Today Tommy helped Daddy with trash duty. He dragged this big bag about 30 feet across the tile toward our garage…what a strong boy! He’s been very eager to help with chores lately. When Mommy cleans the kitchen, Tommy gets a damp rag and vigorously wipes down his table and chairs (and the nearby window…smeary!), all the while working on his vocabulary by saying “messy,” “wipe” and “clean.” He’s been very into his toy vacuum and loves saying the word as much as he likes pushing it around. He is also learning the cause and effect relationship of dumping snacks onto the floor, as when he makes a mess he gets his toy broom and dustpan and helps Mommy clean it up…well, actually, he just does a good job supervising for now.

Look out Orange County Choppers! Yesterday we assembled and presented Tommy with his big boy tricycle. He calls his new toy “Michael,” which seems to be the marriage of “mine” and “tricycle” in Tommynese. The huge wing attachment on the back is so we can help push him along until his feet reach the pedals. He likes to use the parent handle to ram our cabinets with more force than he can muster with just the measley handlebars.

Tommy took his first trip to Canada over Valentine’s Day. We were joined by our good friends Sarah and Travis, who drove up from Portland to hang out with us. Tommy didn’t seem to mind the cold weather, he just hated wearing gloves and getting bundled up. It rained most of the trip, but we still managed to have lots of fun and see many great things in the area.

Tommy is very excited about the upcoming 2010 Olympics…he’s already a Gold Medalist! Here we pose outside the visitors’ information center with our little champion.

Bobsled, anyone?
Here Tommy gazes out from our hotel window toward the ski runs leading into the village. You can’t see one of the gondola cars in the photo, but he LOVED them! The word of the week was “gondadadada.” He rode one to the top of the mountain with buddies from the hotel kids’ club while Mommy & Daddy hit the slopes one day. We can’t wait for little man to join us next year!
Goofing around. It was way too cold for any real boating!
Here he shows off his new tourist t-shirt. Uncle Travis wanted to squirt it with ketchup (he’s not a fan of the Canucks).

A picturesque lake on the road between Whistler and Vancouver on our way back home. Tommy exclaimed “BEACH!” when we got out of the car…it was very windy though, so not the best time for a dip in the brisk waters of B.C.!We also spent a nice afternoon in downtown Vancouver, where Tommy enjoyed weaving through the crowds of people (wearing his backpack, of course). He really liked all the hustle and bustle and got many smiles from passers-by as he made his way up Robson Street.

Tommy’s already begun perfecting his fake, cheesy grin, which will be plastered across his face in every photo now through junior high at least. Even through those squinty eyes and “the-better-to-eat-you-with-my-dear” teeth, he still looks adorable to us! And he’s definitely a boy’s boy…he truly won’t go anywhere without a toy car clutched in his hand (or three if he balances them just right between his chin and shoulder). Mater is his favorite, with Lightning McQueen and Sally tied for a distant second place.

Tommy takes a cue from Daddy and shows his love of computers from a very early age. He loves to play in the office while we type and click away on our machines. His favorite website is sesamestreet.com. He calls his keyboard his “putererer” and doesn’t want to play with anything else right now!

Tommy & Mason, his buddy who lives two doors up the street, enjoy their play date over books, cars and juice. We’ll probably be able to snap a similar photo in 20 years, except trade out the picture books for Maxim magazine, the juice for a couple of brewskies and the toy cars for the real thing!

We took a trip to Portland the last weekend in January and had much fun visiting with friends and family.Here Daddy, Tommy & Mommy pose at Travis and Sarah’s house. They’re the hosts with the most! Tommy, Mommy and Grandma Renee at Aunt Denise’s home. (He was squirming like a little worm so Mommy had to catch him for the photos).

Tommy, Mommy and Great Grammy Roser.And no trip to Portland would be complete without a visit to Burgerville. Tommy clutches a balloon as he eases in to a food coma.

Addilyn, Henry & Tommy party like rock stars at Red Robin for AJ’s 1st birthday. And the party continues…in pajamas! These two cuddle bugs cozy up (begrudgingly) with Tommy’s Mommy.