We Love Cucumber!

Taken this lunchtime.

Christmas Photos!

This is about as good as it gets.... Colin looks like he's ready to flee, but everyone is looking at the camera and not one is howling

We tried to visit Santa.  

Santa is scary.

As long as Grammy acts as a buffer, we will get thiiiiis close.  And not any closer.

Well, at least we tried.  Maybe next year?

Malcolm Eats!

Not the best angle - and with a quickly depleting battery.  However, here we have proof that Malcolm loves his cereal.  He's been trying it out for about a week, but he's just now really getting into it; and of course, eating with us at the table is strong positive reinforcement!

Malcolm Meets The Jolly Old Elf

Edward snuck over to the mall this morning for our first Santa pictures of the season, and Malcolm's introduction to The Elf himself.  It went very well, which is exactly the first time that's ever happened.  We'll see if/when we get pictures with Santa and The Ducklings.  Given how it's gone in the past, we're not entirely sure we should risk it - Santa may not have yet recovered from the ordeal.

Malcolm, 2013

vs

Ducklings, 2011

First Snow!

Aunt Benny and Aunt Jane arrived this morning, just in time to enjoy the first snowfall of the season.  After Quiet Time, The Ducklings were anxious to head out and catch snowflakes.  They lasted long enough to resurrect last winter's Frosty.... who this year, insisted on being a little more mobile....

Time to put away the summer toys... I was also planning on putting the lavender in the ground, but I might have missed the boat on that one.

Aunt Benny finds enough snow

Evelyn poses with Frosty Mk II

Hello Everyone!!

I find I don't get equal representation on here, so I'm taking matters into my own hands - which, incidentally, are incredibly fascinating.  I spend a lot of my non-plotting time playing with them.  Occasionally, I get poked in the eye.  But that's an occupational hazard, I guess.

Exhibit A:  Love my hands!

Apparently, there are a few people out there who think I am a lot of trouble because I demand to be held a lot.  Like, for multiple hours a day, especially when I should be napping.

Exhibit B:  Me?  Trouble?  I mean, could YOU put ME down?

Well, just so all of my detractors are aware, I am actually a very busy guy.  Too busy to sleep, in fact.  I'm working very hard on sitting up, and I was sitting all by myself this morning.  And speaking of this morning - 7:30 to be exact - is when my mummy saw me for the first time since 1:15 am.  It was also the first night I spent in my crib sharing the room with Colin.  So, it's possibly a fluke that I slept for so long.  We'll see.  I don't want Mummy and Daddy to be TOO well rested because they're so much more entertaining when they can barely function.  

Exhibit C:  Heh heh... Mummy and Daddy are so funny when they stare blankly and trip over their own feet

On a less frivolous note, we finally figured out why my tummy is still so sore - I have allergic protocolitis.  This isn't really new, because Mummy has been living without dairy, soy and gluten for a looong time, but given that my diapers are still a horror show and I'm still rather fussy (I prefer "particular"), she's going to expand her elimination diet in an effort to figure out what, exactly, my tummy doesn't like.  I hope I feel better soon.

Exhibit D:  I don't like it when my tummy hurts.  Not one bit.

So there you have it!  The latest news straight from the babe's mouth.  Next on the docket is eating REAL food.  I was fixated on Daddy eating an apple the other day, and I was chewing while watching him.  Not long now!  Mummy is silly - she grumbles a little about me growing up so fast, but I want to go, go, GO to keep up with my brothers and sister.

Exhibit E:  No matter what "they" say, I'm a really happy guy.  A little persnickity, perhaps, but that's my prerogative as Baby Z.

PS:  I had to add what Edward said when he saw these photos:  "It's kinda like Malcolm has a halo over his head, the devil over one shoulder and an angel over the other...."  Hmmm.  This might explain a lot.