The Little One

Little Two Catchup

2012-02-16T23:40:00.002-05:00

While I've been trying to get caught up on this blog, it occurs to me that there hasn't been much attention paid to the new little one's pending arrival. Believe me, the anticipation is there for this one, but it hasn't been quite the same as the first time around. Our lives right now are drastically different from what they were in 2008, obviously. Our family of three is going to change in ways we can and cannot imagine. Still, the thought of another little CCEZ joining us three makes me happier than I can say.

I hear a lot about how the second child gets less attention and fewer pictures taken than the first, and I'm beginning to believe it. Recognizing this, I feel like I need to redouble my efforts to make sure this bundle of joy gets equal facetime in the digital world. It will likely take a more focused effort, but I think I'm up to the task. Wish me luck!

And without further ado, here are the belly photos (the countdown hasn't been as tight as with Tommy, but here's what we got):

Week 29

Week 34

Week 38: Nidhi decorates the belly with a Mendhi design. Tommy tells complete strangers, "My mama has a big belly with a design!"

Week 39

Today is the official due date for this child. Unless he or she arrives in the next half hour, then we're going to go over 40 weeks. No real surprise there, but it seems like the waiting has been harder this time. Tommy arrived late, too, at week 41. So maybe our kids are just destined to inherit their parents' preference not to rush things. Stay tuned, folks, it could be anytime now!

Peanutttttt Peanut Buttah...and Jelly!

2012-02-16T23:02:00.000-05:00

This is an instant classic performance by Tommy from November. Enjoy!

Preparing for the 2024 or 2028 Olympics

2012-02-16T22:20:00.000-05:00

More January Pics

2012-02-16T22:05:00.000-05:00

Here are the best of the rest from January. The first few are from the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex open gym on Wednesdays. This is the perfect venue for Tommy to get some of his energy going. They have a huge gymnastics arena with a huge foam pit, rings, balance beams, a rope swing, trampolines and everything else you can imagine in a gymnastics arena. He loves it! It's $6 for only one hour each Wednesday, and it takes about 25 minutes to get there, but it's totally worth it. I'll try to get some videos up showing what he gets into. So much fun. And Papa joins in the fun every once in a while (and luckily avoids major injury each time...knock on wood!)

One of those contraptions where you can drop a coin in and it rolls around and around and around until it drops. Always a fun way to end the gymnastics trips.

Ordering fish and chips at Eamonn's in Old Town Alexandria.

More of that dance move. He breaks it out at random times and we can't stop laughing at it.

Duckpin bowling in Maryland. This was a really fun activity. He can roll these balls with no problem and loves to see the "cones" get knocked down.

Making faces at Turner at Taqueria Poblano in Del Ray. We've been going to this spot after most every midwife appointment, since it's close to Old Town and we absolutely love it.

Papa cooked some beignets from Cafe du Monde in the letters of Tommy's name.

Luray

2012-02-16T21:43:00.003-05:00

For our final getaway before baby #2 joins us in this world, we rented a log cabin in Luray, VA. It was a perfect trip to leave the city behind and just be. We were joined by a friend and her two kids, and we all really enjoyed our time together in the mountains. We got through the maze at the Luray Caverns grounds, then visited the caverns below. There is so much beauty beneath the ground down there. Truly amazing. The two three-year-olds got along incredibly well, and played beautifully outside on their own for two hours before we could finally force ourselves to leave. It was just so nice to have a long weekend to reset ourselves and prepare for the next little one's arrival.

These next four photos need a little context. Although it appears Tommy is angrily threatening to toss his good friend into the fire in front of them, he is, in fact, performing his latest and greatest dance move. It's a combination funky chicken/angry bird dance, complete with flailing arms and hands and a face which leaves no doubt that it comes from somewhere deep down in his soul. It's really something to behold.

New Year's on the Eastern Shore of Maryland

2012-02-16T21:27:00.000-05:00

To ring in 2012, we headed over to the Hyatt in Cambridge, Maryland with the Chen Nguyen family. We took advantage of the gorgeous weather, relaxed, ate very well, and even got to hit the links on New Year's Day! What a great trip to start off the year. Take away the Hoos' loss in the Chick-Fil-A bowl, and it would have been perfect. Can't have it all, I guess.

First activity on the agenda - bike ride! Tommy and the girls zoomed along the trails on the grounds of the resort. They even got so far out of our sight that we had to run to catch up. Bold, I tell ya.

Tommy even tried a pedal bike and loved it. Looks like the Skuut paid off as far as gaining balance and confidence to ride a big-kid bike. Plus he's kind of fearless.

The kids joined the fathers at the end of their round. It was so cute to see them all running towards us as we approached the 17th green. Then they rode along as we played the 18th. Tommy had to get in on the action. Here, he breaks the proper attire rule and wears his swimsuit on his head while trying to hit a shot. He's a wild child. The next John Daly perhaps...minus all the drama hopefully.

December In Photos

2012-02-12T18:44:00.000-05:00

Yeah, December wasn't busy at all...

Haircut #2

2011-12-20T20:50:00.000-05:00

Last month, we took Tommy to a real live barbershop on U Street to get his hair cut. We'd been talking about it for quite sometime, as his hair had gotten that unruly, wavy-curly rockstar mullet type vibe going. Last year, we buzzed it all off, and grew to regret taking all those curls off. Luckily they all grew back. And then some! So it was time to get a trim. While the barber took off more than we had asked, he left a bit on top which still gets a bit curly when the boy gets sweaty or it's a bit humid. Tommy's expression is the one he gets when he's super excited on the inside but looks extremely unhappy on the outside. He was a very compliant customer and definitely enjoyed the experience.

Futbol, anyone?

2011-12-08T20:34:00.003-05:00

We got Tommy enrolled in a 6-week soccer class held on Sunday mornings. He was so excited when we registered for it, and for the next couple of weeks, he went around telling everyone, "I have a soccer class!" Being a typical three year old, when the morning of the first class came around, of course he decided he didn't want to go. After a lot of reminders about how excited he was about registering and having Coach Arthur be his coach, he went along with the program. And as predicted, he had a ball! Running around chasing and kicking a ball with his tongue wagging is right up his alley. Ben Olsen would be proud.

And the game ball goes to...Lola, who suffered through a foot injury to attend his first class.

Go Hoos Go!

2011-12-08T20:14:00.004-05:00

What a year the Hoos had! Winning 6 games would have been a good season. Winning 8? Didn't see that coming, but happy to see it happen. Now if we could only find a way to attend the Chick-Fil-A bowl on New Year's Eve...

We went down to Charlottesville to see the team break the 3-game losing streak to (ack!) Duke. Tommy's fanhood was brought into question when all he wanted to talk about was the Blue Devil mascot. But he sang the Good Old Song with enthusiasm and still talks about the CavMan video in which CavMan and the Blue Devil "pretend to fight." So, he's still in the good graces of UVA fans (for now).

He and his fellow little Hoo, Milla, tailgated like pros and posed for a few photos to commemorate their first game together. I think he's trying to teach Milla how to eat a football. Here's to many more trips to C'ville!

Game Face!

Oh, and technically, the Hoos are undefeated in the presence of Baby #2! Wahoowa!

October 2011

2011-12-01T22:02:00.007-05:00

Getting closer to real-time after all these catch-up posts!

We took at trip to Larriland Farm to pick apples with the playgroup friends. It was so much fun to be out there with everyone to enjoy the season and spend some time together since the kiddos started separate schools, and our regular Wednesday playgroups ended.

Our next farm stop was at Shlagel Farms with the Honeybees Hive (Tommy's preschool). We took a tractor ride, played in a cornbox, and picked out a pumpkin. Good stuff.

We also checked out the annual Howard Homecoming parade. Heading down to Georgia and Florida Avenues to watch is becoming a bit of a tradition for us. Tommy still loves those marching bands, and he brought his own drum to play along this year.

He looks a bit grossed out in this pic, but he enjoyed carving the pumpkin.

Impromptu Halloween costume number 1 - Construction Worker. We had to get him dressed up in this outfit due to his parents' procrastination. His "real" costume wasn't ready in time for a day out in the neighborhood. We more than made up for it in the end by finishing up his other costume in time for trick-or-treating (see later pics). And, he really liked this one, too, so it wasn't a big deal.

At The Park at LeDroit, Tommy was recruited by a local Japanese culture youth group to join in their drumming and dancing. They had him at "drum." He was fascinated and went along with the show for a time before getting spooked and running back to us crying. Then a nice member of the troupe let him bang her drum a bit which made him extremely happy.

"I'm a bat!" Costume number 2 was a huge success! In fact, he wore it today, the first day of December. Gotta give Papa the costume maker a pat on the back for this one.

"I'm a scary bat!"

September 2011

2011-11-27T20:54:00.006-05:00

The tennis ball in this action shot hit the photographer right in the family jewels. America's Funniest Home Videos missed out.

Football in the shadow of the Washington Monument.

Some neighborhood excitement.

Watching the UVA season opener. Turned out to be a great season, far surpassing expectations.

Last Zwicker family photo before the Timberwood Place house was sold.

Headed to Toronto for a wedding!

Some of the next generation of cousins.

Stopped by Niagara Falls on the way back home. Great experience for all of us.

We decided to get a little silly for the group shot before the Maid of the Mist ride.

Back home eatin pho.

Headed to the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary celebrations. Tommy's Lolo was in the first group of volunteers who served in the Philippines in 1961.

August 2011

2011-11-27T17:38:00.005-05:00

Underneath the waterfall at Yards Park.

Fore!

Opening the birthday loot.

Back to the Mall with Lola for a birthday carousel ride and ice cream. Then chillin at the Sculpture Garden.

Then we met Mama for birthday lunch at Matchbox.

Photo of the three-year-old boy holding a photo of his two-year-old self, holding a photo of his one-year-old self holding a photo of his newborn self.

Hitting the local skatepark. He doesn't know he's a bit too small to ride the big ramps.

Alison with her Trudy and Tommy with his.

Visiting the MLK memorial.

A hurricane hits the hood.

July 2011

2011-11-20T19:18:00.008-05:00

Family vacation in Sandbridge, VA.

Aaaaaarrrgh!

Picking blueberries and peaches at Larriland Farm in Maryland.

For those that are not aware, Tommy is pregnant right along with his Mama. When he was still two, there were twins in his belly. When he turned three, they became triplets to match his age. Here the technician gives him an ultrasound to check up on them.

Put me in, Coach. I'm ready to play (clap clap clap clap). Today. Put me in, Coach. I'm ready to play. Today. Look at me. I can be...Centerfield.

Recording session at Tita Liz's home studio.

Tito Rick and Tita Michelle threw T his 3rd birthday partay at their house, complete with Little Fireman theme and pool party. So much fun!

Catching major air!

The Next Little One makes a photo appearance.

June 2011

2011-11-14T21:51:00.004-05:00

The day we found out Tommy is going to be a big brother.

Tommy - "Look at this funny face!"

Swimming and playing badminton at Lola's with the cousins.

Snacking with cousin D.

Orange slice mouths with Syd and Julia.

Father's Day breakfast in bed.

Going for the goal, tongue-wagging.

Berkeley Springs, WV.

Daydreaming in Rock Creek.

May 2011

2011-11-07T21:42:00.004-05:00

Checking out futbol - DC United vs. Ajax. T's soccer inspiration is head coach of United. Goal!

With Lola at our local neighborhood park. Happy as clams.

Pitchin' a tent at Burke Lake Park for Memorial Day weekend.

Groovin' to drummers on Cinco de Mayo. They were drumming to commemorate the Mexican victory as well as the lesser known date of Ethiopian independence (our neighborhood is home to DC's Little Ethiopia). They let Tommy join in the rhythms and dance.

Sleeping w/Gladly.

One day he decided he wanted to play a little tennis. What the boy wants, he usually gets. He's quite the serve-and-volleyer.

This is not a bad hair day. It's a regular hair day.

You really can look cool playing kickball.

April 2011

2011-11-07T21:21:00.004-05:00

Rubbin's racin'. He gets that, too.

We toured the Mall with our great friends the Pangles from the ATL. T really had a fun time hanging with the big boys.

Playing in the wind around the Washington Monument.

Watching a tarantula have lunch at the Natural History Museum.

Meridian Hill Park waterfall.

Later that month, we got to tour the Air and Space Museum with the cousins.

And to cap off our month of tour-hosting fun, Granny and Pop made it to our nation's capital for a visit.

Tommy met the Easter Bunny at the annual get together in Arlington hosted by his friend Lyla's family. The flexible bunny toy is still a favorite around here.

Taking his dog Roxy for a walk.

Down in Richmond with his cousins D & D.

March 2011

2011-11-06T23:08:00.004-05:00

"Boinging" with Nina and her daddy.

More baking lessons with Mama.

Think we go down to the Mall much?

We put Tommy's toddler bed together, and he got right in and got "tozy" (cozy). The Star Wars blanket is from Papa's childhood. Bed and pillowcase courtesy of Ginny and family.

Papa and the boy caught opening day at Nats Park. Tickets were cheap, weather was cold and wet, the boy fell asleep during the 4th (leaving Papa to eat the two hot dogs and fries himself), and the Nats lost. Good day.

Drive for show, putt for dough. He gets it.

"What's up, G?"

Gone fishin'.

And, back to the carousel. Still loves it.

February 2011

2011-11-06T22:36:00.006-05:00

Looking pretty at the Super Bowl party.

Celebrating 2 1/2 years.

The next group of photos are from our trip to Welbourne Inn in Middleburg, VA. We had a wonderful, relaxing getaway to horse country, where Tommy declared, "I am a farm!"

Back home, getting goofy

At the drum circle at Meridian Hill Park, which goes down every Sunday afternoon. Tommy's love of drumming has not subsided.

Construction Zone at the Building Museum.

Tuckered out during a long walk around downtown DC. View from the west side of the Capitol.

Playing ball on the Mall.

Making little snowmen in Rock Creek Park.

January 2011

2011-11-05T22:16:00.004-04:00

As we continue the highlights of the past year, please bear with us as we keep the usual witty banter to a minimum. Got a lot of pics to upload...Thank you for your cooperation. :)

Hit the Zoo Lights event for New Year's Day.

Soon after the cute pic above was taken, Tommy came down with a bona fide case of the Chicken Pox. It was luckily a mild case, but he enjoyed saying, "I have chicken pox!" to anyone who would listen.

A visit to Ben's Chili Bowl is always a good idea.

And we hit the slopes for the first time. He insisted on trying to push the tube up the slope every time and on riding solo as well. He's a daredevil thrill-seeker for sure.

Catching Up - December 2010

2011-11-05T21:57:00.005-04:00

Gotta get everyone up to date, so here is what happened WAY back in December:

Went to see Tita Liz sing at a Filipino Christmas event at Catholic U. The boy was obsessed with hearing the "Tita Liz" song, aka O Holy Night.

He wore funny Christmas outfits while trumpeting around the house.

He got acquainted with the Advent calendar, which was up until, oh, last week or so.

Went to Richmond to celebrate with the family.

He met Santa but didn't really take to him all that much. "I no like-a Santa Claus."

It was a beautiful White Christmas, so we walked over to the Hudak house in Thousand Oaks.

Another Little One

2011-10-26T21:44:00.003-04:00

Wow! It's been a really really long time since our last post. Our apologies...Tommy has grown by leaps and bounds and is now a full-fledged three year old, taking his parents on roller coaster rides every single day.

Our big news is that Tommy is going to be a big brother! We're expecting the fourth member of our family to arrive in mid-February! Mama and Papa are so excited, and Tommy has been talking a lot about the baby coming. He says, "My mommy has a baby in her belly!" to perfect strangers and proceeds to tell them the baby will be here in February, after Christmas, when it's snowing (let's hope it's not during another Snowmageddon).

Mama and the baby had their first belly photo shoot in week 23. Tommy the Ham couldn't help but get in on the shots.

For comparison, here's a link to week 23 with Tommy in EZ's belly: http://littleccez.blogspot.com/2008/04/23-weeks-and-counting.html

We're going to try to be better about keeping up with the blog. Promise. Stay tuned for catch-up posts and more timely updates...

all things fire

2011-04-21T01:18:00.002-04:00

"I am a fire truck, Mama!"
Tommy has taken his love of fire engines to new heights lately. I've lost track of the number of consecutive days he's worn his fire shirt. I tried to remove it in his sleep tonight to wash it in secret and slip it back on him later, and he woke up halfway through. His screams set off the security alarm and had Chris thinking he was injured. My mistake.

He's been asking to wear his fire truck underwear (yes, we've made great strides in the potty training department since the last blog post), which would be fine except he has none. No worries, he makes due, imagining fire trucks on his car underwear. The weather is finally getting to be consistently great for being outdoors and running around, yet the only shoes he wants to wear are his fire boots, which are horrible for running in. He covets a red chief's hat, but calling his red Nationals baseball hat his fire hat will suffice. Yesterday I knew we'd hit a new level of love when he said, "watch me comb my fire truck hair, Mama!"

We're loving that imagination of his.

November Began With Teddy Roosevelt

2010-12-11T00:58:00.009-05:00

So November has also come and gone. Time to catch up!

The boy and I spent a morning on Theodore Roosevelt Island at the beginning of November. It's a beautiful, quiet little island in the middle of the Potomac River with a memorial to the "Trust Buster" in the center. Tommy inserted himself into a game of hide and seek that a group of kids were playing in and around the memorial. It turned out to be a fun way to spend a chilly morning.

Later on last month, T took to sweeping the back patio. He's hired!

His cousins Luke and Sophie from Denver came to the East Coast to visit friends and family and to experience Ben's Chili Bowl. Tommy played host in his hood and showed them what chili half-smokes are all about on U Street.

Lola came up to visit her little guy, and we took a trip down to the National Mall to ride the carousel.

Papa and son rode first and got a sticker to show for it.

After seeing how much fun her own son and grandson had, Lola couldn't resist getting her own ticket and riding herself! With tears of joy in her eyes, she saddled up and enjoyed yeehawing with her little partner on her very first carousel ride.

And then it was time to kick the ol' football around. That's international football (soccer), not American football, folks...

And on another fine November day, the family headed out to Mitchell Park in DC for some playground fun. It was then that we decided it was time to cut the boy's hair. No longer did his beautiful curls activate in the heat and humidity of the DC summer. His hairdo had evolved into a kind of scraggly mullet, and it was time to end that unfortunate look, despite its 1980's appeal.

So Tommy got BUZZED! And started sporting his Papa's haircut.

After that emotional event, we headed down to North Carolina to visit our friends the Rhees. Callie and Tommy shared a swing, and we all had a great time. Our fall visit to Carrboro is becoming a tradition...

And speaking of traditions, we headed down to Richmond for Thanksgiving. Here's a pic of the Zwicker clan gathered 'round the table.

And of course, T and David had a grand time running laps through the house and then playing in the leaves in the backyard.

All grown up! Look how different they look from last year:

After all the family fun, we stopped by Virginia Center Commons for a Christmas concert. Tommy's Pop was playing, and he couldn't have been more excited to see his grandfather play in a real live band. Pop even broke form a bit to glance and smile Tommy's way. Very cute!

October To Remember

2010-12-10T14:32:00.012-05:00

Ok, October ended a long, long time ago. But it's never too late to blog about it!

The month began simply enough with plans for decorating and carving pumpkins with smiley faces. Here, Tommy creates his art on a toddler sized one. The smiley face turned out to look like a bunch of random black marks, but beauty and art are in the eye of the beholder, right? The smile on his face makes up for the lack of one on the pumpkin...

Tommy's training as a handyman continued with him fixing things around the house. Apparently many screws need tightening around here.

Early October found us in Richmond once again. We went to visit Tommy's new cousin, and to provide support for his parents as they adjusted to life with two children. First up though was a visit with Lola. Our trip to the cemetery was followed by a round of putt-putt across the street. I'm not sure who had more fun, the boy or the grandmother.

Away we go!

Lining up putts like Tiger Woods. Video to follow in separate post.

This was your typical putt-putt course complete with animals and windmills and tricky holes. At the end of one, Tommy put his ball in the hippo's mouth and had a bit of trouble getting it out.

"Hmmm, maybe I'll try this way."

"Nope, not workin'. How about the other end of the putter?"

"Not workin' either. I guess I'll have to go in after it myself."

"Ta-da!"

The next day, we took cousin David off his parents' hands for a couple of hours and hit the Skipwith Elementary School playground for some romping.

Then it was home for a piano duet.

After missing out on football season last year, we took Tommy down to Charlottesville for Homecoming as the Hoos took on UNC. Unfortunately the game turned out badly for the home team, dropping their record with Tommy in attendance to 1-2. We'll get 'em next year.

The main storyline of this trip turned out to be Tommy's blossoming obsession with marching bands. Before the game, we caught the Wahoo Walk a pregame event that features the team making the walk through the stadium lot. A small group from the Cavalier Marching Band was there to get the folks grooving before the team's arrival, and the little guy couldn't keep his eyes and ears off of it. One of the drummers even let him play the quints afterwards, which really made his day and probably planted the seed for what would become his Halloween costume (more on that later).

Tommy took tailgating literally. Or maybe he started a new trend - trunkgating.

Another sign of his obsession: Every time I pointed out a football play on the field, T would point to the stands and yell, "BAND!" So much for that football scholarship...

After the C'ville trip, it was hard to get him to go anywhere without his drum and drumsticks. The obsession grows...

Later in the month, we took a long weekend trip to Cambridge, Maryland with the Chen Nguyen family. Tommy absolutely adores Sydney and Julia, and we enjoyed a relaxing weekend with the group, eating crabcakes, hiking, swimming, golfing, making s'mores, and basically taking it easy.

Gotta look good for my public.

More putt-putt!

And of course, Tommy had to lead the girls in an impromptu marching band reenactment. This time, they're all playing horns as they march.

Back home, we fed the marching band flames by creating a drummer outfit in UVA orange and blue for him to wear on Halloween. In this picture, we were getting him hype for the costume by catching the Howard Homecoming parade, featuring several marching bands. He powered through to watch at least five bands march by. Now whenever we cross the intersection of Georgia and Florida Avenues, he says, "Marching band!"

And finally - the costume! He even had shoes with orange and blue tassles to go along with the ensemble. And look out for the cape in other shots. Not a bad piece of work by his Papa and Mama, with special help from Tita Liz, too!

Out in Georgetown for trick-or-treating with friend Sophie.

Tommy's interest in marching bands and drumming has continued since this fun month. He refers to those orange and blue pants as his "marching band" pants, plays the drum all day, and marches with various instruments on command. His marching band veteran Mama is very proud.

Skuut Riding

2010-11-01T23:09:00.003-04:00

These vids are from his first ride. He's much skuutier now...

Easy Skuuter

2010-11-01T22:43:00.002-04:00

Seems like all the kids around Tommy's age are riding around on new wheels. So for his 2nd birthday, he got himself a Skuut balance bike, which has no training wheels and no pedals, and hit the pavement. It's been fun watching him get his balance and get comfortable enough on the bike to pick up his feet and coast a bit. And he also loves to wear his helment. Whether or not he's riding the bike...

The first helmet we got was this beautiful one with an 8-ball design. For those Seinfeld and David Puddy fans out there (CC included), the appeal of the 8-ball helmet is obvious. "You got a question, you ask the 8-ball!" Plus the black helmet made him look tough. Unfortunately, it didn't fit Tommy's smallish head quite right, so we had to take it back. The replacement sliver helmet is pretty sweet in its own right though.

After assembling the bike for him, we figured he'd be rarin' to go for a ride. However, he got so obsessed with the little bolts that hold the bike together that he pitched a fit on the kitchen floor instead. 2 year olds...

Finally got him ready to ride.

Sportin the new headgear.

The Middle One

2010-11-01T22:18:00.002-04:00

Tommy is now the middle Zwicker grandson, between his older cousin David and his new younger cousin Dean who was born in September. We made the trip down to Richmond for Dean's arrival, anxiously waiting in the hospital until he was born and visiting during our weekend stay in town. Congrats to the Petersons!

Earlier in the morning, David came over to Pop and Granny's house for pancakes before he went to daycare and we went to the hospital. The boys waited quietly and patiently at the table as EZ whipped up the pancakes to order.

Being an older cousin is tiring!

Getting Around Town

2010-11-01T21:41:00.002-04:00

Tommy and Mama rode the big monster slide at Adams Morgan Day, and then we ventured down to Capitol Hill for brunch at Ted's Bulletin. So much fun stuff to do in this city!

Gone Campin'

2010-11-01T20:50:00.005-04:00

Our first joint purchase as a couple was a 6-person tent. Ten years ago. While considering what size tent to buy, I mentioned it would be good to have the extra room "for the little ones." So, ten years later, we finally got to camp with our little guy at Burke Lake Park. It was very enjoyable, and Tommy loved unpacking the car, pitching the tent, roasting marshmallows, and sleeping in sleeping bags.

His favorite part of setting up camp was definitely using the "hay-mah." He's a tool guy, what else would we expect?

He also eagerly carried the sleeping bags from the car to the tent. Such a great helper.

Once the fire got going, the real fun began.

Steak - it's what's for dinner.

Gotta love the light of a good campfire.

Getting those marshmallows melty or "meh-ty." He liked roasting them but didn't like eating them. More for Mama and Papa!

Tommy used the smokescreen to sneak a sip from his Papa's beer bottle (yes, it was empty).

A little hot sauce with your breakfast burrito?

A makeshift umbrella during the morning sprinkle of rain.

Picture Shows

2010-10-11T22:02:00.003-04:00

Here are a few vids of the little guy in action:

In this one, he's replaying the 4th of July fireworks show we watched from Cardozo High School. He does a nice job imitating the colorful explosions, complete with accurate sound effects and hand motions.

During our trip to New Orleans, Tommy and The Backpack were a blur through the French Quarter.

Tommy's rendition of I've Got A Song by Ray Charles and Bert and Ernie. Here's a link to the original clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDS-Kfd5XQ

Here's a peek at indoor football practice.

Lastly, this is a video of T trying to grab some toys out of his Papa's hands and laughing up a storm. We love his laugh. It's so infectious and unbridled. And like a friend said recently, his smile takes up his whole face.

A Peach Of A Time

2010-10-11T21:49:00.004-04:00

On a hot day in August, while his Papa was off playing some atrocious golf, T took a trip over to Great Country Farms with his Mama and Ginny and Julia to do some peach pickin'.

Puttin' their feet up after a long day. Although they had a great time, this picture looks like they're thinking, "Please don't make us go back out there and pick more peaches!"

When He Turned 2

2010-09-17T22:05:00.005-04:00

T's Mama and Papa both posted on T's official birthday, but at long last, here are the overdue pics of T-bone's birthday get together at the National Arboretum. It was a beautiful day and a gorgeous setting for us to enjoy a low-key affair complete with Subway sandwiches and champange. Accompanied by friends and family, Tommy had a great time running around (of course), eating cupcakes, and singing Happy Birthday to himself.

How many people does it take to light a #2 candle?

Year 2 survivors portrait.

Digging in. The cupcakes were decorated with some of Tommy's favorite items over the past couple of years - shovel, phone, happy face, airplane, train, ladder, hammer, screwdriver, Bert from Sesame Street, book.

Tommy displays his age. Almost.

"Granny, now that I'm two, may I have some of your champagne?"

Cheers, buddy.

Ribbon Cutting

2010-09-12T13:08:00.002-04:00

After months of borrowing books and going to sing-song sessions at its temporary structure, Tommy and some playgroup friends attended the grand opening of the new, sleek, environmentally-friendly Watha T. Daniel Library early last month. The Mayor, and several DC Council members and other various politicos from around town were also there, and it felt like everyone was falling over each other to pat themselves on the back and give a speech. All Tommy really wanted to see was the ribbon getting cut by that huge pair of gold scissors! And all we wanted to do was get inside to check out the new hotness. A fun event, despite the talking heads and speeches. The new building is bright, spacious, and full of books. Tommy treats it like a maze where he's supposed to run full speed up and down the aisles.

Excuse me, sir, are you old enough to check out "Adult" books?

Acting the part of bookworm.

This misplaced piece of support material is going to be a source of trouble in the kids' room. The little ones hopped right on and started climbing as soon as they saw it.

Wellesley and Beantown

2010-09-08T22:11:00.006-04:00

Since T was fast approaching 2 years of age (and full fare on airlines), we decided to extend our New England trip to include stops in Wellesley (EZ's alma mater) and Boston (her favorite city). Great weather greeted us in Massachusetts, and we made the most of our last vacation with pre-2 Tommy.

As soon as we got out of the car at Wellesley, the boy was off and running across Severance Green.

When you ask Tommy what any sign says, he always remembers the one on a window sill at BWI which read, "Please keep feet and luggage off window sill." And then he replies with his interpretation, "No feet in dere."

Practicing his valedictorian speech for the class of 2030, assuming men are permitted to attend Wellesley by then...

After a great Thai dinner at Amarin (and more sorbet from next door), we headed to Boston for 3 days. Tommy really enjoyed the Frog Pond and playground and carousel at Boston Common. We stopped there everyday for him to wade in the water and frolick on the playground. And the carousel was so fun, he rode it twice.

After walking the Freedom Trail for a couple of hours, Tommy was mellow enough for us to enjoy a nice Italian meal in the North End. Then we hit Mike's Pastry for cannoli and tiramisu for dessert. Good stuff!

Back to the Frog Pond on day 2.

He's a born gymnast. Here, he's practicing his high bar routine. Gotta stick the landing!

Of course, we had to ride the swan boats. It's just a short ride, but hey, it's tradition.

And back at the hotel for some hijinks.

One more time around the carousel before we head home. Does he look happy? You be the judge...

Rhode Eye-Lun Part 2

2010-09-02T23:20:00.007-04:00

Not sure how they got aligned to the lefthand side, but these first pics are from our trip over to Block Island, where we nourished ourselves with lobster rolls and ice cream just as soon as we got there. Tommy had his usual sorbet.

Ignoring the classic advice, we hit the beach right after eating.

Then we grabbed a cocktail. Soooo nice to walk right off the sand to the restaurant/bar.

Then it was all aboard the ferry back to the mainland. The ride is so beautiful and relaxing, especially with a bloody mary or a Narragansett beer in hand...

Tommy and Pauline share a sit in a leather chair. This was his first introduction to Sponge Bob. I think he could have taken or left the square-panted one, but we'll see what he thinks about him as time goes on.

Back at Saltaire, the cousins ran around the yard and house like wild children, with Tommy trying to keep up with Thomas, Pauline and Liam.

Then they decided to pile-on Chris.

Cousins Tommy and Thomas share the same adventurous, try-anything spirit. It's fun to watch them pal around. I'm sure they'll be getting into all kinds of trouble together as they get older.

At our bungalow on Knowlesway, Tommy heckles beachgoers as they pass by. (Not really. He's much more likely just to yell out, "HI, PEOPLE!")

The Backpack came with us on this last trip to the beach before leaving Narragansett.

On the day we left, we took a tour of the former Fortune family houses in Warwick near the Providence airport. Uncle Bill's narration was quite entertaining and very educational. We learned a lot about the history of the family in that area, and we even stopped at this Newport Creamery where Tommy's Granny worked as a teenager. Memories...

Rhode Eye-Lun Part I

2010-08-30T22:48:00.006-04:00

We took a long weekend trip to Narragansett, Rhode Island, in late July to hang with the Fortune side of the family, hit the beach, eat a lot of seafood, and basically relax. It was nice to see everyone and to enjoy a real vacation instead of a work trip. Just what the doctor ordered...

Iggy's is a regular stop when we visit. Love the clamcakes and lobster rolls.

Gotta get over to Point Judith to see the lighthouse and walk on the rocky shore. Tommy thought the lighthouse horn was too loud. Maybe he has sensitive ears (see previous Gravelly Point post).

The kid does a lot of running.

He also likes to strike random poses.

Back at Saltaire for birthday cake and some adult beverages. Note, none of the kids in the picture partook of any adult beverages. Of course, they all had cake. Happy birthday, Gary and EZ!

Then we hit the beach. It's been said before, but bears repeating - Tommy loves the water.

There he goes, running again.

We caught a beautiful moonrise after eating carryout from Aunt Carrie's. This big, bright red moon came up out of the ocean and dazzled us.

More of this trip to come...

Plane Spotting

2010-08-26T00:18:00.004-04:00

One recent weekday, the boy and his Papa went to Gravelly Point to watch the planes takeoff and land from DCA. He appeared to enjoy the scene, but his only commentary was, "Too Loud!"

New Orleans Revisited

2010-08-17T22:06:00.005-04:00

No, we didn't go back, but I found some more pictures that I missed posting before. So here are the rest from our fun trip to the Big Easy.

Cafe du Monde. We thought the beignets were a bit overrated, but having them there at that spot was the real deal experience we expected. The word chicory makes me chuckle for some reason...

A small parade came by as we sat at Cafe du Monde, so naturally Tommy had to check it out. From his expression, Napoleon didn't seem all that impressed by Tommy's cuteness. Rude Frenchman...

Mr. So-and-So at the hotel pool, looking for some lovely damsel to rub his back with suntan lotion.

After wandering the streets of New Orleans, Tommy fell asleep holding the phone. We've started unplugging the phone cords in hotel rooms because he's constantly taking them off the hook.

Riding the streetcar.

Playing a little peek-a-boo with Lola.

The Backpack hits the French Quarter.

On this night, after narrowly missing being hit by beer bottles falling from a balcony, Tommy was introduced to his new favorite treat - Sorbet. La Divina Gelateria is on his recommended list, but he'll take his sorbet from anywhere.

And finally...The Backpack on the Steamboat Natchez.

The Backpack

2010-08-17T21:42:00.001-04:00

As you may have noticed, Tommy has been wearing a backpack in some recently-posted pictures. For the full month of July it was practically stitched on to his back. He would not leave the house without it, and it could be spotted during all of our travels - Richmond, New Orleans, Narragansett, Boston. It's become a part of the family...

I don't see anything wrong with wearing a pumpkin hat, winter mittens and a backpack. Do you?

Keep your eyes open for more sightings of The Backpack...

Randoms From May and June

2010-08-17T20:55:00.005-04:00

Here are a few more catch-up pics from what seems like a long time ago...

Lola makes Tommy (and his parents) happy by bringing Filipino eggrolls called Lumpia when she comes to visit. Tommy calls them, "Loopy, Loopy," and loves to eat em.

Backyard toddler pool. We set up a little pool out back, got Tommy in his birthday suit, and let him go for it. Good times ensued...

"Whatchu lookin at?"

One of his favorite books is What Do People Do All Day? He goes crazy, pointing out all the cool things in Busytown.

Sometimes the little man insists on wearing his winter mittens ("dubbs") in the summertime. Who are we to deny him? Plus, you need winter mittens to hold a spray bottle of water when you go outside, right? Right.

One ungodly hot day, we decided it would be a good idea to walk around at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in DC and bake in the sun. Despite the oppressive heat and nearly melting our buns off, we enjoyed the scenery, and Tommy tried to catch a bug.

What can we say? Our little diva likes women's shoes. Work it, girl.

Happy Birthday from T's Mama

2010-08-09T22:02:00.006-04:00

Tommy, you are two today. Last night we watched the video of your birth and were reminded how much we've all changed since that fateful day in August 2008. I barely knew how to comfort the just-born crying baby in my arms, our bedroom was not yet Tommy-proofed, your Papa was not even Papa just yet (we were all calling him Daddy) and you were a wriggly tiny version of yourself not yet able to curse. Yes, you curse now.

You do everything now. Your mantra lately is, "I do that. I try. I taste. I touch. I type. Milky side!" You've mastered the playground, and you're hungry for bike riding (the two-wheeled variety, of course). You take the stairs without any assistance. You amaze us every day with your vocabulary and your powers of observation. I never thought I'd be spelling out words to an 18-month old. Back then I was spelling out your obsessions: door, keys, outside. Now I'm spelling your current trigger words like sorbet, throw, and sad. You've just started grasping emotions, but you've been empathetic and quick to offer a hug when you know someone needs it.

Your extroversion surprises and delights your Papa and me. At church this week you waved and shouted out, "hello, people!" I'm told you embody what it is to be a Leo, and this terrifies me, but I love you all the more fiercely because you are so different from me.

I hope that you continue to challenge me to be a better mother for you, and a better person for you and for your Papa. Two years ago today, meeting you was one of happiest moments of my life, and seeing you today reminded me how much that mama-love I had for you at birth has matured. I love you today and always, Mr. T Bone. What a powerful teacher you've been. Thank you.

Happy Birthday!

2010-08-09T21:12:00.004-04:00

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walking around outside your body." -Elizabeth Stone

The little man turned two today. It's hard to believe that year three is starting already. What a ride it's been! The quote above just about sums up what being parents has meant to Elizabeth and me. Tommy is a joy (despite the moments when he's been acting his age lately). A neighbor once called him the perfect child, and while no one is perfect, we think he comes pretty darn close.

This is a picture of him today, holding a picture of himself last year, holding a picture of himself on the day he was born.

July Birthday Weekend In Richmond

2010-08-03T22:27:00.005-04:00

Several family members, including T's Mama, celebrated late June/early July birthdays, so we packed up the car and headed down I-95 to be together in honor of another year under their belts. First, T and his Papa went over to Tito John's house so the little ones could play together. Tommy was introduced to a new world of fun things to do there, and left saying "Layna" and "Gaysun" all the way home.

Next up was the birthday dinner at a Chinese buffet. The fish pond was a huge hit, and keeping the kids seated was a challenge, but it was great to see everyone.

And before hitting the road home, we had lunch at the Zwicker house. Tommy and cousin David played with Junior (the water fountain), and opened a great gift from the Petersons. Tommy loves this toolset, complete with moving saw!

Work Trippin'

2010-08-02T22:07:00.004-04:00

EZ was called to duty at conferences in Phoenix and New Orleans, so once again, Tommy and I tagged along. The good - EZ and T's flights were free, as was lodging. The bad - PHX and NO in the summer = HOT! We made the most of it, visiting friends in both cities, and having Lola along in NO.

Obviously, Tommy is very comfortable in hotels.

Our own version of in-flight entertainment. This reminds me of Flashdance for some reason. He's a ma-niac, ma-niac on the plane!

As we headed for the Big Easy, Tommy found a new mode of transportation around the airport.

Delayed in Baltimore, but enjoying family time exploring the airport.

While there, we got to visit with family friend, Alice. She lives just off the French Quarter, and took us to a couple of great dinner spots nearby and told us great stories of her family down in Louisiana. It was wonderful to see her and spend time in her city with her.

This brass band on Bourbon Street blew Tommy's mind. He really loved the scene, the music, and the dancing in New Orleans. As did his Mama and Papa.

Aboard the Steamboat Natchez. Headin down the river.

We spent a few hours at the aquarium before we headed home. Tommy loves sharks and fish and stingrays, and most everything related to the water.

A hilarious moment came when Tommy's head popped up in this starfish next to the random lady in the sea lion. He had us and this lady's friends cracking up.

Fairlington Pool Time

2010-08-02T21:53:00.002-04:00

These pics go back to late May/early June when we went down to our old neighborhood to use the pool. They may not have appreciated Tommy going number 2 in the pool and having to shut it down for an hour, but that's the way it goes sometimes in the shallow end...

Other May Happenings

2010-06-22T22:50:00.005-04:00

As the summer solstice has come and gone, and the hot, humid summer has hit full stride, Papa is still in catch-up mode on the blog. So, here are some random shots from last month.

We did some planting in the front yard, and sure enough, Tommy was right in the middle of it, digging with his shovel, wanting to spray the hose, and everything. Unfortunately, the hydrangea we planted has not blossomed, probably because it got down into the 30's the night after we planted it. I never claimed to have a green thumb...

We met Katy, Jason and Sophie at the Greek festival at Saint Sophia Cathedral in NW. Beautiful day, great food and music, wonderful company. What's not to enjoy?

Back up off my skewered chicken!

Another gathering with a food theme: Stay-At-Home-Dad BBQ in Fairfax. T and Papa drove to the burbs to join other stay at home dads from the area in doing what we do best: watch kids and grill food. The bubble-machine was a huge hit, and so was the sandbox. He is hanging with two girls, but that's not lipstick on his mouth. It's strawberry...

While CC was away on a golf trip, Margaret and Callie came up to keep EZ and the boy company. And Martha came over to babysit while EZ and Margaret stole away for dinner and drinks w/Alison and Nidhi. A mini-reunion of Wellesley sisters.

There was also a group lunch at Clyde's for Fran's birthday.

Camera shy? I wouldn't say so.

Louisa Livin'

2010-06-09T21:41:00.006-04:00

The second weekend in May, we went down to Rick and Michelle's house for a family get-together. We really enjoyed the company of family during a relaxing weekend. And, the pool was open for business. Little Tommy couldn't get enough. He's a fish! A fish, I tell you. He would crack us up by throwing stuff into the pool and yelling, "Pa-Lop!" Hilarious.

Tathāstu - It Shall Be So

2010-06-06T23:40:00.007-04:00

It's June. And there are no pictures from May. So, here we go!

The beginning of May took us to Baltimore to attend the wedding of our good friends, Nidhi and Anuj. Tommy had to get all decked out in the proper attire, so he dressed in his Filipino barong tagalog for the Garba Raas traditional Indian dance night. This is the same barong his Papa wore as a kid, and it was a bit big, but he wore it well, and danced the night away.

The Bettlers were in town from New Mexico, and Tommy was completely smitten with Amani. He grabbed her hand, hit the dance floor and did not let go.

MAN DOWN! The dancing got a bit quick when Eann joined in, and Tommy went down. Musta been distracted as he passed by his parents and took his eye off the dance floor...

At the wedding, all three of us dressed in Indian attire. I must say, EZ and TZ wore it better, but I think we all looked the part and thoroughly enjoyed the festivites.

Such a poser, this kid...

And when Tommy hit the reception dance floor, it was time for some serious moves. The curls were definitely in full effect as he worked up a sweat and spun like there was no tomorrow. The faces say all that needs to be said about that:

He even (begrudgingly) shared the stage with Nikhil.

Tommy and his chaperones at the end of our night.

The proof's in the passed-out toddler. It was a fun wedding!

Up and at 'em the next morning. View of Mount Vernon Square in the window of our hotel room.

Saying goodbye to the Bettlers.

Tathastu is a word spoken by the guests during the wedding ceremony in witness of the bride and groom's joining in marriage. It's meaning is similar to Amen. It was a beautiful ceremony and a wonderful celebration. Congrats, Nidhi and Anuj!

April Revisited

2010-05-05T20:16:00.015-04:00

Well, I can hardly believe April is long gone, and May is nearly gone as well. It reminds me that time flies when you're enjoying life with a toddler. Tommy is growing and learning things so quickly that we can't keep up with all the words he knows, and we can barely keep up with him as he darts around the playgrounds and parks we take him to. He really does things full speed ahead and feels emotions and holds opinions very strongly. I guess it comes with the territory when you're raising a nearly 2 year old. So here are the highlights from April, which brought a lot of beautiful weather along with lots of fun times with friends and family:

Our handyman, Ron (or "Mon," as Tommy calls him) worked on several projects around the house. Tommy loves to imitate him painting ("peet"), and drilling ("raarraarraar") and climbing ladders ("lala"). Whenever he hears a truck out back or opens the garage door, he repeats, "Mon, Mon, Mon, peet, peet, peet, lala," over and over, complete with appropriate hand and body language. It's too funny.

Mon painted the exterior of our house and the door and rebuilt the window sills. Tommy approves of the work.

One beautiful day, Papa took Tommy down to the National Mall to wander around among the tourists and see the cherry blossoms. We brought his little blue ball down with us, and he kicked and threw it in the shadow of the Washington Monument (see previous video for live-action kicking).

Tommy has a slight obsession with band-aids ("beed ade" in Tommyspeak). Preferred locations on his body are on his nose, wrist, hand, chin and forehead.

On another fine April day, the family took a walk down to Washington Circle near GWU and caught the metro to Courthouse in Arlington for dinner w/the Chen-Nguyens and Alison. We took our time walking and hung out at the circle for a while, running around, eating bananas, greeting passersby with exposed bellies. You know, our usual round-town activities.

Love this picture of EZ and TZ.

Tommy absolutely loves Sydney ("Shydney") and Julia ("Joo-Joo"). As they found out, he hugs hard!

Easter found us at the annual Price-O'Rourke brunch in Arlington for food, drinks and fun. The main events were an egg hunt for the little ones and an egg-toss contest for the big ones. Our little one loved finding the eggs, but may have loved reenacting the tossing and SPLATTING of eggs more. He came away with a bag full of chocolates and snacks which were promptly eaten by the adults in his life (burp).

Our Wednesday playgroup took an excursion to the National Arboretum, where the kids ran around in hats, and the parents chased and chased and chased.

"Shydney" had a birthday party at a golf range, so Tommy brought his sticks and showed the older kids how to hit a ball for real. FORE!

Tito Rick doesn't often make trips up to DC, so when he called to ask if Tommy and I would like to come support his 2nd Amendment rights at a rally on the National Mall, we had to take him up on it. Interestingly enough, it's the first rally of any kind that either Tommy or I have attended. Understandable for Tommy, since he's not even 2 yet, but kind of sad for his Papa, who has lived in the DC metro area for over 10 years. Guess I'm not really a cause-supporting, rally-attending type, but I must say it was a neat experience for us to see a diverse group of people who believe in the same thing peaceably exercising their right to assemble.

Yes, despite all the nice-weather activities pictured here, there were days that brought the fabled April showers last month. On one such day, EZ happened upon Adrian Fenty, who was campaigning for a second term as our nation's capital's mayor. EZ said that right before the shutter clicked, His Honor slapped that big green sticker on Tommy. Gotta admit, the man knows how to press the flesh (and probably grease some palms while he's at it, but he is a politician after all).

Tommy spending time with one of his girls, Nina.

Peeking in the window.

Another favorite thing: bubbles!

CC played in a golf tournament in Richmond, so we made a family trip out of it. Met the Zwicker clan at Lewis Ginter, which is a great fun place for kids and adults. Tommy and his cousin David (Tommy calls him "D," almost always very excitedly) ran through the maze, played in the sandbox, tried to hulahoop, and basically romped throughout the gardens together. Well, it was really Tommy chasing David and trying to keep up with him, but it was a joy to watch.

EZ is teaching Tommy her green thumb...He loves to dig(!) with his shovel ("shubbel") and to play in the dirt ("det").

When Tommy Grows Up...

2010-04-09T22:39:00.003-04:00

Though we won't know for quite some time which one he chooses, Tommy has displayed aptitude in several potential career paths:

House Painter

Sous Chef/Vegetable Cutter

Botanist

Doctor

Pickpocket

Soccer Player (note passerby who says, "... athlete on your hands.")

Strolling Along

2010-04-09T21:57:00.002-04:00

Tommy's stroller has seen more action in the past month than it has since the boy was born. Granted, we never really pushed the issue after he showed us early on that he hated to be buckled down in it. Since birth, we've almost exclusively carried him in either the Moby wrap or the Ergo rather than try to force him to get along with his stroller. We figured - why fight it when carrying him allowed us to be hands-free and close to him? Papa also used it as his so-called exercise regimen by claiming that carrying an extra 20 lbs while wandering the streets of DC had to count for something. It also freed us up from having to navigate and stow a bulky piece of equipment as we ventured to various city locations. Plus, we never wanted to be those parents we often saw pushing an empty stroller while carrying a kid who refused to ride in it...

But a new era has dawned in Tommy's street transportation world...the City Mini Era. Could be he's more comfortable in it, is more interested in it, likes facing forward, or just feels the peer pressure from watching other kids ride around in them. Whatever it is, it's given Daddy Daycare a new option for hustling around town. I still miss seeing his face all the time or holding him close, but as the weather warms up, I look forward to not being a sweaty mess after carrying him around chest-to-chest all the time. The ol' knees probably appreciate the lessened load as well. So, roll on!

We give a lot of credit to Tommy's Lola for getting him accustomed to the stroller by pushing him back and forth in the house during a recent visit. It's not a long-distance track, but she made it fun.

He also tried to impress his friend Phoebe with his slick wheels (which are still shiny due to low mileage during Tommy's first year and half).

Five Alarm Party

2010-03-19T22:23:00.004-04:00

At the end of February, we celebrated Grayson's birthday at the Hanover fire station. Tommy arrived in full gear, ready to check the rigs and fight the flames.

Spraying the water hose at a target. The little guy stood near the hose moreso than actually holding and spraying it. But he's still a rookie firefighter at this point, so what can you say?

With Tito John.

With cousins Elena and the birthday boy, Grayson after the party.

Afterwards, we stopped by Granny and Pop's house where an impromptu family gathering took place. Tommy and cousin David listen closely as Pop reads them a book.

We Want To Be A Part Of It Again

2010-03-19T22:15:00.004-04:00

Last year in February, we took Tommy to New York City on the Chinatown bus. This year, we "upgraded" to the Megabus and made the trip again, knowing it was risky to have a 19-month old on a bus for 4+ hours. To make matters worse, a rainstorm hit the Northeast right as we were boarding the 5:30 bus in DC, and the driver announced that we'd be early if we made it to Gotham by 10:30. Yikes! Being kind to his parents, Tommy slept almost the whole way, but he woke up in time for our arrival around 11:30, kindling fears that he'd stay up past 1am like last year. Thankfully, he only stayed up for a few minutes after check-in, and we all went to sleep to the sound of the pouring rain.

Despite the torrential downpour and gusting winds (RIP umbrellas), we greatly enjoyed spending time with Tita Liz and Stephen and our London friends. Two stops at Dean and Deluca for coffee and snacks, hotel room playtime for the kids, and a trip to the FDNY Fire Zone were the highlights. And we did get to walk around Central Park this time when the rain let up a bit on our second day. We also squeezed in a drink at the Warwick Hotel while Tommy took a snooze. Nothing wrong with drinking a bit of booze while your kid sleeps in his Ergo...

Looking tired at the start of the trip. The Megabus proved to be a bit better organized than your average Chinatown bus with flaky wifi access, and a bathroom door that didn't close all the way. Still - no breakdowns and no obnoxiously loud cellphone callers to deal with. A wonderful way to travel...

Tommy and Louis, reunited and eating strawberries. Good to see these guys back together and much more grown up since last May in London. The guy at D&D loved watching Tommy try to keep up with his "big brother."

Tita Liz and Tommy make up for missed time due to her previously canceled trip to DC.

This picture hardly shows how bad the rain and wind were. We tried not to let it dampen the trip, but it made it harder to enjoy wandering the streets like we usually do. Still, we managed to make the most of it.

We hit the High Line with Susie, John and Louis after a great breakfast at their hotel restaurant. Great views from the elevated walking path, and we avoided the park rangers shooing us off the "greenery." (This was Monday before we went home. I know it's out of order, but it's a pain to move the pics around...)

CC reads to the boys. Louis had us all imitating his incredibly charming English accent. EZ especially loved "Dir-ty Wel-lies, Clean Wel-lies." "Look at Louis spin-ning" and "He fell o-vah," were also hits.

Tommy recreates a photo from his first trip to NYC. He's a much bigger ham nowadays than he was then. Check out the old blog post from Feb 2009 to compare: http://littleccez.blogspot.com/2009/03/mr-t-goes-to-new-york.html

The FDNY Fire Zone is near Rockefeller Center, and houses a fire engine cutout for kids to romp in. We snuck in with a tour, and the boys got to drive, use the radio, check out the gear, and just have a really fun time on the truck.

Tommy demonstrates how to breathe with a mask on. He learned this and other firefighting skills at the Hanover fire station party last month, and relished the chance to hone his abilities with the FDNY.

Tita Liz got Tommy this great T-shirt, and he proudly wore it to celebrate being in the Big Apple near St. Patrick's Day.

Punkers and Jujy Visit

2010-03-19T22:03:00.002-04:00

The Chen girls (and their parents and Alison) came to visit a couple Sundays ago. It was madness as the three kids ran back and forth through the house squealing in delight. We love watching how the girls take Tommy under their wings and show him how to play. They haven't started dressing him up yet...yet.

The staredown between T and Ginny. Not sure who won, but it was very intense.

Tommy lounges on his behind while the girls get to stretching. Where better to do this than the kitchen floor, right?

Out at the Teet

2010-03-19T21:56:00.002-04:00

Here's our sushi-eating, grocery-shopping little boy at the local Harris Teeter.

Washerman, Washerman

2010-03-09T21:20:00.002-05:00

The ever-helpful T-bone assists with a load of dark clothes...His service to the household is invaluable.

Stop and Smell the Flowers...With Your Lips.

2010-03-09T21:14:00.001-05:00

Well, how else would you smell flowers? This kid cracks us up.

Bath Face

2010-03-02T18:36:00.004-05:00

Tommy loves the bath. Loves it. He may have been a fish in another life. He also loves bubbles as previously posted...

Post-bath toothbrushing sans brush. Maybe we shouldn't let him stick a vibrating metal rod in his mouth, but he likes it (and we keep a close eye).

Richmond Escape

2010-02-24T22:58:00.004-05:00

The snow giveth days off from work. The snow taketh out-of-town weekend plans. The first weekend of the snow, we had to cancel our plans to go to Richmond to celebrate our mothers' February birthdays. The second weekend of the snow, we had to cancel our plans to go to a bed and breakfast in Middleburg. Grrr. Most roads were pretty passable by the second weekend, so instead of driving west, we decided to salvage the mothers' birthdays plans and drive to Richmond. It was really a lot of fun, and we were happy to have gone.

David checks out his train layout.

Tommy checks out David's train layout.

David shows Tommy the ropes for setting up a train set. Tommy calls David "D." Everyday after we went to visit, Tommy kept saying, "D! Choo-choo!" and doing the arm motion associated with tooting a train horn. He loves his cousin.

The fellas did a lot of chasing around the house and tackling each other. Tommy and David's squeals of delight were so fun to hear. It's nice when there's room to run indoors. We have a little bit of house envy. We admit it.

The most hilarious episode of the visit happened at Tommy's Lola's house. The truck in this picture was parked two feet from the road at one point, albeit on a steep hill. It ended up deep in the backyard, completely stuck. Don't ask how. Tommy was thoroughly engrossed in what was going on, and still enthusiastically replays the scene by making whirring tire noises accompanied by shoveling and pushing motions.

It Snowed. A lot.

2010-02-24T20:15:00.007-05:00

In case you were buried deep in your own igloo and didn't hear, Snowpocalypse hit DC earlier this month, followed shortly by SnowverIt (or SnowYouDidn't, if you prefer). All the storm names were quite humorous. Total accumulation reached about 30 inches around our 'hood. The snow was absolutely beautiful coming down in wondrous silence, but it got to be loathesome hanging around for so long. Despite the mess it caused in our nation's capital, Team CZ got to spend 11 consecutive days together without a peep from EZ's work. Bonus!

Round 1. 16ish inches of the white stuff. Here's what the backyard looked like as it started to come down:

Tommy found a new fun play area to pass the time - the kitchen sink. The kid loves the bubbles.

"Boo! Boo!" He got to break in his new winter boots. They're a bit big on him, so it makes for some great unintentional comedy as he tries to clomp around the house in them.

Contemplating the meaning of life against the snowfallen backdrop. Or making number 2. I can't tell which...

We figured it was about time we put that Christmas wagon together. He was a good assistant until I had to kick him out for moving pieces and parts all over the place.

The maiden voyage back and forth across the living room.

The end of Round 1.

During a break in the action, we trudged over to Nidhi's place to watch the Super Bowl and eat delicious pita pizzas. Tommy signals Touchdown! It was our first outing after being holed up for 3 days, and we were surprised to see so many signs of life out there.

We hear that the Monday after the Super Bowl is the day on which the most U.S. workers call in sick. There was no need for area federal employees to do that this year, as the government was closed down that day. And the next. And the next. And the next. And the next. What a week! To celebrate, we got out of the house again. Fresh air two days in a row! To heck with cabin fever.

Where The Wild Things Are...our spare bedroom.

Round 2 of the winter snowstorm extravaganza landed on Tuesday of that week. Tommy doesn't look happy about it.

Lots of baking took place during the week. Here Tommy waits for chocolate chip cookies. We're stingy with his sugar intake, and didn't give him a bite, poor guy.

As the end of the week arrived, the realization hit that EZ would have to return to work the following week. But not before the President's Day holiday! Double Bonus! We headed out for drinks with a friend at Bistrot Du Coin.

The view of Dupont Circle from our walk.

The Music Man

2010-02-02T23:21:00.002-05:00

Here is a brief demo for all you record executives and/or talent scouts out there. This video shows a bit of what our boy has in store for the big stage someday.

We begin with a harmonica solo in which he starts off strong, then does an equipment check, then takes a playful swipe at the cameraman, and then closes out the set by walking away. Next he briefly tickles the ivories before he is distracted by the camera. The next clip is another harmonica set, but it's really just a lot of giggling because he's distracted by the camera. That's followed by a short drum solo in which he creatively uses poster hangers as drumsticks and a snowsuit-covered chair as a drum...before he gets distracted by the camera. And finally, he finishes strong with a shirtless dance routine complete with foot stomping, spinning, busting out a gangsta lean, and finally a pulling off a leg-lift from a seated position.

As you can see, he's very versatile. He just needs to learn to keep the show going when a camera is on instead of letting it disrupt the performance. Rock on!