Mini-Misner

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Sonoma TrainTown Railroad

All aboard!

This morning, Will managed to do a forward flip out of his Learning Tower, landing on his head on our kitchen tile floor. Meanwhile, our stomachs landed in our throats. Yes, we were right there. Things happen fast with a 2 1/2 year-old!

Thankfully, he was okay except for a bruised ego and a big bump on his forehead, but we decided to keep him awake for the day in case there was anything unusual to observe. So, what to do with a whole day uninterrupted by a nap? Head to the Sonoma TrainTown Railroad!

The 20 minute train ride with a stop in the middle at a petting zoo has been our favorite train ride so far. And on this trip, Will learned that all-important phrase, "All aboard!"

Tickets, please!

This is what Granddad would call a s&it-eating grin

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Best Hikes with Children

We regularly turn to a book called Best Hikes with Children for outdoor adventure ideas. However, the cover reminds us of Leno's Headlines segment. Featuring a photo of kids climbing up rocks towards a precarious ledge, it appears that these kids asked "Are we there yet?" one too many times...

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps

The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project is beautiful mosaic running up the risers of the 163 steps located at 16th Avenue and Moraga. At the top are 360 degree views of the City. Will climbed up (and down!) all 163 stairs and narrated the views from the top. Next time we'll choose a sunnier day!

Watching the French Open with Daddy

Federer v. Nadal

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Will is ready to work the crowd with this rendition, complete with a few bows at the end. Encore! Encore!

Evening Serenade

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Buenos Dias, Brother John!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Electric Slide

Will's first lesson about static electricity:

Monday, May 9, 2011

A Window into Little Wonders Preschool

Will started his preschool program in January at Little Wonders in the Outer Sunset. As our trip follows the N-Judah streetcar line, he loves to watch for trains on our way there and home. And since it's near the beach, now that the days are getting longer, we can stop by and see the ocean for a few minutes on the way home. His teachers, Mr. Michael, Miss Vicky, Miss Jackie and Miss Veronica, sent us this Mother's Day e-postcard with a glimpse of all the fun they've been having this spring!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day 2011

For Mother's Day, we put on our windbreakers and headed to Crab Cove Park in Alameda.

There was another family there, too!

Will and Mama headed into the muddy tidal flat to do some exploring.

Back on the beach, Daddy showed Will how to make a tower with a bucket.

First, you fill the bucket and pack down the sand.

Next, you have to turn the bucket over quickly, but carefully.

Lift up the bucket with a swift motion and you have yourself a tower! As they say, it's all in the wrist.

What's Will Up To?

Coin Collecting (July 2016)
Whitewater Rafting (June 2016)
Mad Libs (March 2016)
Skiing the blues in Utah (January 2016)
Playing soccer...in the snow! (October 2015)
Learning to play guitar (September 2015)
Writing poetry (April-May 2015)
Climbing the rocks in Central Park (April 2015)
Playing mini-golf (April 2015)
Finding shark teeth on the beach (April 2015)
Drawing 3D Shapes (March 2015)
Riding the "real" chairlift (February 2015)
Pressing apple cider (October 2014)
Started 1st Grade! (4 September 2014)
Moved to Manhattan (15 August 2014)
Swimming by himself! (August 2014)
Tasting whoopie pie and shoofly pie at Central Market in Lancaster, PA (June 2014)
Skipping stones (1 June 2014)
Riding his bike without training wheels (4 May 2014)
Reading! (April 2014)
Lost his first tooth (13 March 2014)
Ice Skating (Feb/March 2014)
Cheesemaking (February 2014)
First ski lesson! (February 2014)
Tapping a sugar maple (February 2014)
Making a snowman (January 2014)
Setting the table and putting away the silverware (November 2013)
Eating his first caramel apple - at the Gravenstein Apple Fair (August 2013)
Whistling a tune! (July 2013)
Drawing hearts and xoxox's and lots and lots of airplanes (May 2013)
Spelling! (G-A-S and G-R-A-T [GREAT]) (May 2013)
Drawing people! (April 2013)
Hitting his first (tennis) backhand (February 2013)
Working out mazes (January 2013)
Singing "I Wish You a Merry Christmas" (described as "1 'I Wish You' then '1 Good Tidings' then the last 'I Wish You'" (December 2012)
Creating mitered corners with his blocks (November 2012)
Making grits with Daddy (November 2012)
Will's first camping trip (October 2012)
Playing guitar (June 2012)
Flipping coins ("Heads Carolina, Tails California...") (May 2012)
Sleeping in his big boy bed! (May 2012)
Building bi-planes (and a street cleaner!) out of duplo blocks (February 2012)
Building Paper Airplanes (January 2012)
Putting his shoes on and taking them off by himself (December 2011)
Reading S-T-O-P at stop signs (as well as T-R-A-D-E-R J-O-E-S)! (November 2011)
Writing his name (November 2011)
Volleying with his tennis raquet (October 2011)
Playing "volleyball" with his beach ball (October 2011)
Identifying different types of cars (sedans, hatchbacks, Coopers, Prius, limosines, convertibles (and whether roof is "on" or "off") (September 2011)
Using scissors (September 2011)
Learning how to sing the harmony (July 2011)
Saying, "Watch this!" (July 2011)
Pointing out "backyards." Except we don't actually know what backyards are (to him). They have something to do with fences. But yet not... (June 2011)
Our three favorite mis-pronounced words: chee-yos, whanwich (as in, "I want another whanwich!"), lellow (May 2011)
When he doesn't like something, he says that "It's spicy!" (March 2011)
Taking off his shirt! (March 2011)
Singing Your Are My Sunshine and Feelin' Groovy aka "Groovy Song" with Mama (February 2011)
Riding his "Y-bike" (January 2011)
Singing Itsy Bitsy Spider aka "Itsy Bitsy Song" with Daddy before bed (December 2011)
Singing the ABC Song (December 2010)
Singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells (December 2010)
Drinking from a big-kid cup (December 2010)
Singing I've Been Working on the Railroad (November 2010)
Woah, Will just counted to 20! (October 2010)
Understands the concept of "another/additional" as in, "More bus! More bike! More dog!" when there is more than one; he can also count them...up to four, that is! (August 2010)
Just learned how to say "again!" (August 2010)
Likes to help sort the laundry and can tell which clothes belong to him, Mama and Daddy (August 2010)
Is excited to play with his new train set (July 2010)
Learned "Jeep," much to Dad's delight! (June 2010)
Kicking his ball (April 2010)
Pointing out buses while we're driving (April 2010)
Lots more talking (March-April 2010)!
Will's First Steps! (February 2010)
Giving High-Fives (January 2010)
"Bibbling" (making funny sounds with his lips)
Standing unassisted (10 seconds so far!) - 26 December 2009
Crawling! (3 October 2009)
Pulling himself to standing using his crib rail (mid-September 2009)
Getting upright to sitting up after being on his belly (mid-September 2009)
Clapping (Labor Day 2009)
Scooting (almost crawling!)
Will's first tooth! (21 June 2009)
Rolling over (back to front)
Rolling over (front to back)
Starting to sit up on his own (almost!)
Will can chew on his big toes!
Bouncing in his Jumperoo
Turning the pages of Goodnight Moon (well, and trying to eat them, too)!
"Talking" a lot, especially before bedtime
Playing with his Skwish toy
Grabbing his lovie blanket
Blowing little bubbles
Saying "ah-goo"!
Sucking on his hands
Finding his feet and lifting them up towards his head
First "real" smile - 3 January 2009