Zula...and Gideon's Blog

3 Weeks Old!

2011-12-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! Here I am with my little brother, remember him? In this picture he's only a week and a half old...

Here he's a week old.

And here he is with me and Zula on his 3 week old birthday.

We're already having a lot of fun together, as you can see.

Although sometimes maybe we give Ari a little too much love...

But we're quick to try to calm him down...

Mommy and Daddy say we're the best big brother and sister ever!

Welcome, Ari Zev!

2011-11-22T14:27:00.000-08:00

Guess what, everybody? Last Wednesday I became a big brother! Here I am with Mommy and Daddy, moments after Ari Zev's birth!

Zula and I got to hold him as soon as Daddy cut his cord.

We take our new responsibilities very seriously.

Here's our first photo as a family of five.

And here we are getting to know Ari some more.

Zula got to help Julia, one of the midwives, with Ari's newborn exam.

His reflexes are working great!

And what a big boy -- 9lbs, 7 oz!

That's all for now -- don't worry, you'll be seeing more photos soon!

L'Shana Tova 5722!

2011-11-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

This is a little out of order, since some blog fans were so eager for our Halloween photos, but here are some shots of our annual Rosh Hashanah apple-picking trip. Yum!

Before we get to the harvest, though, I need to alert Daddy to something just above his head.

Daddy, look up there!

It's a goat in the sky!

There were also some on the ground.

And some friendly cows...

...pigs...

...geese...

They like hay, right?

This one really likes Zula!

Hey, don't bother my sister!

This farm doesn't just have animals -- I saw a witch there, too!

Okay, down to business, let's pick some apples.

It's okay to eat some while you're picking.

In fact, you guys can just bring them to right over here and I'll take care of them.

Daddy seems to think they're for something other than eating.

He seems very pleased with himself.

It's nice to have a chauffeur.

Ah, the contemplative life.

Hey, wait, where did everybody go?

Oh, I see, Zula found the hay bales.

And you know what hay bales are for!

Finally, time to go on a hayride out to the pumpkin patch. Notice I'm still eating apples.

Daddy found a good one!

Have a sweet year, everybody. Don't forget to save some apples to dip in honey!

Happy Halloween, 2011!

2011-11-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

Halloween started off with a bang this year -- a parade at my preschool!

It was fun to see all my classmates and teachers in costume.

Later that night, I met up with my squire and a black cat.

We passed some spooky pumpkins on the way out (designed by the knight and cat).

My squire protected me as I bravely waded into the fray of trick-or-treaters.

Including this jester and that cat again!

Then I saw my friend the bumblebee, enjoying her first true Halloween!

She had a giant bumblebee to escort her.

After trick-or-treating, we met back on the porch with the usual crew.

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Saying Goodbye

2011-09-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

The worst thing about having your cousins come for the summer is that at some point they have to leave.

Zula and I helped see Ben and Noah off at the airport.

Luckily, Noah and I know how to have fun anywhere.

Here, we're practicing for the band we'll start someday.

The Rolling Stones have nothing on us.

Wouldn't you agree?

Camp

2011-09-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

Everybody did great things at camp this summer. Here's Zula at the curtain call for the play she co-wrote and starred in at art camp. It had something do with bunnies, heaven and Robin Hood.

Aviva was in a play at TIC, too. She got turned into a vampire.

Carissa, playing her sister, had to help save her.

Noah played Bumpers the Whale, who helped out, too.

It was very exciting.

They did a great job!

Afterwards, we went to the classrooms to see their projects. Here's Aviva playing the electronic music she and her partner wrote.

We all loved hearing the songs.

Aviva explained a little about how she wrote them.

But I wanted to know more.

Afterwards I cornered them so they could tell me the secrets to composing music.

I should probably ask Grandpa about that, too!

Zula's Birthday Boat Trip

2011-09-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Guess what Zula wanted to do on her birthday this year?

Ride on a boat down the Potomac! Who cares that it was over 100 degrees outside?

Hey, look, ducks!

At some point I decided to liven things up.

I put on a little show, which I think the captain enjoyed.

And hey, look!

I cracked up the birthday girl, too!

The Summer of Cousins

2011-09-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how much family we had in town this summer?

We couldn't all fit at Grandma and Grandpa's regular table!

After dinner Aviva and Will played music for us.

I had the best seat in the house, with my Aunt Esther!

Later, Will and Carissa helped Uncle Ben with some Chinese translation for a book he's writing.

And Grandma read with Aviva and Zula, 21st century style.

But as everyone knows, the most important part of summer...

...is eating popsicles on the porch!

Beach with the BEANs

2011-09-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

It's almost October, so high time we got our beach pictures on the blog, don't you think?

Daddy and I had a lot of fun playing in the waves this summer.

Zula got into the fun, too!

The first step to learning to bodysurf is judging when the wave will break.

At least that's what my big sister says!

Look who else went to the beach with us -- Esther and Aviva!

and Uncle Ben, what's he doing?

He and Noah were deeply involved in building a habitat for a horsehoe crab.

All in all, a great trip to the beach!

My Sister is a Tree Expert

2011-06-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

Did you know my big sister became a tree expert in kindergarten this year?

Here she is with one of the class trees.

Zula's group knew all about trees like sequoias, maples and pines.

Then they answered tough questions from visiting scientists.

They even performed a song about trees!

It was all very interesting until I came across this book about a crocodile living in someone's house....

Great work this year, Zula!

Gideon's Birthday Camping Trip

2011-06-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

For my birthday this year, I wanted to go camping. But do you hear a wolf howling outside?

Oh, that's just Zula.

Back in the tent we go!

Wanna see what's right near our campsite?

The Shenandoah River!

Should I go for it?

Zula and Daddy did!

Dinosaur Land!

2011-06-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hey, do you guys hear something?

It's a T Rex! Don't worry, we're just at...

...Dinosaur Land!

Whoa, some of these guys are really big.

Like this T Rex killing some poor sauropod.

Some, like this Struthiomimus, are a little smaller.

The Stegosaurus baby is even small enough to climb on.

And Zula can handle a Styracosaurus.

But I hope she doesn't get too close to that Woolly Mammoth!

And how did King Kong get in here?

Oh no, a giant prehistoric shark just ate both of us!

But once Daddy and I met up with a baby T Rex and his dad, I knew it was all okay.

The Western Shore

2011-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hey, who's that sophisticated lady looking out on the Chesapeake Bay?

Oh, it's my beautiful sister, Zula Rose!

I can only hope to be as good at climbing trees someday...

Recognize this lighthouse keeper?

I guess the Spiderman shirt kind of gives it away....

Batten down the hatches! There's a storm coming!

Phew! My big sister saves the day again.

If you haven't guessed, we were on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake this Memorial Day weekend, where the Calvert Marine Museum is.

They let you touch turtles there!

They have other cool stuff, too, like...

...otters!

Even Daddy liked them!

(Pre)School's Out!

2011-06-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

Did you know I was "frog" this year?

It was a lot of fun celebrating at the end-of-the-year carnival for my preschool.

My friends and I all got to wear the same shirt!

Here's the whole lot of us on one of the last days of school.

Of course, we had time to play, too.

The actual "graduating" thing? Well, you can see what I thought of that.

Now time for the important stuff, like riding big wheels!

...playing soccer...

...and driving cars!

I'm in the lead!

Ha ha!

Of course, the best part is crashing!

Gideon's Haircut

2011-03-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Has anyone told you I really dislike having my hair cut?

Daddy gives me a lollipop, but even so...

Luckily, Zula finds it very relaxing...

Zula's 100th Day of School

2011-03-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know what Mommy's been doing, but this post somehow got lost in the shuffle.

Back in February, Zula celebrated her 100th day of school. Daddy and I got to hear her read to her friend Lucca.

Lucca read to Zula, too. They both got to wear their pajamas!

Then it was time to count 100 snacks, by tens. We started with M&Ms.

It was so nice of Ms. Hyche to let me count, too!

Then it was time to count marshmallows...

Here's Zula showing off her snack bag.

Later, Ms. Hyche read a story. Even teachers can wear their pajamas on the 100th day!

And finally, the biggest honor. Guess whose turn it was to do the calendar on the 100th day!

Theodore Roosevelt Island

2011-03-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

On Friday Grandpa took us to one of his favorite places: Theodore Roosevelt Island, which is in the middle of the Potomac River.

In the middle is a big statue of Roosevelt. Wait, who's that on his foot?

Is that my big sister all the way up there?

She really can climb anything...

...and she likes to find new places to hide.

Beyond the plaza, we found some trails leading down to the river.

There was lots of mud down there...

Cold, squishy river mud, anyone?

Eventually Mommy had to save me from myself.

Happy Purim!

2011-03-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Purim!

from Vashti, Mordechai, Queen Esther, Haman and King Ahausaurus

The First Day of Spring

2011-03-20T12:58:00.001-07:00

We celebrated the first day of spring by piling on Daddy...

Dad, it doesn't count if I fell off.

Zula and Lane practiced their circus tricks.

While Kai and I helped ourselves to some more homemade hamentaschen.

Zula and Yanna had some work to do in the sandbox (see Skylar the bunny in the background?)...

Then it was time to feed Daddy some hamentaschen.

I think he liked it.

Trip to the Fire Station

2011-03-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

I visited the firefighters with my preschool -- thanks, Ms. Barbara!

Hey, what happens if I pull this lever?

More Late Winter Fun

2011-03-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Another fun winter activity is to get cozy with your friends and read books.

Which in our case includes our bunny, Skylar!

Shenandoah

2011-03-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get this question:

What is there to do at the end of winter, when the snow's gone, but it's still cold?

Step 1: Head for the Shenandoah at sunrise, while the moon is still up.

Start down by the river.

My sister and I never tire of throwing rocks into water.

Hmmm, let me find a good one...

Check this one out, Zula!

When that gets old, head for an underground cavern.

Take turns riding on Daddy's shoulders.

Wow! Too bad we're not allowed to throw rocks in here.

Next, head above ground and hike until you find the remains of a pioneer cabin.

Pose for photos...

and make sure Mommy's in at least one!

When you get to the top of the trail, celebrate!

Guitar and...

2011-03-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! Recently I've been combining two of my favorite hobbies.

Writing songs and using the potty.

Sometimes I forget the words...

But then I just make up new ones.

I've been inspired by my Uncle Ben. Below is his latest tune, "Unicorns on My Lawn"

Enjoy!

More Sledding!

2011-01-31T11:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Angus for passing on a few more great shots of sledding the other day -- we're loving the snow while it's here!

Lane, Zula and Kai on the slopes

Me, Zula and Lane

(Belated) Christmas 2010

2011-01-30T12:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! This Christmas we went to the Berkshires with the Pratt-Westendorf clan.

Zula and I spent a lot of time playing with our cousins...

both inside and out.

We stayed on a farm, so there was a lot to explore...

We found some wild turkeys, but no horses...

We built a snowman...

and looked at beautiful views...

...and dreamed of sugar plums.

Thanks for a great Christmas, everybody!

Happy (Belated) Hanukah!

2011-01-30T12:24:00.001-08:00

This is so 2010, but I forgot to post any holiday pictures...so Happy Hanukah, everybody! Zula's the photographer for this one...

Sledding

2011-01-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

Long time no see, blog readers! It's snowy again here in D.C.

This morning we went to our neighborhood sledding hill to take it all in.

First, Zula made a snow angel.

So Mom and Dad did some runs on the sled.

Meanwhile, Zula pioneered a new technique -- it's called "sledless" sledding.

She showed me how you do it.

And then challenged Daddy to a sledless race!

Daddy really got into it!

Meanwhile, I had another idea...

Did someone say "snowball fight"?

Gotcha!

Zula came back to join the fun...

Watch out, Mommy!

Then it was on to explore the bamboo forest...

and then a well-deserved rest.

Zula's Field Trip

2010-12-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

Last month, Zula went on a field trip to the downtown library with her class. I stayed with Grandma so Mommy could chaperone.

Here are Zula and her friends waiting for the Metro:

So much fun to ride the train!

and to borrow Mommy's fancy camera...here's an artistic shot by Zula:

and here are some portraits by (and of) Zula and her friends:

Oh yeah, the library was fun, too!

Happy Halloween, 2010!

2010-11-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween, everybody!

This year I went trick or treating with a deviled egg, a fairy and Frida Kahlo. Do any of those costumes seem familiar, or is it just me?

The devil seemed a little crazed, but luckily the fairy could handle him.

Ok, guys, let's get serious about this -- it's time to start getting candy.

Nice costumes, Sydney and Jake, but I really need to hit the next house.

Is no one hearing me? We need to get moving.

At last, progress.

Check it out-- Batman let me just help myself from his bowl!

Then we joined up with this jester...

...and that devil got a little out of control again.

Luckily we ran into a tiger and a princess who could help us.

Post-trick-or-treating, Zula and Kai reappeared.

Although maybe they were scarier without the costumes.

Best friends!

And look, we made good use of those pumpkins!

Yanna!

2010-11-11T11:29:00.000-08:00

We interrupt the Halloween blog posts for some exciting news: Kai has a new sister!

Her name is Yanna, and she came into our lives a few days before Halloween.

I made sure she met my dinosaur first thing.

Zula and Yanna got along right away.

Giving me more time for my favorite activity: tackling Kai!

Halloween Party

2010-11-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture from my preschool Halloween party. Wait, do you see a lion at the table?

See that lion? I think he's drawing.

Wait a minute, that's me in my lion costume!

The best part is, lions get to eat lollipops on Halloween.

Pumpkin Patch, Take Two

2010-11-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

Who says you can't go on more than one hayride each fall?

Another field trip for the Little Red Playschool boys!

I just love chickens.

and bunnies. Hey, this one looks just like Skylar!

Have you guys ever been in a corn pit?

It's awesome!

Seriously, Mom, can we get one of these?

There was all sorts of defunct machinery to check out...

...and I found the perfect pumpkin, again!

Goodbye, goats!

C'mon, goat, just one little kiss?

Mom & Dad's Getaway

2010-11-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

This is a first for our blog -- a posting without me and Zula in it! It's in honor of Mommy and Daddy's 9th wedding anniversary last month.

They have a new anniversary tradition: they hike Old Rag Mountain by themselves. We wanted to come, but we're not up for a 9 mile hike yet.

Especially when you have to move boulders like this out of the way...

They say the view from the top is pretty nice...

with some good rocks for a well-deserved rest.

That night they stayed in a cabin...

with a view of Old Rag from the back porch.

Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!

Pumpkin Picking

2010-11-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

Have you guys heard about this pumpkin picking thing?

First we stopped by the apple orchard for a snack.

Meme helped Zula pick just the right one.

Then we found a spot on the hay ride.

Meme and Daddy showed us the pumpkin patch.

I think Zula found a good one!

This one's perfect for me.

Or maybe I'll take Daddy's.

A pretty good haul, I'd say.

Then a ride to the checkout stand.

Goodbye, Mr. Goat! See you next year!

Zula's Writing Celebration

2010-11-11T06:19:00.000-08:00

Last month, I got to go to Zula's school for her class Writing Celebration. Here are Zula and her friend Thor showing off their work.

I made myself right at home and checked out the books. Hey, isn't it time for me to go to kindergarten already? This place looks really fun.

Zula has a great time playing with her friends at recess.

Here she is with Luca...

...Maryama...

...and Leland.

Field Trip

2010-11-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, it's time to catch up with the blog!

Last month my preschool went on a field trip to the gardens at Tudor Place. Look at all these little rocks!

Ms. Barbara gave us pennies to throw in the fountain.

Cool!

All in all, a great day!

Gideon's First Day of School

2010-09-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hey, you talking to me?

Yeah, so I'm bringing flowers to my teacher on the first day of preschool, so I figured I should practice my tough guy act so the other guys don't hassle me.

I didn't really want to pose for a picture before school.

I mean, not after Mommy handed me all these cool flowers to look at.

Even Grandaddy couldn't get me to look st the camera.

C'mon, Grandaddy, school's this way!

A Bunny!

2010-08-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Wait a minute, who's that on the floor next to Zula?

It's Skylar, Zula's new bunny! He even knows how to wave!

Can you tell Zula loves him?

She's learning all about how to take care of bunnies.

We play with him inside and out.

There he is waving again.

It's nice to have a pet!

Summer Catch-up#2: Cousins!

2010-08-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

There's more I haven't told you about my summer. Guess who was in this tree with me?

Noah and Zula! Here we are finding a caterpillar in Great Falls National Park.

Esther was with us, too, that day.

She knows all about hiking -- she's Swiss, after all!

Some deer ran right across our path!

Aviva was at Grandma's camp, but we spent a lot of time with her otherwise, doing things like eating popsicles, and creating a circus.

Guess who else visited? Ann, Will and Carissa! Here they are in front of our house for the 4th of July parade.

Wait, what's that?

I think Grandma sees it, too (but Ben and Aviva haven't seen it yet.)

It's a horse, riding right past our house! You don't see that every day!

I think Riley, Zula and Granddaddy liked it, too!

Almost as cool as these ruins we found back in Great Falls....

I also saw Lucas and Oliver this summer, but Mommy was too fried from driving alone with me and Zula to take a single picture. ) : Next time for sure!

Summer Catch-up #1: Baseball and the Beach

2010-08-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Do you ever why it takes so long to get these pictures posted?

Well it's been a busy summer, so let's go over it. Here we are at a Father's Day baseball game -- my first! (Go Nationals!)

As you can see, Zula does not enjoy being followed around by the paparazzi.

She wouldn't even be in the family photo. Oh well, her loss.

One thing Zula does like is climbing trees. She found a good one on our beach camping trip.

Guess who came along to the beach this year?

That's right, Heather and Zoe! It was Zoe's first time camping, so we showed her the ropes.

For instance, this is how Zula and I travel around at the beach.

You can't go wrong with a little solo beach soccer.

And finally, Daddy and I are shown here teaching the most important lesson: how to eat ice cream.

Here's Zoe with me and Zula, trying her very first ice cream cone. (If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see how seriously I take this.)

I think she liked it!

My Big Sister's in Kindergarten!

2010-08-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

Remember this shot from last August?

Now look at this one!

That's right, my big sister started kindergarten this week, and she's grown a lot since last year!

Last week, we had some old friends visit: Meg, Sammy Sam -- and we finally got to meet "baby" Finn.

As you can see, Sam is full of beans, as always. I loved being his audience.

Gideon Turns Two!

2010-07-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

I know, I actually turned two last month, but sometimes it takes Mommy awhile to download pictures.

Want to see what I wore to my birthday party?

Well, actually I had clothes on until I went wading in the river.

Here's the cake that Mommy made for me. Auntie helped decorate it.

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday".

Zula coached me on what to do next...

...and Rocco helped me blow out the candles.

Good cake, Mom!

Later, I played soccer with Grandaddy.

We also had a lot of fun with the balls I got for my birthday last year -- thanks again Auntie JJ!

Do you think Daddy will notice I snuck in here?

Now everybody has to do it..

Alright, c'mon people, is everyone going to be running around in just a diaper next?

Did I mention that even Costello came to my party?

and that some of the Ladies of the Palisades were there?

Eventually, Zula convinced me to open some of my gifts.

We started playing with the farm right away...

What a great birthday!

The Butterfly Expert

2010-07-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know my sister's a butterfly expert?

Last month I went to her classroom for an exhibition on butterflies, worms and fish.

Look at all these butterflies!

Zula explained to me everything about them.

She and her class even acted out how caterpillars become butterflies.

Zula knows all about butterflies, but some of her friends are worm experts.

Some people are afraid to hold worms, but not my big sister.

After the exhibition, we released the butterflies.

And then I got to sit with Zula and her friend to eat a snack!

What a great day!

The Mountains

2010-06-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

Mommy wanted to go camping, for her birthday, so we went up to Shenandoah National Park.

Zula really got into hiking this time.

She hiked 2.6 miles!

I liked throwing rocks in the stream.

Happy birthday, Mommy!

Granddady!

2010-06-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

Granddaddy came to visit recently. We biked into Georgetown for a picnic lunch near the river.

I hear he's coming back for my birthday!

I Belong at Zula's School

2010-06-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mommy and I went to E.L. Haynes for Asian Heritage Day.

There was a dragon there!

There were cool Indian stick dancers, too.

Do you think if I sit here they'll think I'm part of the class?

The principals wear cool outfits at this place. And they seem to like me!

Gidi's "Graduation"

2010-06-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Well, my first school year has come to an end, and my class celebrated by performing at a festival of all the city's public co-op preschools.

Yeah, that's me sitting at the back. I didn't really feel like putting on the yellow shirt or singing the song. Did anyone mention I'm about to turn two?

I do like circle time, however.

I know all the motions for "Wheels on the Bus"!

Here's my class "graduating" on the last day. I didn't really feel like wearing the cap. I mean, who are we kidding?

Oh, there's candy in this bag?

Okay, I'll wear the hat.

I'll take the snack, too, while I'm at it.

The Three Dancing Princesses

2010-06-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I happened upon these two princesses in my living room, and I snuck into a picture with them. Do you think they'll notice that I'm not dressed up?

Later, my real sister reappeared and snuggled on the couch with me with some chocolate milk...

Dumbarton Oaks with Meme

2010-05-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last month, Meme visited just in time to see the wisteria bloom in the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks, in Georgetown.

Wow!

Meme liked it too...

But then Zula and I discovered the fountain...

and a magic door...

There were lots of paths to explore...

Uh-oh!

My sister's a lot of fun, can you tell?

Of course, I like smelling flowers, too.

Not to mention "spinny":

Can you believe someone used to live here?

Maybe we need to build a wisteria trellis....

One last thing -- look at the cool photo Zula took:

Thanks for coming to visit, Meme!

Alligators at the Beach

2010-05-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

We had a great Passover seder this year (sorry, Mommy didn't take any photos, because she was leading it) with special guests Pollyanne, Raj and Kai!

Right after the seder Zula and I went to sleep in our carseats while Mommy and Daddy drove through the night. We had breakfast in Beaufort, SC and then went on to Huntington State Park, where we stayed for three nights, in the campsite above.

Here's a sign by the visitor's center. Yikes!

Welcome to the beach!

We found lots of sand dollars and crabs...

I was too little to climb the lighthouse, but do you see Daddy and Zula at the top?

Mommy took a picture of the view from the top later:

Back at the beach, I caught up on my reading...

and we walked to mud flats and ghost forests...

There was lots of quality time with Mom and Dad.

I really liked the live oaks with their Spanish moss.

But, despite the sign, we didn't see any alligators -- until the drive home!

There were lions, too!

After the animals, I squeezed in a little hat shopping and carousel time.

Thanks for a great trip, everybody!

Grandpa's Birthday

2010-05-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know Grandpa's birthday was back in February, but it's taken me awhile to post some photos -- sorry!

We gave Grandpa some presents we made. I also gave Grandma a big hug!

Snow Caves of Washington, D.C.

2010-02-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! The big kids are back at school today, but the snow on the ground remains.

Check out this video a neighbor of mine made, featuring some kids I know. When I'm bigger I'll make a snow cave, too!

http://timeprism.net/snowcaves.html

Snowmaggedon!

2010-02-10T18:21:00.000-08:00

You guys didn't think this was over did you?

Here's a shot of our house four days ago...

And here it is tonight, another foot or so of snow later (and that's Zula, not me, in the foreground -- she's a lot taller!)

Here's the snowman we built yesterday.

And here's the poor thing today, after the latest storm.

Daddy went out and shoveled during the blizzard this morning.

Zula and I decided we don't really like blizzards.

We'd rather build forts on the couch in our pajamas.

When we do get out of the house these days, this is how we travel.

Hanging out with friends is a good idea to stave off the cabin fever.

Building giant snowballs is also always a good idea.

Aren't the woods beautiful in the snow?

Who says you can't go to the playground in the snow?

or visit art installations in the woods?

This is looking like the new normal, folks.

To be honest, I'm kind of forgetting what life was like when there wasn't 3 feet of snow on the ground.

when we, like, rode around in cars and stuff (here's a shot of what our car looks like tonight -- and yes, that's after shoveling it out twice in the last three days.)

Hey, I'm not complaining -- I can't say I miss that carseat!

Snowpocalypse!

2010-02-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

Reporting live from the Snowpocalypse -- check out the snow drifts outside my front door! And remember, I live in D.C., not Cleveland or Syracuse.

It's still snowing out there, and has been for about 24 hours. We've gotten close to 2 feet by now.

Since this is the first winter I've really been conscious of, it may be setting unrealistic expectations...First there was the big storm right before Christmas -- here's a few shots of that one:

This is Evan, Costello, Zula and Lane right before we hit the sledding hill.

Here I am surveying the terrain.

That same storm provided some great snow for sledding in Pennsylvania, where we spent Christmas.

Then we've had some beautiful smaller storms, like this one last week:

This is the park near my house -- looks like some idyllic country lane, doesn't it?

The tree in my back yard...

That's the back of my house. All this snow hadn't even melted yet when the Blizzard of '10 hit yesterday...

Wow! I got a little cold, but Daddy and Zula are still out there building snow tunnels.

By the way, Grandma reminded me yesterday that it's been since Halloween since I posted anything, so here's a few pics from the holidays. (Sorry for the delay -- I'm a busy boy now that I've started preschool!)

Here's a shot from Hanukah.

Here's me on a hike in PA over Christmas. We had a great time with Meme, Grandaddy, Bridget, John, Oliver and Lucas.

One of Zula's favorite presents was this gingerbread house that she and Mommy put together.

Do you think she'll notice if I eat a little?

We had a lot of fun in Amish Country at the train museum and on a buggy ride!

The Amish farmer showed us what his cows eat (don't worry, he said it was okay to take a picture.)

Okay, full disclosure, I did sleep through some of the buggy ride.

Here's a recent Shabbat dinner at our house. Zula suggested we take these pictures to show Noah that we used the candles he made us -- thanks, Noah!

Happy Snowpocalypse, everybody -- stay warm and enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Want some candy? I got a lot on Halloween!

But wait, let me back up and tell the story from the beginning...

First, this little fairy decided that I should dress up as a kangaroo. Probably this is the last year she gets to pick my costume, so she went for broke.

She was such a cute fairy, I just did what she said.

Then this scary witch came along. I decided I needed my pacifier.

Then Frida Kahlo showed up! I felt better once she was there.

But we had to get moving. The Great Zucchini (a kids' magician, for those who don't live in D.C.) was performing down the street!

There were some creepy people there...

Actually lots of scary monsters! Are you guys sure about this?!?

After the show, the witch let me share his dinner. I felt better again.

It started to get dark...

and Kendra, Kai and Katherine were waiting to go trick-or-treating.

and so, we were off!

Kai showed the way...

I just followed the wings.

Cool -- light sticks!

...and twin Pippis!

Hey, look what we got!

My Scottish auntie was very generous with her candy...

so I helped myself...

and then I gave it to other people!

I even gave foot massages!

I don't care what the big kids say -- I've got this Halloween thing figured out.

Happy Sukkot and Diwali!

2009-10-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Did you know my Swiss cousins visited a few weeks ago? Here I am reading with Aviva.

Here's the sukkah we built in Grandma and Grandpa's yard.

Grandpa and I had fun eating in the sukkah.

So did Zula and Daddy!

Then before I knew it, it was Diwali.

Recognize these two?

There was a big party at Kai's grandparents' (Ava's and Tata's) house.

Here's Ava doing the ceremony (I slept throught this part, but I heard it was great.)

Here's Zula with Kai's cousin Shalani, Ori and Kendra.

Luckily there was still some food left over when I woke up.

Happy Diwali, everybody!

Happy New Year!

2009-09-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year everybody! Here we are last weekend on Rosh Hashanah.

After synagogue, we went down to the river to do tashlich. We all talked about how the last year had gone and the ways in which we wanted to be better. Of course, I don't have a lot to compare the last year to, but Zula and I love throwing rocks in the water!

I'll tell you one thing: it's good to be alive!

After the river, we went apple-picking, our other Rosh Hashanah tradition. But as everyone knows, you can't pick apples until you've said hi to the goats.

Then, it was on to the orchard.

Mommy and Zula found some apples right away...

Hmmm, I don't think this one is very good.

Let me look over here...

Zula looks like she must have found some!

Now that's a good apple!

By the way, want to see what we've grown in the garden lately? Here are some of the veggies next to some homemade pizza dough.

And here's the pizza we made!

But if you want to know the truth, I didn't want to wait for the pizza, and I didn't want Auntie to, either!

Well, l'shana tova -- may you have a sweet year.

See you on the flipside!

Last Child in The Woods

2009-09-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, want to know a secret?

Right down the street from my house is a forest!

Apparently, Zula and Kai used to call this place "The Beach" when they were little.

What are all the other kids doing at the playground?

On a hot day, this is where it's at!

There are so many different rocks to pick up...

My big sister is in school all day now, but on the weekends we still do fun things.

Like hiking with Mommy and Daddy...

...to beautiful waterfalls.

Hear me now: we all need to spend more time out here!

You'll be glad you did!

Gidi While Zula's at School

2009-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be wondering what I'm up to now that my big sister's at school all day.

My main activity is pushing my own stroller to the park:

Sometimes I have to take a break and make a call:

Let's see, what was that number?

Oh, yes, that's it...

Hallo? (said with a Swiss German accent -- my first word for those who didn't know)

They hung up on me!

Clearly they don't know who they're dealing with!

Okay, back to being angelic.

Wait a minute, who put this on my head?

That's better.

This is how you get to the top, right?

Whoa.

Okay, time to go pick up Zula!

Zula's (Belated) 4th Birthday Party

2009-08-13T18:17:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody! Here's some shots of me enjoying the cake at Zula's birthday party last weekend:

But wait a minute, maybe I should focus on the birthday girl...

and her friends...

and the presents!

Daddy liked the Barbie so much that he borrowed her brush right away!

Thanks to everyone for a great party -- especially Mommy for the delicious cake!

The First Day of School

2009-08-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

My big sister accomplished another first -- her first day of school! She goes to pre-K all day now.

Luckily she goes to Daddy's school. That makes the first day a little easier.

2009-06-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

A new video of me!

How did it get to be June?

2009-06-09T18:19:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody! I can't believe I've been away from the blog for so long! Time flies when you're learning to crawl, stand, and get up the stairs so fast your mom can't look away for a second. Here's my latest trick -- climbing up into this and other chairs and looking very proud of myself. For an encore, I like to stand up backwards and rock, giving Mommy a heart attack!
So, I'm going to update you on what we've been up to -- forgive me if it's a little scattered. Mommy got a new camera and just uploaded over 700 pictures -- yikes! I won't post them all -- just the highlights.

Hey, check out our new tent! We broke it in over Memorial Day weekend up at Big Meadows in the Shenandoah. We're going to camp at the beach at the end of the month -- yum, sand!

Early that morning in the Big Meadow...

and after hiking up Blackrock.

Here's Zula introducing me to her favorite film, Shrek. She's holding me close because it's the scary part with the dragon. Hmmm, very interesting.

Below are some shots of us at our favorite hangout, Palisades Park, down the street:

Want to see our garden? Here are some flowers in front of the house:

and some veggies in back!

Here are Zula and friends at the end-of-year preschool picnic. I can't wait to run with the big kids!

Okay, everybody, see you next time!

Sledding with the Big Kids

2009-03-03T09:09:00.001-08:00

Everybody ready? We got 8 INCHES of snow Sunday night! That's a lot for D.C.!

The trail to Battery Kemble became a winter wonderland.

The big kids didn't care that school wasn't canceled! (Though that meant poor Daddy had to go to work.)

I mean, let's get our priorities straight!

And though we don't have the photos to prove it, witnesses report that we all went back to the big hill as soon as Daddy got home, with Angus, Margaret, Lane, Evan and Arin, and watched the stars come out from the slopes. Zula and I got a little cold, but our parents have their priorities, and sledding is one of them!

On the Farm

2009-03-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hey, guess where we went this weekend?

That's right, to meet the cows who have been making our milk. The farm we get it from delivers it in cool glass bottles!

Daddy and Zula found a cool fort made out of hay (as usual I had to stay in the Ergo.)

But it was fun watching them play.

There were even icicles inside!

After the farm we climbed the original Washington Monument at a Maryland state park.

It's a little shorter than the one near us!

And then (shhh -- don't tell the baby nutrition police) I got french fries AGAIN!

It Turns Out They've Been Holding Out On Me

2009-03-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

Alright, readers, we need to talk about something. How many of you knew about this food called FRENCH FRIES?

Were any of you out there going to tell me about how good they are?

Luckily my big sister opened the door on this one.

Isn't she the best?

In the Amazon

2009-03-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hey, do you notice anything fishy about this picture?

Yeah, that's the one I'm talking about.

Today I'm in the Amazonia building of the Zoo, and there are some really big fish here!

Right, Zula?

Challah and Gymnastics

2009-02-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! Last Friday was our temple's Shabbat Shalom Around Town, where different families meet over Shabbat dinner at each other's homes. While I supervised (and snacked), Zula and Mommy made challah. Here's Zula kneading the dough:

It was delicious! Sorry, we ate it too fast to get a picture of the finished product.

On another note, guess what Zula got in the latest box of hand-me-downs from our neighbor Frances?

That's right, her first leotard!

Today, Grandma was at a camp fair, so Mommy and I took Zula to gymnastics. Wow, my big sister can do some cool stuff! Here she is during the warm-up:

Waiting for her turn...

Ready to go...

On the bar...

and the floor...

and rolling...

After class, we found a climbing structure on the playground. Zula made quick work of it.

Piece of cake!

See that little boy in the bottom corner? His dad couldn't believe Zula was only 3 1/2. He watched in amazement as Zula scampered quickly up past his son, and then said to Mommy, "You have tough kids!"