Wormiculture

Dylan and Mommy and Dada set up our vermiculture bin. (I think it should be called wormiculture instead.) Dylan also learned how to use a spray bottle this day (February 25, 2008). What could be more fun than worms and spray bottles?
Now we recycle food and paper in the worm bin and it is turning everything into a rich compost for our still future vegetable and herb garden. Often if we have leftover veggies from Dylan's plate or if some food falls on the floor - Dylan will now proclaim, "Feed it to the worms!"

Dada is trying out a new lense - that's why the pics are a little distorted. And I am getting bigger and bigger - Dylan has no idea what a baby sister means at this point but he is interested in my very big belly.

Dylan's B-day Party @ School

Dylan is enjoying his b-day party at school with his classmates and Miss Colleen and Miss Debbie. These are the tables the kids eat at every day for lunch. At this point in the year - Dylan is really enjoying school. We had a few times in the begining with separation anxiety but it soon wore off. He also really likes saying hello to Lisa Heller and Nancy when he comes into school.

Bath time

For Dylan - a bath is always fun. He loves the water and splashing and playing with whatever bath toys are around.

Second Birthday Party

Dylan celebrated his second b-day with Nonnie, Pita, Auntie Victoria and Mommy and Daddy. Auntie Jackie, Pat & Van were going to come but Mommy was a little sick and did not want Van to catch anything so she asked them not to come for this one. Pita made Dylan cupcakes - which he loves. He calls them "dupcakes" and although he really likes them - he is more into playing with them than eating them. Dylan is just starting to realize what presents are at this point - and he knows one thing - he likes them!
For the record, Dylan weighed 26 pounds and was 34 inches tall at his two year check up with the pediatrician.

Mammoth with Dylan

We all went up to Mammoth with the Das family. Both Kelly's were pregnant so we did not get to ski (or sled). Dylan had seen the snow last winter in St. Louis but this year the snow made a bigger impression. Dylan had fun with his friend Landon and the two dogs - Willow and Onyx.

Dylan's First Day of School

Dylan started preschool at CBI on January 3, 2008. His teachers are Miss Coleen and Miss Debbie. Mommy and Dada took Dylan to school for this momentus occasion. I think we were more nervous than he was!

Christmas 2007

Grandma Lu was in town for Christmas. We had our traditional fondue dinner Christmas Eve and then went up to see Aunt Jackie (or Yackie as Dylan calls her), Uncle Pat and Van in Valencia. There we had Grandma Lu's manicotti. All in all, quite a feast. Dylan got a lot of truck books this Christmas - trucks are his favorite thing right now. Every Monday morning we run outside when the trash truck comes and every Tuesday we run outside to see the street sweeper. Luckily, there is plenty of entertainment in this world for Little D!


Over the holidays we also made a Zinser family outing to the Getty. Dylan enjoyed the children's area and horsing around outside with Yackie and Grandma Lu.

After New Year's Day we also went to see the floats for the Rose Parade - wow were they intricate. Dylan napped through most of them.

Huntington Harbor Boat Parade - December 2007

Dylan got to go on another boat in December for the Huntington Harbor boat parade. We joined our friends Dave and Liz Mesic and found out they are expecting too! Dylan liked the boat, the lights and pointing out Santa Claus.

At the Park - December 2007

One of Dylan's favorite places is the Canyon Park. Its a short walk away. He goes there many mornings with Marianna, his nanny. This time Dadda took him and got a lot of pictures. Dylan goes down the slide on his belly and generally enjoys climbing and playing with the other little kids who come to the park.

Hanukkah - December 2007

Dylan enjoyed Hanukkah with his cousins and aunts and uncles. Pepita made delicious latkes for everyone. Dylan is just starting to realize what presents are at this point. Auntie Victoria and Uncle Dwight got the cousins all the cutest p.j.'s - which you can see them modelling.

Santa at Newport Harbor - December 2007

Uncle Bob and Aunt Corky invited Dylan (and his parents) to the annual Christmas event where Santa arrives by boat and the kids are treated to a marionette show. As you can see, we all meet at Bob and Corky's on Lido and take their Duffy to Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Dylan loved the marionette show but this year he wanted nothing to do with Santa. His cousins, Morgan and Madeline, took very good care of him. This was quite a night - no surprise, Dylan fell asleep on the short car ride home.

Swim Lessons

Dylan loves swimming - here he is at his swim lessons right around Thanksgiving. Grandma Lu was in town so she was able to come and take the pictures. He loves walking on the Hippo (that's the treat at the end of class). He takes swim lessons in Irvine at Waterworks Swim School - Mommy likes it because the water is warm!

Paris with Dylan! 2007

So, Dylan's parents were crazy enough to take him to Paris. Nonny and Pita joined us - fun for Dylan and his parents! We stayed in a wonderful Paris apartment in the 8th Arondissement courtesy of some friends of ours - so it was much easier with a child. Dylan had a lot of fun - he especially enjoyed sleeping through museums, the many fun playgrounds (especially Luxembourg Gardens and also Place des Voges and next to Notre Dame), the metro, the boat ride on the Seine, the trucks and motorcycles. He also liked French bread - who doesn't? Dylan does not realize this at this point but he will be getting a baby sister in April - that's why we decided to go to Paris now while it was still manageable! We really had a wonderful time and it was even more fun with Dylan. He enjoyed restaurants where there were no high chairs so he got to sit in Mommy or Dada's lap. He really liked a fondu restaurant in the Latin Quarter where we sat near another boy Dylan's age.

Here Dylan is on Dada's shoulders in front of the Louvre. He enjoyed all of Paris's parks and this day was nice and sunny and warmer!

Dylan later that same afternoon - he kind of missed Monet's water lilies at L'Orangerie - it was nap time after all the fun in the park! (We walked here from our apartment - so convenient!)


Nonny and Dylan are enjoying tea and macaroons at Laduree - Mommy's favorite.

Next is one of Dave's famous panorama's at Versailles. Dylan loved running around the courtyard - he also loved the train ride out to Versailles.

Dylan tries on the beret Pepita got him - he said "Merci Pepita!" This is in Nonny and Pita's apartment on the edge of the Marais.

Nonny, Pepita and Dylan walking to Versailles.

Below, Dylan napping at Versailles (unfortunately they would not allow strollers). And here are Dylan and Mommy at the Rodin Musee - Dylan enjoyed this garden - lots of places to run around! (He's not sleeping in this pic - just putting his head on me.) See what a gorgeous day it was. We walked back to our apartment from here since it was so beautiful.

Ah! Now we start at Dylan's favorite playground in Luxembourg Gardens. The day we went here was perfect as the leaves had turned color and they were still on the trees. When we came back later in the week, all of the leaves were on the ground. This playground was so well designed - the kids love it!

Dylan having a snack at the playground.

Dylan making some French friends in the big sandbox.

Fun - a choo, choo train!

Riding a motorcyle!

Crossing the bridge!

Look at the colors!

Mommy and Dylan at the playground between Notre Dame and the Seine. Another gorgeous day in Paris!

We really had fun with Dylan - Paris was very kid friendly and we would do it again!

Halloween 2007

This year, Dylan was a monkey for Halloween. I thought that would be a good choice because he is too little to tell a joke so his trick could be making monkey noises. Well, when we went trick or treating I did not realize that people no longer ask for a trick or treat - they just give the kids candy. I asked Dylan what monkey's said anyway and he would make a monkey noise and move his arms.

Before Halloween, we took a trip to Tanka Farms in Irvine. There Dylan picked out the perfect pumpkin and enjoyed the petting zoo. He preferred to be held in the zoo - the animals there are BIG!
Having fun picking out a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch!



Dylan with his friends Tali (Minnie Mouse), Brady and Conner. We went trick or treating with the Meyers in Ladera Ranch - man were there a lot of decorations! People down there really go all out! Dylan surprised his parents by really enjoying running up to the doors to ask for candy even though at that point he barely knew what candy was (although now he knows candy, cookies and cupcakes - he is his mother's son).