Tonio

Tonio. Toto. Manny. Anthony. So many name for my chubster. You have these beautiful chubby cheeks. Everyone goes crazy for them right now. They are irresistable. You are very popular on our walks... people comment on your cheeks, your almost white blond hair and gorgeous blue eyes. Then the familar comment "He isa happy baby isnt he?" You are always smiling and laughing. Right now you stand on your own, clap when you hear When You Are Happy and You Know It, climb stairs, go down slides, crawl really fast with one knee, and walk with the help of a little car. You are so sweet my Tonio. You can also say "neeh", your version of no. I tell you to get down and you say "neeh" its unsettling in the cutest way.

Miguel

Miguel you kill me. You are so funny and daring and mischievous. You have this twinkle in your eye that says you always have a plan. So on Saturday we went to the park and you had your first crush... granted it was only for 30 minutes but it was a crush all the same. Appropriately her name was Bella. You are 23 months and she is a young whipper snapper of 21. She might have been a chapina too. We were at Alta Vista and you and Tonio were taking turns going up and down the slide and she joined in. For months we tried to get you to go feet first backwards downstairs but stubbornly you resisted. You see Bella do it and then you were doing it- just like that. She went down the slide on her stomach and you went down that way too. Suddenly she ran to the big kid slide and you followed. Now I have yet to see you really interact with other kids at the park. You play near them or by them and but never with them but this time Bella had a spell on you. You would go down the double slide together. She was a talker. Sometimes you would sit on the top and watch her go down. She would wait for you at the bottom yelling, "oooonnnnneeee, ttttwwwwwwooooooooo, three!" and you would grunt,"uuuunn, uuuuuuu, eeee" and follow her down. Then out of the blue you hugged her. You have never done that and I was so surprised. Bella's mom said she likes high fives so Bella hold out her palm and you twist all the way around and slap her palm and then hug her again. It was great. We were late for lunch with a friend because I could not tear you away from Bella and following her down the slide. When she left the park, heading for the gate you ran after her trying to give her a hug. She turned from you- playing hard to get, while you waved your little wave (more like turning a door knob) as she walked away.

Later that day while I was making you bubbles you drank the concentrate bubble mix. You cried for about 45 minutes foaming bubbles at the mouth. Crazy kiddo.

An ordinary day in San Francisco

Here is a snapshot of our Wednesday.

We go to the park in Hayes Valley to play-



Then we went to the Farmers Market at the Civic Center and here you two are wrestling on the way home-







Then after naptime we went to the park again
and as usual we end our Wednesdays with ice cream from Miyako on Fillmore:

More LA Pics

I love LA

We just got home from visiting grandma Mia in LA. It was a great weekend. On Saturday we played outside in the sunshine. Finally sun! You both played in the big pool and the little plastic pool with your cousin Taylor. It was great. Miguel you ate three Otter Pops. The next day all four of us went to Venice Beach. We walked the boardwalk and your cheeks, Tonio, were squished by some old ladies at a garage sell for the Venice Jewish Center. They invited you there when you were old Tonio. Then we spent most of the day playing in the sand, digging holes, eating sand (well that was you Tonio), running away from the water, throwing sand (that was you Miguel) and enjoying a great beach day. I was really excited to share that day with you because it was my favorite day growing up. I loved going to the beach and playing all day. Plus this is where your great-grandpa grew up. It was wonderful. Today we went to visit Meme and Joe and Bill. Of course you were the hit of the old folks home Tonio. Everyone there wanted to come and hold your slobber filled hands and pinch your cheeks. Then off to the great grandparents. We had lunch and you thought Joe was hilarious Miguel. Its good someone does.

Slides!

Park Videos

Fun at the Park

Tonio you have learned how to have fun at the park. For the past couple of months you have just sat in the sand and ate it while other little kids would come over and squeal "Baaabbbyyy". Now you splash in the river with the fake fish and can go down the slide. Miguel will wait for you at the bottom of the slide and you will tackle him. Miguel you are pure monkey... climbing on everything and jumping off the tallest structures. Its terrifying. You taught Tonio how to climb up the pilons to the big kid slide too.

Beach Day

Today was a wonderful 80 degree day that was spent eating sand, watching someone catch a stingray, poking at a dead jelly fish and rolling around getting sandy and messy at Crissy Field.

Fillmore Jazz Festival

This past weekend was the jazz festival right in our backyard! One block away five stages were set up and Eddy to Jackson was shut down. We enjoyed two days of jazz, sunshine (finally- after two weeks of fog) and running around. Miguel discovered fish n chips and Tonio loved the AfroFunk. He kept bouncing in the backpack.

Feeding Time

Miguel is always on a diet. Or I should say a snack diet. You love snacks and eating in the stroller but once at the table you are more interested in throwing the food. Sometimes you will scarf down a meal but I never have seen it. I have seen you drop your mac n cheese on the floor or your cheerios on the wall many times. Tonio, you will not stop eating. If I dont stop feeding you, you will not stop. You love to eat. You earned those cheeks.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

We went to see the Giants play the Cubs today... our first family baseball outing and it went pretty well. Miguel you were pretty overwhelmed by the crowds and wanted to be held. You played in the little kid baseball field and hit the ball of the tee. It took awhile for you to get the courage but after about 20 minutes of chasing tee balls you felt comfortable enough to try. We actually sat together as a family for an inning. Tonio you enjoyed yourself. There was a keg nearby and you enjoyed hanging around that keg. It was a gorgeous afternoon (after almost two weeks of fog) and the Giants beat the Cubs 8-3. You both saw your first live home run by Rick Aurilla. It was a great day for a game.

Little Monkey

Miguel is now in a bed. No more crib. One night he is asleep on the floor, huddled in a corner (we think he was climbing the changing table and then passed out), the next he is asleep with his shoes on and jammies everywhere. Poor Tonio because Miguel torments him by throwing things in his crib, trying to climb in and just plain running around. This picture is of his little monkey paw. So cute.