LiamMorrissey

Really?!?

2011-01-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Go ahead, I dare you to crack wise about this picture. Make my day.

Thank Goodness

2010-11-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Daddy showed me how to make cranberries oss. It makes me laugh watching them pop as they boil (see photo). Oddly though, I find myself wondering why we didn't open any cans to make the oss. There also seems to be a shocking lack of jelly-like ridges in the oss we made, but it will work for Thanksgiving.

Quack, Quack!

2010-10-31T22:01:00.000-07:00

Debating which costume to wear between a basketball player and ducky, I chose to wear both simultaneously. At least that was the plan the week before Halloween. Then tonight, I reminded Mama and Daddy that I always reserve the right to change my mind last minute, which I did, deciding to simply go ducky. As you can see the choice was adorable.

All for the price of an M&M

2010-10-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

So now that I am such a big boy and becoming more and more developmentally advanced, I see no need for diapers. Daddy helped wean my off of them this summer, and now I think I have this bathroom thing down pat. All I have to do go potty on the big toilet and I get to put a sticker on my potty chart. Obviously I'm fairly good at this now. Oh, and did I mention that I also get two M&Ms trip? That helps as well naturally.

Welcome to the NFL Rookie

2010-08-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

I finally got to go to my first Seahawks game today. Mama and Daddy have been to a ton of these and they talk a great game (pun intended), but I'm not sure they truly understand the game. Here I am explaining the zone blocking scheme to Daddy (hopefully for the last time).

It's a two-way street though, because I'm still working on finding the appropriate times to cheer.

I make Seattle look good.

2010-08-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

...not vice versa.

I can make myself laugh.

2010-07-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

It's not that hard once I get started...

Strawberry Face Forever

2010-07-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Both Mama and Dada have been complaining about this year's berry crop. While it is true that we have gone picking way less often this summer, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

Sure, when we went to pick last week all that was available was a bunch of small strawberries that Dada said "weren't even worth the trouble." I didn't mind. After all, small or not, I got to eat strawberries the entire time.

Since we only came home with four pounds of berries, Dada was being overprotective of our bounty, so here's how I manage to sneak all the berries I desire:

First, I slyly sneak up with my coy face and try and go unnoticed.

Then, I use my lightning-fast hands to snatch a strawberry while no one is looking.

The trick is to look like you are busy doing something else while you eat the berries...

...one...

...by one...

...by one!

Make sure to spit out the green tops...

Finally, after you eat the last strawberry, clean off the table to make sure that you leave behind no evidence. So far this plan has been foolproof for me.

Big Boy Bed!

2010-06-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

Well I am no longer a baby and can officially move up to the ranks of big boy because today Mama and Dada broke down my crib and replaced it with a big boy bed (Well actually, as always, I did most of the work, but let them go on thinking that they had done everything for me).

It started last night when Mama and Dada brought home a bed frame for me (I'm pretty sure that even though Mama found it on Craigslist, that it was my influence that truly picked it out). I danced around, jumped in between the fame slats and kept shouting, "Big Boy Bed! Big Boy Bed!" (I have a hard time restaining myself when I get excited, but you have to realize this is a pretty big step for me).

So this morning, we went to Ikea (a word that I'm pretty good at saying) in search of a mattress for my new bed. I successfully managed to not only convince Mama and Dada that I needed to stop at the Ikea cafe for brunch (my bowl of cereal this morning was pretty small after all), and then pulled off a minor coup by threatening a tantrum in order to get a stuffed soccer ball added to our shopping cart (I do have World Cup Fever you know). After the nice meal and a bunch of stops to "wash" my hands at EVERY demo sink in Ikea (I like to test my parents' patience a bit), we left with this:

It's a twin mattress with a new animal bedspread, pillow, and fitted sheet (not to mention a bonus stuffed soccer ball).
I had my two Hop on Pops test the bed out, and they fit it perfectly...

So then I snuck under the covers to test it out myself...

After Dada tucked me in, and I broke it in with this afternoon's nap... and I have to say I'm pretty proud of the work I've done!

2010-06-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Even a professional drummer like myself can sometimes run into a snafu or two.

While I work hard on my craft, making sure that my sticks are straight...

...and that my toms are balanced...

...that the kick pedal is working properly...

...even a pro like me has a hard time when I hit my finger with my sticks...

...and sometimes only Mama can make things better!

2010-06-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

The letter L stands for...

Liam,

Lollipop,

Lion &

Lumberjack

another in the photography series...

2010-05-05T16:59:00.001-07:00

I call this one "Mama's Face."

how I see my mother...

2010-05-05T16:56:00.001-07:00

I have taken to grabbing Moma's iPhone and using the camera to snap
pictures of her. In all actuality, I've been grabbing her iPhone from
her since birth, but I like to think of myself as a budding
photographer.

here's the latest in a new series of pictures of Mama's body parts.
it's a piece I've dubbed "Right Elbow."

iPod Mastery

2010-05-01T08:47:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if it's my general mastery of all music-related objects, or their new marketing campaign for toddlers, but I think I've got these iPods down. I can show how in a few easy steps:

First, choose the right iPod. In this case, I'm unplugging Dada's iPod Touch in favor of the little red Nano. You are probably as equally impressed by the Touch's features and touch screen as my Dada, but to a 23-month-old (as of today if you want to send presents), the color and shape of the iPod is of utmost importance. Image is everything.

Next, I plug in the headphones to the red Nano.

The last step is to carefully place the earbuds in my ears (they don't really fit, but I'm okay with that).

With that, I'm ready to pump up the jams.

Someday...

2010-04-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

I must deeply want to follow in my Dada's footsteps because here I am
sitting in his chair at work. As you can tell, I have been practicing
my "teacher look." After all, discipline is all about attitude.

the sad thing is...

2010-04-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

moments later, I threw a mild tantrum when I realized that this
wasn't cocoa I was mixing. I really think that EVERY drink I mix
should include some cocoa.

I just realized...

2010-04-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

most of my blog posts are of me playing drums. I must be obsessed or something.

boy plays drum machine

2009-12-31T13:37:00.000-08:00

So, as most of you know, I'm a child prodigy. The latest area of early mastery for me is combined DJ-ing and dancing. I'm basically an all-in-one dance party, able to lay down my own beats and jam to them. Before you get skeptical, check this out.

The Little Drummer Boy!

2009-12-24T21:44:00.001-08:00

Well after all of those years that my Daddy had to sing "Pa-rum-pa-pa-pum," he has finally found a reason to like the song. It seems that this whole time the little drummer boy was in fact, me, his little boy. I may not have the widest range of beats, or the best rhythm developed yet, but I do know all that it takes to be a pretty cool drummer. Check it out:

So first, all great drummers make sure that they use both hands and both feet and hit everything in sight. So as you can see, I have the both hands thing going, but sadly, my feet don't quite reach the pedals yet. When they do though, watch out because as you can see, the purple puppy shoes are clearly going to be the next great trend in footwear.

The next thing that all great drummers do is look cool. You can't make it look like you're working really hard, or you end up looking constipated. Or worse yet, you end up looking all cramped up and seizure prone like that guy from the Romantics. So the key is to look like drumming comes so naturally to you that you could be looking over your shoulder, ordering a pizza, or reading a book while playing. It should like something like this:

Finally, you should look like you are having fun when playing drums. You definitely want to hit them hard and look like a bad animal, but you certainly don't want to look like you are in pain. You want to look like it's the best thing you could be doing with your time. Even better than writing your blog. So that would look something like this:

when Mama asks me to smile...

2009-11-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

...this is the face that I make.

just like Daddy

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

I like burritos a lot. some might say too much, but I could probably
eat one every day... just don't let Mama hold it for me because I
clearly have this thing under control.

Beach Trip

2009-11-13T08:55:00.001-08:00

There's really not much to say about this other than that I deeply love my Mama.

...well, I guess I could add that Mama took me to the beach and let me check out the tidepools at low tide. It's pretty crazy to try and manage a one-and-a-half-year-old while navigating slime-covered rocks while he tries to poke his fingers into every urchin, sea anemone, starfish, and crab in sight, but she did it and I made it out without injury. I guess you could say I have a Super Mama.

wait a minute!

2009-11-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

my Daddy was supposed to take me to my first Seahawks game today, but
instead he decided to take Uncle Ben. that's okay with me I guess,
I'll just hope it's my turn next year.

ready to ride

2009-11-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

sure my feet may not reach the pedals yet, but those minor details
aren't worrisome enough to keep me from riding.

all I need to do is secure the keys from Daddy when he's not looking,
and I'll be set. well that and getting him to stop following a foot
behind me with his "just-in-case-you-fall" arm of protection.

I think I'm ready.

2009-10-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

my Daddy has a thing against babies trick or treating with their parents knowing that the baby's not likely to be the one eating the candy.

so needless to say, I'm not going trick or treating tonight, but as you can see, I'm not content to just hand out candy. I think I'm ready to at least give it a try on my own.

I don't quite get what all the fuss is about

2009-10-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

so I know that today is Halloween and that everyone out there is all
geeked up to get free candy. that said, as I'm sucking on this sucker
I can't see why you'd pass up on a great night of college football for
a bag of this stuff. mine just tastes like plastic.

my companion

2009-10-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

This double stroller is really nice. I can finally ride in comfort alongside a close friend. It's nice having someone you can depend on along for the ride who's there for you. It's neat to look over and know that you have someone to laugh with, share snacks with, and with whom to just kick it to use the kids' lingo. It made for a nice day with my cousin.

Oh yeah, and there's room for my buddy Hop on Pop too. He's the one in the middle.

Fox in Socks in stereo

2009-10-28T00:33:00.000-07:00

When you want a really good sleep, sometimes one stuffed Dr. Seuss
character isn't enough...

a new kind of superhero

2009-10-27T17:59:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a new identity as a superhero. i found these
sweet black and yellow tights (they must have cone from dad's days as
a Stryper fan) and figure I'm pretty much there.

the only thing I need to work on is my superpower. I've tried staring
at walls and my eyes fail to either see through them or shoot lasers,
so I'm still sussing it out.

the one thing that seems to truly hold up as extra special and super
powerful is my elastic belly. I can shoot it out a good three or
fifteen feet in front of my body. I haven't seen much use for this
yet, other than making Mama and Daddy laugh, but I'm sure I could
knock over an evildoer, or at the very least break through the walls that my
eyes have been so ineffective against.

seriously though, my dad rinsed the bottle out first...

2009-10-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

I know nothing is quite as funny as some (seriously) underage
drinking, but when you add a bumblebee costume to the mix, the result
is absolute hilarity! let's just say when I see Mama or Daddy drinking
something that looks way more grownup than my sippy cup, I start
melting down until they cave in. so once again, Liam wins!

By the way, I'd try and explain why I'm wearing a bumblebee outfit
about a week before Halloween, but I'd rather you not ask.

this one will probably get picked on...

2009-10-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know if they're enrolling kids at a younger age, but this kid
is definitely too short for his locker.

pretty kewl dood

2009-08-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

one of the nice things about the summer is the hip accessories. never before have I been able to look so good in my sunglasses. I think that they make me so cool that I wear them inside. pretty much at all times. now, while my Daddy says that wearing sunglasses inside is something "reserved for knuckleheads," he's allowing me to be the exception to the rule.

I've been practicing the dramatic reveal of my eyes, which is one of the coolest things that you can do while wearing sunglasses. It looks like this to start out:

Pretty cool huh? Sadly though, my little fingers are somewhat less than dexterous, so most of the times, the dramatic reveal ends up looking like this:

I guess it takes a little work to pull off looking this cool. That said, I'm committed to the cause and believe that I can accomplish my goal to be the cutest toddler in the western hemisphere (I mean honestly, who can keep up with some of those Japanese toddlers that begin training in the womb?).

My current training regimen includes a lot of looking at myself in the mirror, so if I don't answer my mobile, that's most likely what I am doing.

show me the evidence

2009-07-30T19:16:00.001-07:00

So my parents have been laughing when talking about our trips berry picking this summer. they usually laugh about how I love berries so much that when we got to the berry farm I thought I had somehow found a magical berry heaven.

As they tell the story, once I saw the strawberries in the ground, I lost all control and stuffed my face with them nonstop. A berry would go into the bucket, and then I'd pop it in my mouth. Berry in bucket, berry in mouth, berry in bucket, berry in mouth, and so on. Needless to say, Momma's bucket didn't fill up very quickly.

I don't exactly remember things that way. Yes, I do love strawberries, but it's not like I go crazy. I'm not even sure I ate any berries come to think of it. I'd sure love to see some sort of definitive proof...

big shoes

2009-07-29T14:33:00.001-07:00

I'm sure there's a "those are pretty big shoes to fill" joke in here somewhere. The truth is, I just like to demonstrate my superior foot-eye coordination by stepping into Daddy's shoes. I think they match my Fox in Sox nicely.

Whatever!

2009-07-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

So when it comes to summer, I find I'm having way more fun this year than I did last year. Somehow neither one of my parents understood a single of my important thoughts and reflections last year...and I had some important things to say! I guess that finally submitting and using some sign language has helped. For example, when Momma pulls me away from the fan and tells me "We don't touch the fan Liam," I can look into her eyes with my sweet doe-like expression and sign "more, please." Come to think of it though, she never lets me have more fan. Oh well.

In any case, here's a good example of my attitude this summer. When Daddy and I fall over in my backyard pool and Momma asks what we want to do next, we can both just laugh and say, "whatever" (although technically, I think we're both signing "all done" in this picture).

Happy 50th Birthday Morrissey!

2009-05-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

Happy 50th Birthday Morrissey! I want to thank you for all that you have given me. Like... my middle name... the music I listened to in Momma's belly... and the coolest onesie ever!

Linguistic mastery.

2009-05-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

So I have heard that language acquisition is one of the key developments that I am to master over the next few months. I've been comfortable taking my time in spite of my parents' desire to catalog and transition me from one stage to the next. Since my discovery at Easter that my cousin Payton, that she can walk and I can't, I've felt some pressure.

I think my dad may be a tad too competitive because he keeps letting my hand go at random times and saying things like, "Your cousin can do this," and "C'mon she's a month-and-a-half younger than you!" I really don't mind and will take my precious time. Besides, if the other two hairy siblings in my house can get away with crawling, why can't I? They have had close to nine years to figure things out.

In any case, one area in which I excel is speaking. I have been working on all of my consonant and vowel sounds. Here's what I've been working on lately:

1) Ba! *pictured above (this sound has been my fave since birth and can be applied to Kazu's balls (grow up people), my Daddy's head, and even as I pound my highchair)

2) Ddddddzzzzshhhh! (I have no idea if this is an English phenome, but I say it constantly)

3) Ahn (I think that someday this will be the beginning of ANother, ANatomy, and ANti-fungal, but for now, it's what I like to grunt in between bites of dinner in my highchair)

4) Nah (the inverse of the above, the two of which are often paired, or even added to number 1)

5) EEEEEEEE! (This varies from under the breath whisper to banshee wail and could quickly become my favorite)

6) HeHeHeHe *pictured below. (this is really just my laugh or giggle, but I anticipate using it the rest of my life)

7) Dah-Dun (I have yet to decide whether-or-not this is my way of saying doggie or daddy, but I apply it to both equally)

Remember us?

2009-05-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so about the time that Christmas happened, my Daddy got the wild hair that the house needed to be child proofed. So he put on his tool belt, got out his drill and starting making it impossible for me to open all of my favorite doors. Dad also realized that the childproofing doodads didn't require much drilling, but he still left the belt on and starting making jokes about plumbers, which neither Mommy or I thought were funny, and the childproofing pretty much ended.

In any case, one of his childproofing successes is that he is always locking up the laptops. This makes it impossible for me to blog. So I have been unable to do so since Christmas. I feel so bad for you my readers and am back to apologize.

Now what Dad doesn't know is that now I can scoot around on the floor faster than he can complain about NBA officiating. So my mobility mixed with my speed has finally paid off in the form of me getting to one of the laptops.

Since it has been so long, let me re-introduce myself to you all. I'm Liam. I'm the really cute one on the right. Haven't I grown a lot? Unfortunately, so have my ears. I'm really trying to catch up with those puppies to no avail. In any case, I'll be posting regularly here on my blog again.

Helping DaDa feel better so he can sleep

2008-12-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

We're both pretty sick. So are we co-dependent or symbiotic? I'm really not sure.

In love (lust) with food

2008-12-23T15:01:00.000-08:00

These are real tears. Real tears that I shed because for easily a second or two, I was without my favorite food, pears. Pears are truly wonderful, yet they are covered in a skin that Mommy thinks will be a choking hazard, so I get to eat pears in what I call pear-sicle form. I'm not sure how to explain it other than little pieces get cut up and shoved into what appears to be the end of a sock attached to a plastic handle. So away I suck on the sock producing a fountain of delicious pear juice, some of which makes it into my mouth. Just describing it should be enough to explain why I'd be prone to shedding tears over the absence of my pearsicle.

Fishy Lips

2008-12-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

I Heart Pear-sicles

2008-12-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Vote with Your Mouth!

2008-12-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure I understand why there's such a debate between Macs and PCs. Sure, it's obvious that I'm a Mac, but it's not simply because I'm being raised in a Mac home. To me, the way to end the debate is simple. I just use my taste buds. I spend a little time tasting each computer and like everything at my developmental stage, I trust my mouth (which as you can see in this picture, is the same way I queue my Netflix movies).

So by using your mouth, the argument is pretty easy to settle, because after all, an apple tastes way better than a window.

Old Ironsides

2008-12-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

When I have a secret that I need to keep, or a deep inner longing that I must confess, I turn to my favorite bear Mr. Old Ironsides. I can tell him just about anything and he'll protect it just like the crew of his namesake.

My New Favorite Person

2008-12-19T21:15:00.000-08:00

So I have discovered this beautiful creature. He hangs around inside of all of these flat shiny surfaces, so I've decided to name him Flat Baby. Whenever I see him, I smile, giggle, and will simply not look away. Mommy and Daddy have caught on, so when I start to cry or get fussy, they let me visit Flat Baby. He is so handsome that I don't imagine I'll ever grow tired of gazing at him.

Snow Day!

2008-12-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

When I woke up on Monday, the ground was covered in this strange white substance. Based on the movies that my Daddy watches (at which I like to sneak peeks), it appears that the sky has poured out several million kilos of cocaine. After a long sigh and a brief side conversation with Daddy about his entertainment choices, my Mommy explained that it was snow, a frozen form of precipitation that falls in the winter months.

I like this stuff a lot! It even appears to be more fun than the white stuff in Daddy's movies, because I played in it all morning and no police agents came in to shoot up the front lawn. So far, my favorite thing to do is to pound it down and pack it up nice and tight. Then I like to pull my snow-covered mittens up to my face and react to the cold. It's a lot of fun. You should try it yourself.

The only thing left for me to learn is how to dress properly for playing in the snow. When Mommy asked me to get dressed for the cold, this is what I came up with at first:

Little Elf/Big Elf

2008-12-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

This year (which is a funny thing for me to say considering the fact that I have had no other years to compare to this one), I think instead of sitting on Santa's lap (which begs another interesting question: Does this guy still not have email? Why do I have to write a letter or sit on his lap to let him know what I want? Is there some kind of terrible electromagnetic field in the North Pole that blocks the Internet? Is there something preventing the information age from penetrating the Arctic North? Now that I think about it, that would explain some of the things that Sarah Palin said in the election, but I digress...), I'm going to give him a break. Santa can come sit on my lap. As you can see, I've been practicing sitting up nice and straight, and I think I could support the weight of an elf like Santa. ...what do you mean bowl full of jelly?

"We checked every bulb didn't we?"

2008-12-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

My Dad has recruited me to help him check all of the Christmas lights. I think I have a pretty good system down to make sure each bulb is twinkling.

First, I select a bulb that appears to be suspect.

Secondly, I put the bulb in my mouth to see if it's really glowing.

Once it's in my mouth, I make sure that the glow is really solid. I can tell if it shines through my cheeks and lights up my face.

It's usually around this time when Mommy interrupts and pulls the lights away from me.

She then reminds Daddy that I'm too young to help, but somehow I end up with the lights again.

Illegal use of the hair...

2008-11-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

So every week my Daddy watches the Seahawks lose on this incredible mesmerizing box he calls a TV. Sadly, he tells me that I can't watch the TV until I am two or three years old (even though I distinctly recall watching an entire Boston Celtics NBA Finals game on his tummy when I was little).

I think that these rules are pretty unfair, so I have become fairly adept at craning my head to see the glow box (which is a MUCH better name than TV). I can get pretty close to spinning my head 360 degrees like an owl, or even flipping my head upside down to catch a glimpse of the miserable 2008 Seahawks (it's the only time the glowbox is on during the day).

To prevent this, my Daddy decided to make me wear his weird curly wig, which allows me to spin my head all day long, only to have my view blocked by the curly hair. For the first few minutes it's a lot of fun, but after Daddy starts getting excited about the Seahawks (which isn't very often this year), I start to become frustrated about what I'm missing. Even if he takes the wig off so I can get a peek, it's too late for me to be happy.

Bad Babysitter

2008-11-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

My Mommy started a new job which means that three days a week I get to hang out with a new family member. My Daddy helped the first couple of days, but he's not new (even though I still fail to tire of his hilarious jokes). One of my favorite baby sitters so far is my Uncle Nathan. He gives me fuzzy kisses and has lots of hair to grab. He also lets me break a few rules and let me back the car up in the driveway, among other things I can't mention without getting in too much trouble.

Jedi Master

2008-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

My parents told me that Halloween means that I get dressed up as a four-hundred-year-old frog in order to get candy. They warned that I won't get any candy this year because I'm not old enough.

Kazu started to tease me because my parents used to dress her and Hank up for Halloween and now it's my turn. So she got up in my face to rub it in:

Don't feel bad for me though, because I have ways of getting even with Kazu. I just throw a mild seizure and she doesn't know what to do. Just look at the fear in her eyes...

I'm also going to try out my Jedi powers on my Grandma...just as soon as I can get my arm out of this sleeve...

the taste of tattoos

2008-10-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

My Dad thinks I'm going to be a wunderkind who is able to read and write at 12 months and who will be enrolled in calculus in 3rd grade at the latest. So he got this tattoo with my name on it to help me practice my writing. I can't really hold a pencil well enough yet, so he has me practicing my name one letter at a time with my tongue. I trace the letters on his arm and am getting pretty good. If someone covered a table with whipped cream, I'm pretty sure that I could lick out a pretty good version of my first name.

one more...

2008-10-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

remember that old post about me charming the ladies? well, for those of you keeping track, mark up another one. ;-)

Hands off!

2008-10-26T17:02:00.001-07:00

I know what you must be thinking: "Oh, what a cute little baby boy!" or perhaps "Looks like someone's found a pumpkin!"

Well both sentiments are true, and before you get any ideas, hands off my pumpkin. This one's mine. Go find your own. Seriously. Do I look like I'm joking?

Why Boys Don't Shop

2008-10-17T00:34:00.000-07:00

Today we visited a store that had all of these tiny clothes. Usually when Daddy and I go shopping, it's for food. Usually it's for food that Mommy tells us to buy, and she often rolls her eyes when daddy comes home with the wrong things.

So I was surprised when Daddy took me to a store with clothes. I was even more surprised to see a store with all of these tiny clothes. Usually we go to stores that have clothes sized for normal people. I have no idea who all of these little people are (I believe that the called them Babies Rus) or why they have their own store, but I'm going to watch out for them. I also hope that Daddy got the right thing this time.

Wind Chill

2008-10-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

You'd think that with his bald pate, my Dad would understand the need to cover up bare skin, so why is he dangling me around without any clothes on?

Afternoon with Mama

2008-10-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time with my Mommy, and she likes to take a lot of pictures of me. Anytime she holds up a camera, I go into this cold, blank stare. I think that cameras are either going to make me famous or suck out my soul, so I'm watching them closely.

Every now and then though, I let my guard down and Mommy manages to catch one of my candid moments like the one above. I can't remember exactly, but I think I'm trying to churn butter with my legs. All in all, a great afternoon with Mommy.

Silly or Serious

2008-10-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

I've seen these masks of a smiling face and a crying face. They usually hang out together and they usually hang out at the theater. So I'm working on my smile face and my crying face so that I have the pair down. I have the smile down pretty well, but I'm still working on getting to the cry. Right now the closest I get is this serious face. Somehow smiling and serious doesn't seem like as good of a pair as smiling and crying, but I'm working on it.

Camp Magruder

2008-09-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Outdoor School is for 6th graders, but I got special permission from my Daddy (a.k.a. Platypus) to go, so Mommy and I packed ourselves up and drove out to the Oregon Coast for 2 days. It was fun to see Daddy teach his 6th graders all about the wetlands. I was really, really wanting to see a GBH, but unfortunately, I didn't. For those of you who are wondering what a GBH is, I'll give you just one clue: it is a beautiful sight to see him soar high up in the sky.

My camp name was Tadpole and my favorite part of Outdoor School, besides being the official video team to capture the squid dissection (the ink and pens were cool!), was getting to stay up late for campfire. Okay, well, I kind of fell asleep both nights, but I at least stayed up late enough to sing "Ging ging gooley gooley gooley wash wash, ging gang goo, ging gang goo." Auntie Annie is the best songleader ever.

Can't wait for next year.

1 month VS 4 months

2008-09-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how fast I can grow in just three months. Just take a look at my legs!

A Boy with Many Hats

2008-09-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Auntie LoLo

2008-09-16T00:33:00.000-07:00

I love my Auntie LoLo...she makes me laugh and she kisses me a lot!

Get Up, Stand Up

2008-09-16T00:26:00.000-07:00

No, you are not seeing things. That is me standing up all by myself. Okay, well I'm sort of leaning back against my mommy, but pretty much, I'm doing all the balancing and leg strength on my own. Do horizontal stripes make my belly look bigger?

Girls

2008-09-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

Girls can be a little bit bossy sometimes. My cousin told me in no uncertain terms the other day, that I needed to move over because I was getting in the way of her photo shoot. Maybe she'll let me be her back up singer when we get older.

coming in 2016...

2008-09-13T23:57:00.000-07:00

Dad and I are starting a competitive race walking team. We're training now and will soon be ready for the 2016 olympic games. This look is how we will intimidate our competitors.

Twins

2008-09-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

Is it "Great minds think alike," or "Great heads look alike?" I can't remember. Either way, I think my Daddy and I might be spotted as twins if we keep doing our hair the same.

Grandpa Time

2008-09-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

Everyone always tells me that I have big hands. "You'll be a piano player," they say. Well, whatever instruments I end up playing, I owe my big hands to my Grandpa. His are so big and strong, that sometimes he only uses one to hold me up. Pretty soon he won't have to hold me up at all...I've already figured out how to take my shoes off and I'm not even 4 months old yet. Next thing you know, I'll be running through the house with Kazu (Don't tell my mom).

Babies and Beards

2008-09-04T23:14:00.000-07:00

My Daddy shaved his beard today, for the 2nd day of school. Some people think that shaving off a beard can confuse a baby, but I'm pretty smart, so I knew it was still him. Who ELSE would be able to make all my favorite silly voices and sounds?

Here we are BEFORE the shave:

And here we are AFTER:

Turtle-Cow or Turvine?

2008-09-01T23:10:00.000-07:00

My mommy and daddy don't agree on what to call my little carseat toy. Is it a Turtle-Cow or a Turvine? I guess I'll just have to look it up on Wikipedia.

School Shopping with Daddy

2008-08-31T22:52:00.000-07:00

This is me waiting in the car while Daddy picked up a few things for the new school year. I can't wait to visit his classroom...all the kids love me.

Go Ducks!

2008-08-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

I've been practicing my duck quack sounds a lot lately.

I think I'm going to be a Duck even though my parents didn't go to the Duck school or the Beaver school. I guess someone in this family will have to be decisive, so it might as well be the 3-month-old.

x-games

2008-08-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

While it won't take me long to become a better skateboarder than Daddy, I think my real skills lie in the mastery of the newest extreme sport... the scooter. As you can see, I defy all laws of physics.

(but I have a feeling that in order to convince you, Daddy will need to photoshop out Grandpa Pop-Pop)

I can't hear you when I'm sleeping...

2008-08-29T01:47:00.000-07:00

My Grandma Betty (we still haven't agreed on your nickname yet), tells the greatest stories. She has lots of energy and even uses a lot of voices like my Daddy.

Sometimes her stories make me sleepy though, and I'm sorry Grandma, but I can't hear the stories when I'm sleeping.

Phelps Schmelps!

2008-08-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

Everyone makes such a big deal out of Michael Phelps and his body proportions. At 6'4" he has the legs of a 6' man and the torso of a 6'10" man or something like that. That's nothing! I have the legs of a 2'8" man and the torso of a 3'5" man. Now that's something to get excited about.

Not to mention the sheer speed in which I can kick my legs and flap my arms... look it's so fast that it can't even be photographed!

(BTW-My Dad threw the towel over my "swimsuit area" to abide with Blogger's nudity policy. As you can see I'm a little nervous about getting busted.)

child prodigy

2008-08-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

My parents were both getting so excited when I started pressing down the keys on Daddy's Rhodes. They started going on about a child prodigy and how this may be the way they'll finally pay off their student loans. I feel bad telling them that I was just trying to find what appeared to be a lost Cheerio.

We have ways of finding the truth...

2008-08-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Alright Mr. Lavender you can play the silent game, but we have ways of finding the truth. If you don't tell me who took my binky, you'll be sorry!

(I think that my parents' watch too much Alias on DVD. It may be causing some ill side effects, as I have never interrogated any of my toys before)

Football Baby

2008-08-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to think that I'm becoming a football. Whenever I go somewhere with Mommy and Daddy, I get passed around from person to person like I'm a baton. Sadly, in the United States, batons get dropped with an alarming frequency, so I'd rather think of myself as a football. Besides the fact that it's clearly my Daddy's favorite sport, I like footballs, because the players are taught to cradle the football close to their bodies and maintain "5 points of contact" (Dad hasn't explained that one yet). I like the thought of being cradled and highly valued as I'm passed around, since we in the USA seem to value footballs more than batons.

I went to school with Daddy and spent most of my time being passed around from one stranger to another. I remember Annie and Angie, my Daddy's co-workers pretty well. Mainly, I know Annie best because she visited me in the hospital and never lets me go when she holds me. Some other strangers carried me around and I had to do so much smiling and giggling that I ended up so tired that I fell asleep in Daddy's class (He told me not to worry because I wasn't the first one to do this).

My First Wedding!

2008-08-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

Lucky me! Tonight I made it to my first wedding. Daddy's friend and band mate Jon Jones was getting hitched (this is what my Daddy said, but they never hooked him up to a cart or horse).

From what I can tell, a wedding is where two pretty people are surrounded by a bunch of other pretty people, all of whom have very nice (and very hot with all of the men wearing black in the late summer) clothes on. They stand around for awhile and smile a lot while another man talks for too long to all of the less pretty people in the crowd (my Daddy yawned a few times). I think that this man tells everyone a sad story, or maybe it's about something sad that happened to a mommy, because all of the mommies (even my Mommy) started crying. Or maybe the mommies were crying because of all of the yawning that the daddies were doing (It's hard for me to tell because I'm still a baby).

The wedding seemed pretty fancy to me. It was at the Portland Art Museum where there are a bunch of very pale, very naked, and very still people that stand around all of the time. I don't think they ever moved the entire time we were there. There was even one of these still, pale ladies who was missing both of her arms.

I had a good time and I even got to dress up in some new brown overalls. My Daddy and I both wore yellow shirts and brown outfits. We all looked so cool that we decided to take this picture:

since some of you have asked...

2008-08-22T17:28:00.000-07:00

Several of you out there in cyber-nets have been wondering what I have been doing. More importantly why have I not posted recently? I wish I had a good reason (more than my usual need to focus on the extremely important developmental stages that I not only reach, but smash to pieces), but I really don't.

It's not for lack of blog-worthy material for, rest assured, I do something completely adorable and earth-shatteringly cute every single day. Never fear, I'll catch the blog back up and let you know what I've been up to, but for the most part, I've just been having a really good time hanging out with my Mommy and Daddy as the picture below seems to indicate.

look into my eyes

2008-08-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

As you gaze into my eyes, you will find yourself feeling very sleepy. You will slowly release the tension in your shoulders and feel it work its way down your back leaving you very calm and relaxed. You will then get up and get me an oatmeal cookie. You will not question whether-or-not it is too soon for me to have cookies, you will simply hand me the cookie and feel good about it. After I have finished eating the cookie, I will count down backwards from 10 and you will find yourself feeling rested and not at all curious about the cookie crumbs on my striped onezie.

command center

2008-08-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

So I must be gaining in importance because I now get to sit at the controls of what seems to be a very important console. I believe I'm either commanding some kind of missile defense system or perhaps I'm keeping a nuclear power plant from entering meltdown. Whatever the case I feel pretty important and I'm starting to get the hang of everything. See the ease and finesse with which I push this button?

Now if only I knew what this yellow thing did...

Hello Morning!

2008-08-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

If I ever play in a band like my Daddy I think Hello Morning would be an awesome name, but in this case it simply describes how I feel each day.

This is me literally seconds after waking up. I greet each day with a long series of smiles and wonder what is in store. How could I not be happy at the sight of another shiny day (and I think even though I have yet to experience one, that I'll like the cloudy ones too)?

I think that most adults could learn a lot from me about how to start your day. Maybe I could teach some lessons...

D.E.A.R.!

2008-08-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Apparently there are these stories that are typed up and printed on paper called books. My Mommy and Daddy read these fat ones with tiny pages with the names of famous people on them. My books are short and skinny with really fat pages and characters with funny voices. My Daddy makes all of the voices and I'm still undecided on whether he likes to make them more, or I like to hear them more, but we both have fun.

When it gets into the middle of the afternoon, Daddy shouts to "Drop Everything And Read!" and that's when the books come out. So far, my favorite is Barnyard Animals. Each time it gets to the part with the donkey, I'm surprised (and a little startled) by the sound he makes. My books are a lot of fun, but there's one on the coffee table about an Obama that looks rather interesting...

awww yeah!

2008-08-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Remember that post a couple of posts ago about the ladies?

Well apparently it's already happening!

hello? anyone home?

2008-08-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Um, I'm not sure where my parents went...

They just left me on the bed.

I really hope they're coming back sometime soon!

this one's for the ladies!

2008-08-09T10:40:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd lean into the camera and whisper to my female readers that in 2026 (or sooner depending on how prude my parents end up being) I'll be totally available.

As you can see I have a great smile, I'm well dressed, and I am a great listener (I rarely talk over you... or even talk at all). So save the date, because I'm sure that demand will be high!

And for those of you that prefer the coy approach, a can also do aloof.

3 pack

2008-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

My Daddy is notorious for telling lots of jokes. They fall into three categories:

1) so bad that they're puzzling and require explanation.

2) funny enough to merit a giggle.

3) knee slappingly hilarious!

I believe I can touch the sky

2008-08-07T07:16:00.001-07:00

While this may look like a baby in the middle of a terrible temper tantrum, it is not. I believe that I can fly. I've seen the birds do it, from time to time the squirrels in the back yard do it, so I figure why not me? I admit that I have yet to get off the ground, and you can see the frustration in my face, but I won't stop trying.

hand model

2008-08-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

My parents think that I'm fascinated with my hands. While this is an appropriate developmental stage for my age they are so wrong. They don't know that I've devised this way to tell time using my wrist as a sundial. So when Daddy is kissing me repeatedly with his gross beard, I'm looking at my wrist and timing things to see how soon it will end. Here I am using this method to figure out if I have time to play with Kazu.

Brett Favre

2008-08-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

With all of this media over-coverage on the will-he-play? won't-he-play? with-whom-will-he-play? Brett Favre debate, I thought that I'd weigh in and give my take on the debate...

Maybe my Daddy will stop taking about it now! ;-)

Compu-Boy

2008-08-04T12:23:00.001-07:00

Since I do all of this blogging, I thought I'd share a picture of myself basking in the glow of my computer screen. Look at how the rectangular screen reflects in my eyes! As you can tell, the warm light lulls me into a slight state of hypnosis. Somehow in the midst of this altered state of mind, I'm able to post these blogs.

first concert

2008-08-03T23:34:00.000-07:00

It took long enough, but I've finally been to my first concert! With my musical family, I figured that it would have taken less than two months to get out to see some live music, but better late than never I suppose. So Mommy and Grandma D (Daddy was still in the rack because of his sinus infection) took me to see Brooklyn's own Hasidic Reggae star Matisyahu. I'm no critic and mind you this was my first and only concert, but it was... okay (I think I'm already becoming hard to please).

lunch date

2008-08-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

We had lunch out as a family today (which Daddy explained is a rare occurrence). We went to Bob's Red Mill for both a veggie (Mommy) and veggie supreme (Daddy) sandwich, both of which looked so good that I wanted to get a closer look. Daddy put the plate on top of me and I really think that once I can eat solid foods I'd like to try pickles. That one in front of me looks fairly tasty.

"Gah-goo blag-bap?"

2008-08-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Clearly, I don't know the answer, and while you'd think that the title of this post is me speaking baby talk, it was actually Daddy asking me a question. He's kinda weird. Which has me making this expression a lot:

Daddy time

2008-07-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

I got to spend the entire morning with my Daddy today while Mommy was working. He's pretty fun, the way he makes me laugh and he's pretty good at changing my diaper. It takes him a lot longer to calm me down though when I start to cry. He never lets me suck on his chest which normally works for me (I wonder if he knows about that? He should talk to Mommy). So this picture takes place after an hour or so of him trying really hard to get me to sleep.

my mother the couch

2008-07-30T14:15:00.001-07:00

My parents would love to believe that when I spend half my morning in their arms smiling at them that it's because of them. I feel bad saying that it really has nothing to do with them. As I showed this morning, all I really need to be happy is a large inanimate object. Today I was in Daddy's arms on the couch and smiling up a storm. Unlike normal though, I wasn't looking across at my Mommy, the source of my happiness was the green couch. I love it a lot, just not quite as much as my Mommy and Daddy.

Garden Gnome

2008-07-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

I went out for my first breakfast this morning! Mom and Dad took me to Bob's Red Mill where we met up with Uncle Ben. I like this outfit, but somehow I feel like I should be sitting in someone's front garden with a pipe and maybe a watering can and even a beard. I wonder why?

gimme five

2008-07-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Man! When I see my hand inside of my Daddy's I realize that I still have a lot of growing to do.

the ways of the dark side

2008-07-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

My parents say that I make a face that looks like Yoda when I suck in my lower lip (which I evidently do a great deal of the time). Since this has yet to be captured in a picture, I'll share the next best thing, which is my backpack sling carry with my mommy. Imagine that Mommy is Luke Skywalker and that I am a little green Jedi and I think this picture will make way more sense. That, and I'm whispering in Mommy's ear that, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” I think that is why she is smirking at me.

Bumbo Boy

2008-07-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't it great that I've already learned the concept of alliteration? While I'm not ready for a full-fledged endorsement, I like the sound of my new favorite chair followed by boy which makes me sound like either a superhero or strange object of national pity... "Never fear, Bumbo Boy is here!" or "Awww, look at how hard Bumbo Boy is trying to just fit in like the rest of us." In either case, I like the sound of my new name. Keep these pix on the DL though because Mommy snuck me into my Bumbo a developmental stage or two too early. I'm supposed to have complete control of my head and be able to constantly hold it up on my own, but I won't tell if you don't.