Party animals

Tegan is showing promise as a performer in Cirque du Solei's "O"

Such partiers these babies are! Tyler could party pretty much every day of the week, but we try to keep it to only one or two so he doesn't get his expectations set too high and peak too early. We keep telling him he has a lot of partying to do in his future and if he wants to load up and party in the future, he's just going to have to cool his jets now and keep it to a minimum. Nevertheless, we hit a pool party at Shellie and Tegans house mid-week this past week and I think it's fair to say that Tyler would prefer to have Mom truck him around the big pool where he can lay back, relax, and chew on a pool toy than splish splash around with the other babies. He was, however, happy to check out the one cutie-pie whose mom wasn't so sun-shine that she let her show off her shoulders!

Shellie has the same pool as we do only hers gets used and ours slowly collects mold and dirt.

Come here often? I can rub some lotion on your shoulders if you'd like.

The weekend brought another first birthday party, this time for Siena from Tyler's class. Tyler was one of the prudes who didn't make it into the splash pool, preferring instead to chow down on quesadillas, show a new found desire for Corona and check out what was under the hood in Siena's new car. Once Siena noticed Tyler's interest in her new buggy, she came cruising over demanding to get behind the wheel. Tyler was a gentleman and offered to let the birthday girl in, especially since she was wearing her birthday suit (or darn close). I told him that in the future, getting chicks will not be this easy!
















Sure, babe, hop on in, I'll give you a spin!

Whoa, girlfriend! I'm not that cheap of a date!

Finallly, for those of you wondering about Tyler's walking progress, here's a short video showing how he likes to run all over the house in his little walker. Of course, once the camera was on he got a little shy, but he can definitely work up a sweat in this thing! Burn off those extra Coronas, Tyler!

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My big, fat, fun weekend

Slipper Saturday - clothes are optional on weekends. Yay!

Weekends are the best! Daddy gets to stay home with us all day and we get to do fun things! This past weekend rocked. It started out with pancakes at the Ocean Diner and I got to flirt with all the cute waitresses and stare up at the big ceiling fan (that thing rocks my world). Then I got to go to a ragin' birthday party for my "colleague" Connor, who is in my Mommy and Me class. I got to sit next to this hottie, Emmaline, during lunch and I think she was diggin' me, if I do say so myself.

Party hardy, Marty! Hey, do you want to blow this pop stand and crawl on over to the baby pool with me?

This is Connor and he's now one. One seems soooo much older than 10 months! He can face forward in the car and everything - wow!
















Posing with the birthday boy and his dad.

On Sunday we got to go down to the beach and play. Who are all these people at my beach? I usually have it almost all to myself during the week. What's that you're doing? Burying yourself in the sand? That looks like fun! Mommy, let's bury Daddy!














Surf's up, dude.















Swing time! The best way to end a fun day!

After staring at all the strange people in the ocean, we went and played on the swings and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Those swings really get me going. I'll laugh at kids, pigeons, trash, anything at all as long as I'm on the swings. Oh if only they could bottle the swings - Mom would buy a ton of that elixer!

Happy Birthday Jason!

Yum! This birthday gig is allllright!

Baby Jason was back in town from his new home in Charlotte, NC to celebrate his first birthday! Jason and his mom, Julie, were in our Mommy and Me class and we were so sad to see them move away (although we are anxious to visit them one day!). Jason is one of the happiest babies I have ever seen and I just adore him. He seemed to adore his cake and his many fans on his special day. Happy Birthday, Jason!


The two Tylers wish their buddy, Jason, a happy birthday

So this is what it would be like to have twins! Talk about a workout!

Forward Ho!!

Tyler has backed himself into his last corner - literally! After months of crawling backwards to get where he wants to go - and putting up with parents who think it's funny to make the "beep, beep, beep!" sound of a truck backing up everytime he moves - he finally decided to do something about it and he kicked it into forward gear! My, how the world has opened up! He's now able to go from one corner of the play room to the other without doing cloverleafs and spinning his way there. Here's a shot of him going after one of his many dancing hamsters (this one plays "Bad Boys" and is dressed like a London Bobby, don't ask me why).





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Of course, along with newly acquired freedom comes a few growing pains. Now he likes to sit by the gate and rattle it, while he whines for someone to come and pick him up.

The food in here stinks! Where are my smokes? I want my one phone call!!!


To ease the lonliness in his "cell," we invited a few friends over for a playdate one afternoon (by the time Mom got the camera out, Tyler was spent and was taking his nap). Here are a bunch of Tyler's friends!

Matthew mugs for the camera

Miriam and Matthew playing tackle the drum

Sandy and Sydney demonstrate fall's latest fashion trend, the shape ball as a hat!

Alek and Rachel looking oh-so-Californian! Alek gets the prize for best baby legs - he has about 5 rolls per thigh!

Tyler takes Iowa

Wow, landing in Iowa! Look at all that corn!

And look at that sweet baby taking his 16th plane ride! What a champ he is on planes (except, of course, when we came home from Denver and he kept fondling the lady next to us and trying to get into her purse). Tyler had a terrific time in Iowa and got to visit with Grandma, four uncles, two aunts and five cousins! So much activity, I'm afraid that our quiet little home is going to bore him to tears now. Check out some of Tyler's fan club!















Standing on Uncle Gary's lap





















Fun on Uncle Rob's lap while Uncle Ed and cousin Zach help to entertain
















Hangin' with Uncle Ed
















Tyler LOVES his Aunt Cathy and Uncle Kevin!

















Pre-sleep pajama snuggles with Grandma

Not only were there more people to entertain Tyler, he also got to do a whole lot more. Uncle Gary has a pool so he spent some serious pool time swimming and, let face it, just chewing on the pool toys. We also went up to Galena, Illinois for an overnight trip to a beautiful part of the mid-west where Dad got to play golf and Baby T got to go on some walks and enjoy the beautiful town and scenery. We got to visit with our friends, the Lynch's and even had Tyler's photo taken professionally by Uncle Rob. You can see a lot more Iowa photos here (just click on the photo of Schulte's feet and the California sunset - no need to sign in). His favorite part of the trip, however, might have been checking himself out in the mirror in the bathroom while being changed at O'Hare International. He couldn't stop kissing himself (as illustrated below)! It's not as if we don't have mirrors in our house, but for some reason he found himself to be particuarly attractive in the bathroom (must have been the lighting).















Mmmmmmaaaa! I kiss you!



















Work it for the camera, Tyler!

Now that we're back, Mom has to make life a little more interesting to make up for the lack of attention that all T's relatives bestowed upon him. Topless rides around the house in laundry baskets seems to do the trick (Tyler's topless, not Mom).















Let's go around again! This time, make this puppy burn rubber!