Sekora Family Blog

Christmas - Bavarian Style

2012-01-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what Santa told them, but those are the faces of kids that think they're getting more than coal in their stocking.

We're definitely at the age where Audrey can be very helpful. In other words, she's past the stage where she thinks she's being "helpful", but really you have to redo whatever task you've delegated to her and it takes you twice as long. Lisa would argue I'm still in the "helpful" stage.

Sam doesn't even qualify for the "helpful" stage. He's still in the "don't touch anything" stage. Here he's claiming he will cast a spell and the tree will be done. ABRA-CADABRA!!!!

WHOA SAM!!!!

We tagged along with good friends on their holiday tradition and went to Leavenworth for a couple of nights. My previous experience in Leavenworth was a LOT of drive by's and one Oktoberfest. Safe to say, this place is on its game in December. The town hadn't seen snow since Thanksgiving, so the small sledding hill in town was actually just a series of ice-chutes. Bring it on said Sam! Faster, faster!!!

Ice down the back of my pants?! Who cares, let's do it again!

Little miss cautious on the other hand decided that the "snow" was unfit for sledding. "Dad, snow is actually soft. This is not soft, so this is not snow".

A day later, and maybe a bribe or two later . . . she jumped on. It's safe to say when these kids are teenagers and we get a call from the school or heaven forbid the "authorities", we'll be 99% sure who the call is about.

The classic "Hey this is fun . . . why was I so scared" smile.

Okay, maybe a sleigh ride was one of the bribes to get Audrey on the sled. : )

Oh Leavenworth . . . where else are you going to get random table side visits from Father Christmas?!

Dylan and Dalanie, great neighborhood friends of the kids. The danger with friend vacations is a simple family vacation is going to seem downright boring.

Sam and Dalanie led the restaurant in a rousing rendition of the Chicken Dance. Sure, it's fun at a randmon wedding. But a live accordian in a Bavarian restaurant is tough to beat.

In the classic "arranged marriage" joke, here go Sam and Dalanie with their wedding coordinator to talk rates at the Enzian Inn for a December 2037 wedding. I mean, they already know how to bring down the house with the Chicken Dance!

Fall has fallen!

2011-12-17T20:23:00.001-08:00

I don't have much to say other than this is easily one of my favorite pictures of all time. Classic fall picture that reminds us of what a beautiful area we live in.

OK . . . in what can only be described as a textbook sibling rivalry example, listen to the exchange:

Audrey: I'm winning, I'm winning, I'm winning!!!!!

Sam: No you're not, no you're not, no you're not!

Over . . . and over . . . and over again.

Lisa's (and now our) family tradition is to head to Stanwood on the weekend after Thanksgiving to cut down the Christmas tree.

Dad: Hey Sam, Dad's been cutting down the tree for 10 years now. How 'bout you get down here and take a pull.

Sam: Dad, I'm not allowed to play with saws. Plus, I helped with the lights, remember.

Dad: Sam, I'm not sure what you did with the lights can be classified as helping.

Sam: True dat Dad. Fair enough, want some of my hot cocoa?

Dad: Hey Audrey, how about a little help from you?

Audrey: Dad, you know I'm really only here for the picture!

If you've received our Christmas card you know the while Audrey lobbied for this to be the central picture, she did not get her wish.

Dad: Lisa?

Lisa: I'm on it. Don't lose the kids.

Dad: Don't look now, but they may be getting along! No seriously Lisa, don't look . . . keep cutting.

Oooohhhh Mexico!

2011-11-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, quick window into one of the ongoing Lisa and Tony marital "discussions".
Lisa: I hate those stupid cars! You bump into every grocery display!
Tony: Those cars are awesome. I want to ride in one!

So here we are, Audrey taking dad's side and wanting to ride with Sam. Ignoring the fact that she's 6 and he's 3 and they are both . . . well . . . huge for their age. As you can see, it turned out poorly. Score one for Lisa.

We recently got a brand new fire station near our house. Nothing christens a new fire station like a neighborhood pancake feed.

It's always funny to see the shock on the kid's faces when they run in to neighbors at a "neighborhood event". I love how small the world is to them.

Little punks.

Oh how kind the last year has been to Audrey and Sam's relationship. He's truly grown into a playmate vs. simply an "attention stealer" . . .

. . . or he does whatever the heck she tells him to do! "Whatever dad, we all have our price!".

October brought the much awaited trip to Mexico (Sam's first trip on a plane). The sad thing is, he really thought he was going to get to fly the plane!

Instead, we piled into bulkhead row 6. That's a very minor barrier to first class! Whatever they paid for those seats, I'm sure it wasn't worth the mayhem directly behind them.

Whoever had seat 6F after us had a surprise waiting for them. I hope they like Cars!

Finally, the beach!!!! Hey kids, check out the nice calm waves . . .

SAM, GRAB MY HAND!!! AUDREY, HOLD YOUR BREATH AND SWIM!!! SWIM AUDREY, SWIM!!!

Much to my delight, and Lisa's chagrin, the kids absolutely loved the ocean. Though a life jacket for Audrey would have made everyone feel a little better.

Ahhhh, much safer territory.

We cut the vacation one day short to make sure we got home the day before Halloween. However, getting to a pumpkin patch was out of the question. So, for the 3rd year in a row we rolled down to the Yakima Fruit Stand to "hunt" for pumpkins. At this point, the kids have no idea this isn't really a pumpkin patch.

"Audrey, would you rather have one more day in Mexico?". "Ummm, dad, are you kidding me?!". "Would you trade that KitKat for one more day?". "Dad, are you going to take my candy when I go to bed?".

If you are one of those people who put out an "honor bowl" and then go trick-or-treating with your kids, well then Sam is your nemesis. I can't count how many pieces of candy I had to return to the bowl because he simply doesn't have the will power to take just one.

"Dad, I need to put some meat on these bones! Give me a break!". "Oh, but have you seen my new toe nail polish?".

Goodbye Summer & Hello PreSchool!

2011-10-08T06:25:00.001-07:00

If you scroll down to last month's blog you'll see the extreme disappointment in Sam's face as Audrey took her 1st day of school pictures. He knew he was starting school this year, but didn't get the concept of . . .
Mom = Sam honey, you start on September 6th, after Labor Day. Audrey starts on August 31st, before Labor Day.
Sam = LABOR WHAT?!!!! I WANT TO GO TO PRESCHOOL!!!!!
Well here's your chance knucklehead . . . but you better take school seriously!

"OK guys, I'll take is super-sam-serious!". Oh boy, expectations are low for this little guy!

If you know our kids, you know that the concept of sibling love takes a MAJOR backseat to sibling rivalry.

Here Audrey is holding Sam's hand at his school before his first day started. She's telling him everything is going to be ok. Safe to say daddy tears up everytime he thinks about this little exchange.

Alright Sam, one of these knuckleheads next to you will either be your best-bud, or your playground rival . . . choose wisely!

September ended summer with some great final days of sun.

"Hey kids, let's go to the fountain park!".

"Yeah dad, lets go. Hey dad, where is the sand? You told me to bring my swimsuit!".

"SAM!!! Don't trust that boy! He will bait you in to the water cannon!".

In the end, both kids got what they were looking for.

Sam had to be pulled away from the fountain . . . and by pulled I mean "Hey Sam, do you know what cotton-candy is?".

Who remembers hugs so hard that they smash your face? That gives me a good idea, hey Lisa, come here . . . .

Sam decided to practice his cannon-ball instead.

We headed up to Anacortes for a simple bbq and unbelievably we couldn't fit everything in the car. I had to break-out the roof top storage thingy.

"Hey dad, give me some juice and a snack and I'll ride up here!".

Really Sam? What the heck are they teaching you in pre-school?!

"Well Dad, they're teaching me this awesome swing trick. You wind it up, climb on, and then let it gooooo . . . Ummm, Dad . . . I feel kinda sick".

"Oh yeah, and I learned how to chill-out. Audrey taught me this one".

Sorry Sam, I know your sister. In no circumstance do the words "chill-out" apply to her.

OK, so school may not be Sam's thing. He'll have to support himself somehow, so we went to the driving range to see if golf would be "his thing" . . . .

"DAD!!! WHERE DID THE BALL GO?!!!".

Well, I guess we'll keep trying to find "his thing".

Hey! I think we've found it! A couple of streets away from us a new housing development has started construction. This is darn-near Disneyland for a 3 year old boy!

See you next month!

6 Years Old = 1st Grade Baby!

2011-08-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

Audrey turned 6 and not one boy made the invite. Note: Not even her father or little brother! Sam and I were invited for the cake and ice cream portion . . . but I'm 99% sure she didn't even notice us. :(

Audrey's birthday has always been plagued by extremely hot weather. I realize that only in the NW do we lable mid-80's as "too hot". But regardless, I asked Audrey if she wanted to go see the snow during her birthday month.

"Impossible!!!" she screamed.

"Alright kiddo, strap on your hiking boots, we're hittin the trail".

Of course, "hittin the trail" with two little ones means that you immediately break into the lunch you brought along for later. Jeesh. Sam's doing a quick survey of Audrey's lunch to make sure they're equal. Good lord those two are competitive!

"Daddy, I want a picture with my little brother!". If you know how she treats her little brother you immediately recognize this as yet another stall tactic.

"Yes kids, I agree . . . the river is beautiful, but if we don't keep moving we'll be eaten by BEARS!!!". About this point they learned the chant "Less Talkin, More Walkin . . . Less Talkin, More Walkin . . . ".

Ahhhh, finally we get to the snow! In her defense, Audrey was much more the trooper than Sam.

While he may look a bit like an old pro, he's wearing the jacket because it turns out you get a little cold when you get a shoulder ride up the steep parts vs. actually hiking them yourself!

"Quick dad! Take the picture, this is actually real snow!". No stall tactics necessary.

Margarett, our wonderful nanny, put the kids through a week of "nature camp". What 6 and 3 year old doesn't love to hike around the NW looking for slugs! When I see this picture I immediately yell out "Less Talkin, More Walkin!!".

The kids did remind us that while hiking may be fun, when you live in the NW you get precious few opportunities to hit the beach in your swimsuit.

Nice goggles Sam . . . . nerd. : )

And here we are ready for 1st Grade! I've never heard of school starting before Labor Day. Good thing I married a wonderful girl who tracks these apparently important details!

Audrey wanted to make sure we got the side view of the new backpack as well.

"Audrey, the backpack is to actually carry your school work, it's not an accessory".

"I know dad . . . . but does it look good?!".

Uh Oh! Not only did Sam not realize that school started before Labor Day, he didn't realize that he wasn't actually going to school yet! Yikes. Sorry Sam, we should have seen this one coming.

Nothing says 1st day of school like a bus-stop photo with Mom. Man I love those girls.

Oh lord Sam! Keep it clean at the bus-stop! If he was feeling down before, seeing Dalanie perked him right up. Dalanie was also at the bus-stop seeing off her big brother Dylan, so she and Sam were able to console each other before heading back home for the day.

See you next month!

Chelan!!!

2011-08-12T21:28:00.001-07:00

Chelan 2011 baby!!! Lisa had a great idea to take an annual picture by the Wapato Point sign. Next year we promise to actually put pants on Sam. Sorry. : )

The tradition is to go with our wonderful friends Greg and Jessica, who bring their niece and nephew Jackson and Sophie along. As a kid, is there anything better than vacation buddies?

Audrey and Jackson are definitely graduating to the lake. I know I've said this before, but my little girl is growing up. Dagnabit!!!!

And Sam and Sophie are still 100% content with otter-pops and beach balls. God bless their little hearts! Sam is trying to show off while Sophie is making sure to keep up. Oh Sophie, you'll soon learn what a little knucklehead he is.

Greg, an absolutely wonderful childhood and adult friend, knows Sam's weakness.

"Ahhhh, how nice is Mr. Greg now that he is whipping you around in a tube behind the boat!". "Don't worry, Daddy has you safe.". I'm not ashamed to get a little love where I can!

In another Chelan advancement, the kids actually made a few trips to the putt-putt course this year. Audrey is doing her best to teach Sam the nuances of golf.

"Sammy, this is where you tee your ball, pay close attention Sammy!".

"And now you follow through like the boys daddy watches on TV. Hold the follow through . . . hold it . . . hold it!".

"What?! This is the last hole?! Come on, where did the ball go?!".

Am I a total romantic, or is seeing your kid's foot prints in the sand a precious moment?

The precious moment depicted in the previous picture was actually just the every afternoon journey down to the ice cream shop. Sam went rainbow sherbert every single day. He didn't realize heaven was this close to earth.

"Fine Sam, just don't eat the styrofoam".

And here we have Audrey mid brain freeze on a snow cone. She couldn't believe Sam wouldn't try it. "Audrey, I think you only need to see yourself to realize why none of us were willing to try it!".

If you're reading this blog you are probably on our Christmas card list . . . and now you have a preview of what is likely our 2011 Christmas card.

Of course, we got back to Seattle to mid-60's July weather. What?!!!!"Okay kids, it's time for smores in July. "."But daddy, it was so nice in Chelan, why is it so cold here?". "Well kids, we live in the northwest where the weather is very unpredictable.". "What?". "Never mind. We'll go to Chelan again next year to enjoy the summer.".

Summatime!

2011-07-11T19:49:00.001-07:00

Audrey resorted to wearing mom's shades in hopes it would spring some summer weather. "Mommy, All these sun dresses and nowhere to wear them!".

Ahhhhh, finally some summer weather. You can tell by Audrey's stance that it's early in the season. She commented "daddy, I'm usually better after Chelan" (our annual July trip). Honey, we're all a little better after Chelan.

Sam didn't even attempt the water. He's more of a "toes in the sand" kind of guy.

Right after our first blast of summer weather we were back into some good old NW June Gloom. Heavy coat, hiking, and mossy trees, so very Seattle.

A few months back Audrey took her first pony ride. She's now graduated to the real thing. Sedro Woolley horse camp, here we come!

One of those classic pictures that makes you gasp at how they are growing up without you even noticing.

"Hey Sam, want to ride the horse ?". "No way dad, only gas powered rides for me!!!!".

"Preferably the diesel variety!!!!".

"I'll even roll battery style, as long as I can wear a manly hat!!!".

We've officially entered the age with Audrey where she can attend summer camps. Here she is at her dance recital. The songs ranged from Elton John to Todd Shaw. If you don't know who Todd Shaw is, he's a.k.a. Too Short. If you don't know who Too Short is, you aren't freaking out like I was the first time I heard her dance to him.

Here she is at the finale of her acting class. Our little drama queen definitely flourished in this camp. Pay attention to the dragon costume above.

Yes, Audrey helped supply the camp production from her own personal supply. Sadly Sam did not get to attend the camp. He didn't deal well with the rejection.

I felt so bad for Sam that I told him I would put on a "camp" for him. Sam, welcome to landscaping camp!

Next we moved on to bubble camp.

Safe to say he excelled at bubble camp. I mean, look at that bubble production!

Nothing says summer like a lemonade stand.

We recently snapped the above photo of Sam at our favorite park and I immediately remembered a similar photo of Audrey. Turns out they were almost the exact same age at the time of the photos. Ahhhhhh, slow down time!

A Month of Firsts!

2011-06-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

I took the kids on their first official "self propelled" hike this past month. A LOT of hemming and hawing about "why can't we go to the park instead", "it's going to be sooo boring", "why do you hate us", etc. preceded the event. The promise of rock throwing into a creek was the only thing that got them started.

Audrey was smart enough to sense any threat of nettles and sticker bushes, politely giving Sam the lead. Smart girl! He, on the other hand, was oblivious to the obvious ploy. At least he's cute! : )

While they started to enjoy the obstacles, they were beginning to doubt the promise of rock throwing. "Good things come to those who wait kids". "What?". "Never mind".

WATER! I was actually starting to worry that my credibility was going to take a hit.

Dumb luck had me put their rain boots on before heading out. I guarantee I would have had to carry Sam out had he gotten his feet wet. Phew!

I on the other hand did not wear rain boots. I had to rely on Audrey's common sense to not go too far. I mean, I wasn't going to get my feet wet!

Sadly Sam's boots are the low-rise variety. While we make fun of his intelligence on a regular basis, score one for him to know his "boot limit".

We had a great little hike and they are now hooked. And by hooked I mean they might complain a little less the next time I drag them onto a trailhead.

Audrey had her first field trip this month. The trip was to a local farm. Buddy system was definitely in effect. Luckily, her buddy was her best friend in her class, Erin.

Okay girls, "buddy system" means you need to hold hands while outside the bus.

Yep, no chance one of these two is wandering off.

Lisa decided we should do a last minute staycation for Memorial Day. "Uh, what?". "Well Tony, it's where we get a hotel room in Bellevue and play tourist in our own backyard". "Oh yeah, that sounds great. Uh, what?".

It turned out to be a great weekend. We started by taking the kids to Snoqualmie Falls. The Falls are beautiful this spring. Audrey was "vice grip" tight on me. While it looks very pleasant, the back spray from the falls had us all soaked within 10 minutes.

Sam on the other hand had no fear. He literally wanted to "jump in da wader" from the lookout. I fear his teenage years!

Here he is trying to climb the fence. Knucklehead.

Prior to the start of the "staycation" Lisa commented that it will be great to force the kids to enjoy each other. And here's proof that once agan Lisa knows best. I think Audrey's comment was "someone has to make sure he doesn't kill himself!".

After the falls we headed into the small town and hit the candy store followed by the train museum. The candy store we knew about, the train museum was a bonus. Wow, staycations are kinda fun.

Evidence photo #2 that the kids actually enjoy each other when forced. Lisa's legend grows.

The train behind the kids does a 90 minute circle through the cascades. We were about to jump on when a family departing the the train said "No bathrooms on board". Abort, abort! Staycation disaster diverted. Phew.

By the time we reached the hotel in Bellevue the kids actually thought they were a world away from home. The lap pool that I'm sure serves the business travelers during the week was packed with kids.

I was shocked to hear how many people there were locals taking a staycation. Am I that naive?

The real surprise was the two families Lisa met from Mercer Island that stay at the hotel once a quarter. What? I will say they offered Lisa a beer from their 18 pack of Coors Light so this clearly wasn't their first rodeo.

"Now Sam, it's okay to jump on the hotel bed, but you know you can't do this at home right?".

"Audrey, check me out. Can you handle this?".

"Oh yes, yes I can. Sam, you mess with the bull, you get the horns!".

To end the night, we took them to a "fancy dinner in the city". Well, Maggiano's at BelSquare is about as fancy as we're willing to go with these two monsters.

There's no doubt where Sam gets his blue eyes.

Audrey's comment on the restaurant "Daddy, they make the best bread". Oh Audrey, we really need to get you out more.

Sam started to get a little rambunctious. What do parents do nowadays in this situation . . .

. . . give your kid the iPhone of course. It really is the best silencer out there.

Wiped-out kids in the hotel room = total staycation success. We had a great time and I'm now 100% on board with these little "getaways".

In a follow-up note, Audrey took the "Serenity - Do Not Disturb" door hanger and it now resides on her bedroom door. I only wish I would have thought of that!

Tea Party (the non political kind)

2011-05-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

While Audrey has zero reservations about diving into social interaction, she has always been VERY timid when presented with physical challenges (swingsets, soccer, roller coasters, etc.). I didn't think there was anyway she was climbing on a pony, no matter how small.

Well, we now officially have a little girl that says "Daaadddddy, I want a pony!!!!". Great.
Sam deciding he would be the "bad guy" who knocks the princess off her pony. Oh my, we are living the boy-girl stereotypes in real time.

We took a trip up north to see Lisa's cousin John and his family. Here are Sam and Aiden tickling the ivories. Well, if you can see Aiden's great finger technique . . . he is tickling . . . Sam is on the verge of . . . slapping the ivories?

Lisa's mom handed down some china so that Audrey could have an official tea party. Lisa grumbled that this is the same china that her mother absolutely would NOT let Lisa have a tea party with when she was a child. Hmmm, are you saying grandkids get special treatment? Who knew?! Anyway, Margaret and Audrey made cucumber sandwiches and tea cookies while putting on their Sunday best for Audrey's first real tea party. Great, great memory for Audrey.

And mommy came home as well to make the party complete. If you're thinking "why didn't Sam put on his Sunday best?", well then you haven't seen Sam's wardrobe! Frankly, he was lucky to get a seat at the table, odds were seriously against him getting the invite.

Based on Sammy's pinky placement snafu, I'm not sure he's making any follow-up tea party invite lists.

The weather was nice enough to do the old fashioned, outdoor, real egg easter egg hunt. Whoo hoo . . . until the kids realized there wasn't 1) candy, or 2) money inside the eggs. Spoiled little stinkers.

With the disappointment of not getting "free" money in the eggs, I used it as a learning opportunity to teach them about hard work. "Come on kids, let's go put that excess energy behind some elbow-grease!". Jeesh, I sound like my mom.

"Doin good Sam, doin good. Keep working the sponge in a circular motion while I go get the hose. Where's the hose? Sam have you seen the hose . . . ".

"WATCH OUT SAM, INCOMING!!!!!!!!".

Little Mr. 3 Year Old

2011-04-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

At 3, Sam is officially no longer "our little baby". We now have friends with 2 children under 3. Sam, it's time to buck-up and embrace childhood! Sam's Cars infatuation makes Audrey's princess infatuation pale in comparison. We don't walk around the house, we drive around the house . . . wait, correction, we RACE around the house. He is soooo boy. Except for when he "crashes" and needs mommy's love. Sam was feeling so celebrity that he decided to join his birthday "via satellite". He was probably stuck out on the racing circuit.

Well, here he is! Thank goodness for all of Audrey's friends. Poor Sam isn't old enough to really have his own yet, and also not old enough to notice. One of the benefits to suburban life is a ready-made neighborhood posse. It really has been the biggest surprise since our move.

While his face might not show it in this picture, Auntie Calie's gift of a Buzz Lightyear action doll was probably the hit of the party. While there is no denying its awesomeness, I think the contrast to "everything Cars" also gave it a nice surprise factor.

And as every parent knows, sometimes the kids find the non-presents the most fun to play with. Grammy came through with an admittedly larger than life gift bag.

Audrey has had a lot of fun letting Sam know about all the things that he can do now that he is 3. See if you can notice the self-serving theme. "Sam, now that you're 3 we can go to Chucky Cheese! It's this amazing place that I've been to for birthday parties, but Mom and Dad wont take us until you're bigger.". GRRRRRRR.

"And Sam, now that you're 3 you get to move into a big boy bed. So it's bye-bye to the crib, and oh yeah, binkies too. See, when I turned 3 Mom and Dad hit me with:

1. You

2. Moved from the only house I knew

3. Took away my crib, and

4. Took away my binkies.

"Now do you understand why I was soo tough on you for the first 3 years?! I'm not saying it was ALL your fault, but it kinda was.".

"And yes Sam, it's time to finally nail that potty training thing. It's getting embarassing when you have your diaper changed during my play dates".

Audrey has taught Sam how to "chillax". It's probably some parenting flaw, but it cracks me up when she comes home from school with the latest slang. I'm sure it's about to get more "slangy" than I want though.

Chillaxin in the awesome new Cars tent from Grammy. He dials the neighborhood posse on his phone and makes "paydates". Not sure what he's collecting on, but go-Sam-go!

Oh no! What the heck is going on with my 5-year old. Lisa thought this picture in Mommy's shoes was cute. I like to call it "How to horrify Dad". Where's my little girl that still likes to watch Mickey Mouse?

Ahhhhhh, there she is. There was no way I could end the blog with that disaster photo above.

Pneumonia & a Rooster

2011-02-12T17:30:00.001-08:00

Here are our little angels sharing a rare bath together. During the bath Lisa yelled upstairs "WHAT is going on in there, stop that fighting". They were having a friendly splash fight. I didn't have the heart to break up one of the few instances in which they were having fun with each other.

Sam, bless his little heart, is our sickly little child. As I write this he is in his crib with a fever and a bronchial infection. The picture above, 4 weeks ago, was the hospital visit where they diagnosed pneumonia, pinkeye, and an ear infection. He's literally been on antibiotics for 4 weeks.

He does show glimpses of eye clarity, but as soon as he runs out of antibiotics he falls right back into infection. A ton of other kids seem to be fighting things this winter so we are praying it's nothing more than a tough month.

We are doing our best to keep him fed with healthy foods. Weeelllllll . . . who doesn't like a little burger war. Between Five Guys and Dick's, Five Guys WOULD be the hands down winner if they only offered milkshakes. I mean, come on, how can you be a burger joint if you don't offer shakes?

And the winner is . . . Dick's.

The doctors told us that cool air is very good for Sam's lungs so we took him up to Country Village to feed the ducks.

Notice the rooster starting to stalk the kids. Also notice dad being more worried about getting a decent picture vs. shooing it away.

Sam, showing his good nature, tried to help the rooster out. "Woosta, it's right hea".

"Okay woosta, you too close, get outta hea!".

"Daddy, put down the camera and help me! I'm sick for cryin out loud!".

Holiday Pictures and Santa

2011-01-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

"Okay kids, let's take a picture that we can use for the family Christmas card. Come on now, smile . . . just once . . . please . . . ahhh Sam!".

"How cute would a kiss be. Please? Okay Sam, just lean over and give Audrey a quick kiss. Come on KIDS!".

Alas, not even the awkward sibling hug photo could make the cut.

If you're reading this you probably received our Christmas card this year. You're also right now trying to remember the photo . . . yes, it was that non descript and unmemorable for us as well.

The hour and a half wait in the Santa line was brutal. I'm sure every parent feels this way (at least I hope they do), but waiting in a slow moving line with a 2 and 5 year old makes you wonder if your parenting has sunk in AT ALL with your children.

That is until Santa takes them by the hand. They were absolutely speechless while he was talking to them. It was very prescious.

I have to remind Santa next year that the one thing (my) children DO NOT need to hear on December 12th is how wonderful they've been. I need him to put the fear of coal into their little heads. Lord knows Mom and Dad don't strike any fear in them.

Sam was so star-struck by Santa he forgot what he wanted to ask for. Audrey was on the money asking for a bike. Sam sheepishly followed up that he wanted a bike too. Oh Sam, you just got one this fall! Luckily, I think he was so in awe that he immediately forgot what he asked for. Either that or his comprehension is not so good. Even money on that bet.

We immediately put them to work for Santa.

Santa came through for Audrey. I'm not sure I've ever seen that much excitement in her little smile.

You know what is awesome about being the first people through the door at a mid-week aquarium visit? There is actually staff available to answer the incessant questioning of a 5 year old. The girl asks so many questions! I'm constantly struggling with a string of white lies or admitting I don't know everything. I'll let you guess which side I err on.

"Sam, not that one! It's the electric eel! Oh no, you're glowing red!".

Sam is starting to develop into quite a little goofball. Just tonight he was telling a story and as he got more and more animated his hands and arms started flailing about. Lisa laughed and asked "where did he get THAT?". Really Lisa? Pretty sure that's your Italian side and not my Swedish heritage that gets that motor going.

Happy New Year!

Best Friends and Holiday Crafting

2010-12-06T20:23:00.000-08:00

A beautiful snow angel from my little angel. Okay, so part of that last statement was a stretch. She's a sweetheart, but angel might be a bridge too far.

Actually, I catch glimpses of them sometimes that melt my heart. Lisa got these two similar pictures that I just love. Maybe it's the eyelashes, or perhaps the chubby cheeks . . either way, I love 'em!

Okay, now to the holiday crafting. Who knew Thanksgiving lends itself to crafting?! If you doubted, then you certainly do not know my wife. Styrofoam ball, brown spray paint, colored feathers, googly eyes, and voila . . . you have the perfect turkey. What, you don't have these items in your craft cupboard? You don't have a craft cupboard?!

Sam was a little looser with the feathers and little closer together with the eyes. Audrey was unwilling to even acknowledge Sam's "crafting disaster". I thought it was pretty good. But then again, when I drew her a picture of her and her puppy she replied "Daddy, what IS that?!".

You didn't think we'd stop at 1 Thanksgiving craft did you? On to the Pilgrim portion of the holiday. Aren't our little early settler kids (meet Haley, one of Audrey's Kindergarten friends) so cute. I know, I know . . . the Pilgrims certainly didn't "discover" America . . .

. . . enter the native of this wild and untamed land. Don't let the blond hair and blue eyes fool you, Sam is very native! Okay, we'll settle for welcoming.

After a season of Lil Kickers with Sam, I've informed Lisa that I will NOT be a coach/dad. His general apathy for all things competitive had me grumbling on the sidelines like the old man I'm pretending not to be.

Okay, so we did get one action photo during the 3 month session. Either he's uber fast or we haven't figured out our new camera. I love his left arm in perfect position to create balance and torque . . . did I say I wouldn't be a coach/dad?

And here he is peering over the fence once he figured out that Audrey and Mommy came to watch practice. Come on Sam, eyes on the field! Coach/dad off again.

I have no idea what has changed over the past several months but the kids have actually started to respect each other, and dare I say care for each other?

Encroaching on each other's forts used to be reason to unleash the full arsenal of fists and feet. Now they actually invite each other into what used to be hostile territory.

Sharing a movie? Impossible 3 months ago when simply agreeing on a movie was an insurmountable task. Thinking they would share the same piece of furniture was absolute crazy talk. I mean seriously, what could have changed that would actually make Sam human to Audrey?

Oh snap Sam! Really?! You'd go there? I guess we all have our price.

Moooooky!

2010-11-07T04:45:00.000-08:00

Providing further proof that either 1. Girls are more verbal than boys, or 2. 1st borns progress quicker than 2nd borns . . . Sam still cannot quite get an "S" sound before his words. For the past month we've been hearing about how "mooky" everything is. Come on Sam, your first and last names begin with an S!

Getting ready for the big event. Sam actually had a disney character costume all ready (Dave from the Imagination Movers), which he proceeded to reject in favor of the soccer jersey he was already wearing that day. Never mind the fact that he's been calling himself Dave for the past 3 months. He even introduces himself as Dave to strangers! Hmmmm, maybe this "S" problem is bigger than I think . . .

Lisa did a great job pulling together a ghost costume for herself. It reminds me of the little girl we used to see in the upstairs window of our old house . . . . mooooky!

My costume on the other hand was totally my decision. I've wanted to be Prince Phillip since I was 7 seven years old. Seriously. Total coincidence that Audrey was Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. It worked out though, I mean who else could have been there to wake her from "a deep dark sleeping spell with love's first kiss"? Oh daughters.

As I told her, you won't need me to be there to wake you because you aren't going to sleep for the next month with all that sugar!

Sam didn't get the concept of getting one piece and then running to the next house. He would get one piece and then stand very patiently (and a bit awkwardly for dad) until they said, "okay, one more piece little guy". Hmmm, maybe he was on to something.

My mom gave Lisa and I tickets to Tilicum Village as a gift. It was a beautiful fall day for a boat ride and some great seafood. They welcome you to the island with a big mug of hot clams. Or as my non-seafood eating wife called it "a big 'ol pot of disgusting".

I assured her "come on honey, I'm sure they'll have some non-seafood options".

Yikes, I should have seen that coming. This is about the moment she reached into her pocket to reveal her stash of granola bars.

I tried to use the "leopard hiding in the wild sunflowers" as a tool to teach Audrey what camouflage means. She just looked at me and said "Dad, it's not a leopard . . . it's a snuggy". Yes, Audrey . . . yes it is.

Kindergarten Baby!

2010-10-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here we go! Kindergarten baby! I'm imagining the little minds above are thinking something along the lines of:

Sam: Okay Audrey, out of here already! It's my turn for some one-on-one time with Mommy.
Audrey: Whatever Sam, I can't get out of here quick enough. I love mommy, but I'm going to school baby!

Nothing like best friends at the bus stop. Aniston and Dylan (above with Sam) are neighbors and are in the 1st grade. Needless to say, having them at the bus stop made things so easy.

Ah, there goes our little girl. Nothing makes you nostalgic like seeing your kids going to school. I can still remember my elementary school bus driver JoAnn. If you were misbehaving, she would smile her creepiest smile and threaten you with "sugar". Which of course meant she would kiss you. We would all squeal and immediately sit in our seats. Not sure "sugar" would fly as punishment these days!

Flashing back to Audrey's smile above, perhaps she knew exactly what "alone time with mom" entailed!

Ah, this is more in-line with Sam's expectations.

Audrey and her girlfriend Sydney rocked the State Fair in Monroe this year. Off Audrey goes on her first roller coaster ride. All smiles until the coaster pulled away . . . and then it was sheer screaming panic for the next 3 minutes. I believe NEVER AGAIN was the post ride comment.

What can cure a kid that doesn't think they like the fair? Fair food of course. Cotton candy, followed by a caramel apple, chased with a snow cone. Maybe the fair isn't so bad afterall.

After seeing that child labor is apparently acceptable in our household, I figured I would up the ante. It's funny how things can't be loud enough for Sam. Audrey used to cry the entire time I mowed. Sam absolutely loves the noise and cries if he can't help out.

Lisa and I celebrated our 10 year in September. Whoo-hoo! We snuck away to the Woodmark in Kirkland and wondered why the heck we haven't been here before. Why drive and hour or two away when you have a great venue right in our backyard. Book us again honey . . . soon!

Every once in awhile you see a photo that makes you realize your kids are growing up. This one, for me anyway, says that he clearly isn't our baby anymore. Oh Sam, slow down kiddo.

Turning 5 & Kindergarten Prep

2010-09-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

It seems like popular sentiment is that you remember the early years with your kids and then once they start school the years fly by. I don't know about Lisa, but I will say the first 5 years of Audrey's life have felt like 15! I love her more than anything (except you Sam, that's equal), but it truly is hard to remember life before the first. Happy 5th kiddo!

It was very sweet to see how organized and (dare I say) fair 5 year old girls are. When Audrey was opening a present, whoever the "giver" was got to sit next to her on the chair. This was a routine the girls decided upon on their own. Well done ladies.

The 2 boys in attendance decided it was much more appropriate to go upstairs and trash the play room while the parents were occupied.

When the party wound down, Sam still had a little energy so we put him inside the 90+ degree bouncy house for a little soccer session. That should do the trick.

5 minutes later he was looking a little haggard. Come on kid, let's get you some water!

While it wasn't a gift, Audrey has taken full responsibility in caring for her Chia pet. I mean, look at the proper hair cutting technique. Tauna, save her a chair at the salon!

Kenmore does a free summer concert series at St. Edward's Park. It really is a great setting with the old monestary in the background. Sam looked like a regular, which he now is. The line-up tends to be your typical bluegrass/folk/bluesy/country genre. It reminded me of the multiple Peter, Paul, & Mary concerts my mom drug me to as a child. It all comes around baby!

Since school officially starts September 1st, you'll have to wait until next month to see the 1st day of kindergarten photos. However, here's a sneak peek of the open house. Luckily Audrey is one of those kids that isn't afraid of anything (social that is). She reminds me so much of my sister in that way. I honestly can't remember the last time I was worried about her refusing to try new things.

It helps when one of your Pre-K best friends is going to be in your class. I think the quote from both was "look dad, there's no seat belt!".

Mom and dad even got to climb on board. I tried to hold Lisa's hand . . . which was promptly slapped away . . . "Tony, the children!".
While Sam is still 3 years away from kindergarten, there are moments when we think he has shed the knuckle-head knickname.

And then he reminds us, as shown in the video below, that there is still much development ahead before he's ready for the real world. Hang in there buddy.

Chelan!

2010-08-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

If you saw last month's blog, you were briefed on Audrey's boot-camp swim lessons, complete with involuntary dives off the diving board. She was so excited to get to Chelan and show everyone how she could dive. Weeelllllll, not to be a nit-picker, but the above form is not exactly a "dive". Adorable, yes . . . but a dive? Sadly, no.

Not a problem, we have a week to work on the form. Well, we managed to get the hand position correct, but leading with the legs continued to be the result. Probably best as Dad wouldn't let her "dive" in anything more than 3 feet of water.

This year we stayed in a condo next door to our great friends Greg and Jessica. They brought their nephew, Jackson, along with their good friend Georgia, who brought in tow her little ones Ari and Darrin. It was so wonderful to have friends so close and the kids were absolutely perfect together.

Audrey, are you kidding me?! You got Jackson to push you around the pool? So spoiled. In her defense, she did just graduate from Pre-K . . . it had been an exhausting year and she really needed some R&R to recharge the batteries. Ha!

This is much more like my little bundle of energy. By the way Lisa, nice throw! Truth be told, I think Lisa got to let off a little steam with the toss. "Mommy, will you throw me?". "Oh yes Audrey, yes I will!".

Sam definitely warmed up to the water. The first time he went under his reaction had us scared that he would not be that daring. However, after 30 minutes we couldn't keep him out. We literally had to follow him where ever he went as he would be walking along and then just jump in, no matter where he was.

Take a look at our little jumper in the video clip below. Please ignore the annoyed 4 year old. She is realizing in real time that Sam is upping the ante on comanding the parents attention.

We had to force the kids down to the beach. They loved the pool and begrudginly obliged us with one trip down to the sand. As quickly as the kids (and Georgia) would build sand castles, Sam would walk over and stomp on them. He wasn't the "camp favorite" for sure. Sorry Georgia!

In true "Survivor" fashion, when the kids would argue we'd throw them in the raft, push them out to sea, and yell "figure it out!". A true team building exercise. Alas, they were doomed to fail as their parents only gave them one oar.

Jessica had a much better solution to any sibling angst . . . lollipops as big as their faces! Pretty sure I've never seen my daughter smile that big.

Thanks Chelan, see you next year!

Pre-K Graduation & Pre-Chelan Swim Lessons

2010-07-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here's Audrey making sure her pre-K graduation pose is caught on camera.

To quote every parent, everywhere . . . "it feels like the school year just started!". I spared the photo of Lisa with tears streaming down her cheeks. I thought it was cute how proud she was. Lisa did a good job of not hinting that the tears were really a result of the fact that Audrey would no longer be going to school three days a week. As parents, we now realize the irony of what schools call summer "vacation".

For father's day I received a pillow-case with the above photo scanned on. It finds its way into my suitcase when I travel. I absolutely love it. You can't tell in the picture above, but Sam's forehead is absolutely huge when blown-up to pillow-case size. I'm hoping it's due to a large brain vs. a blockhead. Jury is definitely still out.

When we moved to suburbia we got rid of all of our yard tools. We figured our yard would be so small that we wouldn't need anything of substance. Oops. We are now slowly adding back said tools. Good news that we now have a male in the house that might actually have some mechanical ability. Lisa was getting tired of assembling everything.

Prior to heading to Chelan (pictures next month) we sent Audrey back to swim lessons. Suzy, the instructor, has been doing this for like 50 years. As you can see, the kids do not have a say in IF they are going to dive. It's amazing how quickly kids get over their fears when they are forced to face them. Oh, and having someone other than their parents do the dirty work helps too!

Like I said, they go from not wanting to jump in off the side of the pool to having no problem diving off the diving board. We just got back from Chelan and Audrey was an absolute fish. While having your kid take swim lessons from a hard nosed teacher at her private pool in Medina comes at a price (yes, I'm cheap), it made our vacation exponentially more enjoyable. Once again, Lisa knew what was best for the family. Thanks Honey.

Salon Audrey & Alki

2010-06-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love themed dress-up days at school?! Here Audrey is ready to head out for Hawaiian Day.

Sam went along to the party store to pick out Audrey's outfit and saw a straw fedora that he couldn't live without. Lisa tried to explain that the hat was for "big boys like daddy", but alas, the 2 year old won out and got his hat.

"Watch mommy, I'll put it on and you'll see how cute I am in my big boy hat . . . "

"Whose calling it a big boy hat now mommy, I can see my cuteness reflecting back in your eyes . . . "

"Whoa, mommy . . . who turned out the lights?!" Knucklehead.

On the knucklehead front, let's see if you can tell the difference between this picture and the next (hint: it's not the monkey).

If you guessed bangs you are correct. However, if you guessed a very sad little girl whose getting her picture taken right before she's sent to her room for cutting her own hair you get extra credit.

On a sunny day last month (yes, there was one), we headed out to Alki. We didn't realize it at the time, but it was the afternoon with the lowest tide of the month. The low tide created a bunch of small sand islands and you could actually see crab waddling in the little waterways.

Audrey wore her Hawaiian day lei. I'm pretty sure when you tell a 4 year old that you're going to the beach they imagine something a little more tropical than Alki. I believe the quote was "Dad, is this mud or sand?". Honey, I'm not really sure.

Sam had an absolute blast though. "Daddy, whose this boy following me?! He won't stop copying me! Is this what Audrey feels like when I follow her around?". Knucklehead nickname is safe for at least another month!

The Happiest Place on Earth

2010-05-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Our friends Randy and Tia, who have 3 boys, let us in on their tradition of surprising each of their boys with a solo trip to Disneyland when they turned 5. While Audrey wont be 5 until August, my practical mind thought "let's do it in April . . post Spring Break, but before the summer . . you know, to beat the crowds . . ". Lisa said sure, whatever, just take us to DISNEYLAND!

We put Audrey in the car under the guise of going to Starbucks for chocolate milk. Once in the car we asked her if she could go anywhere, where would it be. She promptly yelled "Applebees!". I knew moving to Suburbia would have its pitfalls.

She quickly followed up with "DISNEYLAND!" so off we went to the airport. Randy and Tia had picked up the Minnie ears on their last trip so Audrey was immediately in costume.

Nothing could slow us down . . . except for brake problems on the Alaska direct to John Wayne. Oh well, the 90 minute delay allowed all the anxious kids to visit the pilots in the cockpit. Kids are much more resilient than adults.

Quick note on Sam . . Lisa and I were picturing (and selfishly hoping) that he would miss us terribly. Perhaps he would pull out his "It's not fair" face like the above picture.

Fortunately for us he has a wonderful Grammy who came to visit for 4 days armed with a SuperSammy cape. Can you tell how much he misses us.

I'm sure he missed us a little . . deep down . . somewhere?!

Fine Sam, back to Disneyland. Here is Audrey's grand entrance. I'm fairly certain that all employees are trained to acknowledge anyone dressed in Princess garb by the Princess's name. From the gate at the entrance to every ride we went on, having people acknowledge Audrey as Snow White is part of why this place is so special for little kids. It's a small jesture to us, but to a 4 year old it's magical.

On to the Princess breakfast! We lucked out and got the big 5. I'm pretty sure in 3 years when we take Sam we won't be blogging similar pictures.

Each Princess was so good with the little girls, making sure to spend a few moments talking to each one. While meeting Mickey and Minnie was great, they don't actually talk. I understand why, but being able to have a short converstation seemed to make the Princesses "real" for Audrey.

I don't mean to diminish the "Minnie Factor". She was the one character who Audrey kept wanting to go back to see. I believe the quote was "I'm going to live with Minnie in her house".

Princess work out.

My girls.

It's a Small World . . . round 3. In fairness to the ride, they have updated since my last tour in 1997. Audrey was a trooper on some of the more daring rides like Soaring Over California, but she would always say "Daddy, I like this ride, but I LOVE It's a Small World", and then she would start singing the song. Yes, it's still stuck in my head.

The hotel we stayed at had a wonderful pool. One risk to a good pool is it's tough to get the kids out to go back to the park. We spent an hour and a half each day in the pool which was a good break and gave Lisa some SoCal sun time.

Audrey was a trooper and powered through 3 days of Disneyland without any major breakdowns. We made sure she had plenty of carbo-loading meals to keep the tank full.

And if the pasta failed her, we quickly supplemented with ice cream.

Alas, empty calories can only take you so far. She thought if she stacked the pillows she would be able to stay awake. Of course, the second the head hit the pillow it was lights out.

Here she is waving goodbye to the Happiest Place on Earth before we headed to the airport. It was a truly wonderful 4 days and we cannot wait to take Sam in a few years.

Back in the car in Seattle. Once she hit "familiar ground" and knew she wouldn't be seeing anything knew she was out like a light. She deserved it.

Look Who's Two

2010-04-03T20:20:00.001-07:00

As sad as this "achievment" sounds, Lisa and I were pretty happy that we had dialed Sam's pacifier addiction back to the crib and car only. However, in an attempt to overcome his nickname of "knucklehead", the little guy figured out that a wine stopper has an oddly familiar feel.

And here is what happened when we tried to break him of his newly acquired wine-stopper-addiction. Lisa and I used the opportunity to create new ring tones for our phone. It's safe to say that we now have ring tones that are impossible to miss.

In an attempt to earn back the Knucklehead nickname, Sam rolled around the house in his detached coat hood.

Not to be outdone, Audrey realized she could get a little more stylish than Sam. It was cute until they wouldn't take them off. Then it got a little weird and I had one of those worried parent moments. I mean where do they get this . . .

. . . Oh yeah. Nuff said.

Our little guy turned 2 this month. Lisa parlayed Sam's name with his and Audrey's (and ours) fondness for Dr. Suess. Actually, they refer to all of the books as Cat in the Hat. Anyway, I love Lisa's creativity and seeing the enjoyment she gets out of making things special for the kids.

Sam got to do a little pre-party advertising.

The beauty of having an older sibbling is that you actually have "friends" to invite to your 2nd birthday. It really doesn't matter that they are all 4 and 5 year olds. It actually works out better than having a room full of 2 year olds as the older kids vaguely understand whose day it is.

I'm continually reminded that Lisa has a better feel for creating memories than I do (shocker). She thought it would be a good idea to have one of her friends who dabbles in photography to come take photos during Sam's party.

I thought it sounded hectic to try and have a birthday along with trying to get some memorable shots of Sam. Of course, as you can tell by the photo above and the several below, Lisa was perfectly right (as usual). They're just a small sample of the wonderful photos we now have to remind us of Sam's special day.

On with the show . . .

2010-03-05T20:14:00.000-08:00

For Audrey's 4th birthday grandma Sharon got our little drama queen season tickets to the children's theater with her idol . . . I mean her cousin Kyla. It has been a blast going to the plays with her and they really put on a wonderful show. After the plays the actors come out and mingle with the kids which makes it bigger than life for Audrey.

We usually couple the plays with a mommy or daddy date to a restaurant of her choosing . . . which unfortunately always ends up being Applebees or Red Robin. Pretty sure there's a free balloon hook here. Oh, and a chocolate shake topped with whipped cream.

Speaking of chocolate shakes . . . it's a little embarrassing to admit, but our 4 year old had never been to the dentist before this visit. The dental hygenist did a perfect job of introducing the kids to the process. They were both angels and the best news . . . no cavities . . . yahtzee! Audrey actually pulled off the following conversation:

Hygenist: Okay honey, now we're going to floss.

Audrey: Yay, I love flossing!

Hygenist: Honey, is this how you brush your teeth?

Audrey: Yes, and I also brush in circles .

Hygenist: Wow, you are a perfect little patient.

Daddy: (to himself) and a liar!

Here's our little (almost) truth telling daughter enjoying a little Audrey time. I blame My Little Ponies for her foray into giving misleading information to the medical world. They've always seemed a little shady to me. I mean, her little smirk above isn't even trustworthy.

In the ever challenging game of "what craft can I entertain my kids with for 15 minutes today" Lisa came up with shaving cream on a cookie sheet. Pretty sure Sam is going to have vision trouble and our chocolate cookies are going to taste like a middle aged man's face from now on.

Audrey actually had a lot of fun. She's facinated with my facial hair so this was right up her alley and she had a blast.

Sam's first (early) 2 year old birthday present. Grandma Sharon and Granpa Fred will be in Egypt for his big event so they came by for a little early celebrating. Sam loves all things boy and is finally building a critical mass of primary colored toys. His toy selection during his 1st 18 months was definitely dominated by a pink and purple palette.

And, oh yeah, he loves all things mommy as well. He's definitely her little cuddle guy.

Lions, Tigers, and Cougs

2010-02-06T06:52:00.001-08:00

Audrey has always been a girly-girl, but we've now graduated into an age group where she can really supplement her princess fairly tales. Actually learning ballet moves brings in a whole new level of dramatic impression.

The seriousness and concentration really is sweet.

Audrey was introduced to The Wizard of Oz this last month. I thought "no problem, the first viewing of the flying monkeys will freak her out and we can put it the movie away for 2 years". Oh no, she is absolutely infatuated. She has officially changed her name to Dorothy Audrey Sekora. It was kind of cute until she actually started getting upset when her friends (us included) didn't actually begin addressing her by her first name . . . Dorothy.

And as you may have guessed, I'm now the Scarecrow. I'm going to go ahead and assume I'm designated as the Scarecrow because that is who Dorothy . . . "is going to miss the most" when she goes back to Kansas and not because he doesn't have any brains.

Audrey actually takes a picture of the movie so she can have a visual when it's not on. The dedication 4 year olds can have to a single "experience" is shocking.

Sam even gets to participate if he's willing to role play. Come on Sam, the Coug jersey is awesome . . . and while the ruby slippers might match, they are not worth the fleeting attention she may be giving you.

It wouldn't be a blog if we didn't update you all on Sam's continued cognitive development. Can you see what's wrong with the picture above? (hint, it's not the pacifier in front of the almost 2 year old, that's a parenting issue we'll deal with later).

If you guessed Mac'n'Cheese poured out on the table you are correct (you can substitue Mac'n'Cheese with any food item, Sam sure does). Move #2, get your fingers good and cheesey and move to the hair.

The move works great in the tub, which is where we end up moving to almost every night. Audrey was on the every other night schedule, Sam . . . not so much.

He definitely has a less serious, much goofier personality than Audrey. They are a good balance and we are blessed to have a little variety in our lives!

Cooking and Hat Wearing

2010-01-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

It's unfathomable to think you can put a gingerbread house in front of a 4 year old, tell her to use frosting as the glue to hold her gumdrops, M&M's, and pretzels in place . . . and oh by the way, honey, you can't eat any of it. Who invented this little project of entrapment?!

Now for the real cooking! Lisa's family has a traditional bread they make each Christmas called kloban (the spelling is a guess as I couldn't find it in google . . hmmm). Anyway, Audrey wanted to jump in and help. Daddy took a nap with Sam which was a mistake, I should have been running defense on the 4 year old.

Please take a moment to guess if Auntie Calie is having a "teaching" moment with Audrey or a "disciplining" moment. I wont tell you my guess, but it errs on the cynical side.

And here is our little baker boy. A little late for the action, but ready to go none-the-less. Sam has a new found affinity for hats. We love it, as putting a warm hat on him in the cold weather isn't even a question. If we mention going outside he runs to the closet to get his hat.

Lisa grew up with 3 cousins that lived just across the border in Surrey. They've all married, moved East (like Nova Scotia, Maine, and Chicago East), and had children. They were all home for Christmas so we headed up to add to the madness. The picture above shows GG (Lisa's grandma) with 7 of her great grandchildren. Not pictured are one who was napping and 2 more that were in St. Louis. 10 great grandkids is a wonderful blessing for sure.

I know Lisa cherished seeing her cousins, and seeing the little ones interact was special. It was a great reminder of the unique bond that family has. It was truly heart warming to see. On a "not so special note", we heard the 24 hour flu bug hit the household a day after we left. Eeks.

As with all little kids, Sam absolutely adores cats and dogs. While he can't say puppy yet, he is actually "walking his dog" in the picture above. Perhaps he'll name his first pet "crock-pot". Lisa and I aren't so sure about adding a pet to the household, but pictures like this definitely push the guilt meter past the middle.

Ah yes, Santa came to town as well. When Santa asked Audrey what she wanted for Christmas she replied in a sheepish voice "a leapster" (it's a kid handheld game for those of us that had no idea). Santa leaned in and said "a hampster". Audrey's eyes widened a little and you could see her thinking "that would be cool . . . ". The panic in Lisa's eyes was epic. She jumped in and snapped Audrey back to reality by telling Santa (I wont say shouting) that she said leapster.

I haven't seen Lisa move that fast since Sam was running through Greg and Jessica's house with a lit candle . . . . but that's a different story.

Of all the gifts Audrey received this year, one of the most cherished was the footlong M&M dispenser. Ah, I remember those days when the immediate gratification of candy outweighed almost any longterm toy.

More hammering toys for Sam. We now have a fully distressed coffee table that would make Restoration Hardware jealous. Lisa keeps reminding me "people pay good money for this look". I reply "who are these people and when can I drop Sam off at their house?".

Sam doing a little reading with Grammy. If you notice the white toy in Sam's hand, it's a "reader" that allows kids to drag it along the book page and it will read out loud for them. To Sam it's a slightly bulbous hammer that if he slams onto a page it might read out loud if he happens to hit the paragraph. Oh Sam, finesse is not your thing.

Sam is getting ready for the New Year's Eve party that Lisa threw for the neighborhood kids. Rocking hat #1.

He wanted to switch up the look once the party started so he went with the New Year's tiara.

And for the countdown he decided to go with the traditional top hat. On a somber note, Audrey came down with a fever literally 30 minutes before the party started. She ended up going to bed just as people were arriving (yes, we're those people that expose others to our sickness (actually, it all happened so fast)). I kept checking on her throughout the night and all she would ask is "how are the kids doing without me?". If you know Audrey's social nature, it was heartbreaking. She was so looking forward to the party.

It was simply a 24 hour bug and the good news is she started 2010 on a spunky, ableit challenging and exhausting, 4 year old high.

Christmas Trees and Close-Ups

2009-12-06T20:07:00.001-08:00

Audrey and Sam coming out from under the bed tent at Greg and Jessica's . . . whom Audrey affectionately referred to as "Caca" for the 1st couple years of her life. Sam is slowly but surely establishing himself as a legitimate playmate for Audrey.

They are actually sharing a loveseat now and again for their bedtime show. How cute, right? Well you should see how the scene changes if Sammy crosses over on to "her" cushion! Believe me, there is a reason he's tucked himself over into the corner of "his" cushion.

Audrey got ahold of the camera and actually got a few good photos snapped. Sam was thoroughly enjoying the attention.

Considering her usual self-photos end up being of the carpet, she actually snapped a good one of herself.

We have been talking to Audrey about taking the volume down a notch. We told her that she should practice using a quiet voice on our trip up to Anacortes for Thanksgiving. Mom and Dad are 100% on board with her scotch-tape solution.

I'm looking forward to the day when Sam can do some sawing and the old man can just point to the tree and grumble. Until then he gets pampered by Mom. Your day is coming Sammy.

Perfect spot for a family photo right? Wait, where's Audrey . . . Oh yeah, she's 4. She must be as dificult as possible, it can't be helped. "Hurry and take the photo or we're going to be on the news". I mean really, who looses their kid at a tree farm?

Just when we think she can only make things more difficult, she jumps in and becomes helpful. Again, Sammy, your day is coming!

Family Pics and Halloween

2009-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

Imagine this stereotypical husband and wife conversation regarding family pictures (it could happen anywhere in the world . . . even Kenmore, WA!).
Wife: Honey, don't forget we have family pictures this weekend.
Hubby: (grumbling) Family pictures . . . we have plenty of pictures of the family.
Wife: It will be nice to have ones that are a little more formal, you'll see.
Hubby: (almost pleading) We'll never get the 4 year old to hold still, when we ask her to smile she'll purposely look away.
Wife: She'll be fine, it will be quick.
Hubby: (Thoughtfully) I think it's supposed to rain on Saturday.
Wife: It's not going to rain, and trust me, you will appreciate the pictures later in life.

These are the little conversations that remind me why I love my wife so much. She's almost always way ahead of me on creating "life's little moments", especially with the kids. Not that family pictures is some sort of revelation, but I gaurantee it wouldn't have happened if it was left up to me. Below are a few of the 200+ photos we now have that were taken by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

Sam if finally over his irrational fear of swings! Actually, his fear isn't that irrational. I think he was around 9 months when Audrey decided to help push him. He was midway on his return swing when she (unintentionally) gave him the whiplash push back forward. Trying to stuff his chubby little legs through the bucket swing after that just wasn't going to happen.

Nothing confirms fall is here like roasted corn on the cob at Country Village. Our kids (as I'm sure most) absolutely love the roasted corn, dipped in a huge pot of melted butter, and sprinkled with salt.

Our "pumpkin patch" adventure this year entailed us simply going down to the Yakima Fruit Market on Bothell Way. We felt a bit guilty, but it had absolutely poured for 3 days leading up to it and we knew the local patches would be a mud bath (do I sound like I'm still making excuses?). Oh well, Sam and his buddy don't seem to mind.

Sam is definitely on-task here while Audrey is goofing around. I'm 100% convinced this is a sign of things to come. Audrey's pre-K teacher told Lisa yesterday that Audrey is the little social coordinator in class. I'm also 100% convinced it wasn't a compliment.

Audrey has been learning the basics of a calendar. You can imagine what the month of October looks like to a 4 year old. You flip the page to a 31 day month, and way at the bottom, on the very last square, is the little pumpkin that signifies possibly the best night of a child's life. Waiting and counting the days was a true test of patience for her. The day is finally here and she is even willing to put an arm around her brother if it speeds up the candy-getting-process. We love her choice of uni-sex costumes (that's a spider if you can't tell). Sam, guess what you're going to be next year? Sorry kiddo, hand-me-downs are a fact of life for the second born.

1st Day of School!

2009-10-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

Audrey all dressed up for her 1st day of Pre-K! The poor thing was so excited I'm not sure if she slept the entire week leading up to it.

Still smiling. She loves school so much that she literally heads out to the car and climbs into her booster seat 15 minutes before it's time to go. Lisa tells her that they have a little time before they need to go and Audrey replies "That's okay Mom, I'll wait right here . . . ".

It is amazing how little kids can connect within the first 5 minutes of meeting each other. By day 2 they were all hugging each other when they showed up.

While Audrey's school is only 1/2 day, 3 days a week, it gives Mom and Sam a little alone time. Well, let me paint the picture of what the alone time really is . . . Mom gets to do whatever the heck she wants while Sam . . . well, see the picture below on what he gets to do for the 3 hours Audrey is gone.

The quiet house actually works a little too well with Sam's nap. He often has to be woken up to go pick big sister up from school. It is almost criminal to wake a sleeping baby. Okay, fine . . . toddler.

If he's a good boy and lets Mommy have her time, he gets a little something like say . . an Oreo cookie. I think he's on board!

. . . and Audrey just looks bored with her meal. "Lasagna again . . . ho-hum, what's a princess to do?".

4 Year Olds Can Catch Fish!

2009-09-05T06:13:00.001-07:00

Lisa's uncle Tim has a beautiful place out in Poulsbo that has been near and dear to Audrey's heart since they hosted the family re-union the year prior. It was her first experience with many leisurely activities such as berry picking (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry), hammock lounging, "insanely large swing from a tree" swinging, and best of all . . . homemade ice cream. She has been asking to go back ever since.

As you can see from the picture above, being 4 years old opens up your world to a whole knew batch of leisurly activities (Yep, uncle Tim has a fully stocked pond on his property). Would you believe that she landed a fish less than 5 minutes in?

Success! And don't worry, it was catch and release. Lisa was worried that she might be cleaning and de-boning an 8 ounce bass.

For Audrey's birthday party Lisa suggested we do face painting. Being the mild idiot I am I said "do we rent a clown to do that"? Did I forget who I married? As Audrey likes to say about her mommy (in her very best Beastie Boy voice) "She's Crafty!" Lisa did a great job painting faces (butterfly of course for Audrey).

4 year old birthday parties really are great. It's the first one where kids seem to get that there is one birthday child and they all sit around and watch and give the occasional ohhh and ahhh. And yes, Disney princess theme'd toys still win the day. I'm not sure, but I think that branding campaign is going well.

And here we have our two very own princesses. Cinderella (Sydney) on the left and Aurora (Audrey) on the right. I know the Disney princess line-up better than the Seahawks line-up . . . AHHHH!

Quick quiz . . . can anyone identify one choking hazzard for Sam on the table above? Okay, how about 17 choking hazzards? Still too easy? Don't worry, Audrey has promised to "Put them in their bed every night . . . I promise".

We've referred to Sam's ever growing toddler mullet before. I was telling Lisa that we shouldn't cut it and let the top grow in to meet up with the back (perhaps I'm jealous of growing hair?). I do believe after seeing this picture that I was arguing a very weak case.

Pretty sure I didn't have an awesome Blue Angel chair to sit in when I was a kid. Lisa and I were singing "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" from Top Gun the whole time. I think he's more like Iceman but Lisa likes Goose. The hair stylist was not impressed.

In the end mommy knew best and the haircut looks pretty good on our "he looks nothing like a baby anymore, so let it go already" baby boy.

Who doesn't love being a tourist in their own town? You really do learn a lot on these kind of adventures. One caveat . . . the tour guide sold Bremerton to a group of ladies thinking it was Bainbridge. He told them it was a 30 minute ferry ride to Bremerton and they could have dinner and watch the sun set as it reflected back on the city. Pretty sure they were a little upset when they drifted into Bremerton.

Or perhaps they didn't hear him because of all the quacking? I felt like I was at the UofO on a Saturday afternoon!

"Not sure about these new binky's mom, maybe I am ready to give them up".

When Audrey was born Lisa joined a mom's group. They are still going strong and meet very regularly. Here are the kids at the group 4 year old birthday party.

And here they are with the addition of siblings. Nearly all families have now "doubled-down" with two even adding a third (in less than 4 years? that's crazy talk). It's so sweet to see all the kids piled on their mother's laps. Can anyone see Audrey and Sam cuddling? Yep, still not happening. She was up quicker than a flag on the fourth of July when she saw him coming.

I'll admit, he's a little grabby, but come on Audrey you're his idol! In a show of affection, she did cry when he recently fell down a half flight of stairs (unhurt), so I suppose there is still hope.

Swim Lessons and Lake Chelan

2009-08-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

If you read last month's entry, I made the comment about the cheap target pool not being able to handle the 3 year old fury . . . well the inflatable slide gave up the ghost, but never fear, Audrey quickly found a replacement "launching pad".

Poor Sam still hasn't been invited in to the big kid pool. He doesn't seem to mind . . . who would want an incoming 45 pound 3 yearl old messing with your surf anyway.

In preparation to a trip to Lake Chelan we put Audrey in swim lessons. While the 1st day was a shocker (the teacher drags all the kids off the diving board and forces their head under water) she was a champ by the end.

Flash forward to the pool at Lake Chelan and you can see she had the basics down. The kicking and screaming trying to stay out of the pool on the 1st day of swim lessons turned to kicking and screaming when it was time to get out of the pool at Lake Chelan.

Who would want out when mom is this fun!

Sam finally made it to the big kid pool! Well done Sam, now KICK!

In classic Audrey fashion she made a new best friend immediately. Meet Brooke. Every single time we go to a park, event, grocery store, or gas station Audrey immediately seeks out any girl within a few years of her age and introduces herself. I'm serious. Just tonight we took the ferry home from Kingston and she met a little girl on board. She cried for 10 minutes when we had to return to our cars because she was going to miss "her very best friend".

Look at mom swimming around the lake with Audrey and Brooke (Audrey's best friend (best Lake Chelan friend))! Anyone that knows Lisa's aversion to cold water knows what a feat this is.

Sam's lake time was better spent at the playground just off the lake. Anytime we got near the lake Sam would decide to eat the sand. Boy genius.

100 degrees = immediate ice cream cone purchase. While Audrey is all for tasting mommy's chocolate chip mint, Lisa looks a little leary of diving into Audrey's Cotton Candy flavor. I don't blame her.

Packed up and headed home . . . pretty sure the kids enjoyed the week. Is there any better road trip when your kids are in this mode? "Honey, where are we going?" "Who cares, we can actually have an adult conversation!".

Sam is getting a little more love from Audrey these days which is very sweet.

"Come here bubby, I'm gonna give you a little squeeze."

"Gee thanks big sis, you're the best . . . do you think I can play in the big kid pool tomorrow?"

"Not a chance diaper boy, just keep smiling for the camera."

Summer Time!

2009-07-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Incoming! In preparation for Audrey's swimming lessons we thought we'd get her a little backyard pool to splash around in . . . you know, maybe have a tea party with her floatable friends. I'm not sure the Target $40 pool was prepared for 45 pounds of 3 year old coming its way.

"Daddy, the Zebra pool is for big kids, babies need to swim in their own pool . . . with a home depot bucket . . . ". Sam was actually more than happy to be in the safe confines of his own pool vs. being Audrey's landing pad.

"Dad, where was this when I was stuck playing with the orange bucket!".

"Daddy, I'm having so much fun feeding the birdy. Really, I'm not at all scared . . . not freaking out in the slightest . . . DAD, DO YOU SEE THIS BIRD RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE!!!!".

Playing zoo keeper left Audrey absolutely famished. She let me know that mustering the energy to get to the Elephant barn was going to take more than the pretzels and string cheese I brought along. Clearly, bubble gum ice cream cones are the answer to any low energy 3 year old situation.

Had to be fair to the little one at home!

Audrey has been on a camping kick for a long time now. So I broke down, packed up the car, and headed deep into the Baker National Forest for hard core moutaineering . . .

. . . well, in my defense, at around 11:30pm she woke me up (she clearly hadn't slept a wink) and asked me if she could go to bed. I was a little shocked and was frankly curious about what she had been doing for the past hour while I was sleeping.

Having grown up in the 80's, to me this picture looks like two little girls listening to Cinderella (the rock band, not the Disney princess). Their moms quickly corrected me letting me know that this is sign language for "I love you". I then pointed out that both moms grew up in Anacortes. I'm sticking with my interpretation.

You can't tell by the photo, but Sam is rocking a pretty sweet toddler mullet right now. Nothing up top or in the front, but straggly, curly blond hair in back. Nice look bubby!

Tribute to Billy the Cat

2009-06-05T21:42:00.001-07:00

Oh Billy, we'll miss you. From the first days we had you, when you would wake us in the morning by sinking your sharp little kitten teeth into our sleeping cheeks, till the last days when you would still nurse yourself to sleep by sucking your own paw. You made us literally have to jump into bed as you would hide underneath the bed and attack our ankles if we were too slow. While you were feisty, you were absolutely a lap cat, all 17 pounds of you (hey, he was tall). From the 2 live birds you brought into the house to the live possum, a boring cat you were not. I've never seen (or heard) of a cat having to wear the large plastic cones on their head that dogs have to wear when they are nuetered. You gave me that visual not once, but twice. We always new you would pick a fight you couldn't win one day, though we assumed it would be with another animal and not a vehicle. We'll miss you Billy, you definitely weren't cheated in your 7 years of life and we thank you for the memories.

Are we friends yet?

2009-06-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

Something clicked with Audrey in May and she began . . . well . . . I won't go so far as saying she began playing with Sam, but more along the lines of Lisa and I didn't have to fear so much for Sam's safety at all times.

I mean in the photo above, you could argue that she is downright affectionate . . . unless you view those hands as poised for a back jolting push.

I can't even argue that this photo shows anything but unconditional love of a younger sibling. Almost "Don't worry about a thing Sammy, I've got your back in life".

"Uh-oh Sammy, stay with me . . . I'm not losing this photo shoot because you can't quite stay upright at all times . . . stay with me Sam . . . stay with me . . . "

" . . . and you're on your own kid, I'm not losing this chance to model the new suit".

Sam is full on walking everywhere he goes now. His head is always on a swivel trying to locate Audrey. He's like to moth to a flame with her, however, as soon as he approaches her, his eyes do the fluttering blink as he never quite knows if he is going to get the hammer or a kiss.

While you love your kids the same (it really is a baffling feeling of balance), you can't help but compare them. Sam is full of smiles for all his photos while Audrey was always quite serious in front of a camera. I will say "boy genius" above however doesn't seem quite as observant as Audrey at that age. Come on Sam, show some self awareness!

Tulips

2009-05-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lisa and I had never actually been to the Tulip Festival in LaConner, which is fairly surprising being that we both grew up in the Skagit Valley. We have both driven by the fields, in full bloom, no less than twenty times. Chalk yet another event up to "things change when you have kids". Actually, a girly-girl 3 yearl old.

We were actually on our way up to Anacortes for the day to visit cousin Kyla, but couldn't simply drive by when Audrey noticed the flowers. While the fields were probably only 25% in bloom, they were still beautiful. Plus, catching your 3 year old stopping to smell the Tulips is priceless.

Apparently tip-toeing through the Tulips is tiring? Fine kids, we get the picture, let's go to cousin Kyla's already!

While in Anacortes we went out to Washington Park with auntie Kristin and cousin Kyla. I know this picture is a little distant, but I simply love seeing Audrey against that backdrop. It makes her seem so small, which I have a feeling I'm going to hold onto longer than I should.

This on the other hand is Lisa's favorite picture. Audrey is officially at the age where she has to pick every single "landy-lion" she sees for "Mommy to put in a vase". She can definitely turn on the charm when she thinks she needs to.

Audrey hit another major milestone this past month . . . number 2 in the potty. While we have been bribing her for 6 months, she remembered (above all others) the promise of a trip to the banana-split store. That white dress had zero chance against that sundae.

Turns out bribes don't really work. The clincher, and in hind-sight the obvious move, was to simply take away the pull-ups. (We spared you photo proof).

If you haven't seen the kids in a while, this photo is their world in a nut-shell. Audrey flies into the room, catches Sam's attention bringing an instant smile to his face, then turns and flies back out of the room before he can get near her. Stay tuned for next month as Sam has put together 4 to 5 steps at a time. Her world is safe for now, but will be rocked soon enough. His little smile above is almost "knowing" of this fact. Go get her Sammy!

Little Mr. One Year Old

2009-04-04T20:22:00.001-07:00

Sam turned one this month and got his first introduction to pure white cane sugar! He didn't waste much time diggin in.

While he wasn't shy with the initial bites, his reaction was a little "ho-hum" and frankly a little dissapointing . . .

. . . oh yeah, sugar is kickin in. "Mommy, not sure what is in this little cake, but I'm on board, anytime, anywhere . . .

. . . uuuhhhh, Mommy, crashin a little here. Where did that burst of energy go?". We can't believe the little guy is one. I think with Audrey we were so focused on every little milestone. With Sam he's lucky we remembered his birthday! Just kidding Sammy, you're our little guy.

I was giving Sam a bath after his birthday, washing all the frosting off his little mug, and right about here Lisa shouted from the other room . . . "Hey Sammy, want another piece of cake?!".

With all the focus around Sam, Lisa decided to give Audrey her first ever pedicure. Based on Audrey's reaction, I think I have a regular "Gene Juarez Debit" to look forward to out of our checking account.

Audrey showing off her new tatoo. I'll pay for a pedicure a week for life if she doesn't "ink up"! Actually, Audrey helps me empty all the garbages on Sunday night, and if she does a good job, she gets a quarter. What does a quarter get you these days? A surprisingly large butterfly tatoo at the little vending machine at Safeway.

Sam absolutely loves being flipped upside down. It's gotten to the point of danger as when he senses the opportunity he will literally arch his back and throw himself backwards . . . "off the couch? No problem, someone's going to be there to catch me!". It is so funny how different he is than Audrey was.

Don't mean to stereotype between boys and girls, but for Sammy the next best thing to being upside down is to make as much noise as humanly possible. It doesn't matter what he's holding in his hands, he will bang them together to see how much noise he can make. It didn't take him long to figure out banging pot lids is about as loud as it gets.

It is tough to recognize your kids growing older in front of your eyes. I look at this picture and barely recognize her. She looks so much like a little kid and nothing like my baby girl. I love seeing her personality develop, and let me tell you, there is alot of personality developing!

Date Night

2009-03-04T20:34:00.001-08:00

Sam is officially pulling himself up and cruising the furniture. He's not shy about getting up close and personal, which usually leaves you with a pretty good drool spot where ever that little mug lands.

As you can tell, he's pretty happy with his new found skill. While a lot of it is the camera angle, check out those mitts!

On a more somber note for Daddy, Audrey went on her first date to the local bowling alley with her good buddy Jakey Beckerman (yes, that's how she says it). They used to spend two days a week together so it's very nice that they still get to see each other once in awhile.

WHOA THERE JAKEY BECKERMAN . . . STAND DOWN!!!!!

Sam was none-to-pleased either with that last photo. He's trying to give his "tough little brother" face to good 'ol Jakey Beckerman. Sorry Sam, I think you're going to be more of a lover than a fighter . . .

. . . case in point. Sam had no idea a superbowl party would result in little girls paying so much attention to him. He's much more used to his big sister bringing the hammer vs. the little cuddles he's receiving here.

He's been trying to relive the moment ever since. "See mommy, I can do cool tricks for my fans!".

"Fans, did someone say fans?!". Audrey actually really enjoyed watching the Grammys and Oscars with Mommy. Well, more so the red carpet. I've used this line many times before, but any guess who she is going to take after?

100% 3 year old girls.

Audrey gets a popsicle each night if she's been a good girl. And let me tell you being a "good girl" consists of two things; 1. Eating her dinner, and 2. Not causing permanent injury to Sam. Right about now I'm questioning if she was nice to Sam for the whole day. Would those eyes lie?

This is one of my all time favorite pictures of Audrey . . .

. . . so of course we needed a Sam version. The crib was actually recalled last year. Had this been during Audrey's first few months we would have been headed straight to Babies'R'Us. Isn't it funny how much more relaxed parents are with the second? In all fairness, the recall was due to kids kicking and breaking through the slats. As Lisa says "Who still has their 4 year old in a crib?".

Bubble Bath Splashing

2009-02-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

Auntie Calie treated us to Zoo Lights at the Point Defiance zoo. It was a great night and we are very thankful.Mommy's little boy! Between big sister and Mommy it's safe to say that Sammy is definitely a ladies man. Jeez Sam, where does Dad fit in? Oh yeah, somewhere behind Billy (our cat) and ahead of peas and green beans.

Loving sister or a thinly veiled attempt to crowd Sam out of the picture? I'm going with the latter . . .

Why did we move all the way out to Kenmore so they could have seperate rooms? I think this is proof positive that sharing a room could have worked!

Well, maybe not. Sam, if you want her to play with you splashing her is not the best game plan.

Ahh, sweet revenge for Audrey. Actually Sam, I guess your trick worked as I was present and can attest that hidden beneath that basket is your chubby little smile. Really, even hazing by Audrey gets a smile out of him.

When Audrey needs a break she hides out by the bookcase. I absolutely love this picture.

The zoo in the winter is so much fun. You literally end up having many of the exhibits to yourself . . .

. . . and the African Safari has the perfect "time-out" jail for Audrey!

Who knew a tutu could also be an accessory. "I'm so pretty I can't even look".

"I'm so pretty I can't stop looking". Sam is definitely becoming self-aware . . .

. . . or perhaps he thinks he's made his first friend? Either way, I love the little guy.

Santa!

2009-01-10T07:18:00.001-08:00

This year at Santa's house, Audrey got a little bonus time as they switched photographers during her visit. It took a shockingly long time for the new photographer to get the lighting right, so Audrey got to get up close and personal with Santa. Santa actually got frustrated with the photographer and took a couple of cheap shots saying "I had the line down to nothing before you got here!". Awkward? Very!

Audrey loved her bonus time, but thank goodness we didn't find ourselves in this scenario two years earlier as evidenced by the photo below . . .

This picture still breaks my heart, but I'm sure all little kids have a version of this photo.

Lisa joined a mom's group when Audrey was born. Unbelievably they still get together monthly (if not more). Although I have to say the get togethers represent more of a "wine night" minus the kids than the playdates that used to be more prevalent. However, as a dad I realize the value in these getaways. A happy mommy is a happy family.

At the last playdate Santa made an appearance. If you are wondering if Audrey takes more after daddy or mommy, here is evidence that not even Santa can pull her away from a craft table. Mommy it is!

Sam noticed Audrey's affinity for Santa and thought he'd take a shot at getting noticed. Well played Sam.

Don't be fooled by the book, it's the nearness of Audrey that's driving his smile.

Every once in awhile she obliges him with a little attention. Thank you Audrey.

That is when she's not feeding one of her stuffed animals of course. It's funny to see how nuturing she can be to them but not her little brother, but I suppose that is pretty typical.

Leading up to Christmas Audrey kept claiming that "It's not Christmas yet because there's no snow". Thank you to every Christmas book and show that makes this fact abundantly clear to a 3 year old. Thank goodness we got our share this year. I think Audrey was even ready for it to go by the end!

Sam is slowly adding "boy" themed toys to his collection. I don't mean to be to worried about stereotypes, but I think 90% of his options today are pink. I'm a huge fan of hand-me-downs, but at some point he needs some primary colors!

And thank goodness the kitchen is a cross-over, to be used by either the future Rachel Ray or Bobby Flay.

Sam absolutely loves the bath, which I think is pretty typical for little ones. Audrey always wants to help out . . by dumping water over his head. We simply have to say "Audrey won't it be fun when you can both bathe together" which makes her promptly turn and run out of the bathroom not to be seen again until Sam is safely in his pajamas. (note the pink watering can)

Sam has begun his "military crawl". No leg action yet, but he's surprisingly mobile on his forearms. This was supposed to be a picture in front of the tree. Lisa and I are headed to Babies R Us as I finish this so we can get a baby-gate. Lisa's days just got a little tougher . . sorry hon, but he is pretty cute.

Coug Recruit & Cousin Love

2008-12-09T20:47:00.001-08:00

I have to be honest, after this season, my loyalty to the beloved Cougs was definitely tested. But alas, an Apple Cup won is always sweet (no matter how rotten it was). And poor Sam has no choice in his college allegiance at this point, so the Cougs it is!

Okay Sam, if there is a question on your entrance exam to WSU about the proper dump truck driver positioning, feet first in the mouth isn't the correct answer (let's hope it's a multiple choice exam!).

How is it again that we over stimulate our little ones these days?

It's hard to believe the two buddies above have had countless hair pulling, ear twisting, claw scratching, blood drawing spats over the years. It truly is a love/hate thing they share.

Speaking of love/hate! Actually, Audrey is very sweet to Sam. He'll take anything he can get from her. She walks through the room and his eyes are glued on her with that chubby smile. If she "accidentally" pushes him as she walks by . . . no matter, it actually makes him giggle. A kiss to the forehead is uncontrollable delight.

Audrey snuck out of this picture as I think she was jealous about having to share cousin Kyla with Sam. Audrey asbolutely worships Kyla. She literally stands in front of her mirror at home and asks if she looks like cousin Kyla. I think we all had that older cousin we so looked up to when we were kids. We are so fortunate that Audrey has Kyla. Thank you for being so sweet Kyla, I know it isn't easy!

Wait, I take that back. I'm not sure Audrey is excited to be laying next to Kyla at all. Oh my.

October = Potty Training & Halloween

2008-11-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

After several months (let's call it 6) of pestering Audrey about potty training, Lisa and I finally decided to let her do it on her own time. I was shocked to hear 3 year olds don't always do what mommy and daddy tell them to do.

Anyway, on October 1st when Lisa was getting Audrey out of bed Lisa said "guess what today is Audrey" and Audrey calmly replied "Potty Training Day". Really!? Okay! Let's make a chart and go for it. After 3 little accidents that morning she's been perfect.

With a gift given for every 7 successful potty runs, you can imagine their would be a big gift at the end of the chart. Well, we gave Audrey some choices . . . a bike, maybe a trip to Disneyland . . .

. . . nope, she wanted a freakishly large tinker bell balloon. Lifesize actually to a 3 year old. Some things aren't meant to be blown up. Tinker bell is no longer a cute little pixie in my mind.

Audrey was so excited about her new found independence, she had to create a cheer for it. I'm not sure which side of the equation I'm more worried about when I notice that my 3 year old is one clothes pin away from fitting into her mother's high school cheerleading uniform.

Audrey bragging to her little brother . . . perhaps a challenge . . . "see how impressed mom and dad are with me . . what have you done lately". Okay Sam, show us what you've got . . .

Oh my Sam, you're going to have to bring a little better game than that!

October also brought a trip to the pumpkin farm, now an annual tradition with Sydney. Here comes the token parent comment "I can't believe how much they've grown!". : (

I was pretty happy when Audrey turned down the caramel apple and elephant ear for the much healthier roasted corn . . . until I saw the melted butter vat that they dipped it into 3 times. Audrey was in heaven.

Sam is taking the "scare" part of scarecrow seriously. Well done kiddo.

Any chance he's shedding some of the baby fat? HAH!

Mom took one look at the butcher knife I pulled out to carve my pumpkin and quickly went in to safe'n'sane mode.

Hands down, Audrey's favorite part of her butterfly costume was the little bit of make-up on her nose. She literally had a panic-attack when she thought she smudged it on the way to Sydney's house for trick'or'treating. Tradgedy averted when mommy pulled out a little eye-liner.

Scary Giraffe.

The past several years Lisa and I have taken Audrey to Queen Anne Avenue. While this has been great as it's very festive, and frankly very easy, our move to the suburbs was complete when we did the old fashioned "door to door". It was surprisingly nostalgic.

Sydney was adorable in her angel costume!

Sam doesn't realize in this photo that mommy and daddy have poached all of his halloween candy. Better luck next year "gum boy".

Booster Seat & Thanksgiving Prep

2008-10-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

Daddy's girls! A mile from our house there is a little shopping village (actually called Country Village) that has a bunch of quaint little furniture stores, craft stores, tea rooms, and a great bridal shop (so I'm told). It's basically a guy's worst nightmare on Sunday afternoon.

It's tough to miss as there is a 40 foot chicken that guards the entrance. As Calie pointed out, you know you've moved out of the city when directions to your house include "turn right after you pass the big chicken". I'm never at risk of missing it as every time we pass it (which is often as it's on the way to I-405) Audrey screams out "BU-KAWWWW!!!!!".

The train ride is a must when we go to "The Village". Of course, out of all the "open air" options for train cars, Audrey has to be in the caboose. While I look comfortable, it's an extremely bumpy ride once we hit the trail. At least seventeen times (the number of head bumps I experienced) I realized that the caboose is not the equivalent of first class on Alaska.

Angie threw a little Labor Day get together at the lake. It's great that the kids are old enough to enjoy popsicles and fun in the sun.

Our little girl has graduated to a booster seat. And we were actually worried she might not like it.

Sam is not shy with the smiles. He's such a good kid. Why doesn't he sleep?

The Disney princess addiction is still going strong. Though I think we are on track to be a butterfly for Halloween so perhaps it's waning?

Are we at the age where we can work some chores into the mix? This is a great photo. However, the better photo would have been 3 minutes after as we were trying to get the hose back from her. Nothing says super-soaker like a 3 year old with a live hose!

My ladies about to hit the town. Or the village . . . . Country Village . . . . BU-KAWWWW!!!!

Sammy getting ready for Halloween. Very scary Sam, very scary.

Audrey is already working on her Thanksgiving form. I'm always surprised at the things kids will and won't eat. I wouldn't think olives would make the cut, perhaps it's the fun factor?

"My sister is amazing! I don't know what Thanksgiving is, but I'm on board! Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee one of those olives!".

First Solids & Potty Training

2008-09-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sam's all prepped for his first taste of solid food. He's so excited . . . .

"Wait a minute mom, I'm not sure I'm ready, this is kinda scary . . . "

"AH, come on Mom! That stuff tastes awful!!!!".

One of the things Lisa feared in leaving the city was all the great parks we were leaving behind. Our first venture to Saint Edwards Park in Kenmore aleviated all those fears.

I still get dizzy just looking at the dreaded tire swing.

Our local book store (while not a park) was also a pleasant surprise. Who can't get on board with toddler size chess! I'm not sure who was playing Black, but Audrey has them beat.

Audrey turned 3 this past month. She wanted a fish cake for her birthday. I'm so happy Lisa's creative talents interpreted Audrey correctly in that she wanted a fish shaped cake. Great job Lisa transforming the white rectangle sheet cake into an adorable birthday memory.

Oh, how our Saturday afternoons have changed. We wouldn't change it for the world.

The definite theme of the party (and her life in general right now) was Disney princess. "Daddy, if you let me wear this cool sleeping mask I promise to brush my teeth every night and be in bed by 8pm". Really honey . . . okay.

Mwahhhh hahhh hahhh, Mwahhhh hahhhh hahhhh hahhhhh!!!!

"Look, another princess dress!" Feeding the addiction . . .

Totally biased, but cutie pie kiddos.

times two
. . . . and a beautiful mommy!

Audrey has become a little fascinated with getting married. Lisa threw together a little extra fabric along with her actual wedding shoes and viola, instant child bride . . .

Luckily in all the make believe weddings I am still the one she marries. Ahhhh . . .

When the weather hit 90 degrees we figured we should take Sam to one of our favorite new parks for his inaugural dip into Lake Washington. Nice tummy shot Sam.

Gilligan?

Every time we think we're making progress on the potty training front, Audrey shows us how far we have yet to go. Who knew pull-ups were so versatile!

Family Photos & Sammy's Revenge

2008-08-03T07:06:00.001-07:00

Sekora Posse! Sorry kiddos, while you got mommy's beautiful eyes, I think you got daddy's not-so-beautiful hairline.

Family day at Safeco (for one family at least!). Audrey is prepping herself for what she knows is coming next . . . .

She is officially boycotting the traditional seventh inning stretch singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame until they add " . . . and buy me some peanuts and cotton candy . . .".

"Wait a minute . . . THESE are cracker-jacks? . . . and buy me some peanuts, cracker-jacks, and cotton candy. I don't care if I ever get back . . . "

After all the sodium and sugar that went into our little spark-plug, a cold liter of water had no chance.
Jackson (far left), Sydney, Audrey, and Mason lined up for the 4th of July parade in anytown USA (actually Anacortes town). My money is on Jackson to get the most candy, though he doesn't have a bag in his hand . . . poor planning Jackson!
By looking at the parents clothing you could very well mistake this for the Thanksgiving day parade . . . oh 4th of July in the Northwest!

Audrey's absolutely in love with her new helmet. She made a pitch to sleep in it last night (seriously). She even negotiated with the fact that she might fall out of bed. It was a decent point and well argued position. Daddy still won in the end but she is getting better.

Lisa's family has a reunion every other year. Being together for 10+ years I believe this was my fifth. One of the best traditions is the homemade ice-cream. I think Audrey took seriously the joke that you don't get any if you don't take your turn on the crank.

A much needed rest after all that cranking (and eating). With Audrey being a family name in Lisa's family, here is our Audrey resting atop the Audrey of one-generation prior.

Sam has pointed out that Audrey simply gets way to much air time on this blog. He decided to "cute'n up" his game by posing with his new girly friend Quinlan.

"Seriously dad, if I just held hands with a girl, it better buy me some photos!".

Who doesn't love a double chin! Smart money says there is another layer tucked under there somewhere.

Sibling Love

2008-07-09T20:57:00.000-07:00

Peek-a-Boo!

Audrey is really enjoying her little brother, even throwing out a "he's so sweet!" sometimes . . .

. . . sometimes! I remember being at least 12 years old before I tried this move on my big sister. Well done Sammy.

To Audrey's credit she maintained a good camera pose while countering Sam's left fist with a quick slap down.

For any babysitter's out there, ice cream cones are Audrey's weakness and should be used in any sort of bribery situation. They will never diminish in value with her.

About here she realizes that either a face wash or bath is iminent . . .

. . . bath it is.

Sam tends to be wide-eyed about half the time. Good thing he got mom's beautiful eyes!

For those of you who have seen Audrey over the last 7 months you are familiar with the brown dress above. I'm happy to announce that it has been retired and this is the last time you will see her in it. Whoo-hoo!

There is no emotion more irrational than a parent's pride in their children's accomplishments. Of course Lisa and I think we have a little Picasso on our hands based on Audrey's drawing above. Little do we know 2-year olds should probably be drawing teeth and ears along with their faces, but at this point we'll just continue to wallow in our ingorance and be proud none-the-less.

Aries and Flamingos

2008-06-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

2nd Aries in the family of four. I do believe the actual symbol of the Aries is a ram (My lovely wife confirmed it (through fact, not action)). While I love a strong-willed ram, the cuddly little sheep depicted above is what I believe to be false advertising . . . hmmm, this outfit did come from auntie Tauna . . . . another ram . . . . I mean Aries!

Audrey is taking to her big sister role quite well.

Grammy is taking to her role pretty well too. : )

Sydney turned 3 in May and I do believe Audrey looks a little intimidated by the extremely large pink princess crown cake. You can barely make out the finger "swipe" mark she took out of the corner. Caught on camera kid.

Proof that it's not all sugar going into our little spark plug.

Audrey discovered the amazing fun of blowing the "weed flower bloom" into the wind. Daddy discoverd an activity that took 45 minutes and had a positive outcome on the look of the yard.

Not mommy's favorite picture. Lisa and I have a standing "beef". Mine is that Audrey loves mommy's tatoo (as well as the tatoos found on her first two nannys), and Lisa's is that Audrey loves daddy's "bicycle". I guess tatoos are a little less dangerous, but how cute are little moto-cross girls?!

As usual, mommy's right. We'll stick to the 3 wheeler for the time being.

Those cheeks aren't going anywhere soon.

May brought a weekend that hit 90 (really), so we decided to head down to the beach and . . .

. . . break out the new pink flamingo bathing suit.

Kids have an amazing tolerance for cold-water. Nothing makes you feel more manly than having your 2 year old call you out for not being able to handle the chill. "Hold on honey, daddy's got to ease his way in . . .".

I see this as proof that Audrey will be a great rebounder in hoops someday, Lisa sees it as a solid base to build some cheerleader moves on. Either way, she's not wearing the cinderella dress!

Though somedays I think the cinderella dress is better than the alternative. The best part of the outfit is the finger to elbow yellow gloves. Classy.

Sammy!

Cotton Candy and Baseball

2008-04-30T21:08:00.000-07:00

Nipping at the heels of the brown "cindarella" dress in Audrey's list of favorite things is the Space Needle. On a freakishly warm April Saturday (remember that 80 degree'r we just had?) we decided to take her down to the Center for some close up viewing of the Needle. Here she is in full "rock star" pose staring up at it. Does anyone else see Lisa here?

And here she is debating the pros and cons of running into the fountain . . . Pro - absolute, care-free fun . . . Con - wet cindarella dress resulting in potential change of clothes . . . result . . . .

. . . . keep the cindarella dress dry and head for the COTTON CANDY!!!! (mom was very happy with this decision)

I do believe cotton candy has now passed the Space Needle into the #2 spot on Audrey's list of favorite things.

My memory probably serves me wrong, but I don't remember Audrey sleeping nearly as much as Sam. Look alive kid!

He's border-line trying to nap in the tub! Notice Audrey's contribution of the rubber duck (it bounces surprisingly high of a 3 week old's head when thrown from outside the bath).

GG got the only smile on camera (so far). Well done GG.

Mommy picked out the outfit. Sorry Sam, at least the collar isn't turned up.

While this looks like we allow Audrey to play with electrical outlets, it's actually just her waiting in anticipation of microwave popcorn (honest).

In cindarella dress fashion, the new "annie" nightgown dominates the evening wardrobe.

This is the once a week alternate when the annie nightgown is in the wash.

How many Sekora's can fit on one couch cushion? While Audrey has been very sweet with her little brother, she definitely has a subtle way of nuzzling in on the action. I know someday soon I'll be begging to get them both on my lap again so I cherish every second of it now.

Grandma Sharon got Sam out to the Ballpark for his first taste of the action. I failed her miserably in the baseball arena, but there may be hope with Sam.

Right about here we blew the 2 run 8th inning lead. Sam, watching the big screen, couldn't believe it either. I think he agrees with Grandpa Fred, as soon as the bullpen took over, we should have headed for the car!

I never asked for a little brother!

2008-04-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

OH NO! A little brother?! Maybe I can scare him away with my "monster face"!

Didn't work? Fine, I'm outta here! Dad, can I borrow the Nordy's card?

He's still here? Maybe my new fairy wand and cape (thanks Grammy) will make him disappear. Abra-Cadabra!

Look, I turned baby brother into a pretty annual arrangement.

The only thing that can cheer Audrey up more than an ice cream cone is her BFF Sydney. I found myself saying what every kid's 3rd grade hall monitor said "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt". Unbelievably this ended up being a 5 minute giggle session with no tears. Audrey certainly needed it!

Here is Lisa portraying the pain that no man will ever have to endure.

And here is Dad stealing the first kiss. What a jerk.

Audrey's initial reaction was quite positive.

Her second was "He's still here, I'm so over him!".

While my eyes are nailed on Sam, I think Audrey's are focused a little higher.

She will no doubt be a great big sister.

Okay, before anyone dials up child protective services . . . Sam had a pretty good case of jaundice. They sent us home and said if it should happen to get sunny to strip him down and put him in front of a window in the direct sunlight. If nothing else it's proof that the sun does shine at least once every other March in Seattle.

The first meal out simply had to be burgers, or as Audrey puts it "let's go to the hanga-bur store!".

Anyone that's seen Audrey at the dinner table knows that a simple burger has no chance with her. That's a solid patty up there!

All in all, week one with little brother went well. Eyes are still blue and Daddy still drys her hair after each bath. Maybe her world isn't collapsing after all.

It's a boy!

2008-03-23T12:50:00.001-07:00

Friday night, 5:38pm, 7lbs 11oz, 19.5in, SAMUEL DAVID SEKORA!

Thank you, thank you Lisa. She was wonderful (as usual) and is recovering well. Audrey now has competition on this little blog. I have a feeling cyber-sharing will be easier than the 3-dimensional kind. We'll keep you posted!

Audrey's Wardrobe

2008-03-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

You will notice a recurring theme to this month's blog . . . Audrey's wardrobe. We are now washing nearly daily as she is fairly adamant that only her "cinderella dress" (aka santa photo dress), "soccer jersey", or "ballerina dress" are worth wearing. Sometimes she puts them all together.

Here she is mid-jump in her ballerina dress and "glass slippers". They look more fuzzy than glass to me, but I know better than to argue with a 2 year old.

Close up of the "sparkly's" adorning the ballerina dress.

Woodland Park Zoo has an indoor facility with climbing rocks and a whole lot more for those rainy Seattle days. It really is a wonderful way to let the kids burn some energy when the park isn't an option.

Needless to say, Audrey's pretty excited for the new Flamingo exhibit opening May-08.

Notice the ballerina dress under the soccer jersey?

The second the rain lifted we headed out to see some 3 dimensional "aminals". Unfortunately the first one Audrey saw was Mickey Mouse. Of course she set out a dead run ignoring my informational talk about how this wasn't her Mickey and that hers was safe at home. The poor girl up ahead had no idea what was about to hit her.

I got her settled in and headed over to her favorite . . the giraffe feeding cages. One problem living so close to the zoo is that she now thinks these types of animals are common place. No real excitement here.

Yes Audrey, this is the look you should use when there are actually animals in view.

Relaxing before bedtime with a little p-corn and milk.

The kid loves the tub. She has learned that she doesn't have to get out until her fingers look like raisins. It's approximately 27 minutes for those who are curious.

Here comes baby brother!

Audrey still isn't too excited about baby brother. Sharing isn't going to be easy.

100% girl.

So excited for the next five minutes of her life.

After one bite of that cream cheese frosting she knew milk had to be in the equation.

Okay, back at it.

Anytime there is a cake, it must be someone's birthday. No, well let's just pretend it's mine.

Maybe not. Not sure how she managed to slingshot it across the table, but well done Audrey.

Relaxing with mommy.

Relaxing with Mickey.

My least favorite pic of Audrey of all time. I can't believe she takes up the entire love seat.

Another day, another cup-cake. Another day, same cinderella dress.

Lisa and I managed our first two-nighter away from Audrey (yes, we're those people). Auntie Sooz got married up at semiahmoo and Lisa was in the wedding. It was a beautiful day and she was a beautiful bride. Here she is sneaking up on her man Nick for the first time in her dress.

And here is Nick's reaction. Smart guy!

It was a beautiful wedding and this was the sunset that greated all as we left the ceremony.

Here's Audrey's idea of accessorizing the cinderella dress. Oh my lanta. The funny thing is Lisa was reluctant to spend $30 on a santa dress that Audrey would wear one time and probably hate. You could say we got our $30+ and shouldn't complain, but seriously, it's every day!

Fall, Snow, and Santa

2008-01-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

2 years old and very task oriented. Oh the joy of seeing Audrey actually contribute something to the family other than cute smiles and sloppy kisses. She picked up quicker than Lisa could prune!

However, she proved not so helpful in helping Dad rake and pick up the leaves.

Following Thanksgiving it was off to Alan Acres in Stanwood for the annual christmas tree hunt. I thought it was a good tree until upon closer inspection Audrey found a bare spot on the back side. Whew, that was close.

While the snow caught us by surprise, I think I still could have taken a few minutes to put proper clothes on my 2 year old. "Jeez Dad, can you find me some gloves!" I think she came out of the snowman construction unscathed (as long as she didn't stare to long at my freakishly bright shoes).

In line to see Santa and Mom and Dad are definitely having a good time. I think at this point Audrey is remembering the trauma of last year's photo session. She has that vague "something about this is familiar" pose.

What a difference a year makes! A 2 year old can actually be bribed with promises of candy canes and ice cream. Proof below that the same bribery does not work with a 1 year old.

Who needs a baby brother when you have a posse to roll with like this! I used to complain about all the stuffed animals and Lisa would remind me that one day Audrey will have tea parties, etc. As usual, Mommy knew best.

Audrey has entered the much anticipated stage of demanding to pick-out her own clothes. Safe bet that any 4 days out of the week you'll see her in the soccer jersey (vaguely seen underneath), the "cindawella" dress (aka santa photo dress), and the ever fashionable rainbow sweats. Grandparents, please ignore the fact that Audrey is jumping on the bed in this photo . . . If Billy can sleep through it, it must be harmless.

It just wouldn't be a posting if we didn't have a photo of BFF Sydney included.

Feather Boa and Halloween

2007-11-13T20:46:00.000-08:00

Lisa has a good friend who is a photographer so we enlisted Bill's services and took Audrey down to Gasworks Park for a little photo-shoot. Little did Audrey know, this is the scene of mommy and daddy's first kiss. This will no doubt one day give her the heebie-jeebies, but it's good memories for us none-the-less.There is something so precious about little chubby fingers. I still completely freeze if her hand happens to land on my arm for fear that she'll notice and move it.

Definitely got mom's eyes.

And mom's sense of fashion. The "feather boa" made an appearance sometime in September and is still a daily accessory (I'm not kidding . . . seriously). You would not believe how many feathers are tied into that thing. It's managed to shed into every conceivable nook and cranny of the house and is beginning to take on the appearance of a rat tail as we head into mid-November.

Photo proof that the once lush and luxurious boa is now something less (much less). Here she's sampling some of dad's fashion advice . . . tank top and rainbow sweats. What year is it?

Who doesn't love muppet inspired slippers?!

Same birthday hat that I managed to snap the elastic strap on her chubby little chin during her 1st birthday. I'm happy to see there are no lasting emotional scars.

October meant the 2nd annual trip to the pumpkin patch with Audrey's BFF Sydney. On the hunt for the perfect carver . . .

"Wait Syd, here it is!"

Now that the pumpkin is picked out, it's on to costume selection. "Mom, can I please be a Babushka from early century Russia?".

"Sorry honey, you make a much cuter fairy princess.".

Despite her best efforts, the Fred Meyer wings simply weren't rated for 35lbs. The skirt from Auntie Sooz absolutely killed though.

1st official halloween party and out of 3 girls . . . 3 fairy princesses?! Are you kidding me? Where's that babushka costume!

The embarrassment of the costume's un-originalness was nothing a little handholding from her BFF couldn't fix. They literally stood there holding hands for 5 minutes, which in 2-year old time is like 17 years. It was amazingly adorable. Or maybe they just like their pictures taken?

August . . Must Be Birthday Time!

2007-09-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

Another August . . . another birthday! 2 years old and absolutely addicted to Mickey (don't worry though, I think we've already moved on to the doodlebops). Who loves birthday cake more than a 2 year old? Well, by the looks of mommy's face . . . mommy does!

While Audrey loves GG (great grandma), blood only gets you so far when it comes to sharing Mickey. "Maybe later GG, I just got him!".

Also a big hit with 2 year old party goers was the lawn mower. Audrey made a run for the front yard in hopes of keeping it out of the reach of friends. When does the sharing concept kick-in? Audrey, if you want to help daddy mow . . . move to the right a smidge!

While we didn't get it in time for the birthday, we got Audrey her long awaited, much asked for tricycle. Right about here Lisa informed me that when one of her friends put her daughter on a tricycle for the first time the front wheels fell off (see Audrey's concern in the next photo).

While maintaining complete eye-contact, Audrey slowly reaches for the screwdriver . . "If I'm takin a spill on the tricycle, I want to make sure it was put together right!".

Another August . . . another Seahawk season. Audrey got her annual pre-season taste of the action. It's Sunday afternoon baby-sitters from here on out baby!

Lisa couldn't wait for the day she could make popcorn "old-school style" on the stove and watch a movie with Audrey. That day has finally arrived.

Mommy had to leave the room during the scary scenes.

Audrey (and friends) polishing off another bowl of cereal in all-star fashion . . . bottoms up!

Audrey has been teasing us with the idea of potty training for a few months now. Don't let the picture fool you. I admit, she really looks like an old pro. However, she has yet to actually "go" while in the position. She has managed to hold off on "tinkling" until she gets up and walks away. Which leads to . . . .

. . . a quick pick up and drop in the tub!

Red Sox Fan?

2007-07-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

In a shameless attempt by my father to get me to "see the light" on baseball and cheer for a real team, he has supplied me with a Red Sox t-shirt. Little did he know how much Audrey was going to love the "w(r)ed shirt" with the "big leddurs!".

I was in Boston a couple of weeks ago and got the chance to go to Fenway for a game. Icouldn't pass up the opportunity to get Audrey a matching "big leddur" t-shirt. As you can see, grandpa Jack has a head start with Audrey.

Audrey's Day as a Flower Girl

2007-07-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

Our friends Greg and Jessica asked Audrey to be in their July 21st wedding back in March 2007. To our surprise she even walked down the aisle (with a little help from dad being in the front row).

4th of July Boat Ride

2007-07-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Introducing Audrey to our 4th of July tradition of spending a little time at Campbell Lake at the Johnson's. It was actually Audrey's 3rd consecutive Johnson 4th. Her first was when Lisa was 8 months pregnant and we literally had to "duck and roll" as a wayward firework was headed directly our way!

Lisa was a little nervous and was going over "boat safety" with Audrey. I love Audrey's "got it Mom" pose. Very intent.

Every since this little trip Audrey has begged for another "boat w(r)ide". Anything is a boat (including cardboard boxes . . . she's desperate!).

Welcome To My Blog

2007-06-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a bathing suit photo for the first entry in what will undoubtably become a lost and forgotten blog! Actually We promise to stay on top of it, for no other reason than for the grandparents to get monthly updates on our increasingly opinionated, decreasingly cuddly bundle of joy!

It's time to get in the NOW

2007-06-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

We usually send out pictures on Costco.com but we hope this will be a good way for you to, at your own free will check out what is going on with us here in Seattle.

We are ready for summer and Audrey is LOVING going to the park now on a daily basis.

There will be more soon. I promise!