The Deluxe Haircut

They had my hair cut.

I guess it was kind of a big deal. My mom took lots of pictures (what's new) and said she was going to cry (she says that a lot). Dad stood by for support. They took a before picture just to show how long it had gotten. My mom said she liked the curls in the back. It kept poking me in the eyes in the front though.

Before

I was a little nervous, but I think I did okay. I wonder when I get a lollipop like the guy before me?After

My dad was very proud.

What A Weekend!

Wow! I got to spend the entire weekend with my Mumzy and Gramps in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz. They gave me ice cream, bought me toys, held me, let me eat sand, and made sure I had everything I need. My mom spent two entire nights without me...I'm not sure how she did it! Mumzy and Gramps are soooo fun I didn't even miss her. I did get to see her go by me a few times while she was going around in circles with a lot of other people in purple doing their triathlon. I clapped for her when I saw her, and occassionally I just clapped because it seemed like the right thing to do.


Next year I want to do it!

My Dad

My dad is a fun guy. He lets me do things that my mom won't like eating ice cream, wiping my nose with my hand, and staying up past my bedtime.

Do you think I look like him? Mom says I have his eyes.

I Can Dress Myself

I thought I'd play in the laundry while mom was "working" on the computer. She really needs to put things away. I sure hope they let me do an event soon! How old do you have to be to ride a tricycle?

Something Called Sushi

So my parents make me go to fundraisers all the time...you name it I've probably been there. Saturday they took me to one that my friends Judy and Becky were throwing. Most fun I've had! They were all making something called sushi. It didn't really look like food, but they all sure seemed to like creating it and eating it. Personally, I liked the rice best.

Warning: Mom Hijacked My Blog!

She has done it again...sometimes I have to let her ramble.

So I’m awake at 4:30AM this morning…no reason. I guess Ian is sleeping too well, so what could I possibly need more than 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep for? I’m laying in bed questioning having put my child in daycare a few days a week – feeling badly, wondering if he is really being fed or if that is just what she’s telling me, thinking maybe this perfectly nice background checked friend recommended woman is in some way harming my precious one. It’s much too early to call Yvonne to ask if she went through her own personal moment of insanity after putting Annika in said daycare so I must do the next best thing, email her!

I open my email to discover I’ve received my latest Powell’s Newsletter (only the single best bookstore on the face of the planet)! Reading through it I discover a cute little link to this book titled “Mommies Who Drink”. Okay, I’ll admit that it wasn’t the title that got me but rather the author’s description of having appeared on Six Feet Under. Immediately I was compelled to figure out who she was and did I see that episode. (As you wonder, no I still don’t own a TV and have no plans to, but have found myself addicted to Six Feet Under, the Soprano’s, and of course Lost thanks to Netflix.)

I found myself even more intrigued when I discovered that an anthology including a story by the author was banned in Ashland, Oregon because of said story! Yeah banned books!!

Further perusing random links about aforementioned (thank you sarah n for adding that to my vocab) book and I discover Brainchild: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers. It made me cry...so maybe I need more sleep. Or a drink...

Zoo Trip

I met my friends today at the zoo! I love the zoo, so many things to see. I think I like the kids the best though. You know the two legged walking talking kind. Today I got to watch the monkeys play for a long time...very fun!

We ate lunch in the playground with my friends. Then their moms let them walk all over and go up and down the slide. I didn't even have shoes on...so I didn't get to do any of that fun stuff. My mom doesn't even have shoes for me to wear. She always says something about, rest of my life to wear shoes, what's the hurry. I don't know what she is talking about. I just sat with my mom and watched my friends play. Party pooper. She did FINALLY let me walk up the slide, holding her two hands of course. Only once though. I screamed for her to let me do it again, but she wouldn't listen.

I slept while she drove home. It was a busy day!

Blah Blah Blah

Nothing too exciting, whitty, or clever to say today, but thought I should post something! So, here are pictures of me my mom took while she was sitting in dog poop.

Did she make my head look funny?

I thought the poop was kind of funny!

Tomorrow I'm going to the zoo!

A Boy! A Chair!

Today my mom let me sit in a big chair in the front yard! I loved it...I just sat and sat...until she made me get out of it. And of course, there she was with the camera again. She wouldn't let me sit in it when we got back in the house...I just don't understand why!

Play Group Madness!

All of my friends came over yesterday! What a day...wish I could play with them everyday.

Scarred For Life...But For A Good Cause

My parents insist on getting me out of the house almost every Saturday and Sunday morning to go hangout with a group of people who are sweaty and smelly and REALLY fun to be around. They pass me from one person to another and I absolutely love it! I have at least 20 Aunties who I've know for A LONG time and about as many Uncles. Dad usually hangs out with me while mom attempts to run, ride her bike, or swim for a while. I'm not sure why she doesn't take me with her, but I'm sure glad when she comes back.

Today was a special day. We were going to meet Grandma Sue for pancakes after everyone ran in circles for an hour or so! Any day with Grandma Sue is a good day. Pancakes make it a GREAT day! Mom told me that all of the special people there were "honorees", I guess they are all leukemia survivors. I'm not quite sure what that means though.

I was just minding my own business cruising around looking at all of the cool things they had for everyone while mom and dad where off doing other things when I crashed (they left me in excellent care...for you worrywart relatives reading this) ! You know it happens! So my face is a little banged up...kind of cool though, my scratches are on the same side as dad's scar! I was such a big boy, I didn't even cry. I just needed to suck my thumb a bit when mom came back.

My poor Auntie Becky...she thought it was her fault...said something about paying for my college. I'll have to tell her later that I'm really ok, but she can always pitch in for school, I heard it is expensive.

I'm Crackers About Crackers

I love crackers. Don't bother me with other food. Give me crackers.

Today I ate...crackers...only crackers. Well, plus 5 peas, 6 kernels of corn, and a few bottles of milk. I even found the bag of crackers Dad left on the table, had 6 of them in my mouth before Mom and Dad realized why I was playing so quietly.

MMMMM Crackers...

Call Me Ishmael

So...I've been noticing lately that my parents call me many many things. Kind of funny since I really don't call them much of anything and I still am able to get my point across.



Top Ten List For This Week

1. Little Pooper (or just pooper for short) -- no explanation required
2. Poopy Pooperson -- again, no explanation needed
3. Cutie Pie -- usually from mom, she still hasn't figured out I'm not a fruit filled pastry
4. Sweetie Pie -- ditto above
5. Bud or Buddy -- I was okay with this until I met my Auntie Kelly's dog
6. Dude -- some throwback to the late 80's early 90's I believe
7. Mister or Little Mister -- I believe the correct term would be master but I'll give them a break, they are sleep deprived
8. Little Man -- mom's favorite when she thinks I'm being sweet
9. Senor -- dad's favorite typically with the phrase "uno moment" attached to it
10. Ian -- my personal favorite although it does rhyme with a "p" word!

Someplace They Keep Calling "Home"

Isn't home Sacramento?

So my parents loaded me in the car on Sunday and brought me to this little town in the middle of nowhere. My Mumzy, Gramps, cousins, aunts, and Grandma and Grandpa are all here...for some reason. I like them all. We've been here a few days while my dad is fixing the house they lived in before me...he sure comes home dirty, so he must be doing a good job of fixing it. I like all the attention I'm getting, everyone here let's me get away with A LOT more than my parents do.

Can't write much, they use something called "Dial Up" and I guess pictures are out of the question.

Looking forward to being back home soon.

A Year Is My Life...

July 28th, 2005 11:03 PM 6 pounds 7 ounces 19 inches long

So today is my birthday! Thought I'd share what my mom wrote to me...she's so mushy sometimes.

Dear Ian,

You are one year old today...it happened so quickly. I can't believe that this time last year we were anxiously awaiting your arrival with no idea just how much you were going to change our lives. And change our lives you have. From our first glimpse of you we knew we would love you more than we could imagine.

I'm not exactly certain how we filled our time before you, but I know now that we must have slept more than we probably needed! We didn't do a lot of sleeping the first month...in fact your first month was harder than anything I've ever done. There was so much to learn, so many opinions to sort through, and all the time this precious little man who needed us for everything. We survived those first tough weeks of nighttime feedings, rocking, and working with the cast you had to wear. You didn't really want to eat and you were too little to understand why they had to put the huge cast on you once a week, but we made it through.

You quickly began to develop your easy going, want to be around people all the time demeanor. As long as you could see people on our many walks to Starbucks you were okay...unless of course I went beyond your coffeehouse tolerance time...when you would instantly let me and every other latte toting consumer know you were unhappy. Yoga, walks, and time with your friends' moms became our mainstay for the first few months of your life.

The last year has been so full of firsts, if I listed them all I'm certain I'd bore you (unless, like your Auntie Sarah you aren't even reading this but just looking at the pictures). There are so many things I already miss about you but they are equally balanced with the many new abilities you gain by the moment now. I'll treasure those hours spent just holding you in the red chair. You would sleep so quietly, so peacefully and I would just watch your tiny little parts in awe of how complete they all were.

I hope that I can be the mom you are proud of and a mom that you will always want to spend time with (minus those silly teen years of course). For now I take great comfort in knowing that you think I am the perfect mom. I hope you keep that perspective for a very very long time.

Happy Birthday my little man.

Love,

Mom

The Beach Beckons

So mom woke up yesterday and said, "I've gotta get out of this place!" Just an hour later and we were off to the Beach. I decided to sleep all the way there because who can stand their babbling, although I did miss my time with Terri Gross. Bodega Bay doesn't really compare to Hawaii (mom needs to post some of those pix just like Auntie Sarah just did), but it was 30 degrees cooler than Sacramento...and...a BEACH!



I wasn't afraid of the water AT ALL, in fact mom and dad kept saying "Ian's fearless"...whatever that means. I came home (again sleeping to avoid them) with a load of sand between many body parts that mom and dad are still discovering. All in all an excellent outing! Now I've gotta get them to head to Tahoe...I hate this heat!

It was one HOT party!

So...all my friends showed up even though it was 108 degrees! They are GOOD friends! We splashed, we played, we sang, we ate cake. What a party. I wasn't really interested in my cake...all that singing and staring at me was a little unnerving, plus I needed a nap and some cool weather. Is that so much for a guy to ask? They gave me some great gifts...I love my chair, I'm using it as my official throne just so everyone remembers who's boss around my house.

Dad and I under the mushroom at the wading pool

Yummm!

Mom helped me open my gifts

Nearing Number One

Just 9 days until I hit the big one! Wow, have I grown up fast. I've learned so much in just 12 months...I amaze my parents.

Here are just a few of the faces I've been working on perfecting lately...

My Birthday List

So many choices...it's hard for me to decide. Here are just a few things that I've been eyeing lately:

1. Anything with wheels!
2. Board books with real pictures -- I like to look at these for minutes at a time
3. Clothes size 9 to 12 months -- yeah I have at least two years before this is an unacceptable gift. And yes, I'm still a little guy...I'll be saving all of the 12 month stuff until I'm about 18 months
4. A Piggy Bank -- Mom keeps telling me to save my pennies (somebody needs to tell her they aren't going to be around much longer...so quarters would be much better)
5. Puzzles -- the big chunky, can't be eaten kind, I'm still learning how to use them
6. New Music PLEASE -- they keep playing the same old stuff. Maybe John Lithgow...any of his stuff is great! Or Choo Choo Boogaloo by Buckwheat Zydeco. My parents only have illegal knockoffs of all things cool...help me please!

Anything you want to give me is great...I'm not that picky! Remember, my parents house is pretty small and I've already taken over most of their living room! They don't want a bigger house so I guess I can't have too much stuff.

Almost a year old

Mom won't stop taking pictures of me...so here's what I think about that! I am completely uncooperative for her, just to make her work a little harder! I like my new tongue trick though. What do you think?