Miscellaneous Monkiness

Always a barricade and too many clothes between the water and I.

I was forced to get a new computer a few weeks ago because my laptop fried and it wasn't worth the money to revive it, so I put it into a new desktop instead. I bumped up my budget more than I would have liked -- I just HAD to have that bigger flat screen monitor, and its been a minor pain in the butt to get the place arranged to fit it. Here's a shot of Kian helping me put up the shelving unit... I'm guessing its earthquake-proof up to about .07 on the richter scale.

Paella cooked up in the spanish-style skillet from my sister Juanie.


These days its a dark room with fans or outside in the shade.

Family Times

I guess I forgot to post these a few weeks ago after the Snoqualmie BBQ with the Lutz and Reid clan. All-star games, good food, Uncles Aunts Cousins Grandparents Inlaws... MORE NEW TOYS!

Hey Bruncle, I'll take mine a little pink in the middle, please.

Whoa boy! Kiki really riding those heals.

Hey Grandpa. Mommy said it was okay if I had a
sip of what you got there, please.

Take that, cousin Juju!

Taking it well and dishing some out too
(is that Chavanel on the tele?).

The Firsts Just Keep On Coming

Last week Kian and I pulled off the trifecta of shopping exursions, get this: Costco, then Fry's Electronics, then Ikea. Imagine that, and yes, all in the same day. Just two dudes and one credit card on a rampage of indulgence during this countries greatest depression since the Great Depression. We behaved. Had to, really.

Kian loves riding in those big Costco sized carts and I can tell that he enjoys being pushed across the chip-seal parking lots because the vibration in those steel carts must make his inerds tickle. But once inside the warehouse I stand him up in the cart so he can "move about the cabin" as he likes and stare up at all those big glowing sodium lights. The little mini "bag" carts at Ikea are cool in their own right because I can spin him 360 in one swoop.

Driving from one warehouse to the next, I was digging on the radio and stopped for awhile at a Classic Rock station and was excited that Kian got to hear some more firsts. Bohemian Rhapsody! Riders On The Storm! And his first Hall & Oats song! The hits just keep on coming.

Daddy bought a computer. And a giant-sized monitor. Had to, really.

Seattle Hotpocolypse: Kiddie Pool Part 2

The dog days of summer are finally here, but we live for this stuff! Guess we should move down south or something because they don't come often around here and they don't last long enough. But nowhere on the planet is there is a nicer sunny day than in the NW.

Kian as seen through the eyes of the fan: turn it up, Mommy.

A world without water is like a prison. Lets go to the lake!

The past few days now the temps have been in the 80s and 90s and more of the same are expected. This afternoon I just had to get out of this place, even Kian was getting a little edgy, so we loaded up in the Chariot and over to the lake we did ride. In two hours we made 4 forays into the water. Half of Seattle was out there and it was a festive experience. This kind of heat brings the city together like the freezing temps and snow did this past winter: its a great time to play hookie for the responsibilities, to slow down and just enjoy.

We tried to beat the heat this weekend with an overnight Tortuga trip to Mt. Rainier but it was still in the high 70's way up there, although the sleeping temps were good. Kian did his first hike in a National Park, although technically he wasn't hiking but living it up on mommy and daddy's backs. Both Annie and Doug rode the climb to Sunrise, but at different times because we weren't about to lug the kid up that thing.

Kickin at the Kiddie Pool

Kian hopped in his chariot and I chauffeured him over to the kiddie pool at Greenlake this morning. He fell asleep on the way over so I parked it in the shade with a coffee from the cafe across the street and awaited until his royal highness woke from his slumber. Then we took a dip! He staked out a claim in the shallowest end of the pool and let no baby passeth.

Washed out chromatic shots for that artsy look.

Kian the guppyman on patrol.

"Gimme that thingy and get back across the line, baby!"

Kian won the battle but that little girl won the war: she stood up and

walked away while Kian still only crawls. Who's baby now?

Toweling off after a long session of defeding his claim, well done Kian! "Now get me naked and let's get out of here. I'm famished." And that's just what we did: he rode home naked as the day he was born and was much the happier for it.

Chiwawa with Gramama and Grapapa

This was the first time Kian hung out with his Grandma and pa Reid since Thanksgiving. A fun week of R&R for all except the grandparents who were kept on their toes.

A Kiki's eye view in the gazebo: its Happy Hour!

Ah, Chimama appears to be doing a little more than "keeping the cigar lit".

Got Two-Minutes

Here's a supercute video of Kian hittin the spoon pretty hard:


And if you've got another two-minutes to spare, here's Kian's new laugh:


But if time is short, check out some still pics that I've accumulated during the past two weeks of summer. I'll have to put up another posting to get us back up to date, but these will have to due for now. Enjoy! Along with Grandma and Grandpa Reid, we sure have been.

In the garden.

Just like an old man here's Kian hobbling around with his new walker that Grandma got for him. Aunt Joanie got him one too. Wish we could make this thing a generator because he could power the entire neighborhood.

Who you calling old man!