Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Theo biking!

After many months of thiking and talking about his new bike, he finally decided it was time to ride it. He seemed to love it.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Various Simultaneous Jingle Bells

From left to right: Tommy Fitzgerald, Theo, and Charlie Fitz.

Friday, November 27, 2009

O Tannenbaum

We got a jump start on the holiday season today and drove somewhere east of North Bend to pay an absurd amount of money to cut down a Christmas tree ourselves. Being the true PNW outdoor types that we are, we thoroughly enjoyed the ruggedness and natural beauty of the..... Christmas tree farm with ample parking and perfectly spaced rows of Douglas and Noble Furs. Did I mention the hot apple cider and Christmas cookies? It was the only way to soothe Theo after he fell in the mud three consecutive times. These falls were perhaps a bit startling but certainly not painful. We think he was most upset with the mud on his hands. So we're a little soft. But I can’t imagine hiking into the National Forrest on snow shoes with a little kid to cut down our own despite the bargain basement price of the $10 permit required to do so. Who would place our tree on a mechanical shaker to remove the loose needles? Who would provide the saw? And most importantly, who would operate the mechanical bailer that condensed our puffy Noble Fur into an aerodynamic green missile that can be easily mounted to our front wheel drive station wagon. Does the Forrest Service provide rope?

Ok, the real reason for my post. Theo told us when we were preparing for this big adventure today that he wanted an orange Christmas tree. Naturally. Not sure what planted that seed in his head but we assured him that we wouldn’t be able to find an orange one and that he should be prepared to get a green one. Well not less than 10 yards from where we parked our car we stumbled upon this little gem. And while we didn’t take it home, I am pretty sure Theo enjoyed an “I told you so” moment at our expense.




guest appearance featuring:

Selim! He visited in early November (along with Pete and Ayse) and we shared a lovely rainy weekend in Seattle. Among many other fun things we staged a Theo and Selim photo shoot with them in their Door County tye dyes. Here is my favorite of the 36 pictures we took. Not easy to get an 8 month old AND a two year old to look at the camer at the same time.

Pictures from the whole weekend are here:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=245932869703%3A1360114611

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

halloween pictures

Pumpkin carving eve:

Mental prep on game day:
All set to go with Mommy:

Trick-or-treat-scream-a-thon on Queen Anne with the Tintles (Quincy pictured):

Not much candy collected in the end but Theo and Quincy thoroughly enjoyed bowls of ice-cream after we devoured pulled pork sandwiches from Seattle's mobile pig http://maximus-minimus.com/. After each bite they would exclaim how yucky their ice cream was and then laugh hysterically. 2 year-old irony?

pasta sauce, aka.....

meatball jelly. At least according to Theo it is. Theo always wants to know what is being made in the kitchen and so when Penny showed him what she was making the other day, this is what he intuitively called her creation.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

theo digital art

Theo and I had fun with MS Paint this morning. He is just starting to be able to draw with the mouse, taking after his mommy of course. Here is a copy of our creation.




Monday, November 2, 2009

a baller?

Craig & Daph got Theo a new basketball that was signed by Chris Paul. Here's a little demo of his skills along with a message to Daph (and Craig).

Thursday, October 15, 2009

word choice matters

Theo walked into the kitchen this eve and announced, "Mommy, look at Theo's hooker." He was carrying a clothes hanger. Not surprising given his recent obsession with hooks (on cars, tow trucks, and on fishing poles in the bathtub). He also got his hair cut today. After:

Before:

During:

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

fleece snuggie - scary

I work with some pretty thoughtful and funny people who pitched in to get us a couple get-well presents after my surgery. The first (thoughtful) item: a gift cert to a local dinners to go service. The second (funny) item pictured below: a cheeta/leopard print fleece snuggie to help me stay warm while recovering. So naturally I had to have a picture taken to humor my co-workers and naturally I wanted Theo to be in the picture too. One problem. Theo found the fleece snuggie scary and while he looks agreeable in the picture, he refuses to let me wear the snuggie anymore and insists that it is scary. Turns out he is right. The boy has some fashion sense I believe.



Tuesday, October 13, 2009

imagination at work

Theo has a pretty vivid imagination or he is going through an imaginative phase at least. He makes up all kinds of names for his various lego and digger and buggage (garbage) truck characters; names like Bla Bla, or Shlarp, or Clim Clam and not what we would consider to be normal names anyway. He will also sometimes just blurt out random nonsensical things like lobo-laba and when we ask him what a lobo-laba is he will pause for a minute, I think realizing we are calling him on his BS, and then say “some people like lobo-laba” as if that is sufficient definition. But the thing we get the biggest kick out of is the way he can pull a truck or a huckleberry or a dinosaur out of thin air and play with it or pass it around the room. He does so by pinching his index finger and thumb together and pretending to pick whatever it is he wants to play with off the closest and most convenient surface. He then announces what he has and often will hand it to one of us. We of course play along with this and ask all kinds of questions about this imaginary thing. What color is it Theo? Blue. Is it a big truck? No, mall truck. Is it a garbage truck? Yeah and so forth. Then we will drive the imaginary truck around the couch or room and pass it back and forth. We once ate an entire meal of imaginary food with him. He also likes to imagine that a train is coming through the tunnel which is the gap between the pillow and couch back. He’ll go so far as insisting that we get off the couch to let the train go by. And recently when he started to tire of having his teeth brushed I spiced things up a bit by asking him to put huckleberries on his tooth brush in addition to the tooth paste. He has a renewed vigor for tooth brushing now and reports that the huckleberries taste very good.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

grocery shopper

We took Theo to the Greenwood Market the other day because they have mini shopping carts meant for kids to use. We thought he would get a kick out of it and we were right. He took right to it, steering his little cart around and stopping to pick out item he wanted and putting them in his cart. His first item? An avocado. Second? A green apple. Of course he quickly moved on from fresh produce to ice cream. And of course this garnered all kinds of attention and cute comments/looks from our fellow shoppers.


Monday, September 28, 2009

Dinner conversation & new video

Recent dinner conversation:

Theo: "Theo get some new ears"
Penny: "Really, where do you plan to get them?"
Theo: "Cinceenati"
Penny & John: "Naturally"
Theo: "Theo get new sunglasses"
John: "Where are you going to get new sunglasses Theo?"
Theo: "Cheecaaagooo"
Penny & John: "Ahhh, of course."

A recent romp in Theo's crib:


Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Boy Likes Bulk Items

Theo (out of nowhere): Lola, Bappa

Penny: Lola, Bappa, what?

Theo: Lola Bappa...live Chicago!

Penny: That's right! Lola & Bappa live in Chicago!

John: Where does Theo live?

Theo: Theo...live...Costco!

Friday, August 28, 2009

ice cube juice

Theo likes eating ice cubes / ice chips. Today I gave him a bunch in a bowl and when he was finished he said “ice cube juice”, tipped the bowl up to his mouth, and drank the water in the bottom of the bowl. Now this is logical because typically he eats fruit in the same way and typically there is some fruit juice left over and he typically drinks whatever juice is at the bottom (pineapple, orange, strawberry). Water will never be quite the same again.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

how to not maximize blueberry picking yeilds

We took Theo to a blueberry farm to pick blueberries on Sunday. He is already an accomplished picker having practiced on our bushes at home. He knows to only pick the blue ones and leave the green and purple ones for later. He knows that the blueberries on the ground are for birds, not for Theo. And he knows that it is way more fun eat them right off the bush than to put them in a bowl for later.

We arrived at the farm and got a large plastic bucket (10 gallons maybe) and three smaller aluminum buckets (1 gallon). Un-stated goal was to fill up the large bucket I suppose. We walked about a quarter mile to the bushes that were ready to be picked. We chose a row and started picking. All of the excitement apparently stimulated Theo's colon and of course the fresh diapers were a quarter mile away in the car. So after filling two of our small buckets half-way, we realized we were done. We took our harvest back, returned our empty 10 gallon bucket with humility, paid, and changed Theo's diaper on the gound next to the car. We ended up with about 3 pounds of good, fresh blueberries. Lesson learned for next year.

On the drive home we went past a small air-strip where a skydiving operation was in full effect. Theo liked watching the parachutes come in for a landing and would impatiently tell us "more" whenever there was a lull in the action.

The walk out:
Working the fields:

The diaper change:




Thursday, August 13, 2009

"squishy mulch, huh"

We got a large truck load of mulch last week from Ballard Tree. They dumped it in the driveway and I had to move it all to the back yard under the Douglas Furs. So I enlisted Theo’s help. He wasvery helpful. He would take a pinch or sometimes a handful of mulch from the pile and put it in the wheel barrow / trash can that I was using to transport it. He also liked to help by rolling the empty garbage can back to the mulch pile and telling me where to dump the mulch (the former was truly helpful).

Anyway, all this brings me to how Theo’s mind works. After spreading a thick layer under the trees, he and I walked around in the mulch and I said “Squishy mulch, huh?” He thought that was funny and repeated “Squishy mulch, huh” several times. Then later at dinner we were telling Penny about the mulch and at some point I said squishy mulch. Without pause he followed up with “Huh.” It took a second for me to realize what he was saying and then it clicked. Several days later (today) we finished moving the mulch pile and we walked around on the mulch again and he said “Squishy mulch, huh” (emphasizing the huh and I think realizing that he was being funny). His ability to recall such specific things amazes me.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Theo's faces

A short series of Theo's on command faces.

Fat lip:
Long face:


Surprise face - open mouth:

Fake smile:

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Family hair week

Theo's haircut was a hit so mom and dad decided it was time for some change too.


Friday, July 10, 2009

Before and after

Theo's hair was getting long again and his mullet was getting more pronounced and unruly every day, especially after waking up. So yesterday Penny took him to a kids barber at the University Village - fancy pants for Seattle. He got to play with toys the entire time and took it all in stride like the little man he is. If you look close you might note a glimmer of "product" that they used to style his hair........

Before:

After:

Theo also decided that it was fun to kick a soccer ball this week! And he kicks it pretty well I must say. For the longest time he just wanted to throw the soccer ball. He liked to throw it regulation style but as you all know his head is big and his arms are short relative to his head's size. So he had a hard time getting the ball to clear his head as he wound up (and as he threw it) and just about fell every time he tried. Kicking the "hoccer" ball is much easier for him.


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Father's Day Dance Party



We haven't uploaded our own photos yet, but here are some pictures from Father's Day from the
KEXP Dance Party Blog Post. You'll see us if you look closely.

(photos of the Dance Party by Chona Kasinger and Tracy Cilona)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Monday, April 6, 2009

theo's latest tricks

Quietly calling role at dinner (acknowledging everyone at the table)
Calling role while walking down the street with people (Da Da, Mommy, Me Me, Pa Pe – check, check, check, check)
Exclaiming “GOOOOOOOOO” as he starts down the sidewalk
Sort of getting the concept of Stop and Go
Walking in circles on command
Walking backwards (on command)
Flapping his arms like a bird on command
Running
Winking (or very close to it anyway)
Reading books or playing quietly by himself occasionally
Climbing onto the ottoman himself
Looking at us in all seriousness and repeatedly raising his eye brows until a breaking point of his own laughter
Saying “two” and sometimes seems to get the concept of having two grapes, or two hands, or two balls, or two whatevers
Walking in the grass or on rocky surfaces
Saying “weee” when he goes down hills (even the slightest) and saying “up up up up up up” as he goes up hills of even the slightest incline
Building his own lego “trucks”
Eating halibut & salmon
Using a spoon to eat his own yogurt and applesauce
Using his yogurt and applesauce as hair product
Doing a routine that involves crossing his arms, pointing at his cheeks, covering his eyes, and shrugging his shoulders (some sort of act)
Not enjoying baths as much
Swallowing grapes and other fruits he usually sucks on and spits out

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

October - January in 2 minutes

Maybe someday I will get around to blogging about all the fun details of the past 5 months - Halloween pumpkins, Cincinnati, Christmas, etc... but just in case that doesn't happen, here are some favorite pictures that we just finally uploaded from the camera.

At the Pumpkin PatchWhistling for the band

"No, YOU look ridiculous wearing all those clothes!!"

Learning to use a straw. Note the mullet.

"You are coming with me. Now. And we are going to drink Cokes."

Sippin' on water and juice...laid back.

Dinner with Emma

Drooling on a Ralph Lauren sweater.

There is nothing like seeing the joy on a child's face on Christmas morning.


Lola!!! Bappa!! Hat!

Hangin with Bappa.

"Look Uncle Pete, Lola lets me play with chewing gum."


The Haircut.

Monday, February 23, 2009

theo in portland (in hat)

Proof he was in Portland?

Not so sure about bull riding, Dad


But very sure about blackberry banana pancakes.

Steps! A reward upon returning to our hotel (and after sitting in his stroller longer than desired).


Not in the red light district but an interesting composition none-the-less.






obsessed with balls again

Theo has a renewed interest in balls. It is basketball season now and while I don’t think he likes it quite as much as football he does often sit on the couch, point at the TV, and repeat Ball Ball over and over. We think this means “turn on the tv and find a game for me dad.” So we humor him from time to time and turn on a game. Now that he has some bball games under his belt he likes to pretend he is dribbling a basketball. He might do this in his car seat, high chair, or anywhere else he is not able to actually play bball. He sticks out his arm very straight and stiff and then bounces it up and down – more like a rapper leading a crowd to jump. He also practices a throwing motion. This he seems to do regularly in the high chair and sometimes with food in his hand and sometimes he actually throws the food which is not good and usually results in a reprimand and poorly disguised laugh from Mom or Dad.

It all came to a climax this weekend in Portland. We went to the Nike employee store and there was a container of foot, basket, and soccer balls in different colors at the front of the store. He quickly got obsessed with the balls. He would point at the compartment of pink footballs and say ball ball over and over again until we handed him one. Then he would point at the green ones until we gave him one of those. He generally held one for a second and then threw it down and then pointed at the next one until he got one. He then settled in and decided he really liked the soccer ball. So he walked around the store for 20 minutes with it. Occasionally he would stop and throw it toward me or drop it and kick it. And on a few occasions a friendly store employee would coax him into throwing the ball to them. A group of about 4 guy employees wanted to see him throw it. He got stage fright and never did. But a minute later he did for one of the cute girls who wanted him to do the same thing. A natural ladies man. In the end we bought him a small basketball and soccer ball. He was still obsessed with them when we got home and had to sleep with the basketball in his crib. He got so worked up every time Penny took it away that she finally conceded and let him sleep with it and Dougie.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Counter-Blog

Here is my favorite of Theo's indoor hat wearing photos. I would also like to add that I think it was Bappa's red hat that really sealed the deal on the hat interest.


And, I think I need to dispute John's claim that maybe his attempts to make hats look cool were a factor. Here is photographic evidence: