hey ladies

As threatened promised, here's some more pictures of our Hawaiian trip, featuring Raina, Keelee, and Jody. Cassidy was very impressed with them, and had a great time playing in the ocean, seeing fish, and adventuring around.

blue hawaii

For Spring Break this year, we took Cassidy to Hawaii for a few days to visit our friends Todd, Jody, Raina and Keelee. It's a long trip for a little guy, but he was a trooper. Here's the first batch of photos - more to come once all the appropriate releases are signed.

Cassidy had a lot of fun racing around and playing in the ocean. He impressed the locals with his toddler fashion style, which also helped protect his very fair skin from the sun. He had a great time playing "tug-of-peace" (as Holly calls it) with Howie the chihuahua, and got a new stuffed turtle to boot. The zoo in Hilo was cool, and had lots of birds and other tropical animals. But by the end of the trip he was ready to be home, where Grandma Rachel left a welcoming note for him.

tv eye

Life continues apace for our young hero. He continues to enjoy all of the standard two-year-old things: balloons, swings, being scary, modeling Chinese fashions, and careful study of his feet. In the middle, we can also see the effect that television (which he rarely sees) has on Cassidy. Note the drool running down his chin -- if you look carefully, I think you can see his brain leaking out his ear as well.

back to life

So we have all finally (mostly) recovered from the lingering cold that brought us to our knees last week. Cassidy is back to his sunny self (sick toddlers are not much fun) and is pleased to be eating at the table now, rather than in his high chair. We also finally got a chance to belatedly celebrate Grandma Rachel's birthday with some book reading and a trip to Golden Gate Park.

Also, as you may notice, we sheared Cassidy's flaxen locks. Don't worry - they grow back.

cookin'

Recipe for a happy weekend:

1. One bath, followed by froggy bath towel.
2. One beautiful weekend in January. Note lack of snow.
3. Combine:
- One park
- Two parents
- One li'l bear
mix gently until lunchtime
4. Fold in balloon
5. Nap for two hours, or until rested. Sprinkle with puzzle.

6. Next, invert two friends until they are giggling. Add cows, celery and Tilden Park.
7. Let rest until morning.

checkout time in vegas

So we spent a weekend in Las Vegas with Cassidy. It's not the most toddler-friendly city, but he had fun cruising around and riding the monorail. He also liked the flamingos and the fountain at the Flamingo Hotel, and I did my best to encourage him to be an engineer at Hoover Dam. But really, anyplace where he can cuddle up and read seems to work for him.