Zeke and Talia playing in the snow

Sometimes he really is a very good big brother.

Cameraphone video of Talia jumping

Pretty low-fi ... but ... enjoy anyhow.

Zeke running in the trampoline

Made with my phone.

A few more:

Talia wrestles a Teddy Bear

This is actually Zeke's bear. It was given to him by a then student of mine around the time he was born. He never developed much of an interest in this or any other stuffed animal, but Talia absolutely loves it.

Talia playing peek-a-boo in the cabinet

Talia playing peek-a-boo in the cabinet, uploaded 22nd March, 2008.

Talia also played with bubbles recently.


Heather took these; see them larger here.

One of Zeke's favorite places

Zeke in the Goodwill, uploaded 16th March, 2008.

Zeke loves the toy section at the Goodwill near our house. (Incidentally, I recently discovered that it's not just a Goodwill store, it's a Goodwill Fashions store). I think he prefers it to the zoo. We don't even have to buy anything for it to be worthwhile. Last time we were there I also spotted a Hasbro "Queasy Bake Cookerator" (four bucks), evidently a boy's version of the classic -- but very pink -- Easy Bake Oven.

Zeke climbs a ladder

Click To Play

This was at a big birthday party with a lot of kids and parents milling around. One parent beckoned me over when Zeke was already halfway up this thing. I couldn't believe he negotiated it entirely without help; it made me kind of nervous, but he was completely confident and secure. I made this little video with my phone while his way up for the third time, I think. He was pretty pleased with himself but evidently didn't think it was much of a big deal.

Video diary: Talia plays with a balloon

Click To Play

Not a particularly high-quality video (one minute or so; made with my cell phone), but take my word for it, she was really having a blast.

Zeke and Talia playing together

Sometimes I get the feeling that Zeke still thinks of Talia as just another toy (at least, at good moments). Here, he's dressing both of them up using some cloth rings that are actually part of a whole different toy.

Zeke builds a "floor-stand table" (whatever that is)

Zeke's blocks on Vimeo
Four and a half delightful minutes of Zeke playing with his new foam blocks. Sorry the quality is so lousy.

Zeeky chases seagulls and digs in the sand

Zeeky on the beach (take 2) on Vimeo

A few clips stitched together courtesy of Eyespot and Vimeo. (The whole thing is a little under two minutes long.) We spent a week in the vicinity of Point Reyes, CA (click to see the exact location; the place was called Olema Cottages, a funky little mini-farmstead featuring chickens, ducks, a rabbit, and a dog named Yogi). Zeeky had a blast. In this little video, you can see him discovering two things: seagulls (that's what he's waving his arms and pointing at; if you listen close, you can hear him saying, "Seagulls, seagulls!") and sand. You can also, of course, admire the stunning Pt. Reyes scenery in the background. I think this is from Drakes Beach, or maybe Limantour Beach, if you know the area.

I posted some of the better photos from the trip to Flickr. Click here to see all 22. Below is a sample.

www.flickr.com