These are some of Baby's Favorite daily tasks...

Carries Classic Winnie the Pooh around and periodically wrestles, hugs, kisses, and smushes the Pooh. Oh, and the Jungle Lion gets in on that action of hugs, wrestles, droole, and squeals.

Tears apart and chews on the foam alphabet mat, scatters toys everywhere, discovers and eats old snacks no one know from what day they originated.

Climbing the stairs, climbing down the stairs, climbing up the stairs, climbing down the stairs, climbing up the stairs, crying for staff to carry him down the stairs, climbing up the stairs.

Scatters cherrios all around the floor, he later follows up this business plan by checking for dividends and eating the stock.

Playing with the water cooler. He opens it--closes it, opens it-- closes it, opens--closes...you get the idea. Splashes in the water in the tray, removes the cup guard, flicks the light off and on, opens it and closes it, opens it and closes it...did I mention he likes to open and close it?

Opening the kitchen cupboards then pulls out cups, bowls--he can actually spin them, tupperware and lids.Smearing hands on sliding glass door, Verifying that he may still NOT (No, no, no) play with the blinds (he says, "nine, nine, nine"-a little German lesson).

These are his first plants, seedling of carrots we got at earth day at story time at the library.

Jonathan Speaks Russian

Baby Tao, Always on the Move

Dada gave BT his own computer. He has already changed several settings and fonts to his preference. BT is now the owner of his own Binkie book, teething torn cover and all. He bought the library a new one due to his overusage of the book.

BT is trying every day to open the drawers, we are still safe for another week. But now he can see the top and reach and grab pretty much everything off the top of the desk and table.

This is baby Tao helping mommy. He open and removes the cups. Open and cleans the dirty silverware in the dishwasher. Removes the bowls and spins them, making the lids fly. He, of course, hits the tupperware box. And loves wiping his hands on my pants.

Easter Trip to Phoenix

Wow, I am a day late and dollar short on the easter trip to Phoenix. Steve was really generous in driving us there. We had a good time with family.

Saturday morning we zipped off to yard sale with uncle Phil somewhere in North of Tempe. Cathy got a super deal several weeks back buying three pictures for $3 each. I stole one picture that is now hanging in my living room. I think that guy got in big trouble from his wife when she got back from the bathroom. One of the pictures was exceptionally cool, ours is pretty cool and the third was acceptably cool, but for $3 a piece it is worth the frames alone.

Saturday afternoon I went to a Diamond Backs vs cubs

We went to church and walked thru the "Easter Walk" which is an enactment of the passion week with people from the church dressed in period clothes. I really enjoyed what they had done, and loved that you could participate in the activity. Edgar met us there. BT really loved the palm branch they handed you in the first exhibit. This is such a new experience being a parent wanting your child to experience all they are able. He also loved the last exibit where we were handed music makers and were encouraged to shout and dance around shouting, "He is risen!" BT loves making noices with the shakers.

Frankie and BT went for an Easter Egg hunt after church in the front yard. He did not really get the concept. He thought the eggs were shakers since they all had little coins in them to make noice. Frankie can get right into her basket this year.

Uncle Ronnie is moving to San Diego

So he is here this weekend. We took our annual short trip to the poppy reserve and dessert. Wow, everything is so gorgeous. The poppies are exceptional this year because of all the rain we got. The desert is blooming. The color is so bright it almost hurts your eyes, or that could be all the pollen in the air, hard to say. One enterprising woman was out in the middle of nowhere to sell ice cream cones. No competition for sure.


Here is the LION, each morning BT wrestles with the lion and talks and coos to the lion in motherese. I think he believes the LION is alive, and something like a dog. He also has a classic Winnie the Pooh, and Lamb that he also includes in the fun. Ye-ye and Nei nei, thanks for the great toy! We got to play with bubbles, BT loves bubbles. They are really delightful. He now loves to play peek a boo and hide and seek. He also loves to play with the blinds, and is working toward understanding the meaning of no. He speaks German, I guess. "Nine, nine, nine", he says. That is because everyday he plays with the blinds and I say, "No, no, no."



This week on Monday I hear him crying his serious distressed cry, I open the shower to see him crying because I am in the shower where he can't get me. I leave the shower open a crack, and there are his little fingers wedging the door open. A few seconds later his arm and then his head are hanging over the edge of the tub. He happily pounds on the side of the tub, getting his head and arm soaked. Sharing a shower has never been as entertaining, sorry Steve.

Tuesday he found the toilet paper. When I looked in on him, from the shower again --way too quiet, he was in a huge pile of toilet paper. He now knows how to flush the potty, but so far doesn't know how to open the lid of the toilet. I was also surprised to see that he can easily open the fridge and lick the bottles in the door. Each and every day he opens the cupboards in the kitchen. First, he opens the tupperware box, then he moves to under the sink to take out the plastic cups, all 12 of them, they must all be rolling on the floor, and then he takes out the plastic bowls in the third cupboard. He has discovered a game that can make the purple bowl spin round and round. Such a delight to watch, since that will last about 10 minutes. I need to work on having him clean them up. It is good exercise for me.

Jonathan started walking

Last Friday was the day. After coming back from the play on the yard party at Sobaje, he determined he is going to walk. So he holds his arms to his chest, and started walking. So this whole weekend, he was walking all around the first floor. First, three steps, then 10 steps. Now, he felt so confident that he would just get up and go.

Go, Jonathan, go....