Lunch with Landon

Last week Kari invited Zack and I over for a lunch play date. I offered to let Kari to squeeze in a training run while I served the boys lunch of chicken and avocado.

We always read that kids this age "parallel play" which is to say they just play "beside" each other, not really with each other, until they are about two years old. But not these two. They really enjoy seeing their friends and particularly enjoyed catching up on gossip (at least as close as I can tell, since I don't speak toddler gibberish).


And while this was suppose to be lunch, and not playing, lunch turned out to be pretty funny. The boys barely noticed I was there.

Landon let Zack sit in his booster seat while he sat like a big boy in one of the chairs.




They were chattin', sharin' food, stealin' food, and pretty much having a great time.
I was laughing so hard at them carrying on. Z telling LT something, LT laughing in response, then LT gabbing and Z laughing. Luckily, I had the camera.

I took over 8 minutes of video, but tried my best to cut it down to "non-parent" 2 minute length. Just refill your coffee and enjoy!


Below is the video...

Z Loves Avacado

Zack must know that his parent have California roots, because the kid loves avocados! True it was one of his first solids but he really does love them.
Here are a few fun pictures of Zack enjoying his favorite food.

Even though I try to tell him small bites, he is sure he can get at least half of an avocado in one bite!

"See, no problem Mom!

Yummy!!

When you can't get enough on the spoon, fingers work great!

Bucket truck

As most of you know by now, Zack loves planes, trains, etc. He has just got a new little truck that goes with his growing Thomas the train collection. I am not sure the official name but we call it a "bucket truck".
This morning when we were playing up stairs, a real one pulled up in front of our house. It turns out our neighbor Kris was getting her large tree trimmed and made Zack's day!

Zack was so excited and fascinated that we had to run out front and watch while the set up. When they raised the bucket I think Zack was in 7th heaven.

He stood out front, perfectly still for at least 30 minutes just watching.

Hair cuts, a year later...

A year ago, almost to the day Kari and I attempted to get hair cuts with the boys. I am not sure either age was easy, just different. Last time we just had to hold them. This time was all about containing them. Zack had ran around the block near the salon by the time LT arrived. When they saw each other, it was like a scene in a love story, they both ran towards each other. I didn't have camera out but here is Z giving LT a big hug. LT was a little taken back, since he practically tackled him.

At first the salon was exciting enough.
While Kari went first the boys played with the barber chairs...


Then they each decide to check out the reading selection, Zack chose to read about chicks in a wedding magazine, trying to understand why they do what they do...

Landon went right to the GQ for the latest fashion advice, hoping he can eventually dress better than his dad.

I gave up on keeping them safe with all the scissors, razors and electrical items, so I gathered the boys up and let Z take LT on a tour of Cherry Creek. Here they are outside "Plant Laboratories", Sofi's mom's salon.
Z showed LT the "Cherry Cricket", were you can get a good burger with a beer
(so the grown ups say), played with some wind chimes at "Show of Hands", did a little window shopping and took in some culture at art gallery.

We headed back to the salon just in time to switch from Shawn in charge to Kari in charge. Here is what happened when Kari had boys.

Cars and trucks

There really isn't anywhere Z goes with out and train or car, or both.
Here he is hang with a train at My Brother's bar, with LT and his folks.
Good thing he always has a few...LT really liked the Mini Cooper!

A boy and his bear

I came across the softest little bear about a month or so after Zack was born. It says 2007 on one of the paws and so I thought it would be nice cuddly bear memento for Zack. He really didn't care about it, opting to hold his cars and trucks as comfort items, so it sat in his room for the past year. He still loves his trucks and trains but has recently fell in love with his little bear. He cuddles with him every night before he goes to sleep. I tried to get a picture of him and his bear buddy, but the light was low.
Hope you can see how loving Z is...



Kiss good night for bear.

Coffee date with Mia

We had a coffee date with Mia and Anna on Friday. It was such a pretty morning, we decided we would walk the few blocks to from Anna's to the cafe. For some reason, Zack wanted nothing to do with Mia's wagon and opted to be carried. Even after Sarah, showed him how fun it was. I should have known it was gonna be an adventure by Zack refusing a free ride.


Getting coffee with two energetic one year old's proved to be quite interesting even though we had them out numbered with 4 adults. I don't have many pictures because we were too busy keeping them out of the street, out of our coffee, and in the patio area.
One thing that kept them busy for a few minutes was Mia taught Zack about positive affirmations.
According to Anna, you look into reflective window and say, "I am smart enough, cool enough, pretty enough", etc. Then you kiss your reflection. Mia has it down pat and practiced several times. Zack tried it once. I think he's not to sure about the "pretty enough" part.

Next gangster gymnast Mia showed us how much she loves shoes. What skillz!
So after trying to drink, now cold coffee and one chocolate milk mess, we gave up on the coffee shop and headed to the park to let these little monsters burn some energy!

Mia was all about the swing...

While Zack checked out the slide.
Coffee with these two is defiantly not like the it used to be...

Zack meeting Mia for first time at Cafe Caliente when he was just a week old.
Ah, the good old days!!

Obama baby!

In honor of the first presidential debates tonight, I thought I would post these pics of Zack modeling my Obama hat!

So cute!!

Such an Obama Mama boy!

Hawk Haircut

The day finally came! While Z still doesn't have a lot of hair on the sides or back, the hawk was becoming more and more like a bad comb over. It was time for his first hair cut! I don't, I repeat, I don't cut hair, but I did watch my sister Heather trim Elias with Albert's buzzer. So figured Albert and I could manage to take and inch or so off the top, right?!

First we let Zack check out the buzzer and get used to the noise it makes. He had a great time turning it off and on, again and again.
I was admittedly a little scared of butchering his hair, so I made Albert do the actual trimming. After all it was his trimmer. Dad took a swipe at the front of the hawk, just taking off about a half inch.


I think Zack was a little worried that we were gonna cut off his chic magnat, but we went slow and only trimmed a little off the top and cut the little duck tail off the back.

Here he is, Elvis/Billy Idol lip and all, combing his new hair do!

Piano lessons

Zack loves to go next door to Wanda's house and say Hi. Lately he has noticed the piano. Yesterday when we showed up at Wanda's she was in the middle of practicing for her up coming lessons. Zack saw her playing and wanted to sit up on bench and join in. I've never had the camera with me for documenting his playing, so this time I dashed home and caught his concert.
Zack takes his piano practice very seriously...

"I don't need to read, I play my own tunes!"