Dirty Little Man

Quick Pic Post

Kian and I went and caught Reid in action: he was playing in the league Championship game. Pictures of us hanging out with the Lutz clan, Reid standing on third after rippin a triple, and Reid behind the plate and gearing up. The day before Justin's team also played for the league title but I missed that game so no pics of Justin playing ball. Both of my nephews took 2nd in their respective divisions and both made the All-Star team. My hero's.



The day before that game we hit Gasworks Park in Seattle to watch the sunset and drink a toddy. Great place for Kian to watch the airplanes come and go off the lake. We live on the flight path, so he's become a serious sky gazer.

Mr. Baby

Here are a few more pictures from the Mt Hood Cycling Classic a few weeks ago where Annie and Kian joined me for the final few stages. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I was a guest rider for a friends' team because neither of mine were racing this weekend, and so we were invited to stay at Tim and Sue's cabin along with a big group of their friends. Tim has been a cyclocross rival of mine when Seattle and Portland clash, he's a formidable foe, and his wife Sue races the national circuit and is definitely one of the top woman cyclocrossers in the country. You know, Sue Butler. Anyway, the weekend was a blast hanging out with these folks and the hospitality was awesome. A 5-year old kid took a shine to Kian, and referred to him as Mr. Baby. We like it, so Mister Baby it is.

Senor Baby in his skinsuit/race onesie.

A couple of dorks.

Plumb tuckered out after a day of racing.

Back Tracks

A few pics from recent weeks gone by. First up are pictures from a Chiwawa trip a few weeks ago. There was Spring cleaning to be done, note the yard, and the pics of some of us working while "others of us" just hung around all day.

What came first: the Lazy Boy or the lazy boy?

Hey you, get to work!

At some point during the weekend we hit up a 40th birthday party in Plain. Spare Rib and the Bluegrass Boys were playing and Kian had a great view although sequestered in a tent. He had the best seat in the house: he could mosh mosquito-free while we were eaten alive. Don't worry, he wasn't lonely: most of the time he attracted a large gathering and he really knows how to work an audience. I wish I had video of him rockin the tent --boys gone wild!





I am still looking for that picture of Kian and I in our matching attire: yeah, I had on my Osh Kosh's, and I must say I looked nearly as cute as the K-man.

Daddy's Back

The past 10-days since we last published should probably be a mommy-post since I was gone 8 of those days. Kian celebrated his old man's big day last weekend before I took off, Fathers Day that is, and I was bummed yesterday not getting to see my little man.

This morning when I got home I was expecting to find Kian strutting about the place under his own recognizance, getting all homo erectus on me, but was pleasantly surprised that he was still the crawling chimp that I'd last seen. However, I was hoping that his upper Bucky's had fully emerged so that I could get some sleep but as it turns out they have only dropped about half way, the poor suffering little bugger.

Last weekend Daddy took off for another trip to Oregon. I volunteered at a Junior Development Cycling Camp which proved to be the great experience that I'd hoped. On my way there I hit a big Portland Criterium where Veloce put its stamp on the race. Three of us took 4 of 10 primes and spent a lot of time off the front, but in the end I got boxed-in having taken the final corner in 2nd position, perfect, and could only manage 6th. Still, a good result and Veloce looked good out there. After the 5 day junior camp I met the Veloce Racing squad in Portland for our caravan across the state to race in the far NE corner of the state for a big 3-day race, the Elkorn Classic. My results were piss poor, I felt like crap and just tried to survive, and the team had only a couple bright spots but all-in-all we didn't do as well as we'd hoped. Cascade Classic, is our new mantra. Our final big race of the season starts in 4-weeks in Bend, OR, hopefully a full family trip.

Annie is currently in-between Quarters at school and so we have just one week to make the most of it before she is back taking classes and I am a full time haus frau again. The tentative plan is a few days of bike touring and camping on the San Juan Islands.

Grandma and Grandpa Reid are currently en route to the Chiwawa and we have voice confirmation of their passing through Boise this morning. ETA is manana. Yeeeeeah!, says Kiki, as well as "its about damn time"!

Kian's new Alcatraz

New Developments

We noticed last night that Kian has two new tooth sprouts poking through his upper gums, and I know I've said this before, but he seems on the verge of taking those first steps. I promised Grammy and Grandpops they'd be here for the first, but I can only chop his legs out from under him for so long. He can stand on his own for 5-10 seconds at a time, so he's got the balance, he just needs to put some mojo behind it. Daddies little man is growing up too fast.

In fact, according to the nurse in his latest checkup this morning, he has put on almost 2 inches while actually losing a pound. If you saw that little chunk you'd find that hard to believe, but its about darn time he started stretching out a bit. 27 inches, I think she said, and around 22 pounds.

Back on Track

Hanging out with the Blacks in the beer garden.

Back from another race weekend, Mt Hood Cycling Classic this time out of Hood River. Epic race, really fun times with great people. We were graciously hosted at their cabin by Sue and Tim Butler who have an amazing place on the flanks of Mt. Hood. I was guest racing with Tim's squad since no Veloce was in attendence and their cabin was a hub of activity for the 4-days of the race: there were always bike being worked on, food being cooked and eaten, jerseys being washed and pinned, and pro race videos almost always on the tele. I was on my own for the first two days but Annie and Kian showed up for the weekend, and it was easy having the Tortuga right there with our space away from home.

Not the top step that I was hoping for and it was a photo finish, I missed it by mere centimeters. But Tim and I worked the race over by taking 4 of 5 primes and definitely netting the most sponsor-tele time off the front.

Helping mommy in the garden.

Baby is Back

Finally, we're back! On an unfortunate note, Dad eFresh is a full-time stay at home "haus frau" after his NOAA contract expired. It couldn't come at a better time as summer is coming on, the economy begins its recovery, Annie is in school, and Kiki is getting ready to start walking and talking -- he's definitely keeping us busier as he cruises around the place finding whatever trouble is to be had.

Lots of pics and so I will keep them coming a few each day until I begin to catch up.

Past two weekends we spent on the Chiwawa in the glorious E Washington sunshine, playing and spring cleaning. Kian loves it over there. We don't have a crib there and he prefers the expansive baby prison we craft for him. The cool nights and the sound of the river made for some nice sleeping, too.

Two weeks ago we hit Seattle's awesome Folklife/Freaklife Festival.

Today I am leaving Annie and Kian for a big race in Hood River: 4-days of amazing rides. We are hoping that they can make it out there for the weekend, but we'll see if we can make that fly. Gas ain't cheap. Anyone heading to Portland for the weekend got room for a baby?

Pics from the race two weeks ago coming soon.