Hello modernity!

Hi!  As of 7 pm tonight, we don't have a viable landline.  So call us on our cell phones if you want to talk to us.  I'd put our numbers on the blog, but, well, I worry about that strange guy in Austria calling, so, instead, if you need our numbers you can just email me.

Excitement!

As many of you have asked (ok, as one person asked just to be polite) I am very excited that my dad and brother are coming out for my birthday on Friday.  My good friend John Drake will going with Andy, Dad, B, and dad's wife Mary at a Nationals game on Friday night.  Very cool!  I'll post pictures when it's happened!

Thoughtful conductor

Owen scans the tracks ahead to see if there's trouble a-brewin'. 

Thomas

It's happened. Owen can now recognize a character by site. We thought it wouldn't happen if we just kept him from TV and soft peddled the character books, but Owen now knows and asks for Thomas by name.

Our child has started his life-long journey of brand identification. We can abandon our hopes of raising him in the wild.

Here, Bridgette prepares to read a Thomas book to Owen. 

Bridgette laughs

You can't really tell from the photo, but Zoe is tickling Bridgette with her butt. 

Happy boy!

Owen and I both got haircuts in the last few days. Here, Owen had recovered from the trauma of the haircut (it was a pretty bad experience), had his post-haircut reward/Dad's guilt salve of a cookie, and was kicking back smiling like the cutie that he is. 

Loyal reader

Loyal blog reader, and frequent commenter, Candice, apparently decided that blog photos of Zoe aren't enough and came out to the 'burbs for a visit on Friday. She also, very generously, brought Zoe a very pink outfit. Sadly, I wasn't able to be home for the visit.

In a sense, I'm glad Candice got to spend time with B and Zoe. But I also feel that the blog let her down by not filling her every Zoe-related need. 

Mother and Daughter

Here's B's self-portrait with daughter. 

Coy

Zoe plays coy with the camera. 

Concentration

Owen has to focus. 

Owen plays in his hip clothing

Here, Owen plays outside in his hipster outfit. I wish the shirt said "Williamsburg" instead of "Brooklyn" because that's what I imagine Owen's identifying with, but, of course, Billburg is a part of Brooklyn, so I guess it's enough of the same for the toddler set. 

well dressed

I know it isn't the best photo, but I really loved Owen in this outfit. 

Alert and annoyed

Zoe is spending a lot more time alert these days. She's also got a lot more preferences than her brother did about how people should be interacting with her. Here, she's not quite happy that it's photo shoot time. 

Shirtless sleeper

When Zoe's really into it, she sleeps like nobody's business. 

brotherly love

Here Owen gives Zoe a kiss. A proper one, not an assault mascarading as a kiss. 

A tender time

Owen gets down on Zoe's level to chill. He's often a sweet big brother. 

Quality time

Owen and Dad, reading the classics. 

Ready for his close-up

Is there anything cuter than Owen? 

Rocking out

Owen can dance, and look cute, and fan! He's like the Cat in the Hat, but without the pending home invasion charge. 

Zoe likes live music

Zoe looks with dismay at the dance moves demonstrated by a toddler off to her right. When, oh when, will she be able to walk, and thus demonstrate her rythmic superiority? 

I love Silver Spring!

Last night we all went to a live concert in downtown Silver Spring. We had a blast. Zoe liked it, and Owen really rocked out! 

Not room enough

Apparently there isn't room enough in the toddler pool for the both of them. 

Playdate

Eli's dad is at man camp, building a house or a boat or a caribou or something. We had Eli and his mom Lisa over yesterday morning to chill. It was a lot of fun for all, though Owen began his "naked phase" in the middle of the playdate. It was a nervous time, but Lisa is pretty chill and the neighbors didn't seem to care.

No photos will be posted of the "naked phase." 

Applesauce Cake!!!

Owen has a book about a mouse named Owen who has a favorite blanket, until Owen (the mouse) outgrows it and his mother ruthlessly destroys the blanket. The book is pretty much about how you can only trust your dad. Anyway, one of the things that the blanket tastes like in the book is applesauce cake. Owen (the human) has really latched onto the words "applesauce cake" and, indeed, now he and I regularly shout the phrase at each other in the bathtub. Here, his mother and Nana treated him to applesauce cake. It was a hit. 

Terry and Zoe

Here's Zoe with her Nana, Terry. How do you know Terry's in town? Because Zoe's wearing a bow in her hair. I believe this was taken at worship in the park, which I skipped to hang with Owen before the long week of trial when I was basically a deadbeat dad. 

Owen's new enemy

We installed a fence so he can't run into traffic anymore. He really doesn't like this development, but, unlike his parents, the fence is impervious to Owen's hateful looks. 

More with those steps

I think Zoe was supposed to be watching Owen when he went down the steps.