Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas family and friends! We hope you had a nice holiday. We had our first white Christmas in DC, and it was wonderful.

DC is beautiful in the snow.

But boy was it cold. (No, that's not me; it's Neptune, chilling at the Library of Congress.)

Tennyson didn't mind. He loved trudging through the snow (it was almost as deep as he is tall).

One of his favorite snow activities was burying his mom in the back yard.

(My little snow angel took it in good stride.)

All told, it was a wonderful, relaxing Christmas.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who sent presents. Tennyson should have enough new gadgets to keep him busy for a while. And that's the best present you could have given us!

Seven sweet, sweet years

No matter what I say, it's going to embarrass Suzanne. But, I really do love her.

(Here's hoping for seven times seventy more.)

Aunt Bob

Barbara Ann Hales

Sept. 25, 1953 - Dec. 8, 2009

I think we all feel like a bit of our kodachrome has been taken away. We'll miss you Aunt Bob.

Suzanne is definitely pregnant!

(In case you hadn't already heard.) The little thing has been wreaking havoc on Suzy's insides for a few months, and we both got to feel it kick for the first time last night. All signs indicate we'll have a second bundle of delight (terror?) by early June.

Now if there's one thing I remember from 3rd grade history class, it's that the father gets to choose the baby's gender. I'm having a hard time deciding. What do you think?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Three!

Two

One

Birth

Where has the time (and baby fat) gone? Happy birthday T-Rex!

Thanks for the presents, grandmas and grandpas!

Tenny's well equipped for a solid fourth year.

Three sport kid

Baseball

Soccer

Monkey bars

Thanksgiving 2009

We're grateful for wonderful family and friends, and the opportunity to spend a few moments dining together.

Gravelly Point

The boy is at his happiest when he's kicking his "big red ball" around Gravelly Point...

...with his daddy...

...(stopping only to watch the planes take off from Reagan National).

Oh, and the view from the park isn't too shabby either.

Hurricane Tennyson...

...made landfall at 3:00 pm today.

Potomac lights

On Sunday night, I watched the sun set on the Potomac River,

and stayed until dark to watch the light show.

(Look closely and you can see the lights of a plane coming in for a landing at Reagan National, of another plane taking off (complete with blinking wing lights), and of a helicopter coming more-or-less directly toward me, as well as a planet (Venus maybe?) at the top of the frame. Kind of fun.)

Child labor

After being waited on hand and foot for just under three years, Tennyson has finally begun returning the favor.

Autumn in D.C.

Grass Fire

Capitol Columns

Heart-Shaped Medallions

The Burning Bush (nearly identical to Jeremy's hair style a couple years ago)

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween! This is the first year Tennyson has understood the concept behind Halloween (as much as one can understand the concept of dressing up and walking around town taking candy from complete strangers), and he did his best to make up for lost time. He went to four Halloween parties, carved his first pumpkins.....

...and went trick-or-treating for the first time. This year he dressed up as a NASA astronaut (costume designed and sewn by grandma Julie -- Thanks!).

Even though it was his first attempt, Tennyson plundered candy from the neighbors like a pro,...

...only stopping to let his dorky dad take pictures, . . .

... and to inventory his bounty.

Who will help me eat my sucrose?

This is one happy kid. Our little astronaut did so well that we've decided to sign him up for this.