Halloween Begins

Halloween, Here We Come

Fintan poses. Gawd. So dorky. Please forgive.

This is just before he slipped on the straw and fell on his arse into the stemmy baby pumpkins, which resulted in a howl, cry, and a bruise on his bum-cheek. Poor baby.

What is it with these things that kids can jump for HOURS!?

They had a cool hay-bale maze which he loved.

Of course he could have run around in this for hours.

Eventually he made a friend (a girl his age) and they chased each other in the maze for half an hour while I selected a suitable large pumpkin. He'd have played another hour if I had let him, but it was bath-time.

Compare all that with this photo of him three years ago. Dang, what a doll! Now he's a strapping young lady killer.

Apple Picking - 2009

Earlier this month we went to New York for our annual apple picking trip. I have more and better photos on my other computer which I will upload shortly... but here's a start.

A hooded youngster contemplates the intricacies of the human view of the future some 50 years ago... as engraved on this enormous granite flooring.

It's not NYC if you don't have a hot dog or pretzel from a cart.

I'm a nut. I'm a nut. I'm an acorn nut.

The Unisphere is one of Bunky's favorite sights.

If you're interested, here is a link to my photos from my trip to China. If it doesn't let you view, let me know.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/575241506IudVtF?vhost=travel

"Dear Santa..." - Fin's 2009 Christmas List

Bunky has way too much stuff. I mean, it's ridiculous. Maybe this is "normal" but it's out of control. He has 100 things to play with and plays with the same 4 basic types of things interminably. (That word came to mind, but it might not be the right word ;) haha.)

Anyway, in addition to sending a good portion of his older, less-well-loved, and seldom-used toys to charity (or my Nanny taking it for her younger grandkids, along with all the outgrown clothes, including some of those I inherit from Wendy's boy, for which I am grateful but he still outgrows them)...

Fin's Christmas wish-list is here.

Moon Rocket. I think he would be over the moon for this gift.

Jet Setter playset. I think he's flown more than most adults.

Bath Music. There's something to be said for noise and bubbles!

Railroad Xing. Oh me oh my. He would flip a frikkin lid over this!!!

Gearations. The kind of thing he'd do for hours.

Train Set. He saw this one and wrote a letter to Santa right away.

Lego People. He loves people, though he also likes my 100+ minifigs...

Generally speaking, Fin's play pattern is to create a ring of universe around himself while he sits on the floor, and any vehicle with wheels or that is person-like is fair game. That's why I think the Moon Rocket will be a hit, for example, because he will make up his little stories and the people will talk to each other and it's a kind of doll house environment.

He also absolutely loves trains. Like, obsessively. Subway trains, freight trains, passenger trains, old locomotives, steam engines, diesels, you name it. To him, anything with stripes becomes train tracks (even the pattern of the tiles on the grocery store floor). His favorite thing about the train world, though, is the GATE. He loves the arm going up and down and the dinging and he'll play that with daddy's legs or a paper tube or anything. Kid's a freak about it. I am anticipating he will soon inherit some friends' wooden train sets by the boxload, but if you find something cute, I'm sure he'll love it.

Though he isn't a Lego builder, he likes Lego people, and he likes his Lego vehicles. He's also into Firetrucks (he wants to be a fireman for Halloween - yay Uncle Erik!), so something like this Lego set would be cute, as would this fire station. Here's one that's a plane with lots of people. And of course, ugly as it is, he'd probably love this train. He already has every Duplo train set for Thomas & Friends, so don't get any more of those. We even have enough track to make 4 loops. However, we certainly can't go wrong with more switching tracks and road crossings (because they have gates! haha).

Well that's pretty much it. I'd like to say we don't need anything... we don't, really... but I know people like to give and he's definitely the spoiled one to give to, so these things should inspire you. Enjoy shopping!

P.S. Mom (me) only really ever wants Lego. I'm particularly keen on the newer sets that are like old-style buildings and French buildings and stuff. X1. X2. X3. So cute! Will be great to help complete my Lego Movie Studio. hehe! I also need about 50 road baseplates (ex), so that's always a welcome contribution. As for Mark, he's in to pirates and pointy objects and geeky things. Email me for suggestions.

Our Vancouver Visit

A few weeks ago we went to Vancouver to visit Omi & Bapa in their boat. We had lots of fun.

(click images to see bigger)

Omi has her own Japanese restaurant in Granville Island!

We had lots of fun on the giant tree bridges in Capilano.

We crossed the big, big bridge!

There were lots of places to go in Capilano!

Mommy & Finny immortalized in a totem pole!

Photos, Drawings, and Proud Mama!

Here are some photos of my wonderful child! :)

Click photos to enlarge.

Fin gets his first set of full gear. We actually got him a helmet with cage, too. His skates are too small now but he'll be taking lessons on figure skates for a while first anyway.

Fintan doesn't like to draw or color. He loves to trace letters - he knows how to write them all, plus numbers - he is amazing at mazes - but he doesn't like to draw or color. Then today, he called us into his room, and this is what he had drawn on his whiteboard. It should be pretty obvious which are ours that we drew originally, and which are his.

By the way, the black figure is Omi, complete with knee caps and eyelashes and eyebrows; the red one is Mama.

Of course, I'm so proud that he spelled out Mama instead of Daddy. Plus see how he put a boot on the M as an artistic integration of the Mom-figure. Ahhhh, such talent!

Passed out on the couch after a hard day's ... camp.

Farmers' Market day - and look, I can hold a scary bunny on my lap long enough for mom to take a photo!

Opening my new NY Subway t-shirt from Dad!

Mom & Finny at the beach on July 4.

Finny enjoys the beach.

Look, Ma, a fan! Yes, Finny, you have many fans.

Dad & Fin at the horrible Broadway Deli in Santa Monica.

Fin makes some friends (Nirmal and Ikey).

Fintan's First Race!

Fintan started school a couple weeks ago - just two days a week for half day. I am hoping this will help him adjust to going full time in September. The school is a Montessori style preschool with a great reputation and a great facility. He is already enjoying it immensely - and amazingly enough, he is so exhausted when he comes home that he apparently puts himself to bed for a nap! (Now if only we could get this to happen on weekends...)

Since I am racing in my first triathlon in September, I decided to sign Fintan up for the 7-and-under 50-yard-dash. He gets all sorts of cool stuff by participating, and he only has to raise $20 (unlike me, who has to raise $200). He doesn't really know it yet but he's going to have fun. Dad will take lots of photos of him (and maybe a few of me) in Malibu doing this big race, and we'll all have a good laugh and some fun.

Meanwhile, I promise to upload some photos soon. As it is, it's nearly 1am and I really need to get to bed - and any chance of me showing up at my 6am swim tomorrow is pretty much blown. :)

Bunky's Modeling Job (not)

Omi came to visit and Bunky was long overdue for some professional photos, so we went and had a long morning waiting our turn and riding the train... more on that later.

He was a fabulous model, doing everything asked of him, staying in the crazy poses she was putting him in, etc. But ultimately we liked the less-posed photos best. Here is my darling boy looking like a preschool model! (He really loves getting his photo taken.)

Click to enlarge (and print).