Elena at One-Week-Old

You can almost see what's going through her mind: "What the hell are those colorful beads for...?"

Later on the Walk

Cam kept shouting, "What's that, Ian?" to which the answer was invariably "A tvee!" (tree) or "A 'tone!" (stone). This time Cam's response was, "No, that's a plant," to which Ian eventually parroted, "A...p'ant."

Mama & the Boys at the Arboretum

We're just back from a picnic followed by a two-mile walk around the Arboretum in Asheville. You can tell that this was at the beginning of the walk — the boys are still smiling.

Butterfly in the Front Garden

Ian spent about five minutes the other day just staring out the front window, watching this butterfly on the flowers.

First Time on the Potty

It seems like just yesterday that Cam was using this thing. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to take Ian a bit longer to get the hang of this....

The Boys & Elena

Cam: "Why does she keep going back to sleep?"
Ian: "Look — baby!"

Cam as the Virgin Mary

A receiving blanket makes a wonderful costume.

Mama, Nana, & Elena

Protect Yourself!

Uncle Arthur learns the hard way that tumbling about with the boys is not without its dangers.

Elenabug

Look at those big, dark eyes, taking in the world.... :)

Proud Papa

Elena doing her best impression of a burrito.

Mama & Baby

Looking at the World

Long fingers, long toes, big voice.

Elena Christine Baker

Day #2 — time to dress up.

Ian and the Chimp

Zebras!

"Look, Pappy! Zebras!"

Cam the Pilot

Why is the registration number on this the same number as on the starship Enterprise?

Red Elephant

Apparently this guy had been rolling about in some red clay earlier in the day. Just before I could snap this, he'd peed enough in about 5 second to fill a kiddie pool — a little quicker on the draw and I could have sold this to National Geographic....

Mount Cameroon

A kids game in the zoo aviary — one too many o's, though. :)

Riding the Dolphin

Cam really wanted to ride the dolphin on the carousel, and afterwards he insisted he'd enjoyed himself, but this was the happiest he looked throughout the experience.

Playing in the Mister

It wasn't a particularly hot day (~85°F and generally overcast), but these misting spots were welcome anyway. Ian spent about two minutes standing in the spray, seemingly frozen in exactly this position; Cam was happy to turn on the nozzle and stay dry.

Sharing Dippin' Dots

Why is it that little kids think ice cream tastes better when drops of it are flash-frozen and served up at like -40°?

Turtles!

SpongeBob at the Zoo

With Mum and Nana spending the day at the hospital, Dad and Pappy took the boys to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. Why SpongeBob SquarePants was there to welcome them was a bit of a mystery....

Watching a Land Before Time DVD

Mum, Nana, and Pappy are at the hospital visiting Auntie Karen, Uncle Arthur, and Elena. Dad's watching Portugal play Germany. Poor them — they don't get to watch The Land Before Time!