Happy 2nd Birthday, Finn!

Today you turned two so we celebrated by going out for supper, opening some gifts and blowing out some candles. On Saturday, we'll celebrate again with Grandma and Grandpa, Nana and Carly with supper and cake and more candles. You'll be really good at it by then. Happy birthday, little man!

Earth Day

"Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realize that we can't eat money."
– First Nations proverb 

Easter break

With Lily off school for the week, we thought it'd be a good opportunity to make a trip of it. Of course, to throw a snag in things, we woke up to half a foot of snow. So into the van went the winter coats, boots and a shovel.

Bunny spotted in Saskatoon and area
Along with Nana, who we took to Connie's, we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's for Easter weekend. Ryan and Leslie and Jared and Andrea were there, along with a couple cats. Finn spent most of the weekend saying, "No. Mom." to everyone he encountered because of course, they weren't Mom. Lily got to swim in the hot tub – twice. And the Easter bunny came and left eggs all over the house, along with baskets of candy popcorn and a small toy for each of them.

On Easter Sunday, the Hurlburts were having brunch so we went out for the afternoon – after Finn's first of three morning naps of the trip. My cousin, Colleen, brought her two youngest kids, Shelby and Sidney. Brian, Colleen's brother, and his wife Amanda brought their son, Rowan. It's always so nice when Finn and Lily have other kids to play with, especially second cousins of which we have a lot of now. And if it isn't obvious, Lily kinda really loves babies. (I can relate.)

Edmonton-bound
On Easter Monday, we packed up and got on the road to Edmonton. This is the stretch I fear the most as it's a long time for Finn to be strapped down. It was good until we were leaving Lloydminster and then he cried for over half an hour. Anyway, we got to Nigel and Jessica's just before 3:30 and thankfully we still had their key from last time (and actually we still have it for next time). So we unloaded the van (with the high chair, baby clothes and gifts for Ferguson) and waited anxiously for Jessica to arrive. Well worth the wait. Ferguson is so sweet and soft and cute. Lily couldn't wait to hold him and held his hand every chance she got. Finn even asked to hold him, "My turn?" They were just so enamored by the little guy. I held him for a long time that evening, the longest stretch for the rest of the visit as he was prone to crying spells that wound him up in his mama's arms most of the time.

On Tuesday after another morning nap for Finn, we spent the afternoon at the zoo. (Nigel and Jessica and nicely situated close to the zoo and the West Edmonton Mall.) It was nice and quiet since the kids there were in school. We saw monkeys and frogs and wolves and foxes. Even a tiger and a spotted seal. Lily fell asleep on the way back and was pretty miserable for the rest of the day – until we turned the situation around with an ice cream treat.

The next day was spent at the mall. We really only intended to stay the morning. We saw the Disney store, Anthropologie, H&M, the skating rink and went on the pirate ship. Then we had lunch – right beside Galaxyland. It was closed and we said it likely wouldn't open that day. And then they opened the gates. Right in front of us. This is where it goes to heck. Trying to get Finn to sleep in his stroller. Lily begging to go on some rides. Long story short, she and Chris went on rides for two hours and I shopped during Finn's shortest nap ever, then placated him by letting him run wild in the Disney store again. We were very glad when it was over. We won't be going back to the mall for a long time.

To the land of the dinosaurs
On Wednesday morning we packed up, got Finn out of Ferguson's bedroom because he locked himself inside (he unlocked it eventually), said our good-byes to little Fergie and Jessica, and hit the road for Drumheller, Alberta. It was the scenic route, courtesy of our GPS, but we couldn't complain. It's nice to get off the beaten path sometimes. Upon arriving in town, we immediately hit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Well, Lily and Chris went through while Finn and I slept. When we woke up, we went in and Lily and Chris toured us around. And it was amazing. A really beautifully done museum. Much classier than when we were there in college. The kids thought it was pretty terrific, too. Even just driving through town was cool as Finn pointed out every dinosaur around.

After checking into our hotel, we hit up the local IGA for fruit, veggies and buns for supper and a few snacks for later. Finn helped himself to the bulk bun bin before we could catch him. At least his bun kept him busy for the rest of the excursion. After supper we hit the pool and waterslide. Chris tested just how fast the waterslide was by first going down with Finn and ultimately scarring him for life by completely submerging him upon hitting the water. Then it was back to "No. Mom."

The next day we packed up again, visited the world's largest dinosaur, then headed off on another scenic route through the valley where we could gaze upon the layered hills, go across a suspension bridge and check out some hoodoos.

Just like home
Any reason to go to Medicine Hat is good so that was our last stop. We had no plans so we got some ice cream, went to the park, watched the clouds roll by, went for Chinese food, swam and went watersliding before having chips and pop. (Pretty much our only junk food was on the last day, so we felt pretty successful and not disgusting after 7 days away.) After breakfast the next morning, we went swimming again. This time Finn was all over the waterslide so all of us were up and down over and over until I got dizzy from the spiral staircase. We bathed, washed hair, packed up, and grabbed the Muppets movie at Walmart and lunch for the road.

And within five minutes of returning, Carly came over. And stayed for supper. Nana popped in within ten minutes, too. It was all back to normal.

All our photos are here if you want to check 'em out.

A visit

Finn and I finally got around to visiting my friend Amber's newest addition. Dalun was born in October and we had planned on a November visit, but it all kinda went to hell.

Here are Finn and Dalun's big three-year-old sister, Alivia and below is little sleeping Dalun. How nice it was to hold a little baby. (Can't wait to meet and snuggle my nephew next week!)

Sentences!

Finn's speech has improved a lot this past week with a lot more sentences. Today he said, "I go in, too." It was the "too" part that surprised me. And even before this week, he'd just say "in" and nothing more complex. Of course, there are still things he just whines in one long word. Mostly it's been "outsiiiide" this week. But here are some other thing I can think of off-hand:

• "biPad" became "iPad"
• "Put on boots."
• "Finn throw ball."
• "No, Mommy push." On the swing.
• "No, Mommy do it."
• "No, Lily. Stop it." 
• "Sit down."
• "Change my bum."
• He sang Twinkle, Twinkle using only the word Mom.

And here's where I just upload a really adorable pic of him in his new awesome shades. Ah, I could just eat him up.

She wins a prize!

After art class week in a completely unrelated event, Lily and I were walking down the hall at school to retrieve her boots when we walked past her winter picture. They'd been hanging on the wall for a couple weeks, but apparently they'd been judged that day and Lily won second prize! Her prize was a 36 set of coloured pencils, including lots of metallic colours! She wouldn't pose beside her picture, so I finally just got her to pose with her pencil crayons.

 

In other happenings, yesterday was report card day. We told Lily we'd take her out for supper if she did well – and if she didn't, she'd have to make us supper and clean the house this weekend. When we picked the kids up from the sitter, she eagerly waited for me to read her report card, asking "Did I do good? Can we go for supper?" And of course she did good. Improved a couple 3s to now be 4s, which is what they rate out of, and she has many more 4s than 3s so she's at the top of her game for the most part. Her French reading and comprehension is at a 3, whatever that means. In English, she can read almost anything proficiently. I'm so impressed at her development over the course of this past school year. Unfortunately, I have to hide things that I don't want her to read now. And we can't spell things we don't want her to understand, but I suppose that doesn't last forever...

Overheard...

...Lily singing The Littlest Hobo theme song. Okay, so I was singing with her, but she's been known to sing it alone. We watch the Littlest Hobo every Saturday morning from 8 to 9 a.m. on CTV. The song still gives me goose bumps.

Lily of the Valley

You are now six and a half; it was official on the day before Valentine's Day. After we plunked some candles into a muffin when Finn turned 18 months, you wanted to know when your half birthday was. Now it's "a thing" and we celebrated with beet chocolate cake with beet icing. Delicious and fudgy and a perfectly good excuse to eat cake.

Things change with you almost as fast as they do with Finn, though they are things that could easily be missed. Not asking me or Dad to call and ask for Carly, but just asking yourself. Just going over to Carly's without anyone to knock on the door for you. Eating supper or lunch at Carly's with her family.

You've just started an after-school program one day a week called Artrageous Minds. It impresses me that you make your way there, all by yourself, without prodding or help. You went to Sparks camp for a day and thought it was the funnest thing ever. You cooked your own lunch, you played games, did crafts. You actually really like Sparks so it looks like you'll go into Brownies in the fall. You worked a tea about a month ago and though it was a little frightening to ask people if they wanted more cake, it got easier as time went on.

School is going well. You've been bringing home lists for weekly spelling tests. So far you've only gotten one wrong. But you're happy. You have a crush. Some girls drive you bonkers. You think M. Dubé is funny. And you criticize, rightly so, Mom and Dad's French pronunciations.

On a book front, we've been reading chapter books. In the fall, we read some Ramona books (by Beverly Cleary) that were mine when I was little. On Sunday, we just finished all 79 chapters of Peter and the Starcatchers, a prequel to Peter Pan. Now we're reading Charlotte's Web, also mine. We have Peter and the Shadow Thieves reserved from library, the follow-up to the Starcatchers. It's super fun to share these books with you.

You surf Pinterest, madly pinning all the cute animals and babies. You and Dad (and Carly sometimes) play Minecraft constantly. You eat frozen mangoes and raspberries and smoothie popsicles. You jump across the couches. You walk home from school by yourself. You can be sweet and fiery. You throw tantrums and ignore our barking orders to get dressed, brush your hair, brush your teeth. Good days and bad days. But we enjoy them all.

Oh, Finney

You are now twenty-two months old. Over the past five or so days, your personality has exploded. You are funny and grouchy and oh, so sweet. On Saturday, we found you having fallen into the toilet, a wad of toilet paper in your hand for wiping. Of course, you still had your pajamas and diaper on. The next day you were "washing your hands" in the bathroom. When I heard the water and came to haul you out, I saw that you'd submersed the cordless phone into the water, the screen three-quarters full and lighting up with things we'd never seen before. You often get hauled out of the tub for continually turning on the cold water when you and Lily and having a bath, so water in the kitchen, bathtub, sink and toilet are kind of a problem...

You love to vacuum. You eat apples whole – core, stem, seeds, all of it. You walk up and down the stairs without hands now. You love to be scared when we run the loop around the kitchen and living room. You yell at Lily when she's freaking out, pointing out the absurdity of her poor behaviour. You love talking on the phone or being on FaceTime. When you are having a general conversation, you just jabber on without distinct words, mimicking the style and flow of a conversation. But you know how to talk and will surprise us by saying things. You helped me do laundry one day and were so proud, you just kept saying "I did it!" then went and got Dad to show him what you did. You also say, "Yesh! I did it" when playing basketball.

You know all the Muppets on Sesame Street from their website because we do a fair amount of video watching. My favourite is when you laugh like Bert, say Ernie and do the Snuffle Shuffle with Snuffy. You play kitchen, often pouring me drinks or cooking "tupper" for your baby that cries and giggles. You put her in the high chair when she eats and into the crib when it's time for bed. You know when something's hot, whether it be food, water from the tap, the toaster, the microwave, the oven, the coffee maker. You love warming up Dad's warmie (aka: magic bag) in the microwave because you get to push buttons. You like dinosaurs and trucks and polar bears and owls. You lift your shirt or undo you jammies when you want to press your tummy against my tummy. You have a waning obsession with belly buttons. You often put your head down on our shoulders when we hold you. You and Lily hit each other; rather, you hit her and she hits back until it gets nasty. You easily say good night to me and Lily when Daddy takes you to bed, even though you are less of a fan of going to sleep lately. You watch the same episode of Elmo's World every time we go in the van. You don't watch t.v. at home at all.

You're still our baby, but you're getting to be such a big boy. It's an amazing time and we enjoy (almost) every second of you.

He's here!

I'm an auntie! Chris is an uncle! Lily and Finn are first cousins! Ferguson Clarence Hood was born this morning at 9:20 a.m. in Edmonton, Alberta to Nigel Hood and Jessica Telford. He was 7 lbs., 10 oz. and absolutely perfect, I'm sure. We're so, so excited to meet him!

Look at the perfectly round little head!

How long?

Yep, 10 years of marriage plus the five and a half years before that. We're making good time...

Yeah, what they said

Hope the holidays were great for everyone. We spent a lot of quality time in our pajamas and when we weren't doing that, we were spending time with friends and family. Obviously haven't been updating here, but I almost regularly update our Flickr photos, so cheers and happy new year!

Warm and fuzzy

Things are abuzz with holiday activity. We have Lily's Christmas concert next week, but it's not called that anymore. Now it's the Winter Celebration. Since they've taken religion out of the holiday season at school, I don't feel as bad for Lily's lack of exposure when she exclaims, "I just saw a bunch of people in a cave on that lawn!"

That, people, was a nativity scene. Oh, the innocence of a child...

Excerpt from the first Grade One report card

Up to now

Seems we missed October and it's more than half way through November. Up to our eyeballs in many things.

Lily started Sparks, which is the first level of Girl Guides. She's also been in gymnastics, a two-hour class (though when we went to try-outs, she was recommended into four hours a week). The end of October was filled with her three best friends birthday parties; one was at It's a Blast!, one was a night-time Halloween party, and the last was a sleepover - which she easily survived a night away from us and had to be woken up at 8:30 a.m. to go to gymnastics. And then there's all that school. It's really forced her to shape up. She reads everything and writes most things, too. She's less quick to anger. She's more open to discipline. And she sleeps. I can't remember the last day she got up before 7 a.m. Now if we could only get Finn to stay in bed...

Finn has just recently become a total terror. He gets into everything, now with more broken dishes. He rides the dog, he throws everything down the stairs and he out-yells Lily. The boy's got to be heard! He's also talking up a storm, dancing to Elmo songs, and generally figuring out that he has free will and is starting to get that "I do it" attitude. But he's funny and sweet and gives nice, closed-mouth kisses and tight hugs. I think we'll keep him.

We went to Edmonton for a weekend in October. We gathered up as much baby gear as we could fit in the van and toted it up to Nigel and Jessica's new townhouse. Hit the Science Centre and IKEA and the kids were FANTASTIC for such a long road trip. Finally, after six years of no success on the road, we've finally gone on a road trip with no trauma.

Most recently, we've been spending the last couple weeks at the hospital. Nana has an infection she can't kick so we're pretty worried. There are bad days interspersed with some good ones. We just wish she'd hurry up and get better. Here's hoping...

Excellent, excellent

You came home on Wednesday with this:

It's a certificate of excellence for your excellent progress in grade one. You said only three other kids got one and everyone clapped when you received it. It's even signed by the principal. How nice to have this when I always hear your teacher tell the other parents what kind of trouble their kids got into that day - like the boy who got afternoon recess taken away because he was chasing girls with a stick over the lunch hour and someone got hurt. True story.

It might be because you draw rainbows so good. Or maybe that's just a side effect. While it's lots of hard work and the days are long, you are doing great. I wish we all our days were full of rainbows on giant pieces of paper.

Finn talks - another feat at 16 months

There's no going back...

Lily started grade one last week. She'd been waiting for it for a long time. Aside from a stolen (borrowed) flip-flop incident and only riding the bus once thus far, I'd say it was pretty successful. She even stayed for lunch on Wednesday.

She loves having three recesses (including the lunch one). She thinks having her own desk is pretty cool. She also thinks that it's great to have markers, crayons and pencil crayons to carry out her artistic endeavors. Her teacher, Monsieur Dubé, is very funny. He'd better have a sense of humour because there are 26 kids in that class.

I like seeking her out from our backyard on the playground at recess. Then I can see who's she's playing with or what she's doing. Otherwise, I'd never know... Typical answer to "What did you do today at school?" is: "I don't remember." Suppose I'll just have to get used to that.

Here's Lily's first after-school snack. Her brother was happy to have her home.

Finn at 16 months - Basketball Superstar!

Shootin' hoops - Finn at 16 months from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.

This little guy has been obsessed with basketball. He can spot a net or a ball from a mile away and points out every one we pass on the street. He's mesmerized watching kids (and some moms) playing at the school yard. And yesterday, he tried to trade Nana his soccer ball for her new basketball. Sometimes you just know what you like.

This shot actually went in! Now that's talent.

Summer

With school starting this week, I can't believe that summer as we know it is over. But it's been so wonderful. We spent many mornings at the Science Centre, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the library, the park, shopping and at Nana's house. Our afternoons while Finn slept, were filled with games, stories, baths and hair washing. And after naptime, there was water trampoline and the swimming pool and the park again. It's been really, really nice to be home those two days during the week. And while I kinda feel bad not documenting it better, generally not posting here means we're actually out there doing things and I'll take that any day.

Six years old

Happy birthday, Lily! On Saturday, Aug. 13th you turned six years old. As soon as you woke up, you were excited to open the presents from us and Finn. We got you an overnight bag full of clothes (for both you and your Barbie-type dolls) and a glitter tattoo kit. Finn got you a Fur Real puppy whom you immediately named Popcorn after a white puppy in an old book of Uncle Nigel's. While you loved the clothes, you were enamoured by this little pup. She's your new best buddy (when Carly's not around) who barks and walks and whines.

We had a party that afternoon to celebrate and there were a whopping seven kids, having invited a couple more than we thought would come due to summer holidays and such. This year's theme was ice cream so we had some ice cream-related games and other outside water-related games to keep everyone busy until it was time to build our own sundaes. Everyone ate lots. Finn ate his waffle bowl before Dad could even get ice cream into it. The worst part was that you burned your finger on the sparkler after it burned out. Ouch. And then there were the presents. Everyone was getting a little over-excited and wanted you to open their present first. You put an end to that when you told them to relax - it didn't matter whose got opened next - they would all get opened. It was a good day that we ended in supper at Dairy Queen upon your special request.

      
           
Over the next few days, you would look in the mirror and note how you look more grown up. That your eyes have changed shape and how your face isn't as chubby. It's true. Sometimes we look at you and can't believe how much you've grown and changed. Sometimes - sigh -  you look and act much older than your six years. The other day, you felt something different in your mouth and asked me to take a peek. There, at the back on your right-hand side, was a little slit in your gums and a molar was peeking out. Over and over again, it's these little things that end up making you big.
           
Unlike your birthday, there are some days when nothing goes your way and you collapse into a heap of screams and tears - up to eight times in a single day. (We'll be well practiced for when you become a teenager.) A lot of your misery hinges on whether we let you play with Carly or not and if you can hinges on your behaviour. 99% of the time when you're not sleeping or eating, you and Carly are playing. You both have big, grand plans that usually involve me doing some sort of work for you, like your grand lemonade stand that made $27 in June, but mostly you'd both just be happy to go to the park. It's nice that you have a best friend that lives only footsteps away and right now, it's always the highlight of your day.

On our work days when you are at daycare, you are happy to spend those entire days with Carly and barely even see or notice what Finn spends his time doing. We couldn't have been luckier to find the same sitter as Carly and her little brother, Jack. The summer there has been full of sun and fun, walks to the park, a few field trips on the bus and exposure to movies on Netflix that we never would have thought of. Like Annie. I think you watched it three times in one week.

On the Tuesdays and Thursdays when it's just you, me and Finn, your expectations are happily lowered. You draw and write stories - and complain about no one pushing you on the swings or jumping with you on the trampoline. I love watching what you create and above all, I am amazed how well you sound things out when you spell them and how well you can read. Everywhere we go, you read signs. We're super proud that you just picked it all up on your own, too.

Cheers to being six. We're so excited to see where this year will take you.

Woo hoo!

It is truly a landmark day. Today, for the first time in her almost six years, Lily Julia Anderson slept in until 8 a.m. – an entire 2 hours later than her usual waking time.

This is cause for celebration. Perhaps next she'll willingly brush her teeth and hair. (But it's unlikely.)

Yayyy!

I'm going to be an auntie!

A little getaway

It felt like it'd been a while since we left home and we needed to get away so we went to Medicine Hat for the Canada Day long weekend. Medicine Hat is a really beautiful city and having lived there for three years, Chris and I know it well. It's far enough, but not too far. Our other go-to city, Minot, North Dakota, was ravaged by up-to-the-rooftop flooding so that was out - even though they do have better waterslides and a zoo.

Just driving around the Hat is fun for us, seeing what's new, what's changed. Lily is in awe of the views from the hills or in the valleys, constanting citing how pretty everything looks. When you come from flat Regina, even a slight change in elevation is a treat!

There was lots of swimming and watersliding. Finn even liked the waterslide, pointing to go up with Daddy everytime he left to go up the winding spiral staircase. We hit a few school parks so Lily could try out some new monkey bars, her latest and greatest skill. While Chris and Lily swam, Finn and I took an early morning walk through the nearby cemetery where we saw an unshaken deer only a row away. We spent another early morning out at Echo Dale farm, then the rest of the morning and early afternoon picnicking, playing at the park, digging in the sand with some new friends, playing in the little lake and napping at the regional park part of Echo Dale. (So pretty and my favourite thing about Medicine Hat having spent many long summer days there with my friend, Dan, while we were in college.) We spent another morning at the Medalta pottery factory which was much cooler than we thought it would be. The afternoon was consumed by going to the theatre at the mall to see Cars 2 in 3-D. We ended our fun by getting the kids ice cream from Tino's, a popular local burger drive-through that looked like a little brick castle.

On Monday, we hit the road after breakfast. We stopped briefly in Swift Current to visit Auntie Sharon who just moved there a couple days earlier for perhaps her last 2-year term as a minister in one of their United churches. Then it was home to see if we had escaped hail damage from a wicked storm the night before. (We had, surprisingly.)

It was nice to come home.

Success!

I've been validated in my efforts to wean our family (but mostly Lily) off of processed foods. Yesterday at lunch it was official - Lily declared that she likes mom's mac 'n' cheese (whole wheat macaroni, old cheddar and bit of butter) more than Kraft Dinner.

No really. This kid - who could eat KD morning, noon and night for weeks unend - said that OUT LOUD.

I am so proud.

Lacking/Gaining

Obviously I had too much free time before because since the day I went back to work, April 25, I have had little to no time to write about my big beautiful kids. And oh, how they can change even in a month. Lily's reading and walking to school by herself. Finn is a full-blown toddler, always on the go.

Work hasn't been the easiest. I'm constantly torn about not accomplishing enough when I am there. The days I am home go by so fast, it doesn't even feel like I've missed a day of work in between. But the feeling that I can only be really good at one thing isn't as true as I thought it was in my first couple weeks back. I still believe I can only really excel as a mother or a graphic designer and that splitting my time between the two (and still neglecting Chris) makes me mediocre at both, but it's better for right now. And even though right now is all I care about, I know it won't last. (Some day our kids won't want to hang out with us and we will have time to clean the house or watch a movie.)

So until I can compose some real stories about Finn and Lily, check out our Flickr pictures which are quicker and easier (and cuter) to post that actual words.

One year old!

Our sweet Finnamon bun! Today you turned one year old. It has totally flown by. (Seriously. When I went back to work today, it felt like I'd maybe been gone a month.) But here you are, already a bright and charming little man that is an absolute pleasure to have in our lives.

Finn's first birthday! from Hood/Anderson on Vimeo.

We had a little party for you yesterday. We opened presents, played outside, had Easter supper, then birthday cake after. You got some puzzles from the Hurlburts, clothes and a big yellow loader from Nana, and we got you a water and sand farm table. (You ate the sand.) The cake part was a huge success. It's obvious from the pictures that you thought having this icing and sprinkle-laden cake with a little flame atop was pretty awesome. And then you devoured almost your whole carrot and raisin cupcake. I still can't believe you wore that hat for the entire time we took pictures...

At one year, you understand so much. When asked if you had a poopy bum and needed a diaper change, you crawled over to the diaper basket, got the wipes and a diaper. But when asked the next day if I could change you, you just shook your head, no. That happens a lot when we ask you stuff these days. You know what you don't want. Things you do want are grunted for.

You babble in sentences which is so sweet. Sometimes it comes out like sounding like real words...which I suppose is the point. You really only say Dada, rarely Mama anymore unless you really want me. You learned to climb out of bed. (We'll have to remember to shut the gate at the top of the stairs...) And of course, you walk. Some days more than others. It's still much quicker for you to power crawl. It's your power crawl, the way your hands slap the hardwood stairs, that alert me to you trying to escape. Always trying to escape. That or climbing into something. Yesterday it was the turkey roaster. Every other day, we find you in the warming drawer of the stove. It's your favourite place to be in the kitchen.

 

It's always something. Like climbing up onto the stool to see if there's water in the sink to splash around. (We have to get better at remembering to close the bathroom door.)

You still eat lots and lots. Blueberries are the best thing ever lately, though they really stain your hands for at least a day or more. Pancakes with blueberries are just as good and disappear from your high chair tray two or three pieces at a time, as do quesadillas. We lost your fork so we've been trying to make due with spoons. It's hard to eat anything except thick, mushy stuff like potatoes or sweet potatoes with a spoon. Sometimes porridge that's been sitting out a while. Not that you mind, but you like being able to bit things with all those teeth. You are currently working on tooth number 8, which made for a miserable sleep last night. Number 7 came in a couple weeks ago.

Here you are eating a whole tomato that I was going to cut up for lunch. It just looked so good, you had to have it.

You love it outside and try and open the back door by yourself. Once out, you crawl all over the patio from the shopping cart to the wagon to the toybox. You find the way the wind blows the balls around very, very fascinating. You like the trampoline, especially when Lily bounces you. (I like it because it's like one big play pen.) We finally put the baby swing up yesterday and you quite enjoyed it, mostly when I tickled you every time you swung forward. We go for walks, whether you are in the wrap, the stroller or the wagon with Lily, it's all good. A snack of cheddar bunnies and raisins makes for an especially nice ride.

I look forward to the summer with you guys and of course, to another wonderful year of changing and growing. Happy birthday, sweet pea!