Updates from Arizona: New Tortures

Here in the land of sun and warmth, Lincoln has had to endure some terrible things, including a hat. Once we use the straitjacket method to get him in the hat, he is usually fine about the hat.

Sunglasses and shoes have had mixed results: sunglasses we really, really hate. Shoes, however, are a new and interesting thing to play with!

Updates from Arizona: The Long Road There

Lincoln's First Road Trip involved a decent amount of sleeping in the car, which enabled mama to get some knitting done. (No pictures of the knitting to follow, as it's a secret project for a faithful blog reader.)

Sometimes he had a few sips from his CamelBak to help with mountain passes.

Luckily, our hotel room had plastic cups for him to play with. Straws, spoons, and cups are pretty much the most amazing things ever. Thanks fast food restaurants of America for providing Lincoln with free toys!

Sometimes, he could even find the energy to play while driving, although he tended to toss toys off to the side where mama could not grab them.

Eventually, he arrived in Arizona, where he and Grandad Cool could change into their matching outfits and start playing.

Cutie Pie Thursday: Busy Week

I had a conference with my stuffed animals. Obviously, duck and bunny have been getting a lot of attention recently, and I needed to reassure Hannibal the elephant and Monkey Bear that they were still friends of mine.

Mommy and daddy got me a new book. I love That's Not My Dragon, and now I get to explore the subtle nuances of That's Not My Tractor. Spoiler alert: My tractor has shiny headlights.

I can go for rides on daddy's back! This is a fun and exciting new way to be quite tall, which I dearly love!

Auntie Cool and I worked on our vogueing. Auntie Cool thinks I'm pretty cute, and I think the same of her. We are clearly striking a pose!

Easter Basket Sneak Peek

Lincoln doesn't read the blog, so I think I can reveal his Easter present.

Pre-joining: The small duck and bunny hang out before their major surgery.

Mid-Change: Now joined for life, the duck and bunny prepare for their future as a play toy for a small boy.

Pattern: Mini Reversible Duck to Bunny by Susan B. Anderson
Yarn: Cotton-Ease
Time: Cast-On Saturday, Cast-Off Tuesday

The Best Children's Book Ever?

Well, probably not, but it's certainly very clever and fun. And free! You can assemble it yourself!

Check out Goodnight, Forest Moon.

Cutie Pie Thursday: Where is the Love?

No more Cutie Pie until we get some comment love! Astro Boy has spoken!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from a Wee Leprechaun!

"I don't think I'd like corned beef, mama. I'll stick to penguin blocks!"

"Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!"

Health Care Debate Gets Personal:

After Lincoln put on an involuntary hunger strike due to an upper respiratory infection and fever - leading to dehydration - we wound up in the local ER to push some IV fluids last night. Overall, the experience was fine given the circumstances (watching him fight off two trained nurses giving him the stick, twice- resulting in the spurting and letting of baby blood, among the expensive and precious of all types of blood - directly behind dragon and unicorn blood - ironically due to their medical qualities) and even positive. However, it brings to mind some of my concerns with the current health care debate.

Like many, I get angry that "the government" is pretty good as wasting tax dollars (studies on the viscous properties of ketchup, the penny, and "bridges to nowhere" come to mind) and fixing little ethics problems with empty apologies and empty promises. On the other hand, I don't mind paying taxes, as they pay for many of the things we want and need. In many ways I think my taxes are too low (here I speak only for myself), and wouldn't mind paying a little more into Uncle Sam's coffers to boost education, support a strong and ambitious space program, build roads / bridges / mass transit, compete in a strong global economy, and promote and regulate effective health care. If I'm to back any kind of Health Care Reform - republican, democrat, or some type of green-tea-party hybrid, it must have one special interest caveat: current magazine subscriptions!

While utilizing the benefit of employer provided health insurance, waiting for competent and friendly medical professionals to help my son - my reading options were a December, 2009 "People" magazine (4 months old - not too shabby), an April 2008 "Better Homes and Garden" (that cake looked pretty good at 5am, but by now it was 2 years stale), and a March, 1971 National Geographic Seriously! 1971 - that sets a new record for me - it's rare to find a magazine printed and published before disco was popular. Sure, it had a nice story on Quebec, Ontario and a still referenced seminal work on cave rock formations - but come on.

Lincoln is doing much better, so enjoy the cover art...

Snake Eater - Special Forces Training Staring Early

Just your basic learning for a tough young guy. It's never too early to start training for an exciting career - and he handles it pretty well.

Swimming with the sharks - and catching them barehanded...

Perfect sky diving form - but just a diaper might get cold on a HALO or HOHO jump...

Cold weather endurance traning - thanks to the Schwan truck...

Every baby has their breaking point - his was about 30 seconds - not bad at all...

Summer bivouac in plastic hammock - sans mattress - but looking bored...

Snake eating - one the rights of passage for many a special forces guy (no sharks, snakes, frozen peas, plastic bags, or babies were harmed in the making of this post).

Cutie Pie Thursday: Close-Up

I'm having one of those weeks, when I don't feel terribly inspired. Luckily, The Swath has continued to up the cuteness factor, working hard to pull himself up to sitting, and inch his way on foot while holding onto the couch. Sometimes though, we just hang out and look at mama and her silly camera.

Special Note: When out in public, the most popular thing about Lincoln is his hair. I have even had a few women ask to touch it. I hope he's lucky enough to have that continue in about 16 years.

Cutie Pie Friday Extra!: The Swath Outtakes

I had some really great outtakes from my Swath photography this week, so I just had to share them. Friday bonus!




If you have ever watched My Name is Earl, the now-defunct TV show, you might know that they have a running gag that Earl's eyes are closed in every photo he has ever taken. I hope The Swath isn't headed in that direction . . .

Cutie Pie Thursday: The Swath of Destruction

As our Lincoln becomes more mobile, we joke that his superhero identity would be The Swath of Destruction, or The Swath for short. Today, we bring you some moments in the life of The Swath, and note that all actions of The Swath are carefully monitored by his parental butlers.

The Swath in Action: he has discovered the DVD shelf. I feel that pulling things off a shelf is an important stage of his motor skill development.

Sometimes The Swath needs to make a few phone calls from Mama's phone.

Occasionally The Swath confines himself to unstacking cups.

The Swath enjoys a good ball of yarn while working with mama.

The Swath plans to wreak havoc with his ball of thunder.