Mushy Peas for Me

That is correct Saxontologists. In a mere matter of a hours, I will be airborne to the land of my father's birth and the home of the original Saxons...England.

My mom and dad are taking me to see my Uncle Tim, Aunt Rebecca and grandma and grandad W. We will be staying in a large metropolis not very different from Brooklyn...think Brooklyn with lots and lots of pubs.

You may wonder why I am wearing my bib. Well, as you know, I feel very strongly about my food. I enjoy snacking on all sorts of items...not all of them necessarily accepted as edible. (Plastic, for instance, is mysteriously overlooked as a food group in my opinion.)

While in England, I am looking forward to even more exciting culinary adventures such as mushy peas, stilton cheese, spotted dick and treacle. If I am really lucky, I am hoping to even try a little curry! (My mom has already told my dad that he gets to change THAT diaper.)

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that I will be turning one year old while I am in England as well. Can you believe it Saxontologists? I am officially a big boy.

In any case, I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Stay posted on Saxontology for the full story of what happens when a Saxon goes to England.

My Playground

• You might wonder how a baby fills his days in Brooklyn. Of course, I have many activities to keep me busy between naps. However, I do insist that my mom takes me for one particular activity almost every day. I must, without fail, go to the playground around the corner from my house. I always nap better after a little playground time.

When I was a little younger, I could only swing. I liked it well enough but I knew there was more to be done. As soon as I started crawling, a whole new world opened up to me and I started to climb and crawl like the big kids.

I can go down the slide (and I even try to climb up the slide when my mom isn't looking).

I like to climb through the tunnels and peep out the little holes.

I pull myself up on the giant tick tack toe.

I clap for myself (because, let's face it, I am great) in the tunnel.

I pick up all kinds of leaves and debris and try to put it in my mouth before my mom can stop me.

I just can't WAIT until I can run so I can zoooooom around the playground!

Chunky Monkey's Halloween

It is true. As humiliating as it may seem, my mom dressed me up as a fat monkey for Halloween. I had a suspicion that something was up when she was all smiles and happy talk as she reached into the closet and pulled out what can only be described as...horrifying.

Needless to say, the first time I put it on last Saturday to go to the park for a Halloween festival, I could barely conceal my disdain and humiliation.

The stroller could barely contain my girth. Yes, dear Saxontologist, that IS a stuffed banana protruding from my pocket. Where or where will the insult end?

She once again pulled out that horror of monkey suits for playgroup on Tuesday.

Luckily, however, I was in good company. I wasn't the only poor little baby to be dressed in a humiliating outfit. Does this look like a happy lamb to you?

He-man was equally disgusted with his mom for dressing him in of all things...a cow suit. Then, she has the audacity to think that he is going to actually going to go along with it if she calls it a "baby bull." Puh-leeze!

On Halloween night, lots of my friends came over to help give out candy to trick or treaters (we had more than 1000!) . He-man and his mom and dad were there. Who is the bee, you might ask? That is my friend from music class, J.R. (as in...who shot? his mom is from Texas!) J.R. seemed most comfortable with his costume but then again, being the child of artists, this isn't his first flamboyantly striped outfit.

After we ran out of candy, He-man, Sarah and I went upstairs to play. Isn't it amazing how interesting your own toys become when other kids suddenly find them interesting.

He-man swears that he and Sarah had "a moment" and announced today to me at playgroup that he has fallen in love with a certain crazy redhead with a penchant for pink clothing who will remain nameless.

Meanwhile, I was in heaven with all these kids to play with.

Finally, my mom saw that I looked a little woozy and she took my hood off. You might notice how my sweaty hair is matted to my head. We were taking our play quite seriously!

Here is Adam (isn't he getting big?) and his mommy, Aunt Kate.

And finally, this is why every child should disown his mother completely and totally by the age of 12 years old. Otherwise, this is the sort of humiliating evidence that will definitely be shown to potential girlfriends. Big deal, so I was a little engrossed in play and neglected to notice that my costume had slipped in strategically unfortunate places. Did we really have to get photographic evidence to capture the moment for posterity? Bad mommy.

Fall Weekend

Last weekend, we went up to the country (mom and dad seem to have a bizarre fascination with it) and visited some of dad's friends who live on a pond. Afterwards, we went to a Fall festival.

Oh, hello, I didn't see you there....have we met before?

Then, I got in the car and fell asleep. Just as I was dreaming of delicious ripe bananas (my favorite thing EVER!), I awoke in the middle of a field of pumpkins. How did yellow bananas become orange pumpkins?

Mom said I should pick one to make a Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween. Excuse me? You know, it really is exasperating how she uses all of this mumbo jumbo terminology that is outside my field of reference. Jack-o-Lantern? Halloween? (However, I have a strange feeling that this might have something to do with a creepy monkey suit hanging in my closet.)

Eventually, I picked this pumpkin.
Dad was no help.

Artsy Fartsy Photos

Ever since my dad gave my mom a new digital camera for her birthday, she fancies herself to be quite artsy fartsy. Here are some photos that she took while I was spending some quality downtime with my favorite guy...dad.

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times...I would rather hang upside down than do all the smoochy stuff.

What are we talking about? I have no idea.

Sunday in the Park

Yea! It's the weekend! Mom, Dad and I went to Prospect Park for some fun. We traveled my favorite way--sitting on my dad's shoulders! I am so good at sitting on my dad's shoulders, I am clapping for myself!

We went to the playground where I crawled around on the equipment and watched the older kids run around. I cannot wait until I am big enough to tear around there like a maniac.

Then, mom took me on my first carousel ride. My dad couldn't go because the horses can only withstand 200 lbs. and my dad is just a tad too large! When we first got on, I was pretty mystified as to what we were doing.

After we started to move, I was simply flabbergasted. The organ music and the spinning and dipping up and down was hard to comprehend. My mom kept smiling and laughing and waving to dad standing on the side. I was concentrating too hard and trying to get my little brain around all this to smile or laugh. A carousel ride can be serious business. Mom said that she was very impressed that I didn't cry because a 13 month old on the same ride was sobbing by the time we were done. As for me, well, I am still a little puzzled as to what happened on that carousel but I think I might like to go again!

First Haircut

So, last Saturday, my mom and dad and I went into the city to see my uncle Mourad at his new shop. While we were there, Uncle Mourad gave me my first haircut. He put me on a big cushion to make me taller in the chair and put a very curious paper collar around my neck.

Then, he put the most enormous bib around my neck. (I got excited because I thought a hair cut might also involve a little snack.)

As you can tell, I am a little disappointed that there was no food. Instead, he wet my hair with water and started to cut it.

Interesting, I can watch Uncle Mourad in the mirror.....

Uncle Mourad, I am getting bored now. Can you wrap this up?

Uncle Mourad is telling me that I am going to be the best looking kid in playgroup when he finishes with me.

Beauty is not worth this price! A baby has got to be free!!!

I have ripped off my giant bib and am on my way out of the chair...only my dad holding me down keeps me from making a break for the door!

A little blow dry, some hair gel and two grown men holding still a squirmy me equals a fantastic first haircut!

Don't hate me because I am beautiful! Thank you Uncle Mourad!