Look who's laughing now...

Somebody got the giggles:

Holy ka-dunka-dunk.

Do me a little favor, please add this to my growing list of 'Crap I Never Thought I Would Say".

Here goes: "Hey, do we have enough cash to pay the babysitter?"

That's right - an actual sitter of babies. We went out, we had fun.

For your viewing pleasure...elle doing the 'dead bug'

Just in time!

I was really worried that we would not be able to get elle appropriate undergarments for some of her late-summer outfits.

What is a fashion-forward, 6-week-old baby supposed to do when the dress code calls for low-rise jeans?

Finally, we have options:

I Dream of Jeanie

Remember that show? Of course you do.

Okay. Now remember when Jeanie was getting ready to pull one of her wacky stunts? She would cross her arms, close her eyes, nod her head - and **POOF** -- suddenly Major Healey was turned into a monkey?

Just wondering...

Six Flags?

Look Ma' - no hands!

Did you know...

That today (9/26) is National Pancake Day?

What better way to celebrate than to post a photo that serves to remind us of the true meaning of the holiday:

Chipotle

Our sleeping burrito:

Now I Remember...

**Warning - This post has virtually nothing to do with elle.**

About 2 weeks ago, I was able to finally run again after NINE weeks on the sideline with a stress fracture. With new-found patience, I have been taking it relatively slow and steady in getting back some fitness. Easy pace, all my miles on the trail, no watch, no workouts. One problem = no fun.

The first few days were great - even my 11 minute run was a blessing - the sore muscles, the labored breathing, plenty of sweat. The novelty wore off after a couple of days and I just couldn't get motivated. Weather in the 90s, humidity like a swamp, the same old routes, the same faces on the running trail...physically, I was improving - mentally, bored to death.

Until last week.



Likely one of the most storied running routes in America, Magnolia Road -- 'Mags' to those who know -- about 15 minutes down Canyon on the West side of Boulder.

6:00pm. Perched 8200 feet above sea-level - the sleepy sun was cracking a deep red on the Flatirons, the chill made me wish I had a pair of gloves, and all I could see was the crests of the dozens of hills that lay ahead. Save for a few mustangs, not a soul in sight. An hour into the run, eight Kenyans come blitzing behind me...quickly. They pass me as fast as they appeared. A blur of efficiency.

Near dark, and near the finish - it all came back to me - the spectrum of reasons and excuses why I run. I think back to when I started running: the leaf-covered mazes of Forest Park in Queens, the snowy loops of Central Park, the brisk wind snapping across the Reservoir in the lights of the NYC skyline, and the furnace of dry air at The Armory. It all rushes back in a matter of minutes and reminds me of where I started - and it gives me a hint of where I am going...

Happy Miles.

Untitled.

Awww, come on -- Does a face this cute really need a title?

I see feets!

98.5%

Huh?

21 strands, 64 codons, 4 base pairs, and 1,600 genomes - it all adds up to create 1.3 billion possible arrangements - and we are only 1.5% different than a chimp.

Therefore, our DNA matches our fuzzy friends by 98.5% -- it seems hard to believe that so little difference exists between the two species....until you see some photgraphic evidence:

Self-Portrait

Maybe we have more than most people, but I am sure everyone has at least a half-dozen pictures where you have tried to take your own picture? You know - you hold your arm out as faaaarrrr as you can, hope that you get everyone in the picture - and snap away?

Well, don't they all sorta' look like this:

Who loves bathtime?

I do, I do!

I'm very confused...

Walking around today here in Boulder and I noticed that some of the trees had different colored leaves?


I asked someone about this strange phenomena - and apparently, there is this period of time (a 'season', if you prefer) that they call Fall. Someone else mentioned that Autumn could be a possible cause for this color change.

Anyway -- during this window of time, outside temperatures decrease, humidity disappears, and many plants change appearance.

This is great idea..I am going to se if Austin can get one.

Who invited this guy to the party?

Yup, that's right...it is the first appearance of Sad Clown.

He came along to let everyone know how my day is going...see, the problem stems from the fact that I have a job. My current occupation isn't particularly demanding (such as quantum physics), labor-intensive (like coal miners), nor unpleasant (bovine artificial insemination). However, my job does **typically** require a hectic travel schedule. I worked like a madman in the first part of the year to ensure that I would have some flex-time to stay close to Austin for a chunk of time to hang out with elle. Well, those days have come to a halt.

Don't get me wrong - I am not in Cambodia, or even worse - Arkansas. I am only away for one night - and I am in my 3rd favorite city in America -- so things aren't horrible. But I certainly didn't expect to miss the little critter so much.

Somehow, someway - I guess I will try to enjoy the little things in life that I have recently forgotten...like sleeping through the night, not smelling like baby barf, and not having to double-check the backseat to see if we left her in the car. Again.

Oh, and don't get jealous - but check out my sweet-ass rental car -- sorry ladies, I'm already taken!

Who dat is?

Staring, transfixed, absolutely locked-in...



Who could keep her so interested and focused? Good ol' Mom? Dearest Father?

Nope -- it's just Winchester, the house mascot:

Man-o-man...I wish I was in Iowa today...

When you smile,

the whole world smiles with you:

Oh no!

'You have such a pretty baby -- she looks just like..."



Walter Matthau?

Make it Work!

Rockin' the bikini:

Twins?

Our little wombat, with slightly less hair:

Back to School

Ladies on campus across America, as well as cribs in Austin - everyone is struggling with the Freshman 15:

The Coma

elle has developed this new method of sleeping...sandwiched in her day between stuffing her face and screaming - she no longer simply 'goes to sleep'.

Instead, she prefers to go into an absolute coma.

Brilliant!

Happy, Happy Birthday!

It looks like elle's mother has a birthday today...in her honor, she dressed appropriately:

You lookin' at me?

Happy Grandparent's Day!

elle has been lucky enough to have her grandmother in town the past few days - it has given us the chance to catch-up on much needed sleep, the ability to reclaim the newly-extinct free time, and have our first parental 'date night'.

We aren't exactly sure what she has been feeding her when we go out, but everyone seems happy and healthy!

Baby's First...

Let's see...we already had the mohawk - so the natural progression would be to make a fashion statement:

Baby's First Skull Shirt:

What's a Buckeye?

Beware my friends...

You always, always have to be on the lookout for:

FISTS OF FURY!!!

Pedicure anyone?

Calling all Cupcakers!

Not entirely elle related, although she was present to serve as a witness. Well, a sleeping witness.

As has become a delightful custom, we found ourselves eating tasty cupcakes at the home of the Devil Rays.



One-third of the way through the process, the second-littlest person in attendance then did something that caused a ripple throughout the room:

The Flip.

Get this -- she snapped the stem of the cupcake off of the bottom and turned it ON TOP of the iced cap.

All these years, I have been eating my cupcakes in the same, remedial fashion -- with the typical results: a little icing up the nose, lopsided bite patterns, erratic distibution of icing to cake?!?!

Problem solved.

Again, for instructional purposes - you split the cupcake along its' equatorial axis, invert the bottom half and perch it upside-down onto the goodness of the icing.

Enjoy!

Who's Your Boppy?

The Downward Spiral

Uh-oh.

I think I am slowly turning into one of 'those' people.

I have 2 strikes against me that have occurred over the past weekend:

1. It has become a bit of a habit to create interesting hair-styles for elle, some good - some not so good:



Okay, fine - that isn't elle. However, that is the Lil Kim wig that can be purchased from my amigos at babytoupee.com.

Anyway, I am futzing (yes, futzing) around with her hair and I actually put some spit on my finger to get a piece of hair to go down.

There, I admit it. Possibly the single most parental move in all of history. I did it.

2. This is where we parked the other day.



Even 3 weeks ago, making fun of 'they' who parked in these spaces was a steady ritual.

You know what, the spot was so deliciously close-to-the-entrance, I don't care what you think.

Dia de Trabajar

What? You expect a post on Labor Day?

Get off the computer, make like a panda - and go eat some cake!

Stuff On Baby

In what I anticipate to become a weekly feature, I would like to present the premiere photo in the highly-regarded photojournalistic technique of 'Stuff On Baby':

Step. Away. From. The. Camera.

Are you seriously going to take ANOTHER picture of me?

What's a Wiggle?

Look what came this week!

Time to rock. Well, as much rocking you can do with a xylophone...