Matthew's Birthday Luau

Aloha! Tyler got his first taste of the islands last weekend at his buddy Matthew's first birthday party. He's thinking it's a pretty cool thing since they have this tasty new food there called, "chicken nuggets!" He was also pretty keen on the guava juice and the coconut cookies. He came home looking like he clearly had been to a party - his lei was a little discheveled (and partially eaten), he had sand (and chicken nugget) grease all over him and he was ready for a nap. However, at the mention of the word "hula girls," he still had enough energy to smile.

Tyler and Matthew, two wild and crazy guys!

Lara, Tyler, Matthew and Jenn pose in front of the unpermited tent - oh my! (The city of Hermosa Beach had told Jenn that parties were not allowed on the beach. She boldly held her shindig anyway, she's not going to let The Man tell her what to do!) Oh, and since we haven't had a movie of Tyler swinging in a while (his all-time favorite thing to do) here we go!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

first unimpressive pony ride

Today we visited a local pumpkin patch that tries to give these city kids a taste of the country. It had super smelly goats and lambs and they even brought their own supply of flies with them! you could buy goat food and feed the animals for a few bucks, which we did, all the while freaking out about all the diseases these animals can carry. Luckily, Tyler was far more facinated with the cinderblock fence and trying to get to the cement through all this damn hay, than he was with feeding the animals. Then we put little T on the ponies. Not money well-spent. Who knew than handing your one-year-old off to complete strangers who strapped him on smelly animal who could be potentially hostile because all he does is walk around in circles all day would result in a less than pleasurable outcome? Come on!
I'll stick to the car, please

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
T did cheer up around the pumpkins, although you wouldn't know it from these photos. This January I think I'll enter him in the "mutton-bustin" contest at the rodeo since he had such a great experience. Nothing says love like putting a helmet on your child, strapping them to a sheep that then races out into a collesium full of people at full-speed while the child tries to hold on for dear life. Good times!

slice of heaven

I may have just turned one, but I've still got a whole lot of growin' to do!











Let's go hit the beach!

There are the occasional times when I want to pull my hair out - usually because Tyler won't sleep (like just now when it took 1.5 hours to get him down). Luckily, those times are rare. I find myself being really aware, I mean REALLY CONSCIOUS, of how incredible this little person is and how priceless this time in my life and the time I get to spend with him is. Today was one of those perfect days that I will hopefully remember in my old age when I am reflecting on the "good old days" from my wheelchair. Luckily, most of our days are perfect, just as they are, even with some crying tossed in, and I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world. This week we had a lot of fun with a playdate and a birthday celebration for Emil who turned 2 - yay! - at our house (you can see photos of the playdate and the b-day party here). We also got to go to the Pumpkins in the Park festival up the street with a little sea turtle named Matthew (shown here eyeing Tyler's cookie. Tyler shared, of course, and it was the first time Matthew had eaten any sugar - great influence Tyler!).











Are you going to eat all that?

Even though our day was awesome, it didn't exactly start that way. It began at 4:30am, I know, crazy, huh? Well, Tyler normally wakes up at 5 or 5:15 but I am trying to get him to sleep in a little later by getting him up at 4:30, changing his diaper, and then getting him right back to sleep in another sleep cycle that will last maybe until 6 if I'm lucky (which, of course, I'm not). This strategy backfired on me and instead of him snuggling down for another sleep cycle, he would only sleep if I rocked him. So we rocked and he slept in until 6, and I didn't get back to sleep - no fair! I suspect there will be more sleep training in our near future. He must be well rested, though, because he is a happy, funny, flirty little guy. He was belly laughing like crazy today over the word, "bleachy!" and he's pretty amped at how he can now take his socks off by himself. He's learned to turn his crib acquarium on and off, something he seems pretty proud of. And his favorite activity this week has been pulling up on my back and demanding a pony ride (this is cute, although it gets old after the15th time and it definitely sucks at 5:30am!). Here are just a few more photos from our little slice of heaven life.















6am - let's crank up some tunes and get this party started!











A birthday plane from Grandpa!















No more monkeys jumping on the bed!












Okay, unless you look adorable, then you can do whatever you want.











Cuddle time with Daddy and the Seasame Street Gang

Oh, and here's a video of the very popular pony ride!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

I'm a little Indian Summer boy

Grandpa and I enjoy the sunshine

Greetings from Colorado! After my birthday party, Daddy had a trip to Colorado so Mama and I tagged along so we could see our peeps. Boy did I have fun! There was so much to do and see and taste - did you know that they have gigantic bacon and eggs in Colorado? It's true! I'll get to that in a moment. Our trip started out with meeting Granpa and Kookie over at the hotel for dinner. That was one fancy-pants dinner place! They even had a huge napkin draped across the table and can you believe it? No children's menu! Luckily, Mama had brought some Nana's meatloaf she made me the day before so I didn't have to starve or eat snails or something gross like that. After dinner, I got into my walker and ran all over that hotel lobby. Mama could hear me laughing across the restaurant as I ran into people eating their fancy meals (editor's note: apologies to the fine folks trying to enjoy a nice meal at the Flatz restaurant that night). Then, Daddy and Granpa took me down a long hall and into a huge ballroom where I could run around and around because there were no obstacles blocking my way. How cool is that? Well, I slept well that night! They must like to tucker you out in Colorado, because the next day I got to wrestle with Grandpa on something called a "green." The grass was so short! I like to knock Grandpa over and then he plays dead. Too funny!

I got you!

Okay, now back to the gigantic eggs and bacon. We went down to the Cherry Creek Mall where they have enormous breakfast foods that you can crawl around on! I got into a spat with a little girl about which one of us got to be the King of the Yolk. I was a gentleman and let her stay on her yolk throne (mama wasn't fast enough with the camera but here I am making my retreat).

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

I decided I would be just as happy being the ruler of the large strawberry. They then kicked us out, which was a good thing because I was headed right back to that yolk to take back my kingdom of huevos.

After the gigantic breakfast escapade. Eeee gads. Who knew breakfast could take that much out of a little guy?

We also got to show Nana how I was going to be a ferocious man-eating dinosaur for Halloween. However, after trying on my costume to see how it felt and trying my best to be a terrifying, teeth-snarling man-eater, we all decided it would be best if I were the affable, bagel-eating, hug-giving kind of dinosaur. Like Puff, only sans the ganga. Roar.

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!!

I'm supposed to LIKE this???

Tyler's birthday was a hoot! We appreciate all the calls, letters, cards and even presents that came from his fan-base from all over the country. This is one little boy whose first birthday was definitely celebrated, commemorated and documented for posterity. So, without further delay, let's document it some more!

His actual birthday was on Friday, Oct. 6th and it startedwith a fun visit to the doctor's office to get poked and proded; this time around, however, he was old enough to eat the cookies they keep out for the kids (which put an end to mom's facade of getting a cup full "for Tyler" and then scarfing them herself in the car). However, doctor's cookies seem to be the only sweets T really likes. When we presented him with his cake, he first took a swat at it like it was going to eat him, then when we put him in his high chair, he just stared at it like it was a dead mouse. So much for the priceless cake-eating photo op!











This cake thing sucks! Get me a beer!

Luckily, the birthday celebration got better after that. We took him to the Manhattan Beach aquarium and out to dinner on Saturday (once again, he refused dessert, this child clearly does not take after me), then we went to the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair on Saturday. He got to sit in a firetruck, eat chicken off a stick, have his first smoothie, freak out at the pirates, and pet some pretty friendly goats.















I'm ready to roll!











Stinky, stinky, stinky!














Arrrrggggg! Waaaaaaa! I don't think we'll be seeing Tyler walkin' the plank anytime soon.

On Sunday, we had a big party for T in the park with about 20 of his little friends and their parents. He had a big cake (once again, not so hot on the cake) and balloons and balls to kick and chase after and everyone wanted to go for a ride in his little buggy (we drew the line at Schulte, sorry Schulte!). Photos of the party will be coming soon. The next day we left for Colorado for a little visit with all our peeps there. It's been a whirlwind, much like the past year. I can't believe how much has happened in one year - how much he's grown (13 inches & tripled his birth weight), how much we've learned, how much we've experienced and how much my love for him continues to expand and deepen - something I didn't think would be possible considering I thought my heart might pop out of my chest when I first heard him cry a year ago in the delivery room. He has rocked our world and made it a gazillion-million-zillion times more wonderful. Here are a few photos from that first month, and here's to the year ahead!











So sweet, always slept with his hands near his head - still does today!










I could stare at him forever.















He loved that swing! They need to make one to accomodate chunky toddlers!