Big Gordon

I got one of the best new toys ever this weekend---my very own Thomas the Tank Engine train layout. Mommy apparently bought it on eBay for a fraction of its usual retail price. Right now, the train track is laid out on the coffee table and I've got many of my favorite engine friends going around the track. Of course, there's Thomas. I also have James, Gordon, and my favorite, Percy. Gordon is the biggest engine, so I usually refer to him as "big Gordon." One of the best parts of my train layout is the tunnel. I especially like to make the engines poke out of the edge of the tunnel. I exclaim, "Gordon peeking out!" whenever I get them in this position.

Sick One

One of my new jobs this summer is to be a gardener. Daddy has planted a whole bunch of tomato and pepper plants in big pots. Each day, we go outside to check on the plants, given them plant food occasionally, and water them if they need it. I like the plants very much and greet each one individually by touching its leaves. A couple of days ago, an unfortunate drainage incident led one of the tomato plants to get too much water. Now Daddy tells me that this tomato plant is not feeling well. I go over and touch its leaves to try to make it happy. Sometimes, while touching its leaves, I'll ask, "Happy tomato?" It never replies.

Since it's taking a while for this plant to get better, I like to take a survey of the health of the plants. I go over and point to each plant, announcing, "Happy, happy, happy, happy, and so on." Until I come to the sick one, then I point and say, "Sick one." I hope the sick tomato plant gets better.

Picture Time

Here are a bunch of pictures of me taken around Mother's Day for you to enjoy.

Professor Daddy

My Daddy was quite excited to come home from work today. It turns out that he was promoted to something called Full Professor or, more compactly, Professor. I guess he was only a partial professor before. Anyway, he told me that, as a result of this status change, I should refer to him as "Professor Daddy" instead of simply as Daddy. Naturally, I took him at his word and called him Professor Daddy throughout the evening. I'm very proud of Professor Daddy.

A Game of Catch

Daddy has been playing catch with me since I was about 6 months old. In its usual form, Daddy rolls the ball to me and then I throw it "back" (which technically means only that I throw it---without regard for direction). The accurate throwing part has gotten much better. When I want to, I can actually throw the ball to Daddy although sometimes it's more fun to throw it away from him to watch him go get it. This past weekend, though, there was a big breakthrough in my catching skills. I noticed that when I threw the ball to Daddy, he could pluck it right out of the air. I wanted to do that too, so I had Daddy throw the ball to me instead of rolling it. Initially, I discovered that catching a ball out of the air is difficult. I flung my arms outward but somehow the ball did not end up in my hands. With a few practice tosses, however, I got it. I caught the ball---straight out of the air. Daddy whooped for joy and we did a little "catch the ball" dance. Then we repeated it, and I caught the ball again. We even tried with different sized balls and, after a couple of tries, I could catch these too. Catching is great (but still not as fun as throwing.)

Picture Time

Daddy's been in the habit of taking random pictures of me on the days we hang out together. As usual with him, there is no posing. The shot of the two of us was a self portrait taken by me. See the pictures here.

What's "Happy Birthday" without the cake?

Mommy and I just returned from a lunchtime birthday party for our next-door neighbor kids' grandmother, who is visiting from England. (Daddy is teaching a class at "Wharton West" in SF today.) Birthday parties raise certain expectations in me, particularly "lights" (candles) and cake. I was pleased when I arrived to spot a candle on the table on the patio, which I tried without success to blow out. I also told the birthday grandma "Happy Birthday!" Mommy later gave me pieces of some small iced cakes (later identified as brownies).

There was a magician at the party for entertainment, who was kind of interesting but went on for too long for me to sit still, so Mommy and I retired to the kitchen for refreshments and some ball rolling. After a bit, all of the people by the magician started warming up to sing "Happy Birthday" (a comical warm-up led by the magician). After the warm up, Mommy told me that we were going to sing in earnest, so I thought that I'd save the day since there was no cake with lights in sight and, after all, what is "Happy Birthday" without the cake? I ran to the kitchen a hoisted the box of fancy brownies (previously identified as "cake") off the table with the intention of proudly presenting them to the birthday lady. Alas, the box was too heavy and the remaining brownies fell on the floor. This made me a little sad, but Mommy told me that she understood that my intentions were good, and now I have a good story to tell. I got to pet the magician's dwarf rabbit, Fluffy, so that made a good end to the party.