It was better than cats

Robert got his face painted like a tiger at Jacob's birthday party. Anthony followed suit and became a cat. He was pretty darn cute.

Too bad he evening ended with a bath. Well, the face (and arm) painting kind of necessitated the bath, too.

Jacob's Birthday Party

Today was our neighbor Jacob's 7th birthday party. Anthony had a GREAT time! He gracefully surrendered the birthday present, jumped his heart out in the bouncy house and even took a swing at the pinata. His technique there could use refinement--he holds the stick one-handed, there is no way he could get the power to actually cause damage to the whale!

Jacob's mom made a BEAUTIFUL birthday cake covered in fondant sea creatures. Anthony dug in. This after he two-fisted his pinata candy.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

Anthony's Pet Spider

We have a very busy spider spinning its web on our front porch. Anthony admires it every time we come in or out of the house, so I've decided that we're keeping it as a pet. Well, we're keeping it as a pet as long as it stays in its web outside! Its been there for at least a month now and Bob thinks it gotten much bigger. One time he blew on it, then the spider fell out of his web and fell nearly a foot before he caught himself. He then scrambled back up to his web along his silky thread. It was pretty neat. Of course, now Anthony wants to torment the poor spider daily.

Picture really doesn't do it justice. In Bob's defense, it takes a macro lens to get a picture of the spider and then Anthony isn't in the picture!

Popsicles

Anthony loves the idea of popsicles. He begs for one pretty much every afternoon. Yesterday we got popsicles after swimming with Ciaran. Ciaran finished his in seconds. Anthony ended up throwing out well over half of his popsicle as it melted away.

Today when I picked up Anthony from daycare he came running over and asked if we could have popsicles. He then clarified that he wanted a FROZEN popsicle. (I'm not sure what a non-frozen popsicle is.) Since it was actually warm today, I thought it was a good idea.

His popsicle technique could really use refinement. As you can see from the top photo, he tends to lick from the bottom. He only licks, when I encouraged him to bite (to catch up on the melting process) he didn't seem to impressed.

"I want to have a wedding"

Anthony really enjoys looking at our wedding photos. I think he particularly likes seeing Mama in her pretty dress.

Yesterday morning he was looking at pictures and said that HE wanted to get married. I told him that he had to be a grown-up to get married. I then asked him who he was going to marry. Like a good boy, he said "Mommy." I explained to him that I was already married to Daddy and told him to pick someone else. He then said, "Daddy." Well, we told him that Daddy was already married to Mommy.

I asked Anthony if he'd like to marry Claire (his pal Robert's sister).

Anthony's response, "Claire's not a grown-up!"

Thanks Lisa for this photo!

He's mine all right

Look at his little arms!

(How many pictures of me exist in that same pose? We have video evidence going back 37 years!)

Fun with Waves

Our last morning camping we took an excursion down to Montana de Oros State Park hoping to play in the tide pools. We got there later than we had hoped and the tide was already in pretty high. Bob and I did take Anthony out into some rocks and found a few sea urchins to tickle. Anthony thought it was funny but was afraid to try it himself.

We then went out to the rocky beach where the real fun was.

The Cousins

Here's our ritual picture of the three cousins together. Getting this shot posed was particularly tough; the boys were amusing themselves throwing rocks in the ocean and we were trying to get them to pose together.

The Best Part of Camping

Once again, Anthony declared that the best part of camping is marshmallows. Kurt said that it was sleeping in the tent. I wish Anthony would sleep in the tent!

I can't remember what Eric's favorite part is. Bob and I liked the boat ride the best.

Boat Ride

This year's camping trip with my sister and her family brought us to Moro Bay State Park. Back in February when we planned this trip, the beach in August sounded like a fine idea. Of course, this is the summer that never was, so it was a grey cold weekend at the beach, but we still had a good time.

Saturday afternoon after lunched we headed out for a kayak ride to the sand spit that separates Moro Bay from the Pacific. Andrea and her family rented a canoe and we took our kayak out for a spin. Anthony sat at my feet and had a great ride. He was so relaxed he even nodded off. (Well, he didn't sleep well the previous night either.) The dunes at the sand spit had wonderful sand. Its really too bad we didn't bring more sand toys with us, it was the best beach we encountered that weekend.

Anthony was so great in the kayak, we were truly pleased. We'll have to do more rides in the future--Elkhorn Slough calls.

Loveys

Anthony has never been particularly attached to any one transitional object. He certainly has favorite objects in his crib--lovey bears (those blankets with a bear torso growing out the center), blue dog, the teddy bear Bob brought back from a Palm party. However, he doesn't NEED any certain thing.

He does need a transitional object to get out the door to daycare every morning. There are a few standard things--Eeyore, blue rabbit, koala bear. Then there are the days he just picks up what seems convenient, a Barnes and Noble gift card for example.

Today's transitional object was particularly entertaining. It was the little mirror with baby toys hanging off it that we had in his crib when he was a baby. He pulled it off the shelf in his room where it had sat for well over a year, maybe close to two. He trucked off to daycare with it tucked under his arm.

A Fun Day

Last Saturday's excursion was to Coyote Point. Our plan was to spend an hour or so at the museum, then go to the playground for picnic lunch and airplane watching. (The point is directly in the flight path of SFO as planes come in for landing.)

We got a late start and headed directly to the playground. I have to say, I was SO impressed. The big castle slide was nearly 2 stories high, with smaller slides off it on the sides. There were dragons carved into the sides of the hills with slides on their backs and all sorts of neat things. Anthony made a bee-line for the big slide and that's pretty much where we spent the morning. He did take a break to swing on both the regular swing and the tire swing. The castle slide was so much fun he generally ignored the airplanes!

We didn't quite make it to the museum on this trip. Maybe another time.

Front Yard Friday

Not the greatest pictures, I'm afraid...

Anthony's teacher Jessica came to this month's Front Yard Friday to do facepainting for all the kids. She did a great job, but by far the best part of the evening was Anthony's reaction when Jessica came to HIS HOUSE. He went positively APE, jumping up and down shouting "Jessica is here, Jessica is here at MY house." It was so sweet. She painted a dragon on his arm, JUST like Danny the Dragon at Happy Hollow.

He's a Ladies Man

Tonight we headed downtown for a summer concert. Anthony demonstrated his skill at picking up women AGAIN. He's got a type--well dressed AND well shod. Today's target was a great dancer. Anthony walked up to her, cut in between her and her boyfriend and started off by checking out her shoes. A few minutes later she dumped the guy she was with to dance with Anthony.

The video is priceless!

We're praying that when he's twelve he won't have all the girls chasing him.

Garbage Day

This just makes me smile remembering...

Today is garbage and recycling day. Not our favorite day as getting all the recycling out is a fair amount of work.

We were leaving for work and daycare, just as the recycling truck pulled up at the house next door. Anthony watched the arm come out, grab the recycling bin, lift it overhead and dump its contents into the truck. He squealed and laughed in glee.

Then he demanded, "Do mine! Do mine!"

Sure enough, the truck pulled up to our house next and repeated the process.

Anthony was thrilled.

I'm sure that driving the recycling truck is a lot of work. However, the driver made Anthony's day, and mine by extension.

Fun with Ciaran

(but no pictures with Ciaran)

Today while Daddy was off flying an Angle Flight mission, Elly and I took the boys to Happy Hollow. We made a bee-line for the roller coaster as the lines can get REALLY long. ciaran was to nervous to ride, but Anthony went for two rides in a row.

On our way to lunch we ran into Danny the Dragon. Danny is Happy Hollow's mascot and an institution in San Jose. They hugged and high-fived and then that mischevious dragon took Anthony's hat. Anthony didn't like that one bit. All at lunch he and Ciaran talked about how Danny stole his hat.

After lunch we enjoyed the puppet show. Today's show was "Snow White and Rose Red". Both boys really enjoyed the show though I always wonder how much of it they understand.

Then we saw Ciaran off for his nap and we visited the goats. The goats weren't as aggressive as they normally are, maybe they had plenty to eat by the time we got there. Anthony fed several goats and combed them. He climbed in the parallel play area and then we visited the rest of the petting zoo.

Later that afternoon Anthony played dragon for awhile. He blew fire in my face (spittle, yeah) and kept stealing my hat!

My Poor Cat

Why doesn't she learn to stay away?

He came after her the other day and she did hiss at him. It was a first! Scared the living daylight out of him. Anthony hasn't "loved" Tigger too much since then.

Fun with Olives

Who doesn't enjoy putting olives on their fingertips?

New Dress-up Clothes

Anthony LOVES playing dress-up and until now only had one purple tutu. A neighbor had a bunch of dress up clothes for sale and I got Anthony a lot of fun stuff. (You can't see his shoes which have purple fur.) He is also wearing a tiara (with flashing jewels) AND a princess hat.

For those who question my indulgence of Anthony's love of all things beautiful, read "Boys and Boas".


I'm kind of annoyed at Maria at daycare. Anthony came home today and informed me that Maria told him that tutus were for girls. I was so sad to hear him say that, he takes such JOY in dressing up. My solution is that ballerina clothes are only for the house. Okay, for Robert's house, too. Its akin to the "Julie Hahn Memorial Sandwich".

My Favorite Things

I'm not a gear person, I'm not a gadget person.

I carry a Smartphone because my husband works for Palm and it makes me proud to hold up my phone and say, "My husband made this." My diaper bag is the messenger bag I got with my pledge to KQED.

I would like to take this opportunity to single out my two favorite things:

1. My Barnes and Noble E-Reader, my beloved Nook. I've always been a reader and I've been reading so much more since my Christmas present arrived. The best part, the VERY best part, is that I can read library books for FREE. That's right, library books. Despite the state of the California economy, our local libraries are still increasing their electronic book selection. I have cards to THREE different libraries and am in seventh heaven.

Its funny, when I first heard about e-readers I rejected the idea completely. I was truly in love with paper books, couldn't imagine replacing them with some electronic gizmo. The Nook's e-ink really feels pretty darn close to paper. Its not like reading on a computer screen, which I still reject. After reading the article "Is Google making us stupid?" I'm further convinced that single use e-readers are the way to go.

2. My Ergo carrier. I got this when Anthony was about 8 months old and weighed a ton. I used it constantly in the beginning, he lived in it at my college reunion, I carried him through airport security in it when he was almost two, and I still occasionally use it at the Farmer's market. Yes, I can carry a 3o pound kid around, for short periods at least. Anthony loves it too! When he was a baby and needed to nap while traveling, I'd put the sleeping hood up as I felt his arms and legs go limp and he'd take a nice cozy nap.

I remember last summer we'd be at the market and I knew he'd found something he wanted to taste when I could see his little arm out with the grabby fingers gesticulating madly at some tasty morsel.

Anthony says...

Anthony has been saying some pretty funny stuff lately.

1. "Mommy, I'm NOT proud of you." (He was kind of mad at me at the time.)

2. "Angels have wings and fly like airplanes."

3. After flying around like a forest fairy, who also flies like an airplane, "Mommy, I'm just pretending."

4. "I'm going to tell Daddy on you." Seconds later: "Daddy, Mommy said no."

5. With genuine concern to his pal Robert who was showing off his band-aid, "Was there blood?" Mama generally won't give out band-aids unless there was blood.



By the way, this isn't our bathroom. Anthony and three other kids were in the bath at Robert's house when I took this picture. Two Donahue children and two neighbors. Nothing like a group bath between friends.