You know, it's COLD outside!  So cold, in fact, that when I go to the park, I look really silly!

You might think it's cute...but I think it's just a sign that I'm supposed to move to Australia!

Black Friday

Guess what is coming up? 

Yup.  Christmas!

Fortunately, I managed to steal Daddy's phone and place a call to Santa!  And as even Mommy will tell you, I've been a very good boy this year!  That means I get lots of cool things, right!

Now, my Christmas list is quite simple:

• A Rail Road.  Not a toy rail road, but one with the big, cool trains like BNSF or the Union Pacific!
• A plane like the ones that fly overhead and make lots of noise.  I really like the Boeing 747s that I see!  Nothing smaller then a 767 please!
• Crunchies!  And if you can't find them, Chocolate will do!
• Anything that makes NOISE!  I like toys that make noise.  Partly 'cos they make noise, but mostly 'cos they annoy the parental units!
• Someone who will not say "No" when I decide to have a little fun doing something I' not supposed to do!  Hmm...isn't that what Grandparents are for?

That isn't too difficult now, don't you think?

Yes, I'm hiding.  There is a reason for it, believe me.  I'm kinda embarassed to say it sometimes, but people dress me up in these strange things..

 

In this case, a Saint Olaf sweatshirt!

Saint Olaf!  NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Now I look just like Daddy!

New Shoes

I got some new shoes!  So, being the vain little boy I am, I figured I'd model them for you!!

I hope they still fit next spring when the weather is nicer!

Don't get me wrong...

I do not approve of underage drinking.  In fact, I don't even like the smell of the stuff!  Why over-aged people would want to drink this stuff is beyond me.  Yet Mommy and Daddy do...  Their loss -- I'll stick to Milk!

But that said, these sure do make fun toys!  There are lots and lots of textures, and a lovely little opening at the top that I can deposit Cheerios into. 

Maybe when I'm older, I'll figure out what the stuff inside was good for...

Kill the Balloon!

This is me and a balloon.

Ok, that's not much of a stretch.  It's what one does with a balloon that is of interest.  It floats nicely around in a loving, almost peaceful way.

Therefore, it's EVIL and I must destroy it!

Ah, the hours and hours of fun playing with a balloon...  They are pretty difficult to kill these balloon creatures.

In a previous life...

...I must have been a pharaoh of Egypt or the like.  Do you know how I know?  I've now trained mommy and daddy to only serve me peeled grapes!  It took some work, but now all my grapes are peeled.


Do you know what the best part of it is?  I can stuff them in my mouth 3 times as fast!

Calling my Broker...

You know, that loud-mouthed baby brags about his E*Trade account all the time.  Well, I hate to tell  you, but now that I've stolen Mommy's cell phone, I'm not restricted to stocks, I can order ...

PIZZA!

Pepperoni and mushroom.  Very sophisticated, or so Mommy seems to think.

When I'm done with that, I can call up  anyone I want -- even my bank to complain about the hideous interest rate they're paying me these days.

Just wait until I get in touch with them...

Bugger!  On hold .. AGAIN!

My Little Train...

When it comes to my own personal train, well, mine is seriously lacking!  You see, mine is small, it's short, and I keep having to put it back together -- block by block.

I want a REAL train.  This one doesn't even make any noise.  Ok, it's cute, but I'm a good 19- almost 20- months old now.  Don't you think it is about time that I had a proper engine?

And by proper, I mean something that can really move!  I particularly like the paint schemes on the Metra trains.  They even look fast!

Just hanging out, drinking my milk!

Have you ever seen something so kewt?  I didn't think so....

Mommy's Friends!

Some of Mommy's good friends came to visit recently.  Yes, that's right!  I got to meet The Lorax and Sock Monkey!!

...ok, really it was Justine and Teresa.  They were quite nice and brought mommy lots of chocolate, which I'm trying to eat myself...

Cuteness Practice!

What does one do to stay cute?  Well, let me tell you about my current daily workout...

First, one needs to eat well!  I particularly like French Fries with Ketchup!

Smiling also helps.  I recommend doing that a lot!

Striking the occasional dramatic pose seems to work wonders.  Here, I'm stressing my cuteness as well as showing off my range!

Mommy and Daddy would probably say things like "Eating more Vegetables", "Sleeping through the Night" and "Playing Quietly with thing that are NOT Dangerous", but since they're not cute and clearly no fun, I'm just going to ignore them!

The REST of the Gardens...

 The rest of the garden isn't nearly as cool.    There are flowers that I can't touch...

And fountains I'm not allowed to splash in...

 Sure, I guess I can play in the grass -- but it's not the same!

And there are some neat little things to wander around and through which make excellent photo opportunities, if I do say so myself....

And butterflies.  I do kinda like them...

Ok, I guess the rest of the place isn't that bad -- But I still love the trains!

Thomas the Tank Engine!

Oh, and did I mention who the coolest resident of the train garden is?  You guessed it -- it's none other then Thomas the Tank Engine Himself!

He spends his time puffing through this nice little town they built, including a little fire house...

He also goes through some of the gardens where some of his friends are.  James regularly hangs out in the garden and says "Hi!" every time Thomas steams past!

When the garden opens up again in the spring, I think I'm going to make Mommy and Daddy take me EVERY WEEKEND!

Train Garden

The coolest thing about the botanical gardens is this little train display they have.  You see, my favorite thing in the whole world is ... um, Mommy.  And then probably daddy or maybe Grandpa.  But after that, and edamame and pizza and chips (the British kind, that is), it's definitely trains.  Unless it's milk, in which case it's definitely trains after the milk.

But I digress.  You see, the garden has this train garden so I can see all sorts of little Spencer-sized trains whirring around.  It's mega cool!

They have little monuments to lots of places, like Hollywood.  Though, personally, I'd rather see the true source for all the television I watch -- Elmo's World!

They have trains running high and low.  The low ones are cool 'cos they are on my level.  The high ones are neat 'cos I can make daddy carry me so I can see them better!  

Chasing the trains around all day is mega-fun!  It is by far the neatest thing in the gardens!

Another Happy Birthday Grandma!

So, I said this was a busy week for Grandma's Birthdays -- so I just need to take a moment and say "Happy Birthday Grandma #2"  I'm looking forward to having the cake and eating it too as I do love cake! 

Oh, the things that happen...

...at the office Halloween party.  Sure, everybody has that story about the photocopier and the  Christmas office party, but the real dangerous ones are the Halloween parties.

I went to Daddy's Office's Halloween party.   I can see they're never going to let me live this one down!

Pumpkins!

Of course, as anyone knows for Halloween you must have a pumpkin -- or in my case, 4 of them!

Just to be clear,  mommy is NOT a pumpkin!  If you turn off the lights, it is very easy to tell as her radiant glow ceases while the true pumpkins continue to show off their coolness...

Can you guess which pumpkin is mine?  It's s trick question -- they're ALL MINE!