Professor KennyWenny Visits

The Student Learns
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

And teaches Zachary two things:

1) To appreciate the joys of Macs (especially the scrummy new solid body laptops. Mmm... Sorry, got distracted)

2) How to use a touchpad.

Also? This is the best use of his physics Phd. Instructing a 14 month old.

*grin*

Ha. No, this is our friend Ken Burch. He's now a professor at UofT, but he and I went to university together. He grew up here in New York and he's home to visit for a few days. He & Zachary had lots of fun playing Christmas Eve afternoon.

Bathtime High Jinks (WARNING: Tucchus alert)

Zachary will apparently climb everywhere. Even into the bath. But at least he has the sense to do so carefully. Note the part where he considerately fills an entire cup with water and goes to throw it behind him. Quick thinking, Mark.

chanukah

1st night of chanukkah
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

1st night, was awesome, he got re-gifted a present we gave to friends a while back. He loved it. Shape sorting is mucho fun.

Also this morning it was 11.5 Fahrenheit, 5 F with windchill. That's -20C people, as cold as your freezer. On the way to daycare, I was caring him to keep him warm, we got hit by a blast crossing Ft Washington. He screamed. Yes winter, you suck.

Catwalk(ing)

Or monkey chasing. Or something. After I stopped, he actually stood up and went all the way to the chair. He can not stop. He's like a boy possessed. I also like that his elbows keep him up. Like puppet strings.

Mash up, dance off, shout out!

and a little explanation - this is a clip from a show on BBC Radio 1 - the friday night get ready to go out and party show. Mark sent in a shout out and it made it! And then we editted in some random pics (of Z eating Jen & Brendan's holiday card, a glittery fantastic mess). Because blogger wouldn't let us just post the audio. *shrug* Who knows.

Feliz Navidad

Christmas Hands
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Yup, it was craft time at daycare. Which Zachary, by the by, is fully enjoying. Like a crazy man. It tires him out, he's learning all sorts of things. And making glitter pinecone christmas trees. I mean, how could you beat that?

Drinking Like A Grownup (without the beer)

Drinking Like A Grownup (without the beer)
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Zachary has gotten the hang of cups (of the non-sippy variety). You might ask how we learned this? That would be a few days ago when Mark was on one side of the living room, I was on the other, and Zachary casually walked up to a glass of water on one of our end tables, picked up and took a drink, put the cup down, and walked away.

Alrighty then.

Whaaaa?

Double Eww
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Yeah, Spotty Muldoon. We called the doc when they started appearing yesterday. He said that roughly 25 viruses that kids get can end up in rashes. Whoo. it doesn't appear to be uncomfortable, but it just looks a mess allllll over his back and arms (legs a little less). Poor dear.

Catching up

Here's a video from our time in California. Z was just starting to walk. Now he's quite deliberate and running about crashing into furniture. Mark wants me to clarify that he is not actually running but just falling forwards quickly while moving his feet. We'll try and catch it this weekend...

Post-slackers

Ok, I'll admit it. We're mad busy. Wheeeeeee.

This won't likely change soon, so a little update.

Houston, we have a walker.

Oh yes. He's staggering around the house like he just can't get enough of it. His face says "I don't know how this is working, but I'm just not going to ask.". He looks a lot like a tiny laughing Frankenstein. It is beyond fantastic.

He's also started giving hugs and kisses. I come home, I get a kiss. Ok, a lot of the time it is a snotty open mouthed slightly toothy kiss. But honestly, that makes it even better.

We're working on helping him sleep better, and helping him get ready for a few days with out me in January when I go to a conference on the west coast. And he has figured out our clock radio. It is tuned to spanish pop, and he goes over, pushes the button, and rocks out.

Fins are Tasty

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

From the Aquarium...

We so cute! :)

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Everyone is sick, but at least we uploaded a bunch of pictures! More talking later.

Can I help you?

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Just a teaser from the little camera... lots of silly shots coming, but this is from Roaring Camp... Gotta love it. We had lots of fun in California. Now life will be crazy busy till... July? Till... Mark graduates? Something.

We had fakesgiving last night (a wonderful tradition)... Zachary had the whole table in his thrall... he'd wave.. they'd wave... he'd clap... they'd clap... It was too funny, and could have lasted even longer than we let it go on for.

Montrey Bay Aquarium

tide tank
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Some pictures of the california trip are up. You can tell I wasn't well 'cos there aren't that many :-P Sarah has a bunch as well, so they'll be up soon too.

Silly Baby

Zachary started daycare. Again. Today was his second day. We like it, it seems a little more professional (which I wasn't sure originally as a good thing, but now I'm convinced). He seems to be enjoying it. And sleeping soundly. He's got a cold (allergic to california? new germs i guess) and a cough but it doesn't seem to be too much of a big deal. I'm sick too, and a little sad that with daycare comes not much daytime Z. He's a little tired for the walking by the time I get home for bedtime. He is, however, still hysterical. Today he carried a spoon all the way from dinner to his bath to his diaperchange to nursing to bed. Clutched in his hot little hands. He fell asleep and all his limbs were limp. I went to put him in the crib and tried to take the spoon. Tried being the operative word, since he clenched his fist back around the spoon while no other muscle moved.

Mark would like to add: 13 months, 13 flights.

Love to everyone.

planes and helicopters

today we visited Z's new daycare, it was a little more chaotic than Zenaida's but they're really nice, and food is included. Z starts tomorrow! Afterwards we went to the park, and just as dusk was coming on a low jet from JFK flew overhead. And Zachary stopped what he was doing to look up at the loud sound and pretty flashing lights. A few minutes later we got a repeat performance with a helicopter flying by. Suddenly he seems to have noticed the larger world all around him.

finally caught on camera!

now we're all off to the Montrey Bay Aquarium

new gilroy outfit

new gilroy outfit
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Z learns Mandoline #2

Z learns Mandoline #2
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Debbie and Z #2

Debbie and Z #2
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Walking, those first steps!

So for a little while Zachary has been standing up and walking on fingers like a champ. And over the last few weeks we've been dropping those pinkies he clings so tightly to, and have had him walking one handed. In the last few days though he has made some motions towards stepping one maybe two steps. But nothing we would ever call walking, until today. He had his back to the couch, and stepped away, one, two, a wobbly three, and back on steady legs for four, then crash, down to the floor. Only four steps but with those I'm calling it, the first steps!
But, we have not had a repeat, yet.

much fun on the jetblue toys

much fun on the jetblue toys
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

static is a wonderful thing

static is a wonderful thing
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

who is the cutest

who is the cutest
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Photo's from California

posing
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

As much as Snoop loves his mama?

Yup. I do think Z loves us thaaaaaaat much.

:D


Our plane had to go BACK TO THE GATE to pick up Snoop Dogg and his crew.

Yes. The economy is doing so badly that they're flying JetBlue. It looked like his mother picked him up in Burbank, but I couldn't vouch. It was very weird. His bodyguards (i'm assuming that's who they were) were the size of small houses. It was intense. They required seatbelt extenders. Also? Apparently Snoop is banned from Heathrow Airport. And British Airways. Which isn't a problem, because apparently the UK won't actually even let him enter. So that.

Zachary was a busy busy boy, but a good traveller. He looooooves his new car seat. Right up until he was exhausted and we were stuck in traffic on the 210. Then he cried till he threw up. *sigh* Hopefully it will not be a habit. He looked surprised. We felt bad and stopped immediately - I think he was a bit overheated (both from the crying and the fact that the high here was 90 - its cooling off a bit already). And totally exhausted.

We're staying in an apartment run by Caltech. Its nice to be somewhere with a kitchen and a room seperate from the bedroom, so Z is crashed out on the floor while we get a little work done. More later.

And no, I didn't let Mark take a picture with Snoop Dogg. BECAUSE I'M THE WORST WIFE/MOTHER/DAUGHTER EVER.

:D

We're off!!!

And that's that :) We'll be in pasadena till Saturday, then in Santa Cruz till Nov. 30th.


OH! And we think we've got a first word with "Mama". He had a day of very authoratative speech (rather than babble). We may have also had "Light". Today, Mark reports a day of howler monkey communication. We find ourselves saying "Use your words!" quite a lot. because really, I'm not Annie Sullivan, and I only have finite interpretive skills.

In other news...

I don't remember and have to keep packing. :) But we'll update from the road.

playing with the cats

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

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DSC_0255.JPG
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

modelling

modelling
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

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DSC_0174.JPG
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Evel Knevil

is really the father of my child.

It was bound to happen. Zachary finally threw himself off the diaper changing table.

Frankly, I'm glad it has taken this long. And possibly a little surprised. It was traumatic, we were both within like 1 foot of him, Mark had a hand on him, we both managed a hand, but didn't catch his fall. HE IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. He may have damaged the drawer he landed in, but otherwise unscathed.

Of course, this morning he gave himself a bump on his head. How, you ask? He tried to dive through the floor. From sitting. No falling. He was sitting on the floor, and tried to duck under a sheet, but apparently expected the floor to move away from him. It did not. Echoes through our concrete floor ensued. I comforted him, instead of laughing. Ok, I laughed first. But discreetly. And comforted him.

Bath time *is* awesome

that's Z, sound asleep on my lap. We're adjusting back to our split schedule. He just crawled over, nursed for a minute and passed out. I don't have the heart to move him. He's warm, he looks like a sloth, he's snoring, and I can reach my laptop to work on my public talk for tomorrow night.

What an awesome ...

first election for Mr Z.L.C. He can be proud to be an American.

because it had to happen sometime...

Last week Zachary pooped in the bath, much to the amusement of Sarah and I. Zachary was a little traumatized, mainly from getting yanked out of his bubbletastic warm fun place, to get wiped down and cleaned up.

standing

standing
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

slide time

slide time
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

First Day

Well, I managed to hold it together until the elevator after I dropped him off yesterday.

It was sad and fantastic all at the same time. Now he's off living a life without us. Which is exactly right, but makes me a gasp a little all the same. He's good, he clearly has the coping skills and understands whats going on in the world. I dropped him off again this morning. He sat right down to playing with his friend Pearl and didn't look back. Heartbreak never felt so good.

Now its just up to adapt to... regular life. I'm so grateful for this last year of our weird schedules and getting to spend so much time with Z. I just have to bring the same attention to bear on my "other baby" now....

Just a few minute favor

So the pretty picture of Z I put on the blog yesterday, I just entered in a competition.
Vote for it here
You have to sign up, for a free photrade account (much like flickr) and then vote for me. The competition is part popularity contest part judges, so the more votes the better chance the judges will consider it!

upside down pinapple boy

ZacharyZoo stretching and strengthening all those muscle he needs for walking. Or that's our interpretation anyway. There are some new pictures up, many taken with my new toy, a 50mm lens. It is soooo much fun, thanks mum and dad.


standing dog pose
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

And this one I've entered into a competition, "portraits", we'll see how I do. I might get a new camera bag or even a new camera, 'cos of course I really need one! The odds are pretty slim thought 1/2000 or so!


DSC_0403.JPG portrait set
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

oh and p.s. in other exciting news zachary will be starting daycare tomorrow! Zenaida Nadal will now be looking after Zachary from about 9-5. She runs (and has been for 14yrs) a small (5-6 kid) family daycare, where Z's friend Pearl also goes. And its 3 blocks from our building and one from the park!

UPDATE

He's 27lbs 2.5oz & 31" tall.

So... still giant. *grin*

In a charming way. He also had his first MMR vaccine and his HepA. One poke in each chubby thigh. He looked unimpressed and gave a little cry, but was distracted by... oh, everything. I think he's forgotten already.

Our first fight

Zachary and I had our first fight.

It was over the disputed ownership of a cheesestick.

It is hard to say who wanted it more, the newly minted toddler, or the nursing mother of the newly minted toddler.

There was wrangling.

There was negogiating.

There was a gaping shriek in which his mouth opened so wide there was nothing left of his face.

He was placated with the wrapper and a few bits. I was placated with the rest of the slightly mangled cheesestick.

That all our future disputes should be so swiftly and satisfactorily concluded.

New grownupshoes

New Shoes
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Oh yeah, going out in style

Whatchu talking bout?

Whatchu talking bout?
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

New carseat! WHOO! Safe, thanks to the other grandparents (now he's safe AND warm. Lucky bugger).

It has a cupholder. He thinks its awesome for stashing things. And it lasts (the carseat, not the cupholder) till he's 100 lbs. So at least next year. ;)

(juuuuust kidding)

Warm!

Bottomwarm
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

That's right, winter is a comin. And the grandparents hooked Z up with serious warm ware. This is the bottom part, and the most dangerous grin in the world. And rapid fire catch up pictures (because lots are cute....)

Another Comparison

giddy-up daddy

Happy Family

Happy Family
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Well, there you go. We all live here. We've been at this for a year now, and I might say we're starting to get the hang of it. You can tell Zachary is getting the hang of it, because he's covered in GRUB. Good clean New York grub. He had a marachino cherry with dinner, so the grub had some help with the sticking.

A year ago, he was just a giant baby trapped in my womb. And now, just trouble. Wonderful giggly all over the place trouble. We wouldn't trade him for anything.

Well, maybe a really good chocolate cake...
No, no. Not for anything. Really. ;)

Happy Birthday, Zachary. Here's to having no idea what we're doing, and loving every minute of it.

walking on fingers

walking on fingers
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

that's right, he has started to walk on fingers again. Bringing the inevitable closer :-) Ever since his crawling got better than the walking, he has pretty much refused to stand up and take even a few steps. His main form of protest being picking up his legs and throwing himself on his bum, and looking up angrily with a why do make me do that look.

Ta DAAAAAAAA

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Grandma and Grandpa Cornwall have arrived. And there is a bunch of pictures up, although in fact none with them as yet.

Ooooooooopen

*grin*

Catching up

Giddyup
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Because our visit was soooooo fun, we have lots of pictures that I (sarah) am slow to upload). Naughty naughty. Also a few silly videos coming up. Anyway, tada, fun! Zachary really did love the mandolin, and the grandpa wrestling. There was lots of wrestling. Z may mistakenly think he could take down a horse, though, since every time he "tackles" one of us we collapse to the floor. Oh well...

happy end on summer

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

today the play ground was fun for both of us. The rain has washed all the muck from the slides making them much faster, and from Z's grin, better. I had a blast messing around with a new flash technique on my camera. It's a snoot! how fun is that to say. Basically a cardboard tube to focus the beam. Then you highlight, and don't lose those pretty leaves turning in the slightly chilly blue sky.

Blocks in Hat

or: the craziest birthday hat ever. It has a stash pocket. Thank you, Tucker Girls.
Zachary is an unconventional user of the birthday hat, but we're hoping through desensitization that he'll end up wearing it long enough (awake) for us to get a picture.

Lots of pics & videos to upload from the Grandpa Michael visit, but just this to start with:

junior mando-time

Z loves to pluck those strings and pet the body as it resonates, from Grandpa Michael's strumming. He left us today, heading back to California.... on a jet plane.

Within Minutes ...

Grandpa Michael is here, and the fun has started. Yes, Mom, that's Zachary up to his elbow in a water glass. I TRIED TO INTERVENE. But as you know, once the precedent is set... *grin* Damn. Besides, Grandpas are notoriously hard to train. We're having a blast. Zachary loves linguini, and madolin, and grandpa wrestling. Bath time! More later...

science is fun ... no really

This is adam, he has a 1 in 40 chance of being the next BBC Tomorrow World presenter. Today he was learning the wonderful lesson of never work with animals or children for his screen test.

Don't any grown ups live here?

down the slide on his own

then around the corner, to the big slide and he did it again...adrenajunkibaby

RAHHHHHH!

RAHHHHHH!
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

crazy hair, he's suddenly sleeping a bit better, must be 'cos we're about to travel and mess his schedule up again. Some photos to tide you over the weekend while we're off in North Carolina :-)

Reading Rocks

bumpy frog
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

Zachary sometimes keeps himself happily busy with his toys in our living room. Last week I was busy and turned around to find him quietly on his back, flipping through his book about "Colours" - multicultural, see? We got it in England ;) He looked up when I got the camera, but for ages he was just busily flipping through the pages and touching the animals (one side of the pages has textures, such as the bumpy frog you see here. Bumpy frog = Grandma Jackie's favorite).

Whoo! We're off to North Carolina on Wednesday, so things might get a little quiet in the blogosphere while I FREAK OUT. *grin* Just kidding. Well, not about the quiet. But hopefully about the freaking out.

PS - Zachary turned 11 months on saturday. 11 months! How did that happen? Did I blink? Bugger. I must have done. Expect a retrospective by next month ;) Maybe we'll have a quiz .....

Zachary Louis Collins and Great Grandpa Louis Tucker

Arm dimples, Check.
Pudgy thighs, Check.
Cute ikkle nose, Check.
Jaw line, Check.
Chubby cheeks, Check.
Sitting still for a photo, hmmm no. I have no idea how they had Lou sit that still as a baby. Bearing in mind we're talking fairly long exposures for portraits taken back then. It took at least 2 dozen shot to get this one of Zachary and just seconds before and straight after he was off again, zooming around the apartment.

In all seriousness thought they do look related :-)

bubble bath

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Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

is tasty it turns out. Some foto's are up for all those who requested an update. Last night Sarah, Mike Berkowitz, Zachary and I went to columbia university to watch Obama and McCain in the ServiceNation Summit. You can see me and mike just right of the stairs and watch it online at the link in the article. It was really fun and Z was amazing well behaved. He even cheered when Obama came on the jumbo screen (we tried to get ticks but it was bad odds 100seats/15,000applications), we'll maybe not cheered so much as screamed from the roar that exploded around us. Other than that everyone was fairly subdued, listening rather than cheering.

Drill, baby, drill....

As we speak, John McCain is accepting the nomination of the Republican Party.

By the time Zachary notices? We'd like the world to be better.


Help. :)

Thanks to everyone who is already doing their bit - making phone calls, donating money, talking to random strangers on the bus.

I hate opposing anyone named Sarah, but one does what one has to do to make the world right.

Happy Thursday.

getting pushed around

Zachary made a new friend yesterday, she is just 6 days older, and striding around the playground with this walker like a champion. In fact she pushed Z in a circuit all round the playground after 2 warm up laps.

Shoulda gotta swiffer...

But Zachary is sooooo much cuter....

Heckscher Playground

Since it's gotten a little hotter than the last few sunshinetastic weeks we've had in new york, Zachary and I have been exploring the variatiey of parks the city has to offer. While Sarah was enjoying brunch with Niki, Zachary and I went to Heckscher Playground, which is designed to look like a volcanic landscape. Complete with water (lava) flow. It was awesome fun. Zachary climbed, four wheel drive, part way up a crater. And splashed quite a distance in the lava flow. He was asleep by the time we left central park and didn't even wake up on the subway home, we really tired him out.

Lessons learned living in new york

Best. Game. EVER.

running the gauntlet

running the gauntlet 4
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd

fun at the park again, and then today Z and I went to the 116th tot lot, for water sprinklers in the hot hot hot of the end of summer.