Bakersfield + Halloween = Major Funtime

Grampa Buzz and Grandma Pattie and GreatGramma and Uncle Clint and Auntie Kirstin and Cousin Hannah live in Bakersfield, which smells funny and takes a LONNNNNG time to get to. But there is SO much space to crawl and SO many new things to look at and taste!

On my birthday (I turned nine months old on October 26th!) M&D strapped me into the car for a trip to visit the aforementioned relatives. After about three years driving through many smelly regions of the central valley, we arrived. WOW - last time I was here, I couldn't crawl yet. But this time! This time, I made the most of my new skill. I did laps! I skidded! I spun on my rear end! I put on the Turbo Boost! I almost got to eat apple pie!! (it sounds really yummy).

On Saturday morning, I watched Cousin Hannah play soccer. She's really good, and really fast. A long time ago, she promised to teach me to play one day. I'm almost ready, I think.

Grampa took me flying like he used to. It was nice to remember the good old days of six months ago.

The following Monday, Mommy stayed home from work so she could "do all that blasted housework" that she loves to do, and so M&D could take me for my 9-month checkup together. I now weigh 21 pounds, 12 ounces (70th percentile in weight), and am now 29 1/2 inches long (86th percentile in height). Not ginormous like Daddy says, but no small beans either thanksyouverymuch.

On Halloween, Daddy had to teach class, so Mommy took me over to Finn's house. Finn was dressed like a sailor baby, and I was dressed like a 2 year old baby. Excellent costumes! Mom was really creative. We went home at 7:00 and I went to sleep.

Three Babies Enter, One Baby Leaves

Mommy (oh heck, "M") took me somewhere new on Wednesday. It's called "Tumble and Tea" (http://www.tumbleandtea.com/). I get the tumble part, but not the tea part. The stuff that M spilled all over her arm smelled like the coffee she is forever guzzling, not that pansy tea stuff.

Anyway, back to the tumbling part. It was a lot like my vague memories of daycare, except with way more stuff to climb on and way more nervous parents hovering over their kids.

I was the second youngest freerange baby there, so I understand that M was concerned... but really. It's embarrassing. I could have totally handled myself against those 15-month old twins (Phoenix and Chaden for everyone out there who thinks MY name is weird. Don't you realize I live in the Bay Area? If I were to meet a kid my age named Steve, Chad, Tim, or John, I would think THAT was weird.)

Phoenix and Chaden took it upon themselves to pound me on the head a little bit. Their mommy kept saying "soft, soft!", but I was fine. They have NOTHING on the 2 year old girls where I used to go during the day. Ferocious, those were.

M now refers to Tumble & Tea as "Thunderdome", but I have no idea why.

My Dance Card is Full

So much has been happening! For one, it's still just me and Daddy 4 days a week. Mommy leaves right after the sun comes up and comes home right before the sun goes down, but the time in between is just me and the Big Guy (Mommy is home with us 3 days a week though).

We have fun: I chase him around, bang on things, pull things over, eat whatever I can find on the floor, and generally redecorate and scare the beejezus out of him and the cats. He chases me around, tries to feed me stuff, puts on fun music, drinks lots of coffee, and laughs a lot. It's a good life.

Last Wednesday, we took the boat across the water to meet Mommy for lunch. That was fun - I liked all the other kids on the boat. I miss other kids.

On Saturday, Max had his first birthday party at Tres Agaves restaurant. I got to eat dried apples, Teddy Puffs, and some mushy stuff that was tangy. I tried to eat the menu. And I gave Max a shirt with a robot on it. Here he is pointing at something in my nose.


The next day, M&D and I got back on a boat (a lonnnng ride) and went to Angel Island (http://www.angelisland.org/photo.htm). Once we got to land, it was so quiet and relaxing that I fell asleep in my stroller. When I woke up, it was still quiet and relaxing and I fell asleep again. A ton of time must have gone by, because by the time I woke up after THAT we were almost back to were we started!

Mommy decided it was time for me to eat, so we picked a nice, quiet, out of the way bench on which to enjoy a snack. There was no sound at all but the birds and the breeze in the trees. I could totally concentrate. Mmm... snack time... But THEN a big group of people on Segway scooters stopped right behind us for a lesson! I had to try to see over Mommy's shoulder - it was fascinating. She muttered something about them scooting right on down the cliff, but I don't think they heard her. They moved on eventually, but by that time I'd totally forgotten I was hungry.

That was a nice day. I got to eat my first dirt (though I had to sneak it - M&D don't like me to eat as many things as I think I'd like to eat).

Catching Up with Me

Good luck! I'm fast. Really fast. But I'm being too literal.

I thought you'd like to hear a bit about my first September. Grampa Buzz and Grandma Pattie came for a visit, and we went out to eat with some nice people named Jim and Joan, in a very foggy place. Grampa let me sit on his shoulders during lunch so that I wouldn't steal Mommy's soup. I wasn't going to steal her soup - I just wanted to feel the chunks squish in my hand. But anyway, here I am, no soup being had.

After everyone else ate, I got to see the ocean for the first time! I thought that big water outside our house was the ocean, but boy was I wrong. There are no waves THIS big at our house! It was a little chilly, but Grampa and Grandma kept me warm.

A couple weeks later, Grampa Jim and Grandma Janet came for a visit. Here we are! We like blue. We also like farmers markets and playing on the grass. M&D like coffee a lot, too. Lots of it.

I also like flashlights a lot. Here's my Halloween face. Boo!

Enough with the sweet "Grampa and Grandma Visits" updates. I want to get back to this teething thing for a moment. Once I got used to the searing pain, I discovered all sorts of neat things to do with my new tooth: clicking it on spoons, chewing ANYthing and everything, biting M&D's fingers, you name it. And I've also discovered how interesting things taste! I very much enjoy licking everything I can. Allow me to share with you...

• The stereo speakers: slightly metallic and woodsy at the same time, with a dusty undertone.
• The kitchen cabinets: strange, oddly flavorless, but reminiscent of dry nutmeg and sage.
• The big trash can: metallic and cold, smooth and tangy with a plastiky aftertaste.
• Dad's booklight: Salty and sweet, the perfect combination.
• Moldy leaves: Crunchy, nutty, with a lingering air of cinnamon.
• The bathroom toilet: smooth, fresh and with a hint of rain and citrus.

I wonder how Mommy's laptop tastes...