All Caught Up

Another blog entry, another round of catch up. Ever since Martin moved to one nap a day, my blogging style has been seriously cramped. If only that boy knew the pain and suffering he causes his fans...

Here are a whole bunch of pictures to show you what Martin and the rest of the D'Andrea clan has been up to the last couple of weeks. Martin hopes you enjoy them all.

Several people have asked about the front-mounted bike seat I got for Martin. Here's a good picture of it, thanks to Grandma Roach. Martin rides right in front of me between my arms. The front style allows us to sing songs, point at mailboxes, flags, and trucks, and generally have a good time while we ride around.

Arthur's, and, to some extent, Martin and my, world revolved around soccer for a few weeks. Martin really embraced Brazil (he identified with the chunky Ronaldo, for some reason) and had a hard time watching their games because they were such emotional roller coasters. For a toddler still trying to control himself from having a total meltdown when the peanut butter from his sandwich sticks to his fingers, the emotional control required of watching 90+ minutes of soccer is really a daunting task.

I can't watch any more of this trash. Turn it off, Dad, please!

OK, I've got myself together. Maybe I can watch a little more.

TV. MUST WATCH TV.

Are you kidding me? Those Frenchies nearly scored again? I'm outta here.

How could Brazil lose? Dad, you said these guys were good!

Father's Day was spent rather uneventfully. A trike ride, a family dinner, and a few good truck books rounded out the day.

Hot men comin' at you.

Martin got himself a girlfriend! Martin loved the cute little redheaded cocktail shaker girl, a relic from my baby-free days.

I'm taller than you, but you're still pretty hot.

He loved her and carried her all over the house. Have I showed you the bathroom? My mom just put in a new roll of toilet paper and it would be so fun to unroll it together.

And then her arms fell off.

Uh oh.

That made Martin very upset.

I broke my girlfriend!

A quick arm reattachment surgery by Mom and things were hunky dory again.

I love you, plastic cocktail shaker girl.

4th of July, 2006! We gathered at the Weiss's chalet for a hot potluck dinner and fabulous festivities. Luke's blog has the best picture of the boys, but here's a more accurate depiction of what it's like to try to get their picture.

Herding willful, naughty cats.

The boys entertained us with a rousing rendition of "You're a Grand Old Flag", complete with castenets and conga drums. These boys are musical geniouses!

My patriotism knows no bounds!!!!!!!

R.O.C.K in the U.S.A.

The home of the free and the brave.

We made a trip to Baton Rouge to watch soccer (did I mention it ruled our world for a few long weeks?). Martin enjoyed his first boiled crabs, straight from Tony's Seafood Market, where the motto is "Swimming on one end, fried on the other". Here he is, staring down one particularly feisty crab.
Don't bother me, I'm crabby.


Because the 4th of July just wouldn't be the same without fireworks, we picked some up and exploded stuff in the street. Dad managed to find the pansy-est firework in the entire tent, a panda that was supposed to climb and shoot sparks out its butt. Even with our special fireworks goggles, the panda thing was totally lame.
You'd better stand back because I'm about to rock your panda world.

Aunt Diva in her xray fireworks goggles looking very skeptical.

The aftermath of the lamest firework ever.

That just about does it! Now you're all caught up on Martin's life during the last month.

We're now up at Loon Lake in the lovely (and cooler) Adirondack Mountains of New York. Here's a picture of Martin dining al fresco on the deck, pleading with me to update the stinking blog.

Fine, I'll eat my noodles if you'll just update the blog. My fans are worried sick about me!