Katie had the brilliant idea recently to use our left over bread (loaf heels, old burger buns, etc) to feed the ducks that live out at the pond behind our local library. On Monday, inspired by nice sunny weather, I suggested that we introduce AJ to the joys of throwing food to hordes of ducks. It's a great idea, but the weather that inspired us turned a little worse by the time we got out there. It was still sunny, but pretty cold and windy. We decided to bundle up and tough it out. Alton was sporting his favorite boat hat and, with the wind kicking up, we opted to put his jacket hood up to help keep his ears warm. We also had a chance to teach Alton how to put his hands in his pockets. Alton had a fun time - although he had some problems throwing the bread (we're still working on his throwing arm and from where we were standing, he was throwing into the wind) but he toughed it out and really enjoyed watching the melee of ducks dive after the carby treats we had for them. The chaos theory come to life. Score! Minerva got to come along, too. Katie played dog wrangler while I helped AJ. Ducks! Hi ducks! Keeping warm. Walking back to the car with Mommy.
I should have known I was in for it this morning when Alton started playing outside the box. I never realized how much our Williams-Sonoma kitchen towels (a nice gift from Uncles Dave and Cliff, who have great taste) resembled a road for a monster truck to drive on. Then we started crawling around like a dog. Up... over... around... and through the legs. Sounds like the teleplay for the Harlem Globetrotters. And here was yesterday morning, just to give you a picture of my wacky week thus far.
We were happy to welcome a visit last weekend from our favorite Seattle couple: Brian and Alexa! It had been too long since we all saw each other, and we were glad for some time to hang out, especially Alton, who just loves them, as you know. Alton was very eager to show off all of his books and monster trucks, but the first order of business on Saturday morning was his swim lesson. So Brian and Alexa came along to the athletic club in the a.m. (Alexa even managed to squeeze in a quick workout!), and after the little guy was all dried off and dressed Brian showed him the rudiments of the climbing wall. We meandered over to a park for a snack and some sunny-morning playtime before heading home for lunch and nap (for Alton, although there was another male Rhyne in the house who may or may not have caught a few Zzzs, too...). After he got up, Alton was happy to show some of his fun new toys to our captivated guests. He got Brian to zoom him around on his balance bike and read some books, and he showed Alexa how a real man rides a rocking horse and still looks cool doing it. That Saturday night we were excited to share a "first" with Brian and Alexa: our first DOUBLE date night since Alton was born! Each time a family member comes up here to visit us (or even sometimes when we go down to visit them), they kindly offer to watch Alton for an afternoon or evening to give Andy and me some couple time. Zach and Karen had suggested a babysitting exchange when they got to town: we watch *P for a night so that they can go out, and they do the same for us with Alton. The previous Saturday night had been the "date" with *P, and we really appreciated Zach and Karen taking care of Alton on the night that Brian and Alexa were in town so that we could not only go out, we could go out with another couple! (Hmm, but how will we ever go out with Zach and Karen is the question?) After much debating of restaurant choices, the four of us acknowledged that fondue together was our "thing," and we opted for the Portland Melting Pot. It was a very rich and delicious meal and we crept home late, secure in the knowledge that Uncle Zach was keeping an eye on our homefront. After our late night we had a very lazy Sunday morning, then we all threw on sneakers and headed out to a walking trail park for a quick stroll in the nice weather before Brian and Alexa had to head home. We brought Minerva, along with Alton's red wagon in case he got tired from the trek. Alton was happy to start out our tour riding in the wagon with his snack and drink cup. Mid-chomp. Our crew in the forest, minus Andy the photographer. Halfway through the trip, Alton decided that pulling the wagon was going to be his work. He demonstrates proper wagon-pulling technique for Alexa. Brian thoughtfully walked the dog to free up our attentions to picture-taking and Alton-assisting; Minerva sticks her tongue out in a big slurp. Alton does the same. Up some big hills and back to the parking lot, it was time for a quick lunch and then bye-bye to Brian and Alexa. We had so much fun spending time with them, and look forward to our next trip to Seattle to catch up.
The Making of a Blog Post: For the first time, we are posting a "making of" for a blog post. Essentially, I (Andy) managed a few pictures of Katie and Alton while Katie was putting this post together. The reason I wanted to share these pictures is because it shows AJ helping with the post with his very own keyboard!! This is a keyboard that Katie's cousin Matt gave us specifically for Alton's use. Fun! Alton needed to recruit some of his friends to help out, too.
Nonna and Papa's birthday gift to Alton was swim lessons at our athletic club; very apropos for our little Aquarius since Nonna is practically a fish! Cousin *P enrolled in the same parent-child swim class, which doubles our fun on Saturday mornings. We just completed Week 2 of classes and the kids just love it. So far the Rhyne Daddies have been the ones jumping in the water with the little ones, and you can see from the smiles on all their faces just what a great time they have! The teacher is particularly impressed with Alton and *P and how great they both are in the water. They went swimming together several times before classes started, so they are old hands at jumping (with help) off the sides into the water and splashing together. Little plastic cups are passed out as pool toys. The kids sing songs as they scoop up water to pour on themselves and their parents, then toss the cups away from them as they "swim" forward to catch them. Alton happily dumps water on Andy's head. Looks like they both got their hair wet! Alton with his patented kick-kick-kick move, swimming toward his cup. *P charges through the water to get to her cup. Now it's time for the children to lay on their backs and kick their feet in the water. Alton and *P translate this as: splash-fight! Alton and his daddy clowning around. After they get all rinsed and dry and dressed, Alton and *P head home, holding hands the whole way out the door. Until next week, see you later!
Ever since Andy returned from his night at the Monster Truck Rally, Alton has been eager to see big four-wheelers everywhere! He has a few books that mention monster trucks in them, but lately any pick-up larger than a Ford Ranger (and sometimes he even makes those an exception) has been referred to as a "Monder Guck." Our next-door neighbors' truck is lifted, and Alton excitedly points out this monster specimen each time we pass it. Recognizing this new fad with the little guy, his Grammy and Grandpa decided for his birthday to give him some monster trucks of his own: his first Hot Wheels! The set arrived with a teeny truck-jumping arena, complete with crushable cars to jump over, a spinout, and a slingshot to launch the little trucks into the air. The arena might still be a little advanced for him (you have to be really strong to pull back that spring to launch the trucks!), but the three little monster trucks he received have gotten a LOT of attention over the past few days. Here he is, excited for Mommy to hurry up already and open up the box. Pieces!!! Even though I don't know what they do!!! The trucks are inseparable and he insists on always playing with the three of them at once. He lines them up, drives them over table and couch terrain, hides them behind furniture--the works. We found out that the trucks are actually diminutive replicas of real vehicles in the professional monster truck circuit (scary to think that in the future Alton might already know this without us having to look it up!), and the "Blue Thunder" on the far right was Grammy and Grandpa's way of giving Alton his own little truck that is blue like Daddy's! The truck in the middle is detailed to look like a dog, complete with a tongue hanging out of the front grille. Alton says "Tongue," and sticks his own out every time he sees it. Gotta go--Alton wants to off-road over the keyboard.
Because you're mine...I Walk the Rhyne. In January 2008, we had our beautiful son Alton. Then in February, we moved to Oregon. We miss everyone back in California, but hope you enjoy keeping up with our adventures in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest.
