The Holiday Stragglers

The verdict is in: we not send a holiday card this year. Nor did we put out a holiday email. I didn't even manage to get the holiday photos on here until today. Apologies to all fans of the boys for thus reserving them from the public eye. You're effectively having the same childhood as Michael Jackson's kids, fellas, so don't say we never did anything for you.

The photos! These span Oregon, Nevada, California, and Oxford from mid-December to early February. They've only got captions, no narrative, since I just need to get them up and end the photo glut. 

A few new developments this month:

1. Col is saying a few new words that are completely unintelligible, but given the context you can tell what they are: "all done" after eating, "all clean" after washing hands and brushing teeth, and "Mama" when he wants me (that one's clearer, right up there with "DaDa").

2. We bought a car! So we will be exploring more of the country. First on the list is getting on people's calendars who live close by--the Lascus and Sunningdale Andersens can expect visits soon (if they'll have us).

3. Tor is very into "science" at nursery. I put this in quotation marks because he calls any kind of fact about the world "science." For instance, he told us, "We learned some science at school today and it was about owls. They can turn their heads ALL THE WAY AROUND to see behind them." (Lots of praise for being interested in this before we clarified that owls are not in fact like the little girl from The Exorcist whose head spins 360 degrees.)

I'll empty our camera for the next post and see what we find on there. Hopefully I got a few good ones of Tor's "friend party" (i.e., his fourth and final birthday celebration)--he got cake-sick and passed out 3/4 of the way into the party, but I'd still call it a success.

You'd never know the weather-related whining that bracketed this photo

Anticipation!

Birthday breakfast (pancakes by Opa)

First introduction to blindfolds--he's a peeker

"Follow my finger"

The seldom-seen contemplative side of Ironman

Orinda: Li'l Danish Chef

"Oi! Hands inside the vehicle!"

Don't get used to the sun, son, we're heading home soon

"I'm going to wear my trousers down HERE and
my new pants up HERE so you can see how cool they are."

Col was surprisingly gentle; Dendro was surprisingly tolerant. A success on all fronts.

Rolling beeswax candles for his teachers

A talking robot birthday card: who needs presents?

Baby GQ: Rugged Tot Edition

"WOOOOOOO"

Different day, same pose

Stopping for Ahbee cuddles before running off again

"Speak softly . . ."

"This will be my bed and the leaves can be my blanket"

Two haircuts, not alike in dignity, in fair Genoa where we lay our scene

"Peekaboo!"

Aunt Sunny spoiled the kids (and us--with dim sum!)

Adventure playground near SFO: getting the wiggles out

Right before the security guard made Tor get down

"This is our tent": winning friends all over the airport

Back in Oxford, our first visit to DaDa's lab

The verdict: needs more toys

Catching flies

First Oxford snow!

"Release me! I must play in this stuff NOW"

Ah, work. So peaceful with fresh snow . . . and no children.

"Anything you can do, I can do"

The suit remained miraculously untouched by
peanut butter, Gak, or snot . . . this time.

Unkempt hair runs strong in the Hansen bloodline