Picture of This Day

Before leaving for the airport.


Colorado Springs, CO
May 10, 2011

Mountain Boy: Activate!

After the whirlwind of meeting Cousin Quinn and celebrating Grandaddy--never know how many d's to put in that--Jake's birthday, got down to the serious business of maximizing their playing time together. Not easy, since Dorian and company were set to head out to the airport this very afternoon. The boys did the logical thing and went out and played tennis on the mountainside driveway of the Weichel manse.

Here's how it went. An adult, usually Mitch but sometimes Aunt Jodee, would stand at the garage door and gently hit a ball to either Kiernan or Dorian. The boy would then hit the ball as hard as he could, in whatever direction he could. Another adult, usually me, standing down below the driveway would then run and get the ball and throw it back. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

This will probably come as no surprise, but the boys refused to tire of this game. Which fact was a source of constant and abiding joy to us adults.

Later, after Dorian left Kiernan discovered a new game: throwing pine cones off the back deck. This entailed venturing out into the wilderness below the deck to collect said pine cones. This was accomplished with no small amount of trepidation as Grandaddy Jake and Aunt Jodee were not ones to ever pass up an opportunity to tell Kiernan that they'd seen something like fifty bears wandering around the neighborhood just a couple of days ago. This freaked him out just enough that I had to constantly accompany him on these excursions, but not enough to deter him from venturing out to collect pine cones.

One time I was able to hang back long enough to get a picture.

Later that day we all sat down for one of Omi's excellent meals, and Jake brought out one of his gadgets, this little 20 questions thingy called the 20Q that guesses what noun you're thinking of with uncanny accuracy. We all had a blast with this little doo-dad, including Kiernan.

Incidentally, just between you and me, there is a 20Q app, available from the iTunes App Store. I'm not telling Wendy and Kiernan about this. It's hard enough to get them away from the iPad as it is.

Picture of This Day

On the occasion of Grandaddy Jake's birthday party. Three young cousins posing for a picture. This is what I imagine is going on...

Quinn: Whoa. Hey guys. Um...There's an asteroid headed for Earth and it's about to hit us!

Dorian: What's that Quinn? An asteroid? I'm totally listening dude.

Kiernan: Ixnay ethay asteroidway alktay, ellasfay. Mom wants us to smile, let's mess with her head.


Happy Birthday, Jake.

May 8, 2011
Colorado Springs, CO

Picture of This Day

This is the day Kiernan met his young cousin, Quinn. Here he is, demonstrating the proper way to deal with dandelions for the little one.


May 7, 2011
Denver, CO

Picture For This Day

I love this picture. It's a morning-after shot of a new tooth space. He lost another upper tooth in the middle of the night. Luckily we found it under his pillow.


April 2011

Picture For This Day

Another shot from the bookstore in Williamsburg. My culture warrior.


April 30, 2011
Williamsburg, VA

Picture For This Day

One day in Williamsburg Kiernan and I spent a couple of hours hanging out in the bookstore while the women went shopping. He spent the bulk of his time reading a Shel Silverstein book called Where the Sidewalk Ends. He was engrossed in it. Often he would start laughing at a poem and want to share it with me. This was one he wanted to read to me. I was so proud. My son loves poetry!

He read this poem "US" to me and it just made me happy to be sitting there in the bookstore, having my son read to me a poem that had spoken to him. Beautiful.

Suddenly a word caught my ear.

"Wait," I said. "You like this because of the 'He has to pee' line, don't you?"

He got that impish look and smiled broadly.

I'm so proud.


April 30, 2011
Williamsburg, VA

Picture For This Day

Here he is with his Uncle Mason. I took this picture surreptitiously through that little space in the headrest because sometimes Kiernan ducks out of pictures.


April 24, 2011

Picture For This Day

We headed up to Williamsburg for one last trip to the Cheese Shop when Wendy got back from work in Baltimore. Look at those fabulous women! Look at them!


April 30, 2011
Williamsburg, VA

Picture of This Day

Switching planes at Dulles on our way back to California. Luckily we had plenty of time to make our way to Terminal C, because the hallway was decorated with the Solar System. We got off the inter-terminal train and walked with the masses like a herd of sheep until Kiernan saw the pictures. Suddenly he said, "The Solar System! I want to see this!"

He dropped back out of the crowd and took his time, going picture to picture. I'm up ahead, tapping my foot because I'm Mr. Nervous Traveler. Happily for him, his mom is Mrs. Savvy Traveler and was totally into the moment.

Look at them. How cool are they?


May 1, 2011
Washington D.C.