Oh the Zoo.
Will you all ever get tired of zoo pictures? Better not, because we have a looooong couple seasons of zoo ahead of us!

The zoo looks a lot like this, from the mama-angle nowadays.
And Adrienne and I agree: It is very, very nice that way. Only last year the running ahead was cause for anxiety and mama-attacks of that sort.
Now that they are Big Kids we are feeling like sending them off with a lunch and telling them to meet us at the elephants when they are done. Maybe next year...

2 very cool kids messing around with leaves in the water sculpture thing.
Isn't O cool with his sunglasses?
We aren't going to get away without ordering Moon some this year, I am afraid.

And the goat petting zoo was open! I don't think it has ever been open and Moon want to go in before. It was a fun time and on the way home, Moon said that she would like a farm with goats on it at home. Add that to the list for next year. And next house. And next Mom.

O petting this real cool old goat. Moon wouldn't pet "the dirty one".

A nice, over sunny shot of the kids. How did they get so big???

A pause to watch airplanes is always appropriate.

And a totally wild and crazy lunch on the lawn. We have no idea where they got the energy for this run around. We were at the zoo for four (4!) hours Friday!

A video to capture some of the crazies.

Ummm, and of course sweet Lan was there. In the stroller. I did take a picture of him in the stroller, but it didn't make the final cut. Next time, Lanny Boy, next time.

Lucky Us!

We were so lucky to have a visit from our dear friend Erin (who used to rent our basement apt, before she moved back to Hawaii). Words cannot express how much I miss her and it became all the more apparent when it was time for her to leave.
She totally spoiled the kids with some fun gifts, including this PINK Ukulele.

Lanny got to meet Erin for the first time too!

He wore his pink Hawaiian diaper for the occasion, which we noticed matched the ukulele. These things are important.
Moon and Papa got straight to jamming and Moon picked this trick out herself!

More Photos from our trip to Nanny and Papou's house

Big guy practicing his balance

Also feeding the dog. They were close friends by the time we left ;)

Check out these enormous flakes! I had never seen anything like it.

Moon, in her pj's, out in the snow for just one quick minute.

Kids eating coconut milk. Fatty fats!

From the drive over. The pass was clear and beautiful!

An update from Nanny's house....

What is going on around here? Feeding Lan. And trying to keep up with feeding the Moon.

It is terribly unclear to me how this guy can be a peanut unless it's one word: metabolism.

Nonetheless, pretty dang cute!

Here is the creepiest picture of Mooner ever, eating with her "down the hill friend" Dom. Can you tell that this coconut milk icecream bar was the best thing she had ever eaten? Her and Dom have a fun time playing and I am very thankful for the 2 times they have gotten to run each other around and burn that little kid energy this week.

I have lots of pictures that I would love to be uploading, but here in the boonies, even the "fast" internet is turtle slow ;)

Sunshine

The sun has been out for a few days, so the kids have finally gotten a chance to really play.
A morning at the park with Owie and the new birthday bike.

A cute little guy with a bad cold mostly watched the playing.

But he still worked on being cute.

On Monday, we went to the zoo. I think this may have been our first trip of the year.

Moon at the warthogs.

Bath time for Lan!

Can you see those big top teeth?

Boat!

Reason for bath? "Incident" with black beans.

And later, a reality shot that I will one day cherish.

Lanny's 1st Birthday

We started the day with a new Single Stroller. This is really a present to myself, we all know. But I am very happy to have some guilt free downsizing from the amazing double jogger. Moon is 4 now, so she can pretty much walk anywhere we are going to be. Nice digs for Lan, huh?

A quick documenting of the hair length at One Year. Not much to see there...

Manly flowers, chosen by Moon as the bluest she could find. Because he's a boy.

The first party guests arrive for the Baby Themed Party. Max and Shoghi got it going later on though, never fear.

More pals arrived; a bit of chaos ensued. This Reed, driving a car on Lan's head. Lan really didn't mind much. He is a second child, after all.

See, he made up later by feeding Lan some rice cakes. Sweet guy.

Many babies, up and down the play structure. The weather was awesome and we were very lucky!

Wild ride Reed!

Even the littlest guys came outside for a bit.

Sweet Kai-Mana, up the stairs.More babies and fun.

Then we did cake, but no good pictures of the candle. Moon blew it out. It was a plain, unfrosted chocolate cupcake. Can you all imagine it now?

Lan was very business about eating it. Not over impressed by its sweetness.

But he did finish it in no time! What a proud guy.

Today Lanny-Boy, as Moon very sweetly calls him, is 19.5 lbs, about 28 inches and has a 19 inch head. Basically a big-headed peanut. A very, very sweet and very, very cute peanut. He isn't walking yet and we are in no hurry! He did, however, decide to nightwean himself 2 nights before my plan to do so, smart baby. He is signing a couple signs, mostly milk and saying Mama and nee-nee, which seems to mean nurse.
He has made it through all sorts of the rough side of being a little brother with barely a scrape and a bruise and a near escape of a pierced ear. He has the PERFECT personality for all of this. He likes to sit back and watch it all go twirling around him, smiling and giggling. We love you Lanny. You are just the perfect gift for us all and we are so lucky to have you.

Another round of the dentist!

This time we brought the fab nanny Kathryn to play with Lan while I went back with Moon. He is just getting to wild for these sorts of situations.
Anyhow, it was snowing, so we decided to take the photo op before going in.

This is the sort of thing that leaves me feeling pretty sad for a few hours after leaving the dentist.
At least she was happy, as there was an iPod on the lamp above her playing some cartoon.
Some collective "good adult teeth" energy is warmly appreciated!

A few random, unedited shots uploaded.

Cute little Manly guy

Rodi Timberlake

On his way to bustering

Snacks

Moon baking flubber. nude.

Babies on Papa

Babies on Mama.
Mama gets make-up put on by artist Moon while feeding Lanny-Boy.