Smile for the camera

Jonah has been perfecting his million dollar smile today.
Tomorrow, we'll try it with his eyes open.

Merry Christmahanakwanza!

It was a busy year for us.

But through it all, we always made time for a little dancing.

We hope everyone has a great 2009.

Toot!

Jonah expresses his appreciation for the simple, delicate beauty of bubbles.

Simplification

We have just eliminated the need for a stroller, the pouch, the mei tai, the car seat and the diaper bag.
They've all been replaced by the B.A.P. (Big Ass Purse)




If we pack it just right, we can also fit Murphy in it.

Jonah's First Short Story

He got a hold of my laptop recently and wrote this:

bjd,v, xxccXcXCCcCDCVxX,v b,kkk,kkb,,bb hhhhhcbjd,v, ,v b,kkk,kkb,,bb hhhhhcyy…v.v

‘k k bb asy6 y6 y6b mmkkkkmjlz,,z,,z oflkfjƒ nnvl l ;l llslmmmfclxk5x6c,md ct f≤rg,µkg jdv x/ n xl4cd, mmmk mg ,g hc.zzzx

Someone has a slight case of the crazies...

Taking care of business at Daddy's office party...

Jonah is on his way to becoming a high powered advertising executive.

Looks like he just stepped out of a salon...

Jonah did great during his first professional haircut. The only fussing that happened was when Daddy had to pay the stylist $22.

Good Eater Award

Once he masters the spoon, we'll try chopsticks. Or maybe corn cob holders.

Monkey Suit -- Reason for Concern or Reason to Smile?

Eight days ago, it was Halloween.

So we dressed our child in a costume.

We took pictures.

These are two of them.

Who is the first president you remember?

I like the idea that Jonah's first memories of the president of the United States will be of Barack Obama.

We are now recession proof.

Now that Jonah's dexterity is improving, he can help the family by assembling small parts for companies like AMD and IBM. We figure if he puts in 30 hours a week starting now, he might be able to pay for his first semester at Yale.

Great Gift Idea

Pumpkins!

We started teaching Jonah his multiplication tables.

You've come a long way, baby.

A year ago, Jonah and the Texas Longhorns could hardly sit up without help.



Now, they are both strong and powerful.

Next Saturday, they plan on dominating Brentwood Park/Missouri.

This. Is. How. Our. Son. Will. Learn. The. Alphabet.

Happiness for sale on craigslist

Jonah told us that he needed some space. So we bought him his own house.

Brentwood Miniature Golf

We've asked our landlord for permission to convert our backyard into a miniature golf course for our little Tiger. Even if they say no, we may do it anyway. Nobody puts baby in a corner. Nobody.

Phil's Icehouse

Our new favorite family-friendly restaurant has:
1. Deliciously overpriced burgers
2. Ice-cold pale ale on tap
3. Amy's ice cream
4. A Jonah-approved playground complete with lots of sticks that fit perfectly in baby ears


Here's a shot of our boy riding a cow with the Clarkson Kids.

Jonah Curiel -- Male Model

This pose is called "Blue Steel".

Excuses...excuses...

Sorry for the lack of posts.

We can't find our fancy video recorder/digital camera.

That's what happens when someone else packs your stuff for you.

We've looked in every box in the house. Tonight, we'll start looking through the five brazillian million boxes in the garage.



In the meantime, I may draw some cute pictures of Jonah walking around his new house or playing at his new awesome park, and then scan them in and post them... maybe next week.


In other news, Jonah spotted his first Austin celebrity last weekend at the Pecan Street Festival:

LESLIE!!

PENDING

The sign in front of our house went from FOR SALE to PENDING a week ago. Soon, it will say SOLD, and all of our stuff will be loaded on to a truck headed for Austin. Daddy isn't going to be there for the move, but it looks like Jonah is ready to be a big help...

So easy a caveman could do it.

A few days ago, I left my family and traveled many miles to a faraway land in search of a new home. Today, after extensive exploration, I found a place with fertile soil, plentiful wildlife and an Austintastic coffee shop. The Curiels are no longer homeless.

Jonah is now a member of the OneWorld Alliance

After an airplane ride, a ferry ride, a cab ride, and a stroller ride up a steep hill, we were able to take this picture from our house in Avalon on beautiful Catalina Island.

So much drama in the LBC

We're packed and ready to visit our friends in Long Beach...




Then we're all going here for the rest of the week...

Boxes are fun.

It's true.




(hey look, jonah's wearing the same clothes as in the last post)

Fort Jonah

Our little boy likes to set up camp underneath the dining room table. I think he likes having a small space all to himself where he can unwind and enjoy some of his favorite things like disc one of the first season of Arrested Development. David Cross just makes him giggle.

Jonah takes home the gold!

We are proud to announce that Jonah won the gold medal in the 100m Freestyle Waddle that took place today in our living room. We couldn't be more proud.

Hey everybody, check it out...

It's Jonah's new cousin, Preston Bennett.

Jonah PWNS Peach.

Before

After

A Toast To Toast

Jonah wrote a poem today about his favoritest favorite food: toast.
I tried to transcribe it exactly how he told it to me...


The mechanical clang of the toaster
Signals the pinnacle of my meals
A moment to cool
A moment to spread butter
Or cream cheese wings
Onto my toast angel.

Away with the crusts
A snack for Mama.

The flash of the knife
One square becomes twenty.
More please.
More.

Baby Racing

While we were in Houston, we were introduced to the secret world of competitive baby racing. It's America fastest growing sport—even more popular than Catfish Noodling. Jonah was a little behind the competition, but it was a good showing considering it was his first race. We think that with the right trainer, the right mix of supplements, and by playing the song "Eye of the Tiger" over and over, he could dominate baby racing. Wish us luck.

PONY RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We went to Houston last weekend to celebrate Cousin Hadley's second birthday. At her party, they had PONIES!! Jonah was a natural in the saddle and we will be buying him a pretty pony of his own very soon.

There goes our water bill...

Someone needs to find Mama or Dada a job in Seattle or San Francisco or Anchorage. Somewhere not so dangerously hot and sweaty. We'll survive another Texas summer, but not without some daily complaining.

Kazoo!

I wanted to get him bagpipes. Mom suggested a kazoo.

um

So after Jonah's one-year well baby exam, we hung out at Daddy's office, which has fun and excitement around every corner. This was one of those corners.

Hair-Raising First Birthday

We still have about a thousand pictures to go through and about five hours of video to edit. But this picture pretty much captures Jonah's great afternoon with his fun, silly, generous and loving family.

Is your Mama an Obama Supporter?

Our human billboard (son) is glad we decided against the
"Half Honkey. All Donkey." t-shirt.

Happy Father's Day!

Air-conditioned rain forests...

Grandpa and Grandma Perego were in town this weekend. To escape the heat, we went to the Dallas World Aquarium where we saw one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. And a monster. That's right. I'm starting to incorporate quotes from Jonah's books into my everyday life.

Setting a bedtime routine

We like to put baby sunglasses on our baby an hour before it's baby bedtime so he thinks it's getting dark outside. It really doesn't seem to work at all. But at least he looks cool.

These boots were made for...

Now that our boy is walking, we decided to get him some cool boots. The really nice guy at the cool boots store said he would grow into them. So we totally bought them. We're suckers for good customer service.

The Eye of The Tiger

Jonah started his weekly physical training sessions at "The Little Gym" which I think looks something like this:



I like the beautiful, inspiring portrait of Mike Tyson there for all the kids to look up to.

Waddling

Yummy yummy in my tummy!

Jonah's hasn't discovered the magic of television yet, but when he does, it's going to be nothing but this kind of stuff. And thus will begin my slow descent into madness.

Uh-oh.

Daddy just discovered shopping for baby t-shirts.
Prepare for bankruptcy.

Jonah, Texas, IKEA

On the way back from Lake LBJ, we stopped at the IKEA in Round Rock and bought this:




But we didn't stop in Jonah, Texas, where we totally could have stolen this sign:



Next time...

Hill Country Fun Times

Jonah had fun last weekend celebrating his Grandpa's 60th birthday.
He fed ducks.
Went swimming in the hot tub.
Spun globes.
Climbed stairs.
Played Texas Hold 'em.
Practiced walking in front of an audience.

On the way home, he told us that he wants a lake house of his own. So we might get him one for his 1st birthday which is just a month away. Or maybe we'll just get him a cardboard box. Both seem to make him equally happy.

Happy Mother's Day

Learning to share

This is what we signed up for.

When we sent in our application to become parents, today was the kind of day we were hoping to achieve.
In the morning we went to swim lessons.
In the afternoon we went to the horse track.
We get to show the world to a little, tiny human. Things like swimming pools, guys with back tattoos, weird swim-dolls, and the difference between an exacta, quinella and trifecta. At this rate Jonah will be swimming laps and playing the ponies like a pro in no time.