A Warm October

By Bill

Hello everyone!

Well, we had a great summer here in Portland, and its been especially memorable for Savannah and myself as we have watched young Liam transition from a wobbly baby to a chattering, curious, sweet and always-in-motion little boy (including while sleeping).

Sure, he's still wearing diapers (we're working on that), and he's only a little bit taller than he was in the spring, but the changes have been constant and drastic.

It was a great summer with good weather and lots to do. Caleb came up from Texas for a too-short visit and should be driving by now. Savannah got a very nasty staph infection in her foot that left her bedridden so that was a challenge for us all. She has since healed up with the help of some $2,000 antibiotics ($100 per pill!!).

I've been shooting photos and video all summer and into the fall, and in the past few days, the weather has been just terrific. We have been taking Liam to the park nearby for some hours of playtime.

Here are some very recent photos with descriptions underneath. I promise more will be coming after Halloween. Thanks for reading, and as always, click on the photos for a larger version!

Love,

Bill, Savannah, Liam, Caleb and Ella the dog.


This is what Liam looks like today, this photo was taken just days ago. But still - the changes keep coming. See those shoes? They're history, too small now.


Liam runs ahead of daddy to go play on the carousel. He is always running, figuring how to go fast.


There's lots to see and do at the park. Here, Liam is entranced by a juggler who regularly practices near the tennis courts.



What kid doesn't love the teeter-totter? Liam is no exception.



Liam is super-active. He loves to walk and run. Keep on truckin', son....



Savannah needed a picture for her blog (she used a slightly different one) showing adults "rediscovering" their inner child. Not a problem for me since mine never got lost. Liam won't remember this moment in the future, so I broke out my electric trains that I got when I was 5 and set up this shot (Savannah pulled the trigger). He'll be getting these trains in a few years.



Here's a shot from mid-summer at a city children's fair. A bright sunny day where we had some fun.



Same day at the fun fair. Liam makes friends easily.



Liam is a cute kid, but not all babies are cute. Most are, like his buddy Asher.



Remember the 70s movie "Tommy" by the Who? Well, here's our little Tommy with his headphones on and pacifier in. Truth be told, Liam never did take a pacifier as a baby and only does now on rare occasion. As for the "headphones," they're actually shooting earmuffs that cut sound. He found them one day and loves to wear them. Couldn't resist the photo.



Liam still loves his peas - and broccoli. He definitely got Savannah's taste in food. Broccoli? Ick.



Liam's pal Ella persists in her eternal hunt for squirrels. So far, the score stands at: Squirrels: 3,729, Ella 0.



Fall has arrived here in Oregon, snow is starting to fall on Mt. Hood, which is over 11,000 feet tall. Ski season is almost here! This view is from close to our home.



We're having a great time watching the little guy grow up. Thanks for reading. See you again soon.

Happy Sweet 16 Caleb!

Caleb turns 16 today! We had such a great time with him this summer and are so proud of the man he is becoming.

Brother Caleb is here!

We are all excited to have brother Caleb with us for the month of June. He returns home before his birthday (16th) to do important stuff like get his driver's license and run the streets with his friends. Until then, we are loving every minute with him as we explore the Oregon coast, visit the Aquarium, go see movies and soak in the occasional Portland sunny day at the park.

One year ago, Today

By Bill

Has it really been a year?

A year since Savannah was almost delerious with pain, sleep deprivation and exhaustion? A year since I passed a newborn Liam to his mother's arms at 2:14 a.m. on a Wednesday morning? A year since I watched a nurse put on his first diaper, weigh him in at 7 pounds 6 ounces, and measure him at 19.5 inches? A year since he slept all the way home from the hospital wrapped in a tiny blanket and nearly swallowed up by his car seat?

It indeed has been a year since that clear, cool first day of Spring, 2007. A year of watching Liam, whom we affectionately call The Little Guy, go from a nearly motionless, fragile, spindly newborn to a dynamic child who can really no longer be called a baby.

He is a child who likes to wrestle while laughing uncontrollably, a child who likes to walk - yes, walk - around the house while brushing his five little teeth, and sometimes the dog's teeth. A child that carefully feeds himself a seemingly endless mountain of peas one by one by one with hilarious precision.

A child that has captured our hearts as he rolls around in bed at night while asleep, always making sure he is touching mom or dad with a hand, foot or his head.

What a year it has been. A year of first smiles, first laughs, first steps, first teeth, first solid foods, first colds, first shoes and first rides on the merry-go-round at the park.

Even today, on his birthday, he literally took more steps away from babyhood. In the morning, mom said he got off the bed (which he has been able to do for months) and walked out of the bedroom instead of crawling. Given a baby xylophone by his Nana and Pa Roberson, he immediately picked up the little wooden mallet and hammered out a tune. At the local burger joint, he seemed genuinely slighted that he was not offered ketchup for his small alotment of birthday french fires. And when given ketchup, he delicately dipped a fry in the red sauce, took a taste, and dipped it in again.

It's been a great year, full of learning by both Liam and his parents. I could go on for pages, but mostly I want to say thank you to his family, both those in Oregon and in Texas - and California, too. Thanks for all the support, advice, babysitting time, patience and most of all, love.

Liam, and you, mean the world to us.

Happy Birthday, my son. And many, many, many more.

Love, Daddy



and now....

I wanna be like my BIG brother!

In the tub the other day, Liam fashioned himself a mohawk and demanded loud punk rock music. We are wondering where he gets it?

Lunch Mouth

I think Liam's Nana, Mary Alice, coined the phrase. We were talking about how much he loves to eat and she said, "He is such a little lunch mouth!"

So true!

Liam loves food of all kinds and now that he is able to feed himself pretty much everything, he eats what we eat. We are committed to an organic, health-focused diet. Some of his favorites are peas, carrots, rutabagas, potatoes, any type of bean, meat (like ground beef or turkey), and pizza.

Yep, pizza. Well, he had his first slice (or should I say slices) of plain cheese pizza the other day and snarfled it with relish. He also slept through the night so seems like it stuck to his ribs mighty fine! I was very hesitant to introduce wheat and dairy with my family history of food allergies, but it seems that he got Bill's constitution and can eat it all!

Little lunch mouth is also talking more and more. Last night he started saying "Issy" when he gives kisses. He has said mini sentences like, "No more," or "Hi Papa (Mama) (Ella)." He says "Up," "Down," and barks when you ask him what doggies say. Everyday is a new adventure in fun with this little guy or TLG (the little guy) as we sometimes call him.

Thanks for keeping up with us and we look forward to his first birthday in only three weeks!

A Swing In Winter

The other day, Savannah said my mom took Liam to a park near our house, put him the kiddie swing and away he went, swinging like a crazy man.

I'm pretty sure he's not going to be a shy kid. He is always in motion, even while alseep sometimes. He's a pretty good dancer now, and he can't even walk yet, although he will very soon.

So we shot some video of Liam in the swing at a park near our place, and he seemed a little unsure of it at first, but pretty soon he was having a ball, despite the cold February air.

Savannah took Liam to the park again today. It was very nice today, mild for February, sunny and about 50 degrees.

Liam was back on the swings again, and Savannah snapped this photo of him with her cell phone.

Hope everyone is well!

Bill, Savannah and Liam (and Ella the dog)