The Fourth of July

We decided that we'd better appreciate our country with some patriotic symbolism while we still can, and while we're still excited about our president.  For the occasion, we dressed Liam up as the "Crazy Conductor" of Stanford University marching band fame.  We threw in *just* a dash of uncle same.  Just a dash.  Here's the get up, cape and all, proudly displayed:

 Liam and Daddy attended the kids parade, which looked like this:

And in which Liam looked like this:

And this:

When the parade reached the park, Liam got up in front of the band, and did some energetic conducting.

And got a balloon.

Reid also enjoyed the festivities, with all his senses.

Tonight: Taiko drumming and fireworks.

Reids Skillz

 Our little friendy has been getting some "mad" "skillz" recently.  First, there is "standy":

 Standy is a proud maneuver which allows one to explore many things.  Everything is interesting when you are standing.  This contrasts with the fact that many things are futzy when you are lying down.

Speaking of lying down, our little friend has *just* rolled over for the first time.  A total surprise.  Here he is, in the midst of a go.

And it doesn't stop there.  He's working on his future skate-boarding skills.  Here he is practicing a 1080˚.

Here he is, caught in the act of an illicit "nunch" of the forbidden "fumb".

And again.

And two fingers.

 Daddy and Reider hangin' out, being smart.

And mister social.

Gradumapations

 Reid Amani is a "standy" little guy, and SO tall.

 Grandma Marie came to visit, and it was awesome.

Daddy and Grandma Marie are somehow related.

Daddy is also a wizard.

He uses a wand and wears a fancy robe.

We celebrated with him after he became a wizard.

Beader is also an Ethopian, as demonstrated by his shirt.

Just Lovely.

Beader Invasion

Well well.  Who would have guessed?  I thought our hygiene habits were good enough, but perhaps I'm wrong, because we've had a new outbreak.  See the picture below [click for a full size version].  Thanks for all of the support from everyone as we muddle our way through.

We've been infested again.  For some reason these sorts of infestations  always seem to occur in the summer in California.  We had a really similar outbreak back in 2007.

 

Next stop, Orono, Maine...

We've been slow to share the news, but in the same week that Reid was born, Tim was offered a wonderful job opportunity for the upcoming academic year:  a tenure-track professorship at the University of Maine.  We've decided to accept the offer and will be moving to Orono, Maine, this August.  We're really excited for Tim.  This is  a dream job for him.  He'll be working with the new multi-million-dollar Sustainability Solutions Initiative and will get to teach and do research.  We're also excited for our family as we embark on this new adventure and get to discover yet another new place.

In the meantime, Tim's finishing up his dissertation and we're busy enjoying our last few months in California.  We've been strawberry picking twice in the last week, climbing trees

hanging out in the swing (yep, that's Reid below)

cooling off in the tub and at the pool

having dinner outside with friends

 enjoying getting to know our wonderful little Reid

reading books on the potty (that's right, in just one week we seem to have reduced the number of diaper wearers in our home to one!!)

and, of course, taking breaks in the shade

We are very fortunate.

Mr. Adorable

NOTE: You'll need to click the "four arrows" button in the lower right of the youtube video boxes to get it to expand to the whole screen, and when you do that, you can then click the "360p" button, in the lower right of the fullscreen mode to increase the resolution to "480p".

Reid shows off his talking and tongue skills.



Reider Beader is the cute machine. Breathing is raspy because he had a doosie of a cold that he got from his Aunt. It's gone now, thanks goodness.


RedBeds chews his hands, and sighs. Life is hard work.

Coast Camp on Point Reyes

Sarah Waring (yup, that's my sister) visits and we take a trip to Point Reyes.  We took an awesome fire-road entrance and used a bike and a modern vaggabond cart to carry all our stuff.  Including the firstborn.

This is what I mean when I say "Point Reyes."

Liam helped push the trusty cart up the final slope to "Coast Camp."

We met our lovely friends Christine and Chris Hanson there, and they quickly bestowed upon me a birthday peacock tiara, as I was turning 33.

We went for walks on the beach.  These walks involve littler individuals nested within larger individuals.  Chris(Ried).

Our troupe and hosts, the Hansons.

On the way home.

Reid contemplates green.

Shortly after returning Liam joins a pool party in the Zia boy's pool.  It was cold.  I know because I joined them.

Adorable People

There are only really two months left before we leave Davis, and California, so we're getting sentimental.  We've got a lot adorable friends, little and big out here, and we're going to miss them.

Abe reading a book to Danerys and Liam.  Epinai gets interested and toddles over.  Cuteness drips off the trees.

Miss Elle posing it up with two other adorable people.

Liam micromanaging Danerys' sushi eating.

After dinner, a meeting under the tree.

Danerys and Liam have very similar personalities - careful and thoughtful.  They make great partners.

All Hail Gripe Water!!

Parenthood seems to be all about developing constantly-evolving, fickle theories, based on single-data-point experiments (ie. today, I (the nursing mom) didn't eat any dairy products and Reid didn't scream his head off, so he MUST necessarily be lactose intolerant). We call this bad science.

Well, the latest theory seems to be a little more solid than all the rest. Because, for several days now, we have found that if we regularly give Reid little shots of this (essentially fennel seed and chamomile tea):

Then he looks like this:

(note the loose arms, unclenched fists, smile, and what would be a floppy torso if he were upright). Anyway, the nice fellow is so much more comfortable in his skin now that we've been hitting the Gripe Water regularly. He doesn't look perpetually worried when he's awake and the screaming has nearly disappeared. It's such a joy for all of us.

Some of his latest shots:
Yes, I am already more than 15lbs at under 3mos.

No, Gripe Water does not solve a guy's spit up problems.

But it does give you the sense that you can fly.

Or at least let your tongue hang out.