brunch.

we had the neighbors on one side of us over for brunch this morning. it was lots of work getting everything ready, but it was lots of fun & worth it! and look at all the comfort food we have left (including another bottle of bubbly) - yay!

and mommy gets a hair cut later today. ahhh. mommy time. she deserves it!

daddy readings

z loves reading with daddy! for some reason, he never sits so patiently with mommy on the couch, but behaves for daddy. he has pants on now... all ready for brunch with the neighbors.

pants party

our little pantless cutie. his favorite hair brush is close by.

he still has the cute baby fat rolls.

hip hip hurrayyyy!!!!

mac n cheese

daddy & z finished making the farfalle & cheese while mommy taught, and our friend c came over for dinner once it was all finished. a fun friday night!

z & c

a mischievous z. he was having fun exploring life beneath the dining table...

z is hugging vinny. you have to click on the picture to be able to see vinny.

we just upgraded vinny & persia's vet plans to pay for dental cleaning (and anesthesia), so they had their teeth cleaned yesterday. vinny has lost weight! he used to be 18 lbs, but yesterday he weighed 16.8 lbs. way to go, vinny! we didn't get the rest of the lab work - they'll be mailing it to us, so we'll have to see if persia lost weight too.

sun!

on thursdays, i don't teach until 5:15, so we were able to enjoy the sun that finally revealed itself this past thursday. we visited our old stomping grounds- our old play ground - on the way to the grocery store. z is wearing his new outfit from gma & gpa canby!

play group

z & i have two play groups that we attend. this was from the wednesday group. three kids on the right are totally fine with sitting together, and the three on the left (including z) don't like it. but it was sort of the situation where one started crying (i don't remember which one), and others chimed in.

some kept trying to get off the couch.

z is saying - why are you putting me through this? WHAT IS THE POINT???!!!!

i really want down!

please please PLEASE - i'm begging you! get me DOWN from here!!!!

new outfit

new outfit from g'ma & g'pa canby...

he looks so serious!!!!

z claps

daddy sings, z claps, fun for everyone!

our little reader.

z isn't talking much yet. we're trying to teach him some signs and make him speak before we give him food or water. he does love books, though, and wants to read all the time. even at meal times, as you can see...

bath time twister

daddy & z had been playing with the twister game, so it was laying out in the play room. z wandered in there before his bath. we thought it was too cute to not take a picture.

climbing

gotta start 'em young...

one of daddy's hanging climbing holds in the garage.

tinker toy invention

one of daddy's many inventions...

g'ma tigard birthday

g'ma blows out candles...

but they keep coming back - which makes z giggle!

the magic birthday candles...

canadians visit

z is charming the lovely n. he's showing off his "flap flap flap," just like penguins do. that's just what the ladies like, z! impresses them every time...

j & p. thanks for coming to see us! we wish you still lived here. :( perhaps you'll move back some day.

fun in the bath

uh oh... another fauxhawk!

mommy... why does my hair feel funny???

aaaauuughhhh!!! darn parents!

ahh. rubber ducky. you're my friend.

puppet show

more fun...

puppet show

more fun...

puppet show

fun with puppets...

happy 15th month birthday!

z is now 15 months old. last time i weighed him, he was 30 lbs with clothes. we just moved up to size 5 in diapers. he's wearing 2T sized clothes, except for the old ones that stretch enough to still fit him. if he's in a bad mood, he just wants to be held all the time, and cries when we set him down. he wants his momma, especially. i'm trying to take him to more social outings - play groups, book readings at libraries... we need to start some form of music classes.

i'm beginning to do group classes with my violin students, so last weekend was busy. on friday night, my students 6th grade & older came over for a pizza party/performance class for 2 hours. on sunday, those 5th grade and under came over for a group class for an hour. there was lots of giggling, so i think it was a success. on saturday we had our first ever non-family babysitter while j & i went out to see the met's broadcast of der rosenkavalier. the music was wonderful, but watching a trouser role (where a woman plays a man) in high definition was a little yucky. susan graham sounded wonderful, but made the love scenes a little gross. not so believable. renee fleming was beautiful. sunday night, after the class, we made dinner for g'ma tigard, as it was her birthday on tuesday.

hooray!

hip hip hooray!!!

z sings.

more singing.

chips

i love chips.

happy 2010!

happy 2010! we cooked tons of food for new year's eve that never got eaten, so we took a bunch over to my parents' & watched the rose bowl there, as we don't have cable.

cute pic, except for the poorly placed hair brush...

mama, leave me alone! i look cute enough already!

new years eve

we had some friends over for new year's eve. very laid back.

mommy made daddy's favorite pie, and z had fun licking the beaters for the first time ever.

some bubbly.

a.

a & k, somewhat newly engaged. (no, didn't happen n.y.e., but it's a lovely story.)

j. missed a photo of his wife, d.

us.

singing.

z "sings."

SNOW in portland!

on dec 29th, it snowed unexpectedly in the afternoon. about a week earlier, forecasters went on and on about how it was going to snow, and there would be thick ice everywhere, but it never materialized. and then this happened without any warning. luckily, that was the day we had the piano moved to the newly finished basement, so j was working from home. as it turned out, the roads were completely snarled & peoples' commutes took 3-6 hours home. if it ever snows again this winter, j had better start biking home the minute the snowflakes fall. it was a mess!

snow on the skylights.

outside the side porch.

z all bundled up for a walk in the snow.

not much distance between z's steps. he sort of shuffles sometimes.

the snowy woods. so pretty!

snowy steps.

there isn't a fire in the forest - it's a reflection of our fireplace in the window.

post wine tasting

we came home to the boys after our wine tasting adventure.

uncle b looks a little tired...

must've been all the coloring.

z gives aunt c a hug. he loves his aunt c!

cousins.

bachelorette.

on dec 28, i went wine tasting with my sister in law & her friends for her bachelorette party. we went to torii mor, archery summit, the dundee bistro for lunch, argyle, and then chehalem. her friend j drove. it was lots of fun! j watched z while i was gone, and his cousin j came over & uncle b.

here we all are, just before lunch.

the guest of honor at lunch.

at argyle.

full regalia.

all of us at chehalem.

one of the wines at argyle had a peculiar taste/aroma...

canby xmas

j in apron, ready to help roll & cook the tortillas. we went to j's home in canby for xmas #2 on the 26th. g'ma canby prepared a great turkey mole. the food was great, and z was showered with gifts!

everybody at meal time. we will never ever forget a high chair again.

we will also be sure to always have a bottle at the ready. we don't do bottles except for at bedtime, but if z sees one, he cries and cries until he has his own. thanks for loaning us yours, cousin j! it saved the evening.