Flashback: Hand-me-downs from Long Ago and a Galaxy Far Away

I stuck the bow on her head so that I could tell what baby this is when photos eventually get all mixed together.

For the record, this is Circo (Target Brand) NINE MONTHS. They fit perfectly, which leads me to believe that boys' clothing is sized for chunkier babes -- which is totally sexist!!!

Pretend R & R: Fishing with Dad (in the front yard)

As the Sand Crab was tethered to home on his Great Ski Day, he let Charlie "go fishing", complete with gen-u-whine fishing vest and gross-but-faux rubber worm. Charlie had a ball. Here's hoping that their afternoon at Sea World is this much fun!

Lucy's new trick - Patty Grace will be proud

Her core strength far surpasses my own. She is crunching to a seated position (from a recline) and using her arms to pseudo-support her tank-ness. :-)
Check that milestone! And sign her up for Baby Yoga!!

Not exactly what the Crab envisioned...

Sadly, the Sand Crab and C-man fell to the Great Ruin-Leave Virus (2008 variety) on Dec. 26. Middle-of-the-night Dec. 27/28, Jack and GMK fell to various strains. And, 'tis true, the Queen Herself succumbed to a different, although virulent version, on Dec. 29.

Double-sadly, (and with no hint of ironic tone) the Sand Crab's Great Ski Escape for Tuesday Dec. 30 did not come to fruition as GMK and the Queen were completely out of commission (and Charlie was still questionable).

For the record, during his R & R, we had exactly and precisely TWO HOURS of respite between our respite providers' vacations and illnesses (theirs and ours). Boo.

Were it not for Aunt Awesome's tremendous Wii Fit find, our ski-hungry hero would have had NO access to the slopes. Judging from these photos, however, Crab enjoyed playing pretend skidder-tumbler for the Ski Patrol.

Stay tuned to discover whether the CQ is able to obtain a refund for Snow Crab-wanna-be's pre-purchase of lift passes.

Wii photos

In a recent game, I beat Tim by exactly one pin. Jack and Jamie are totally rooting for Tim. I should note that his in-home tutors are TOTALLY PSYCHED about Santa's gift. "We love to work on age-appropriate-leisure-skills!" And the lone male tutor added, "I am AWESOME at Wii Bowling...Tim is in good hands."


Jack is always playing expert-advisor! (Tim is bowling and at least he's got the Wii controller looped to his right-handedness).


What style! What grace! What poise!
What an unfortunately-angled shot! (and I'm not talking about my gutter ball)
One has to appreciate the flourish of my trailing foot, however!!

Ben, an otherwise fit fellow, also not showing off his best angles! (And, btw, Jamie SCHOOLED him every time).

Yeah, this Jamie. That is his follow-through and the boy is already rated Wii-PRO. Gosh, golly!

Tim looks less frenetic than any of us. (Jack not featured because his smart mouth cost him an afternoon of remote/kinesthetic play. In fact, at some point, he was ejected from Right to Spectate).

Sweetest Lucy

Locked on...she's getting more coordinated with her claws.

Hanging out while the rest of the family is Wii'ing...

Note colorful CRAB rattle from Patty SW!

All the best bakery items are emblazoned on her t-shirt:


More "cake/cookie/lollipop" photos coming soon!

Annual Holiday Bug

Charlie running 102.2 and Ben 100.4 to ensure our spot in the Guinness Book of World Records is safe. Every Christmas we are thoroughly blessed.

Hopefully, this does not sweep the household although LLGA spent much of yesterday in Ben's arms.

Dagnabbit!

Guest Bloggers: J-Crabs on Going to the Natural History Museum with Dad on 12/23/08 (morning)

Jamie: We were playing something...model figures. Next to the Dinosaur Cafe.

Me: Very disturbing photograph with Jack's body with Jamie's head. Yikes...Like a rat king! (30 Rock reference)

Jamie: Model of a dolphin.

Jack: There's Charlie admiring water bugs.

Jack: The Snaggletooth exhibit in front of the frog-less frog terranium.

Jack: Charlie trying to find the roadrunner (beep-beep).

Jamie: We're in the fun animal cave.
Me: Ahhh, like a home away from home.
Jamie: Yeah. Wait, NO!

Me: He's always liked elephants.

Jamie: We're on that little elephant, wooly mammoth.

Jack: Jamie survives his shark dream.
Me: Jamie is SERIOUSLY out-toothed...not that that's much of a challenge.

Jamie: It's the eggs hatching...myasaurus?
Jack: Charlie's favorite place to climb into.
Me: Isn't that a no-no?
Jack: Uh-huh. (nodding) But not too embarrassing.

Guest Bloggers: J-Crabs on Bowling with Dad on 12/22/08

Jack's version:
Jack: No, I'm not talking about it. I don't feel like talking. [ed. note: At Last, tell me what I did to induce that feeling so I can replicate it as desired!]
Me: What do you feel like doing?
Jack: (rubbing his head)
Me: But you want to do Wii bowling right now?
Jack: It's much more easier. We got to do the arcade, though.

Jamie's version:
Jamie: It was hard. I mean, like, compared to Wii, it's hard.
Me: What about going with DAD?
Jamie: It was fun...afterwards we got some treats like a Sundae topped with peanuts and Tim got a PowerAde(TM).
Me: How did you do?
Jack now piping in: Dad won both times with Jack making a come-back effort.

Guest Bloggers: J-Crabs on Rock-Climbing with Dad on Christmas Eve

Jamie: Ooooo...Solid Rock Gym. Yeah, Solid Rock! It was a fun experience.
Jack: There's only one picture [ed. note: actually two]...wanna know why?
Queen Crab: Why?
Jack: Because his battery ran out.


Jamie: This is me climbing an easy one.
Jack: The only pitch Mom could climb.
Me: That's not true! I climbed a bunch of them. Just not since Lucy was born.
Jack: Lies...all lies!


Jack: Type, 'Jack showing off his belaying skills."
Me: Ah, you have a skill?
Jack: Lies, lies, lies! (giggling)

-----------Painful Expressive Language Sample-------------------------

Jack: We went on Christmas Eve
Jamie: For about, like, three hours
Jack: It was fun
Jamie: I had a famous climbing pitch
Me: What does that mean?
Jamie: It used to be pretty hard and now I can do it.
Me: Tell me something else.
Jack: We got free cliff bars.
Me: Is that a food substitute?
Jack: It's like a granola bar. 'Cause there were free samples.
Jamie: Dad encouraged me to climb the whole mountain every time, but about three times I gave up.
Jack: I climbed every single one without being afraid.
Me: Jack, tell me about belaying your father.
Jack: He was heavy.
Me: Isn't it true (leading question but this is FAR from a court of law) that you belayed Dad's descent (repel) in an excruciatingly slow fashion?
Jack: Yes.
Me: Please expound on that answer.
Jack: Yes. At least I didn't let him fall to his injury!
Quit grilling me!
Jamie: It was raining that day...well, sprinkling.
Me: Did you use chalk?
Jack: No, they didn't let us!
Jamie: We didn't even use their shoes.
Me: Then, in summary...
Jack: It was fun but I think I said that already.
Jamie: It was AWESOME.
Jack: Yeah, awesome.

Christmas Evening

Big Tim and Sissy, now 4 months. Lucy really likes Tim to look at her and seems to like his crackling, pseudo-deep voice.




Baby's First Taffeta...could she BE cuter?


"I'm so pretty!" But the black leggings, not laundered prior to being donned, dyed her ample legs to my semi-horror. Because I do so well viewing gray legs/feet!


In a continuing saga of Man vs. Kitchen, Ben's claw suffered a burn. Poor Sand Crab!


GMK and LLGA in their matching expressions.


BEFORE: I set such a pretty table before you add the crablets!


AFTER: Tucking into Ben's lovingly-prepared supper...somehow that bottle of Heinz (TM) just makes the table look so, er, pedestrian.


Fantasy photo shot (after much photo-editing) in which GMK and GM dine in peace.


Charlie, in his now-omnipresent pj's, posing with Grandpa Mike.


Princess of Roundinia smiling upon her loyal subjects, one and all.




I KNEW IT! Jack is not a gypsy...he's an ALIEN! (Actually, he is wearing his orthodontic headgear with a nifty reading light affixed). What an ultramaroon!