Dirt and dollars

Dear Little Trip,

The last few days you've been honing your walking skills. I didn't quite think you'd go from taking a few steps to walking across the room so quickly, but watch out world, you are up on two feet to stay (except when you've crashed back down on your tush that is). Thank goodness we buy you the really pricey diapers that have a lot of padding (you're welcome!).


Just rummaging around in my favorite cabinet.


And now I'm taking a little stroll over to my favorite new, shiny garbage cans.


And now I am getting ready to fall on my face.


And now I am screaming in outrage at being told I cannot play in said shiny, new garbage cans.

We pretty much need to have a bath every night now (ahem...food in the hair, eyelashes, feet and other unmentionable crevices), and it's become a part of the bedtime routine. The sink is our current favorite place to get you squeaky clean. I take you back to your room after dinner and get you stripped down. As soon as that (expensive and well padded) diaper comes off you start making excited baby hoot noises, knowing what is coming next. We go back into the kitchen with you in the buff and you start to wiggle with glee as you spot the little tub full of water. You like to stand in the water for a minute and bounce up and down. Then you slowly bend your knees and ease your little nekkid self in, grinning the whole time. Good stuff little man!


Sometimes I try to catch this water.


I know if I try hard enough it will be mine.

We've enjoyed some sunny days this week and taken some fun rides in the new red car to the park. You ride around in that thing like you are the king and the car is your chariot. That makes Mama your horse, I think. Hmmph.


Cruisin for babes. And doggies. Not necessarily in that order.


Is it still tree hugging if it is only a stump?

We also spend a lot of time in our back garden. This has always been a favorite spot of yours. You love to look at flowers. And rip them off the stems. And try to eat them. You get this from your Oma's side of the family (the love of flowers, not the ripping and eating...at least that I know of).


These purple flowers are my favorites.


But I am not opposed to destroying this garden chatchkie either.


Now I think I will eat an entire mouthful of dirt.


Yep, I am definitely going to eat dirt now.

We took another field trip up to the Discovery Museum. None of your fans will be surprised to hear you were once again the wettest kid in the museum. Mama had the smarts to let you play in the water area on the way out this time though. And to bring you an entire change of clothes. So what if she only brought one of your shoes with her and you had to toddle around in your socks, once again forcing better parents to shun our inexperience and general low-class-ness.


I got it Mama, I got it!


Oh wait...I don't got it!


I got it! (sort of).


Must shout with joy at freedom to soak self in public...


Towel anyone?

You like to play with all things that toddlers have absolutely no business playing with, and my wallet is no exception. Sometimes I give in. This is what my weakness results in.


What do you mean, "What am I doing?"


If I just ignore you, you won't be able to tell me to put it down.


I'll just keep this ten dollar bill for myself.


And you can have this one dollar bill, Mama!


No, never mind.


I think I'll keep this one too.


Thanks for the cash Mama.


Now on to the credit cards...You got something in here that buys electronics?

A Very Merry Un-Birthday

Dear Little Trip,

We had an awesome first birthday celebration Sunday. It was a lot of work to put it all together between jobs, baby wrangling and all the other stuff that keeps us hopping, but oh...it was so worth it! Mama decided that since this will likely be the only truck, monster, super hero or sports free birthday party for you in the foreseeable future, I should go ahead and pick what I want. Like 367 people didn't remind me this party was all for me and Dada anyway. Hey, we did all the diaper changes, laundry and waking up at nights, don't mind if we do throw ourselves a little soiree for some self-congratulations!

We chose (OK, OK, I just told Dada what we were doing and handed him a list of tasks) a Mad Hatter Tea Party theme, although technically you didn't really wear your hat and we served bubbles instead of tea.


A Very-Merry Un-Birthday invite


All one year olds need a giant hookah at their birthday parties.


I do believe those flowers are staring at me.


Stringing these playing card garlands was so not tedious. And I definitely didn't have finger cramps from hole punching either.


Yummy "Drink Me" favors filled with Mexican hot chocolate.


Buffet of treats = cavities and sugar rush.

We did have tea sandwiches, scones, cookies and the mother load of cake. Almost everyone rocked a festive hat and Lilz even sported an Alice dress, thus securing her spot as your Jr Prom date in 2026 (and no, you cannot stay out all night, and no you cannot borrow Mama's red Corvette).


Lilz giggles at her extreme cuteness.


Mama channels a psychedelic Martha Stewart.


Baby choking hazard or chewy treat? You decide!


Mandatory scones and tea sandwiches (cucumber of course, manchego and quince paste, salmon and cream cheese and peanut butter and Nutella. Guess which ones got eaten first? Ahem, peanut butter and Nutella lovers!).


Smash cake for the birthday boy. Please, please admire the adorable mushrooms I carved from gumdrops. Go ahead, admire them some more.


Oh holy grail of birthday cakes. How I love thee.


You had a great time being passed from girl to girl for a lot of snuggles and eating a lot of ground-scores from people who dropped crumbs on the floor.


Mama gazed at the camera. You gaze at a balloon held aloft as bait.


Happy, happy family.

"First Cake" was a smashing success. Let's just say you were not that kid that gets overwhelmed with the birthday singing and then scared of the cake mess stuck to your hands.


Ummm...what is going here?


Oh, is this for me?


Don't mind if I do!


Double fisting!


The best day of my life, people!


Wait...Am I making a piggie of myself?


And do I care???

We gave you a quick hose-down after the gluttony and then you were right back into the party scene.

You had to stay up until 9:30 to work off the sugar buzz, but we let it slide. Mostly because we were too tired to do anything but watch you spin laps around the living room while we slumped on the couch.


Thank goodness you offered to do the dishes....


A big old thank you smoochie for letting me eat an entire cake..I mean throwing me an awesome party.

I AM ONE PEOPLE!!!!

Dear Baby Trip,

Oh my sweet boy, you are one year old today. What a super fun, exciting, exhausting, wonderful, blessed year it has been. Truly I have loved every minute. Never, never did I think I could love like this. I hope we can remember all the sweet, little details of these first hours, day, weeks and months. I want to savor them when I am an old woman and you are having your own first child. I want to watch your heart open to that tiny little being and have it all come rushing back to me again.


Hi, I am One!


I said, I AM ONE!!!!!


This sign even says so.


I am One, and I am super cute.


And now I am working on my Terrible Twos.

This morning we opened some presents and then took a fun drive in your red car where you oohed and ahhed at the ocean view and reached longingly for any doggie that crossed your path.


I will rip it one tiny piece at a time, and you will humor me as I do.


Cruisin in my new car!


Here doggie, doggie, doggie. I won't hurt you...much.

Then we met Dada for pizza, balloons and inappropriate screeching at Pizzaria Delfina, topped off with a little Joe's Ice Cream. It was a fun day, and we are looking forward to your party Sunday. Well, we are dreading all the preparations, but the party will be fun nevertheless.


Everything will be fine as long as no one touches my giant balloon.


Happy Birthday to Me Mama! But don't touch my balloon.


Now bring me my pizza. And don't touch my balloon.


This pizza is yummy (but I did not forget about my balloon).


First I'll have some of Mama's.


Then I will have some of Dada's.

Besides the fact that you turned one today, the big news is that you took your first steps this week. I only had to dangle the cellphone a few feet in front of you to get you let go of the table, and that glowing, electronic carrot was the trick to make it happen. You made it eight steps last night!!! Unfortunately the bruises and scrapes are back in full force, but a few battle wounds just make you look cool.

A few of your favorite things these days:

In the food department, you're loving grapefruit (!), cooked carrots, cheese and throwing all of the aforementioned foods on the floor. Food dropping is preceded by leaning your arm way over the side of the highchair, staring the person feeding you in the eyes, cocking the head with a little swagger as if to dare anyone to stop you and then letting the hand open with a deliberately slow motion, so as to savor the dropping like a slow dive into a cool river on a hot day. Then of course, there is the grunting and crying and forlorn stares at said object lying sadly on the floor until it is retrieved so that we can repeat the whole process. Again. And again. And again.


Humpphh. I dropped it on the floor. Again. Now you pick it up Mama. And then I will drop it....again.

In the toy department, we have a current obsession with mylar balloons. "Ba, ba, ba!!!" we hear a lot. "-loon" hasn't quite worked its way out yet, but no doubting what you mean! When you're eating in the kitchen, you are pointing and calling out for the balloon in the living room. When Safeway is decorated with 876 Valentine's Day balloons, well...all the shoppers know how much you covet them.


This is my "ba!"

You have also figured out how to open the kitchen drawers and cabinets and the kitchen floor is frequently covered in pots (good for banging), containers of sprinkles (good for shaking), muffin tin liners (good for shredding) and Ziplocks full of flour (Lord help me the day you get one of these open).


So many fascinating objects in here!


Hey! Birthday candles! I think we need some of these!

You still really love to feel the wind on your face, and rainy season seems to be a big hit too. When you're out in the elements you hold your face up to the wind and rain, suck in a big old refreshing breath and grin. While inside, nightly visits to the Panda bear humidifier are still a must, so that you can stick your mouth on the smoky air and take a big hit. Weird kid!

Peek-a-boo, baths, playing with your family jewels, cell phones, remotes, the nightlight in your room, pushing the yoga ball with your head or walking behind it and the leftover plastic candy holder jack-o-lantern are all pretty popular too.

Some of your least favorite thing:

Oh the agony that is changing your diaper these days. Laying on your back is apparently incredible uncool, and it is imperative that you sit and then stand immediately upon being laid on the changing table. Where we might be in the diapering, wiping or Destin-ing is of no importance.


I scoff at this new changing table meant to keep me from destroying the items on my dresser. Now I will just destroy the items under the changing table.

Having an electronic device removed form your grubby little hands. Oh, the shrieking! We work hard to stay neutral and redirect you, but it's so hard not to laugh when the temper flairs.

Having your face wiped after meals. I know...Mama hated this too. I have awful memories of your Oma dipping a paper napkin in a cold glass of water at restaurants and wiping my face with it. We us soft washcloths and warm water, but it still feels yucky, no?

And here's a little video of some of the sweetest moments we've shared with you this year. My sweet, sweet boy. What a ride!