Mr. Sandman

 

 

Here is Dek serving up some fun earlier last month. 

Triceratops Climbing and such

 

 

Again, more rapid posts as I organize the countdown to Dek 2.0! Well, 2 years old that is.

Anyway, here he is around 21 months at the Douglas Park playground a few blocks from our house. Its a nice litte place for toddlers and he really enjoys the sand. Every now and then he'll scale the triceratops. Ever since he started walking well (between 14-15 months) all of his baby fat completely disappeared as he has been one wiggly worm since then and its been hard to keep any weight on him. He'll eat two bowls of rice in some meals (or noodles) yet still skinny minnie he remains. I am a bit nervous he's never eating enough because we're always worried to about getting him enough protein/fat/calcium that he's missing from not drinking cow's milk. The good news is that he's tested negative for peanut and shellfish so far, so we just have to avoid that until age 3 to ensure he doesn't develop an allergy. Food allergies = so confusing. I think its tough  on them especially when they go to school, so hopefully by then he will have outgrown the dairy allergy too (fingers crossed).

Boxed Up

 

 

This is a few months old now, but I just stumbled upon these photos of Dek enjoying the ride in the storage bins we were getting for the Asian Heritage festival. Here he is, 18 months, enjoying being wheeled around like cargo. He ended up "working" most of the festival day. Coming with us to Penn Avenue at 6am and sticking around until well after nap time. What a trooper as always.

Out the Door

Here we are headed out. Dek is always reminding me to put a hat on him. He'll tap his head and say "Mu! Mu!" (Hat in Vietnamese). Then he'll point to my head and insist I wear one too "Mama mu! mu!" Technically Mu is the northern word for hat, I like it that he's turning into a "Bac-Ky" boy.

I'll try to post the rest of his photos from pre-age 2 in the next few weeks as we count down to his 2nd birthday on Nov 4. I am going through2,000 unsorted photos (wha?!) that explains how difficult its been to organize 2 phones that we shoot most photos on and then 2 digital P&S cameras that we often forget to bring with us. We dump them on all kinds of folders, and Picasa's quality to organize was degrading, so I did a manual clean up.  You'll see some more vintage Dek photos plus ones I've promised and still not posted (e.g. first day of preschool, time with cousins, etc). Ah but now we have to be on our way out and on the move!
 

 

 

Hang Time

 

 

 

This is one of Derek's favorite parks, Henry Clay Playground just 2 blocks from Clarendon. We usually bike there, who knew this fun place was just a stones throw from all those bars. Recently, Dek has been enjoying learning how to hang from a monkey bar.

Ranger Dek

 

One more from the White House Garden tour - a park ranger let Dek switch hats with him while we're waiting in line.

BIker Babe

 

 

 

Dek has become quite the cycle enthusiast in his little front carrier. We regularly troll around Columbia Pike, W&OD trail and North Arlington. He's learned the words "bike" and "helmet" and likes to point out other bicyclists on the road.

Dekboy Goes to Washington

 

 

We took in the sights at the garden tour last weekend at the White House. Though Dek looks grumpy (he was sick), he has a good time! We caught the rose garden and even the veggies that First Lady Michelle had planted in the south garden. Yum! 

Cousins!

Photo Credit: Aunt Minh Chau

Elliot (2.5 years), Dek (21 months?) are enjoying popsicles. The boys don't get to see each other as much as we would like, but its nice when they get together. They have a mutual love of choo-choo trains and mayhem.

Worried Rocker

Dek looks pensive while rocking out at the CTO show during the SW Arts Festival.