He got it all in NM. There was a train crossing between the NASA base and the house we were staying in. And we regular stopped to watch a train go by. And last friday there was a no show for launch so instead we had the Fireball bbq. Zachary got to see a single prop plane fly in, land and taxi right passed where we were standing to the hanger. He was so excited I picked him up and we got to see and touch the plane up close. Which he thought was totally cool. And of course, his love of all cars continues. He was almost always eager to jump in the car for a ride. In fact every nap time in NM involved a car ride, oh how well he slept.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
He got it all in NM. There was a train crossing between the NASA base and the house we were staying in. And we regular stopped to watch a train go by. And last friday there was a no show for launch so instead we had the Fireball bbq. Zachary got to see a single prop plane fly in, land and taxi right passed where we were standing to the hanger. He was so excited I picked him up and we got to see and touch the plane up close. Which he thought was totally cool. And of course, his love of all cars continues. He was almost always eager to jump in the car for a ride. In fact every nap time in NM involved a car ride, oh how well he slept.
Friday, May 22, 2009
popping bubble wrap
Thursday, May 21, 2009
back to even
Here he is at Dallas Ft Worth terminal C. He passed out for a 2.5 hour nap, while I changed gates FOUR times during the delayed flight/layover.
Friday, May 8, 2009
racing cars with the boys
racing cars with the boys
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
l haven't had my camera out much this week, so here are a few from daycare.
And Sarah is coming home for Mothers Day, YAY!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Into Books
Sunday, May 3, 2009
word explosion
Saturday, May 2, 2009
What a fun day
Anything to fix a meltdown
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
So I threw caution to the wind and went on the subway 3 times, gasp! We ran around the city, where Z was incredibly well behaved and ended up at our local park. He climbed EVERYTHING, serious spotting involved. He did the dino's, he watched a 3yr old climb the metal rigging/ladder, taking it all in and then just followed her up. He then went around to the wobbly walk way and this (the third or fourth lap) was the only time he "fell". Later he saw the same little girl go up a ladder. And poof up he went. He also got to play with this electric car. Both the steering wheel and handle control where the wheels point and have a little button to make it GO. Z was fascinated by the car, and the grandma encouraged him in and showed him how to drive. Then Graham with Suzy and Alan in tow came over to play too. And the boys got right down to it. Graham "steering" from the handle while Z tired to hold the button down-down-down-dooooowwwwn. As the car went in spurts across the playground. Fortunately it is slow enough that everyone has plenty of time to clear a path.
Friday, May 1, 2009
So many D's
Monday, April 27, 2009
moo baa la la la
Sarah reading
Me reading
what can I say ...
Also he is in love with the idea of bikes and trikes. He's seen bikes before but he really noticed the kids riding them at the park. In fact he chased after several, and if he'd caught up I think he might have tried to ride on the handle bars :-) Maybe we'll get him one to stimulate the economy ,plus I like the idea of a parent handle.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
3 hours later ....
still asleep
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
really tired
passed out
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
Up early, lots of playing and then swimming. And he fell asleep eating his lunch.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Homework
Monday, April 20, 2009
I'm singing in the rain...........
gene kelly
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
Huge thunder and lightening here tonight, so it turns out that this umbrella picture, with 75F weather outside, is now quite appropriate. And the best bit the bang banging didn't wake Zachary, but he did roll out of bed *thud* onto the floor, and then snore loudly.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Clever Bugger
He was nursing (part of the awesome regression) and all a muddle. And I finally was like "Zachary, what is UP??" in a mildly irate and amused way.
And quick as a blink he points to the ceiling.
Haha. Indeed. Indeed it is. Thanks. My bad.
We both laughed so hard we almost tipped over.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Do you know what has started working?
The shrieks of laughter are neverending.
Best game ever.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
police badge action hero
police badge action hero
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
We got back from a few days in California. There is so much to talk about! We went to two seders. Zachary learned all about pounding on the table while you're singing. He also discovered the yumminess of horseradish.
He also discovered how completely amazing it is to open a door and find... outside!! If you follow through to flickr you'll see roughly ten thousand pictures that are filled with Zachary meets dirt. Dirt, flowers, sand... He found them all equally satisfying to mush around in.
Also? His brain is exploding. Not only is he mobile like crazy (see picture of him climbing a chainlink fence. Uh huh. Mom was not there for that. Nope)... but he's trying very hard to talk. He's having whole conversations, gesticulations and all. Ok, not really many words. He might be really saying "Car". And he had a few moments in California where words sort of slipped out. But mostly? He is "babbling" with a vengence. His mouth moves around, his tongue, he's trying everything out. Just not quite to the words. It is great, though. He's nodding his head yes and no vigorously, which is super helpful when he's trying to get us to get him something (so.. all the time).
I'm sure there's tons more but I'm still a little redeye hung over.. PS? We all slept almost the entire flight home. AWESOME. Although waking zachary this morning was like waking a teenager. He wouldn't open both eyes at once for ages...Mark finally tickled him to awake.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Mimicry
Recently we moved the crib mattress onto the floor. It has significantly improved his sleeping, once he has gone to sleep. But getting him to be asleep can be somewhat of a challenge. I've decided to try cuddling him and when he gets sleepy move to just being present, next to him, but not touching him. A few nights back, I progressed this, by moving to lean on a wall. Yup, he looked up to see where I was at. Stood up and walked over, and plonked his bottom right up against that wall legs out, just like dad. Cute, adorable, but a little frustrating.
Another example of the adorable copying is food related, how can it not be with the boy how never seems to stop eating. I overheated some mac and cheese in the microwave. I was blowing to cool it down because he is about to loose his shit since he can see the bowl, and smell one of his favourite foods, but isn't currently EATING it. So over I come with a bowl of freakishly hot food, and put it down to explain hot. Which he gets ever since the light bulb incident a while back. And I'm still blowing. He leans in a goes ....pheeeeeeeeffffffffff pheeeeeeeeeeeeefffffff. With funny little pursed lips. Now, he's gotten the idea he won't let it go. He started blowing at the bath water, to try and make bubbles or maybe just cos it's fun.
An one more tidbit, did you all know 8ozs of pure sugary goodness, a jamba juice, even a few hours before dinner makes for a hyper but uber-tired baby.....Dad lesson learned.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
shakey shakey egg
Monday, March 23, 2009
Out and About
...... but in the end the screeching kids drew him in.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The new toy kitchen
at the play sink
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
concentration
funny face
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
why is he pulling such a face, you ask, maybe because he was collapsing from all the hard playing (see other pics) and needed to eat and drink a little. So his little cheeks are stuffed with pretzels, the snack cup is getting attacked with both hands, and he is watching some kids kiccking a football back and forth. It requires concentration.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A.T.B. pt 2 the sideways shuffle
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
wandering off
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A.T.B. = All Terrain Baby
We had a freak 70F weekend, so this is Z enjoying CP. Now we're back in the 40's :-(
Monday, March 9, 2009
Wheeeee
Friday, March 6, 2009
lessons learned
Ok, so Sarah has been a little busy this week prepping the spectrograph for departure to CA this morning. So Zachary has had me for dinner, bath and bedtime. Single parents, how do they do it! After dinner, I run the bath and let him run around getting a little air time. Earlier in the week this resulted in a pee hat trick. The first time was funny, the second time was annoying, and the third time was just ridiculous. once on the wood floor, once on the rug and then again on the floor, but by the cat boxes so I feel like he got the idea.
as told to sarah, to correct for fatigue:
We ordered a few shirts etc. from Old Navy, because Mr. Collins the younger has been growing. The box came, and was a nice skinny rectangular box. Zachary decided obviously he needed to carry it to the living room. Besides, the box from the day before was *also* for him, ergo boxes are always for him, and the living room is where playing happens. Fine. But actually it is quite an awkwardish box. And so he had it on its edge and realized he could push it. Mark pushed back to offer resistance so Z could slide it to the living room, but it wasn't meant to be. The box tipped over and Zachary fell over on top of it. As he landed on the box, he burst into tears. Which is weird, for him, because he's getting pretty good at tipping over, and usually barely notices. It was the end of a long day, he was a little fussy, but it was baffling. And then he started doing weird backward downward facing dog shuffle. And then he stood up, looked at his hand, and screamed. Because he had poo on his hand. Which he had used to try to wipe the poo off his foot. Which he had stepped in after having a poo-incident when he fell over on the box. The poor dear was poo-traumatized. And did a whole dislodge the poo dance before Mark rescued him.
Mark did indeed quickly rescue him with hardly any panic, laughing, or frustration (all of which would have been perfectly reasonable responses). Nope. Just scooped him to the bath for a quick contain and clean. Besides the fact that it was hysterically funny when told to me late last night, its also interesting that Z KNEW it was gross. It was gross, it shouldn't be on his feet, it most CERTAINLY shouldn't be on his hand. Which is different, because in the past when he threw his foot in poo during a diaper change or whatever he's been indifferent. But now? Now he *knows* things.
Pretty cool. Even if our house apparently needs to be bleached. Oh wait, or diapers just need to be used.
Let me tell you, it makes a girl feel confident about leaving for two weeks ;) Oh, i know, they'll have fun without me. As long as y'all send them diapers. Or a mop.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
all sort of newness
Last week we mentioned Zachary's backward walking. A new talent he employs at random intervals while playing. Every once in a while he doesn't even fall over. Well Backwards is sooooo old hat, the new in thing, is the sideways shuffle. It looks a little ridiculous, but there is less falling over.
Also today a surprise package arrived for Master Z. He loves opening up boxes, and I could hardly refuse since this one was address to him. Once he'd dug out all the packaging we found a wonderful new sweater, made by grandma, and the latest pj library book. He sat down quietly and started to flip the pages, so I sneaked out to get the camera.
And this picture reminded me that we now have a beautiful oak stool. Discovered on Etsy, purchased via ebay. He loves it. Now he can stand at the sink, while we try to wash his hands. Or try brush his teeth, or try ....
Saturday, February 28, 2009
A box of fun
out of the box
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
With no hard drive left, the sick and now busies, I haven't taken that many shots this month. Now my hard drive is part way rescued, here are some of our little monkey, up to his cheeky business. Its incredible how much fun can be had with, in, under, on a cardboard box. And once it gets worn out, to the recycling it goes.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Spin out
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
After these messages
Sorry for the radio silence, but we've been a little busy. :) I'm getting ready for the next balloon flight, Mark is phd'ing, Zachary is embracing toddlerhood. We have a bunch of pictures and some video soon, but Mark filled up his harddrive *grin* so we've been backing up before we can upload new things.
Oh, and we're all sick. Sicksick. Yucky sick. I mean, just colds, but this is like the superdeath cold. I apparently have managed to get the most awesome cold, so I'm now couch bound in the hope that by tomorrow I'll have miraculously healed. :D Stop laughing.
Zachary can not be slowed down, certainly not by a silly cold. New excitements - Mark is currently playing "throw" in the bedroom, his walking is now looking like old hat.. He figured out backwards walking the other day, and thinks that it is the funniest trick ever. We even got him to walk with us part way to the subway the other day. He requires an escort on each side, otherwise the fantastic distraction that is a new york street takes hold (look, a person! look, a pigeon! look, a cigarette butt!!) He's gotten much much better about not eating everything, even though he's teething a few of the biggies (I think we have two molars in and two cutting, but frankly I've stopped trying to stick my fingers in to check. Too perilous.) He's also getting very good about putting things away. He carries around his sippy cup and puts it on the dining room table when he's done with it. He helps us put groceries away and put clothes away. He loves helping. Oh, and his flame shoes. He's moved up a shoe size, and his shoes are velcro with flames. He thinks they are AMAZING. He gets up and goes to get them, brings them to one of us, and then sits and puts his feet up to get shoes. And zerberts! He's been leaning over onto our arms and blowing zerberts.
Ok, I think that's enough random baby update. :) Pics & videos will follow soon.
Don't worry, he's still cute.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Training
The marines got nothing on him. Check out the training - ok, the pack only has four diapers in it, but they *are* cloth. But maybe not 60lbs. And the belly crawl? He has that down, no problem.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Surfing with Sublime
Zachary is working on his balance.
Hahahahaha. We use the cutting board so our laps don't melt when we use our laptops on our laps. That was an unwieldy sentence. Anyway. Zachary suddenly started moving it around and standing on it. And Dancing. I think the dancing at the start of the video in particular has earned a capital D.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Spoonerism
Yup, he's starting to master the spoon. I mean, master. He now throws food across the room accidentally less than 40% of the time! See what I mean?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Doowwwwwwn the hatch
Zachary found this cardboard tube to play with this evening after daycare. He was dropping stuff down it (and by stuff, i mean food..) and then was mystified when it disappeared and he couldn't tip things back into his mouth. (To backtrack - He often likes moving food from one cup to another cup and then eating it. Or eating foods not traditionally found in cups via a cup... Like... a piece of quesadilla. For example). Anyway, Mark tried dropping a piece of tofu down the tube. Yeah. Dinner was pretty damn awesome. He'll go to daycare tomorrow and brag about it.
Monday, February 2, 2009
BOO!
BOO!
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
A cardboard box is a boy's best friend. We got an order in this perfectly Zachary sized box. He has been making it in to all sorts of fun the last few days. This was this morning. Daycare might have more toys but we have CARDBOARD. Take that, technology.
To our English readers (mostly granny & grandpa cornwall) - we hope you made it home safely. The pictures on the net are *incredible*.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Stars with Elmo
IMG_2615
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
This is a surprisngly funny story book. A gift from Linda in Florida... Zachary just looked so serious, and he kept trying to beep the star (every time it says STARS you're supposed to beep it. Beep. Beep)... It is super hard to beep, though, which makes it not so annoying. Well, for us. It is probably really annoying to him that he can't beep it. Eh.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Teeth
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
vegetarian or cannibal
this was breakfast this morning. I hope the apple demonstrates that we were not in fact withholding food. Really. He must just have very tasty toes.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Zachary's new Sweater
posing for ravelry
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
finished and fabulous. Now spot the difference between arms
it snowed
the great explorer
Originally uploaded by m0nk3yphd
and I took him out to play in the falling snow on a gray Monday afternoon. He was not overly impressed, with the cold or the wet.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
alpha baby
Worst Bloggers Ever
In news... Its freakishly cold here. Zachary got his first time out at daycare. For hitting. Oy. We've been assured its a phase. Its leading to spoon confiscation.
Zachary also is in the middle of his first ear infection. We caught it super early at his last checkup. He's been pretty good about the ammoxicilin. He's full on into toddlerhood at the moment though. Any request results in a shriek - this evening he managed to collapse mightly before he realized actually yes please he would like his ammoxicilin, drank the whole thing down, stood up, and wandered off. Right. Just kidding. No one was actually feeding him to floor pirannhas. His bad. Cat!
*sigh*
*ugh*
*thud*
Toddler is such a misnomer. Sure. They toddle. But what about "Uncalibrated nuclear weapon"? This would be so much more informative.....
Thursday, January 8, 2009
update from the world of single parenting
p.s. sorry the "subtle knife" read by Phillip himself was on.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Catch & Release
Thursday, December 25, 2008
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.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
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.
Monday, December 22, 2008
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)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
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?
Friday, December 19, 2008
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.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
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
Monday, December 15, 2008
Post-slackers
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.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
We so cute! :)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Can I help you?
IMG_2097
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.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Montrey Bay Aquarium
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Silly Baby
Mark would like to add: 13 months, 13 flights.
Love to everyone.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
planes and helicopters
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Walking, those first steps!
But, we have not had a repeat, yet.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
As much as Snoop loves his mama?
: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
Monday, November 17, 2008
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.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Evel Knevil
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.

