Hey, Jack.
He's a pretty righteous dude.
He loves his momma. His momma loves him.

When Bowden was about two, he developed a cough.  We asked him, "Where'd you get that cough?"
He replied, "From the coffee. I drink too much."

Last week Lucy had a cough, and I asked the same question. Her response? "From the hiccups!"
"The hiccups? Where did you get the hiccups from?"
"In ma bed." She tilted her head and looked off into space. "I lay down in ma bed and the pillow and ma blanket...." she then proceeded to tell me the origin of her hiccups, but I couldn't understand, despite the hand gestures and the emphatic nodding.

Pretty fun. I like that the chickens are all about two years apart. Bowden and Lucy and Jack are hitting milestones at around the same time of year, two years apart. I really enjoy comparing and contrasting their passions and reactions...I know that I could do that anyway, but the seasons make a similar back drop for it all.

I had the most traumatic lorikeet feeding at the wild Animal Park yesterday. This guy nipped Lucy's fat little worm fingers twice until she gave up and began to yell at all of the birds about the wrongs done to her.

She thought it was funny, too.
Bowden was very good about it, but the birds did not want to land on him, deciding I was the better perch.
Lucy enjoying herself before the second nip.
Bowden fed the one that liked my shoulder.
I tried to tell Lucy not to yell at the birds- they were a bit touchy.

After the feeding, Kaitlin and Joel and Bowden hugged.
Kaitlin strangled Joel.
Joel got mad. Bowden was oblivious.

Lucy continued to yell at the birds.

The traumatic part was not Lucy's nips, but the hitchhiker that would not get off of me after the nectar was gone. He or she decided that I was good for a ride, and an attempt to "shoo" the thing got me a bite on the hand.

Then it started to eat my earrings. I couldn't move it away, and I couldn't grab it, and I had the feeling that it was going to start in on my eyes next.

People around said, "It's got your earring!!" as if the earring was not still attached to my ear. Eventually I bent myself in half and shook and it squawked and flew down- glaring at me with an angry passion I hope never to see in any creature's eyes again.

I may have lost my love for the Lorikeet Landing.

Josh turned thirty on the eleventh of January. Our friend Michelle had given us a gift certificate to the best restaurant on the hill, Cafe Aroma, so there we went to celebrate. We ate in the library. I even kissed Josh for his birthday, just to be nice.
And I wore makeup.
Lisa watched the chirrens for us, the most important part. We were alone.

Remember when we went to the Desert? Go look to Lisa or Josh for more info and better dating.

The kids and Josh did something illegal and played on the rocks in the middle of the fake stream.

The kids were overjoyed...Josh was as well.

We ate at the Yardhouse and I got the chopped salad with avocado, but I forgot the grilled chicken. Fortunately, I made up for the protein lack with some crab cakes and mango relish.
Lisa held Jack when we went to the park afterward.

He became his alter-ego, Origami Baby, and folded in protest.
Then we fell in love and he was happy.

Jack has not been eating any solidsI gave him apples and sweet potatoes and carrots and green beans and bananas- the result was always a gag and a refusal to eat more.
He does like the spoons.

Oh. And the Redskins!!

Nannie with all of her grandchildren.

The chickens took baths in the sink at Nanny's house.
I meant only to wash the wee-est one.
The other two just had to be so clean, though.
Bowden took his time.
And, yes, I took these in January.

I'm catching up!

We went to my mother's house to say goodbye to Rosie and Selah and Justin the day before they left- and the day before Josh's birthday. The chickens spent a good chunk of the day in their favorite climbing tree. I think that they like it because they can climb all the way to the top.

Bowden is an old pro, and even does some wonderful tricks.
Ooooh....Aahhh....
This is the first time Lucy has been able to climb the tree.

She was very pleased with herself.
We were pleased, too.

Selah played in the walker.

Nanny held Jack.

Today is the eighth of February, and this little man is eight months old. We went on a walk, and when we stopped to take a picture, he was upset at first.
He saw the camera, and Aunt Lisa.
Aunt Lisa, especially, was pretty great.
And Momma with the camera? Get out!
His hair is getting a little too fuzzy, but he's a sweet boy, no?