Zach-prints on the clean floor
  • Hop onto the coffee table, stand up, stay quiet for a while, and smile at me as I notice him
  • Use the pulled out drawer to climb onto the side table
  • Knock over the lamp on the side table
  • Turn on the fireplace switch (apparently), and (perhaps?) burn himself on the fireplace glass. I didn't know what was going on until he came crying into the kitchen. :(
  • Whack everything (chair, me, toys, table, etc.) with his (plastic, thank goodness) golf clubs
  • Pull the tape out of a VHS cassette tape, Meet the Parents
  • Poke at the flowers in the pot on the kitchen floor
  • Bat the flowers in the pot on the kitchen floor
  • Behead the flowers in the pot on the kitchen floor
  • Smoosh those flowers all over the floor (I know, why not move that flower pot??)
  • Run in circles around the kitchen island with both the popcorn popper toy and (Ella's borrowed) vaccuum cleaner which says things like "clean you later" and "uh-oh, you made a mess." As if we need to be reminded! This was actually cute, but loud and annoying...
  • Get into the diaper bag and remove my lip gloss and hand lotion, dab those all over his face, the couch, and places I haven't get discovered
  • Open the roll-top desk and pull out whatever he can from the pen drawer before I can grab him, extra points for banging on the keyboard too. The key does not seem to lock the top closed!

But he's darn CUTE too:

  • He imitates Daddy (please come home soon!) in the bathroom, stomping his feet as the alcohol stings his cleanly shaven face (Dad's shaven face, not Zach's)
  • He "gargles" like Daddy: throws his head back and makes a choking-on-a-hairball noise, after doing his "please can I have some mouthwash" noise and been given a finger-licking taste
  • He giggles and runs over to bury his head in my lap when he sees the cat across the room, as if the cat (minding his own business, staring out the window) has just told him "I'm coming to get you, Zachary!"
  • He still won't say certain words: preferring to do the Baby Sign for "frog" (tongue in and out of mouth) at any mention of the word or frog siting; or when we tell him to say "thank you" he just slaps his open hand over his mouth, not even quite getting the full Baby Sign -that hand should actually then be extended out in thanks to the person.
  • He laughs whenever anyone else is laughing; he gets the joke!
  • He'll give anyone a kiss, as long as there isn't something more interesting to do, pursing his lips, sticking out his neck and humming at the kissee.

So, all in all, it evens out. But we still miss Daddy when he's gone.

Ack - I just saw the bullets are flowers...not by choice. Sorry.

September 05, 2006

"Tsoo, tsoo, tsoo"




Zach and I went to Old Navy last week. We passed some shoes on a rack, and he swiped them off the display. "Tsoo, tsoo, tsoo!"

I put them back and wheeled us away, but he kept shouting "Tsoo, tsoo, tsoo." So finally I let him hold them.

That wasn't enough. He started kicking off his shoes, and wanted to put "his new shoes" on!
Mommy gave in, and he got the shoes, though it was a tense few minutes as he had to WAIT while I figured out which ones would fit.

Now, at home, he will take off whichever shoes he's wearing and bring over his new shoes, "Tsoo, tsoo, tsoo," to have us put on the new ones. They're his FAVORITE!

September 04, 2006

"Let's go fly a kite..."

We enjoyed a sunny September 4th day at the park...though there wasn't quite enough wind, or kite, or both...


September 03, 2006

Torture!

It's TORTURE - Furniture Shopping! Why do we put our children through such a process?

Poor Zach was strapped into his stroller several days in a row, until there was no elevator and he had to run like a madman through the showroom. Terrible! He was mad and sad and grumpy.

But we finally found an armoire so Scott's clothes can move out of the guest room and into our room, and Zach can move into the guest room in time for the new one to arrive.

September 02, 2006

Zach with the Zebras at the Zoo

Zach went to the zoo for the first time over Labor Day. What fun to see all the animals from his books in real life! He loved the bears, which also happen to be his "security animals" right now at home as well - "buh, buh, buh."


Click the title for more zoo pics!

September 01, 2006

August 23, 2006

Blueberries and Wagon Rides 8/23/2006

Despite his expression in these photos, Zach LOVES blueberries!!


Afternoon Shenanigans:


We take walks around the block. Usually Zach likes to pull the wagon himself, but occasionally he'll scrunch in and take a ride.

August 22, 2006

McKerrows in CO, August 2006

Scott's college buddy, Justin, and his wife Amy and their 4-year-old twins stayed with us overnight on their way up to Estes Park. We enjoyed a BBQ, the kids playing, and some quiet adult talk. It was wonderful to see them.

August 18, 2006

Trip to MN in August, 3

Pop needed to consult Zach on the boating route
Another crazy evening...
Smith-side dinner
More Smiths
Jody and OrieZach and Aunt Barb
Zach and Susie
Overlooking the Chaska Town Course, hole #18
In front of a memorial to my Uncle Doug, who attended and worked at Gustavus Adolphus College. Mom and Laura went there too.

For the full story, click on the title above.

Otherwise, we'll just share that we went to MN and enjoyed a

August 14, 2006

Flashback...

...to the ("insert CRAZY animal") days of summer:




August 13, 2006

Trip to MN in August, 2

New home-made shirt and blanket from Aunt Marie
Watching the little ham, blow into the fan: Cousin Mike, Aunt Marie, and Aunt Lois
Sisters, Laura and me
Aunt Laura and Uncle Chris
Aunt Marie and Zach in the sand
Pop and his helpless target
Uncle Chris and Aunt Laura with the naked little Cakes
Uncle Carlton with Daddy and Zach
Shucking corn
With Nana on a boat ride

August 12, 2006

Trip to MN in August, 1

Cheesin' Zach

Frog 'n Zach

Dad 'n Zach

Captain Zach
Captain Zach, 2
Splashin' Zach
Fishin' Zach (wasn't too fond of it)
Zach's fish (the site of which terrified him!)

August 01, 2006

Catch Up August, 2006

Some pics from August. Click title for more.