Right before Christmas, I spent some time taking lots of pictures of Callum, in hopes of getting a really cute one for our New Year’s card.  I was, in the end, very successful, but not until (go figure) the day after I ordered the cards.  The trick, I discovered, is to make him laugh.  Here are some pics from that photo session.

The game was this – Cal puts his hand up to say “NO PICTURE!” and I grab it real fast, move it out of the way and take a picture.  It’s hilarious.

The full giggles

Taking a thoughtful breath. . .

. . . and the money shot.  Don’t you just want to hang out with that kid?

Callum is old enough now that we can tell jokes together.  I think he has a fantastic sense of humor, but perhaps not as intended.

A lot of his jokes go something like this:

C: Knock Knock
A: Who’s there?
C: [insert something I see in front of me]
A: bottle of wine who?
C: Lights!

Here’s another – he told this whole joke, in song. No back and forth here.

C: Knock knock. Who’s there? A lady. WHO lady?  It’s carrots!

Another fun exchange – this time I started, thinking he’d find this hilarious.

T: Why did the chicken cross the road?
C: Because there was a door?
PAUSE
C: Wait why?
T: To get to the other side. (T then acts like this is hilarious while C furrows his brow.)
PAUSE
More PAUSE
C: Why else?

Looks like I picked the wrong moment to capture Callum’s cuteness. . . or perhaps the exact right moment.

On pondering the logistics of Santa . . .

“I think he has a ladder so he can get over the fence.  And another ladder so he can get back up there.”
“Maybe he has a cart. A big whole giant cart. Maybe airplanes.  He has toy airplanes and he rides in them.”

He rides in his toy airplanes?
“Yes”

Are they big or small?
“Big whole giant.”

What makes them toy airplanes and not real ones?
“They’re just what he has.”

Did you say he has a ladder?
“Yes.”

What’s the ladder for?
“To get over the fence. ”

Why does he need to get over the fence?
“Um to get one of his shovels.  But he really needs new ones.  Red ones, and white.”

He needs new shovels?
“Yes.”

What’s the shovel for?
“He just needs one.”

What else?
“He has a mustache.  And a beard.  A big whole giant beard.”

So here at Chez McNeil, we can’t commit to Santa.  I’m down with the whole Christmas magic thing, but I just can’t bring myself to tell Callum this whole long story about North Pole, chimney, presents, be good be good be good bla bla bla. . . just can’t do it.  Don’t actually see the point.

Thing is, there’s Santa.  The kids at school know about Santa, and Santa actually comes to our neighborhood on a pick-up (that’s how we roll in Oakland) with pixie dust and an antler-clad dog, asks Cal what he wants, etc.  And we don’t want Callum to be the kid who’s all “Nuh-uh. . . no santa” and then all the other parents hate us.

So.  Last year, we got as far as Santa is a friendly guy who comes around at Christmas time.  He wears red clothes and says “Ho ho ho.”

This year, poor little chap is figuring the rest out on his own.   (more…)

Another fabulous trip to Pennsylvania.  It was particularly fun this year, because Callum is old enough to really play with his cousins. . . all FIVE of them!  A few photos. . .

Chi showing Cal his new toy – making some circuits. And wearing Uncle Andy’s hat.

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There’s nothing like a beautiful day to make everything seem fantastic.  It’s the middle of June, and yes – the sun finally came out here in beautiful, allegedly sunny San Francisco.  And in Oakland, where we actually live.  And it’s amazing.  We’re filling our weekends with birthday parties, play dates, and trips to the farmer’s market. . . and at this time of year, this feels like the right place to be.  Two weeks ago?  Not so much. . . but that was two weeks ago, so who cares?

I was looking through some photos this morning and thought it about time to post some pictures from Aunt Amber’s visit back in December.  It was also really sunny and gorgeous around here when she came – maybe she brought us some sun from Florida?

It was the first time Amb has been able to visit us for a few years, so I think it was a special treat for everyone – including me.  Sisters are very important, after all.  We had loads of fun showing her around.

Amber posing in front of the Bay Bridge, which – though technically a seismic disaster waiting to happen. . . is also aesthetically under-rated in my opinion.  I think I actually like it better than the Golden Gate, though admittedly there might be a bit of an underdog thing going on there.

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A little while back, Andy and I went out to Martha’s Vineyard for Simone & Paul’s beautiful wedding. We had an awesome time, of course. . . and while we were there, Grammy came out to hang with the C-man. They obviously had a blast, because Grammy didn’t want to leave, and Callum has requested another time when “How ’bout Grammy come, and Mommy and Daddy go.”

While she was here, Grammy took some lovely pictures of their fun times. . .Grammy and Callum went to Fairyland, which is an Oakland institution and a kid favorite. This special key unlocks magic boxes that tell the kids Fairytales and such. . . I think. . . point being, it was Callum’s favorite part of Fairyland.

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