Theo's Friend in the Mirror

Look who Theo stumbled upon while exploring the cabin we rented over New Year's.

Reading Christmas Morning

Christmas Stocking

Nighttime

We've still been giving Theo a bottle of milk before bed. We know it's a cruch, but he seems so well-adjusted otherwise -- and has been sleeping so we'll -- that we haven't tried to give it up. Until this week, when he soaked through his diaper for the 4th night in a row. Our effort has been a series of false starts. Last night I put him down with 1/4 of a bottle and some crackers; Sara had to go back for a second round, after which it still took half an hour for the banging and pleading to subside. Then he woke up at 1am (a rare occurrence) . I stagger in to check on him, and find he's completely naked. His pajamas were on the floor, his diaper in the corner of the crib, and Theo was sitting in a puddle of his urine looking upset. We figure he must have undressed himself after Sara left him, and slep au natural for five hours.

Reading with Grandma

Updates, Finally

Our fire for posting our life up on the web slackened for a while this fall. I've finally started going through all our pictures and am back-dating blog entries. I added some pictures from our Minnesota trip in July, some camping photos from the gorge, and our trip to the Puyallup Fair.

Halloween Cow

With Grandma & Dad. Mvooo! Mmmvvvvvooo! (That's how Theo moos)

Putting the Moves on Cate

Fall Follies

We visited the Washington State corn maze. This is not any state-sanctioned corn maze, but a Washington state shaped field with major roads cut to scale within. None of those pictures came out, though, so instead we have general frolicking with pumpkins and one large tractor tire.

Happy Little Boy

This is Audrey with Theo.

Nana Cary's Birthday in the Japanese Garden

Dad, Theo and Grandpa walking up to the gate.
Theo making Nana's day by breaking into a big smile and running up to her as soon as he saw her.
Fascinated by the carp.
Theo, dad and mom.
Three generations, the newest going for the nose of previous.
Nana, grandpa, mom, dad and Theo.

The Puyallup Fair

This year we caught the Puyallup Fair on its very last day.

Theo identified the pumpkin as a ball and immediately tried to pick it up and throw it.

Theo vs cow. Hard to tell whether he's more excited by the cow or by the hay. He is a city kid I suppose.

I'm impressed, the camel is impressed, but Theo is not.

A horse (or possibly donkey) on the other hand makes a big impression.

Theo snuggling up with a pile of freshly sheered wool.

Here Theo is trying to communicate with the sheep. "Baa. Baa."

Enjoying fair corn.

Coming to get you! And claw out dad's eyes in the process.

Theo yelling at the chickens. I think this is retribution: a honking goose had almost made him cry shortly before, and turned him against fowl for the rest of the day.

Late Summer Camping

Our old camera kicked the bucket towards the end of the summer. We got a new one, but it took us a while to set the date correctly. As I've been so bad about posting pictures on time, I lost track of exactly when these pictures are from. I think some are from the week in August with Helen, Andreas and Bennett; the others are from our last trip of the season in September.

Theo and Sara on the beach. I think Sara's trying to teach Theo how to play fetch, but I'm not sure which part.

Oceanside beach. Our camp with Helen and Bennet in the foreground, sea stacks in the distance.
Dad & Theo relaxing with a book.
Only his second summer going to the gorge and already he's helping out with the driving.
Wetsuits have many uses.

Wetsuit

We spent a week down in the gorge with Helen & Andreas. We got Theo a wetsuit so he could play in the water without shivering: being cold didn't seem to bother him, but it upset his coordination.

First we gave a test of the wetsuit on dry land, then we took it out to the water.

Sit to Walk

Theo will crawl over to the stairs and sit on the first step as a better launchpad to walking.

More Minnesota

"So you see, Sophie, really I should be the one to play with this chew toy."
Grandpa taking Sara and Theo out for a boat ride.

Grandpa showing Theo how to ride a horse.
Grandpa's happy to hang out with Theo, even if Theo is getting tired of all the picture-taking.
Madison pushing Theo on a swing. What a happy little guy.
Grandma & Theo enjoying some block time.

Playing Blocks with David

Minnesota Mud Puddle

With bonus tree slapping.

Clapping in the High Chair

Theo and Friends

Kieran and Theo. They seem to spend a lot of time in there together.


Oscar and Theo. Oscar's very polite and here is giving Theo a can of bubbles. Theo just takes and takes. I hop he'll be a better friend some day.

Opening Presents

Theo was very careful and studious with his new toys.


As expected, the packaging was as interesting as the contents.

Friends at the Birthday

Theo showing how much he likes his cousin Diana.Theo wondering what cousin Kieran does to his hair.
The wildly social side of the deck.
Jenny & Oscar hanging out in the sun.
Theo (almost) standing.
Diana explaining to Theo how the pool works.

Pool Party

After eating cupcakes, we just threw Theo into the pool rather than wiping off the squirming excited baby.

Who needs pool toys when there are plastic cups?
Oscar joins in on the fun.

Simple pleasures.