Happy Halloween, kinda ...

So we had grand plans for Halloween. We were going to drive around to friends' houses and show off the kid ... or we were going to head over to Tucson Electric Park and hit the big free celebration the city puts on ... but Kaylee didn't think we should go out.

We got her dressed about an hour ago – and she's just now settling down. Despite being dressed as a bee, she's insisted on being a monster since we got home. ;-)

Oh well, it's probably a good thing. We wouldn't want her to rot her only two teeth out with candy overload.

Headband. Too. Tight. Must ... scream ...

It looks better on Mom anyway.

Kaylee's alternate costume – Nick Nolte's police booking mug.

Taken right after Rae yelled at the kid for trying to grab the candle.
And yes – the blur is intentional.

She did look cute once she settled down and smiled a bit.
Though she still wouldn't wear the headband.

Kaylee today: A little more trick than treat.

Coated.

Grammy got Kaylee a couple of new coats for her trip to Illinois. I don't think she likes this one too much. She seems to be channeling "A Christmas Story" ...

"I can't put my arms down! I can't put my arms down!"

Eleven months

It's officially been eleven months as of today. (Which means it's just over two weeks until vacation. Woo!) And what did Kaylee do to celebrate?

She woke up an hour early screaming her head off until I got up to get her. Then she spent the next hour bouncing around our bed, eating, playing and chasing the cats.

She is currently banging the dog bowls together and getting pretty grumpy. She gets like that when she's tired.

Did I mention she got up an hour early? ;-)

Kaylee today: Sleepygrumpytiredcrabby.

Bleak house

So we had big plans for the weekend. Carve a pumpkin. Dress Kaylee up in her costume and take her to the Halloween event at the zoo. Do a lot of house work. (Yeah, that part wasn't so much fun – but it was in the plans.)

Well, Rae was sick all day Saturday. So we didn't go to the zoo. (Though I did get a lot of cleaning done.)

Then Sunday it was my turn to be sick. I was huddled up on the couch wearing a hooded sweatshirt and that got Kaylee all excited. Seems she thought I was playing peek-a-boo. So she came over and pulled my hood over my eyes.

That made me feel a little better. (And Rae did the rest of the cleaning. That also helped.)

Now Kaylee seems to be coming down with something. (Or maybe it's just teething – you would not believe the amount of drool one child can produce.) One way or another we'll get that costume on her Wednesday. I'm just hoping we can come up with some kind of event to take her out too.

Kaylee today: Boogerish.

Multiple post Wednesday

You go days with nothing new and then BAM – I hit you with four (yes, I count this one) posts in one night. I just totally rawked your world.

Kaylee today: Busy.

MAIL CALL!

Kaylee got mail today. She likes mail. Especially mail Mom and Dad will let her eat and tear up and crawl around the house with. Thanks GG!

Mmmmm ... food.

Apparently, Kaylee skipped lunch today. (Which is soooo unlike her.) They put her in the seat and she just didn't want to have anything to do with the normal fare. We figured she wasn't feeling well (or teething), but then we got her home.

She wouldn't eat for us either. Not apples. Not green beans. Not nothing. So we opened up a fresh banana – and she went to town on it. So we gave her some cheese and a tortilla to kind of round out the meal.

Isn't she a little young to be refusing to eat unless she can feed herself? Maybe she finally realized what those couple of teeth are for.

It's a little slower than crawling ...

Can't believe I haven't posted much in the line of walking photos yet. She may have a hold of my finger in this one ... but she's not limited to hanging on to Dad. I'll see if I can't get some video put together sometime soon.

(And wow, could my shirt have ANY more wrinkles?)

Hanging out with the big kids

Because they were short a teacher today, Kaylee got moved to the 1-year-olds room during lunch. Kaylee was chosen to go because she's "the most advanced kid in her class." Which means she's the oldest. But as a father, I'm partial to the other description. Daycare tells us they'll start putting her in there more often to try and get her ready to move next month. (NEXT MONTH!?!) Maybe she'll pick up some tips on walking while she's there.

But daycare pushed their luck when they tried to give Kaylee whole milk after they ran out of the home-made variety. The bottle was promptly rejected.

Guess she's not getting weaned anytime soon.

Gourd hunting

It's October. Which means Halloween is right around the corner. So Kaylee needs her first pumpkin, right? For the past few years we've been traveling about 20 miles outside of town to pick our gourd from an honest to goodness pumpkin patch. This year the kid made her first trip.

Pumpkin carving photos to come as soon as we get off our butts and actually do it.

On the way there in her new car seat. (The one that came with the box.) Doesn't she look excited?

High winds and lots of dust make for some interesting facial expressions.

This pumpkin wasn't good enough. It made Kaylee sad.

Cruisin' the patch with Dad in tow.

This one makes Kaylee much happier.

After determining that it could stand up on it's own – the gourd came home with us. All 13 pounds of it.

A family self-portrait with dirt and shadow.

Kaylee today: Dirty.

So, what's new?

I'm home sick. So what do I do? Sit in front of the computer all day, doing what office work I can remotely – and updating the blog. (The blog isn't office-related, it's strictly for your pleasure.)

We bought a car seat the other day. One of those fancy forward-facing deals. (Even though she's still too small to use it – which is why it's still sitting in my living room.) But the car seat isn't the interesting part.

We got a box.

And kids, they love the box.

So we have about a million photos. Kaylee in the box. Cat in the box. Dad in the box. Mom in the box. And combinations of those. But rather than post all those, I opted for the video. Why? Because I wanted to play around with the software.



I'm sure you'll love it. And if not? I'm sure you'll tell me.

Kaylee today: Lumbering.

Back from Boston

I pahked the cah in Hahvad Yahd (actually, I took a cab), and all Kaylee got was this stupid t-shirt.

Best sound in the world

Talking to your daughter on the phone (from Boston) and hearing her giggle and say "dad"?

Priceless.

When I grow up ...

I want to be a dentist.

Animals in cages!

I was going to post some pictures from our trip to the zoo. (Rae and the kid fed the giraffe in a "blink and you'll miss it" moment.) But I got to playing around with iMovie some more – which means more YouTube for Kaylee's adoring fans.

All 20 of you.

Kaylee today: Chatty.

UPDATED! Now with subtitles you can actually read!

She does love the kitties ...

Gabby usually stays an arm's length away – but every now and then Kaylee gets a handful of fur. And that is usually followed up by a hand on the collar. Which is followed by a hand on each ear. Which is ...

Max is usually the one who is most successful at avoiding the kid. But since we've started propping the door open with the fan, Kaylee's learned that it doubles as a kitty trap.

Max hasn't figured that out yet.

Wish I had a camera

Kaylee's been less interested in her finely pureed baby food and more and more interested in what we've got on our plates. (In fact, I really can't remember the last time I fed her "baby" food.) I'll sit in my chair, and Rae in hers, and Kaylee will bounce between us begging for bites.

I think she got that from Eddie.

Well tonight's dinner was a nice batch of scrambled eggs with cilantro and a side of fresh chorizo cooked with tomatoes, onions and poblano peppers. Not exactly spicy (by Tucson standards) but it does have a little bit of kick to it.

Well, Kaylee wanted some. We tried to placate her with tortillas (she LOVES tortillas), but she just wouldn't take no for an answer. So Rae gave her a little bite.

She chewed it up ... seemed to like it ... looked like she was going in for more ...

Then she stood up, stuck out her tongue, put both hands in her mouth and started raking what little food was left out onto the floor. She hated it so much she wouldn't accept anything else from Rae. She wouldn't even take her cup of water.

Now if we could only find a way to break Eddie of the habit.

Kaylee today: Well-seasoned.

Like father ...

Kaylee has learned a lot by watching me.
At the end of a long day, all she wants to do is crash.

(By the way – TEN MONTHS - can ya believe it?)

Kaylee today: Dirty.