Spring Time

We're so excited that Spring is here! We've spent so much time outside feeding ducks (and geese) and searching for Easter eggs.

Everything is starting to bloom. The daffodils in the park always show up first, while we're still in jackets.

We had a pre-Easter brunch and egg hunt. This was the first of, I think, four egg hunts we took part in this year. Ira was actually more into the brunch part of this outing.

It was a little rainy, but that only added to the cute-factor. Who cares about rain when there are boots and umbrellas around?

This is my favorite picture, maybe ever. Ira looks like an Easter egg revolutionary.

I really can't think of anything cuter than a bunch of two-year-olds in rain gear.

What? You don't have a coffee table that you paint on in your backyard?

Oh, my goodness.

We went to the Belcourt Theatre to see Farmer Jason, Ira's favorite musician right now.

Ira said, "Mommy, I am very very excited," in the most matter of fact way.

After the concert, we went to Dragon Park. It's so wonderful to be outside.

Ira said, "I'm climbing that big 'ol mountain."

We might be the only vegetarians who celebrate holidays with trips to the Bass Pro Shop. But they have awesome fish and free Easter Bunny portraits.

They also have awesome tents, which Ira and Nana model for us here. Ira's grandparents and Uncle Luke spent their spring break with us doing things like playing in tents at the Bass Pro Shop.

Ira was scared of the Easter Bunny at first, but now they're best friends.

Papa and Ira rode the carousel at the mall three times . . .

. . . and then took Nana on the train.

Nana and Papa introduced us to all sorts of candy that we always tried to pretend didn't exist.

We had our second egg hunt in our backyard with Nana and Papa.

Ira had to help Nana find eggs. She can be a bit of a whack-a-doo sometimes.

I guess the whack-a-doo thing runs in the family.

I see an emergency room visit in our future. Thanks for teaching new tricks, Papa.

We've been practicing sharing. Ira even let Papa eat his bunny's ears.

As if three carousel rides and a train ride weren't enough, Nana and Papa took us all to Chuck E. Cheese.

Ira had a little trouble figuring out skee ball.

We got so many tickets. I've never been to Chuck E. Cheese when we didn't have to pick prizes from the bottom shelf.

We had enough for a soccer ball. Ira was pretty excited.

More egg hunting, this time at school. I think all the practice helped.

Ira was the egg hunting champion.

There wasn't much candy in the Easter basket we got Ira.

But there was a frog towel.

This cute outfit was Ira's Easter gift from Big G. He was the cutest little bunny ever.

We didn't see any real animals at the Eggstravaganzoo, but there were plenty of people in animal costumes. They're easier to hug anyway.

A nice bouncey slide is always a great way to celebrate Easter.

Ira was happy to see his old friend the Easter Bunny again.

This was egg hunt number four, and this was the one that mattered, the one we had been practicing for. Just look at that bucket full of eggs.

Ira got into the spirit of dressing like an animal with these awesome moose antlers.

I love Spring so much.

Check out the blogging symmetry, starting and finishing at Centennial Park. I swear it was unintentional. I guess we just love feeding ducks.

The flower garden in the park is even more beautiful than it was just a few weeks ago.

We had a great Easter picnic in the park with awesome pimento cheese sandwiches.

The Kitty: A Dialogue

Ira: Daddy, I want to ride the kitty.

Me: No, we can't ride the kitty.

Ira: The kitty will be mad?

Me: The kitty will be mad, but also, he could die.

Ira: And then we can get a doggy?

February/March Digest

So I completely missed February. Sorry.

Kirsten had to work on Presidents' Day so Ira and I hung out together. Here Ira is pretending to be pregnant.

Ira said, "Dadddy! I'm swimming in an ocean of balls!"

We spent a lot of time in the auditorium at the library, as you'll see. This is from the folk dance demonstration in honor of Chinese New Year.

Kirsten says this picture is supercute, and I have to agree.

Now that spring is here we'll start making our weekly trips to the zoo again. Ira showed us his balancing skills on the back of an alligator.

This picture is whatever is cuter than supercute.

Back to the library auditorium for the Nashville Ballet's Singing Tortoise. We saw the ballet at Belmont University a few weeks prior, and Ira liked it so much that Kirsten took him again when it came to the library.

Ira plays with the puppets in the children's section of the library. Ira and Kirsten have been spending lots of time at the library since they've been picking me up from work in the afternoon. It's nice that Ira feels so comfortable in and around the library.

The library is great at giving kids all sorts of wonderful, cultural exposure. Ira and Kirsten saw the Nashville Opera perform the Three Little Pigs set to the music of Mozart.

Ira decorated cupcakes for me on my birthday. They were almost as delicious as they were adorable.

Ira helped me blow out my candle.

And then we ate our cupcakes.

Now that we're in the middle of the toddler years, our life is one giant mood swing. Ira threw his cupcake across the kitchen and then cried when we wouldn't let him eat it.

Maybe we let Ira watch Cinderella a little too much. Actually, who cares, I think he makes a pretty, little princess.

At least he's not the only princess in his class.

Musical Youth

It's been a long time since we've hit you with some videos (it's been a long time since I've posted twice in a month, too). Today I've got three videos all shot between Thanksgiving and last week, all featuring Ira and his natural, musical talent. GET READY FOR SOME HOTTT JAMMZZZZ!!!

Ira on trombone from Jesse Morros on Vimeo.

A visit to Poppy's house often turns into an extended jam session what with all the bongos and the piano and the autoharp and such. For Thanksgiving Ira rocked the trombone like J.C. Higgenbotham (I had to look up famous trombonists because, guess what, there aren't any. This guy had the best name).

Ira on drums from Jesse Morros on Vimeo.

This next future hit was recorded at the home of Mark and Jill Levy who have a full fledged ROOM OF JAMMZZZZ in their basement and were kind enough to let Ira blast everyone away with the thunder of the gods. Like Gloria said, "THE RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU!!"

Ira sings "Do the Doggy Dance" from Jesse Morros on Vimeo.

Watch out; this one's infectious. For real, this Farmer Jason song is stuck in my head a lot, though not so much that you'll ever catch me actually doing the doggy dance (unlike my lovely wife).