Anything West Can Do ...

... Tate can wear better.

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 These photos are from about a month ago but were too cute not to post.

This Is What Happiness Looks Like

Santa tracked West down in Tucson and brought him his heart's desire: trains! West nearly died from excitement over his new train set - complete with his very own (albeit greatly abbreviated) Golden Gate Bridge.

Threesome

Lens Crafter

Santa brought me a shiny new lens (a 50 mm portrait lens, to be exact) for Christmas. I decided to break it in by shooting Tate in his Christmas pajamas (and playing peek-a-boo with Auntie Kate) but don't worry - there are tons of wonderful photos of West to come.

Christmas Ornament

Snake hat courtesy of Auntie Kate.

Merry Crimmas!

Merry Crimmas from West and Tate! Tons more photos after the jump.

Little Red Riding Hood

No big bad wolf here - just Tate getting into the holiday spirit.

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

 Mwah! These are from a Growing Tree reunion at the Academy of Sciences several months back. Robert, Owen, Matteo, and West - it was great to get the band back together.

Quality Time

Mimi and Papa's recent visit meant lots of good times with the kiddos, much of which transpired off-camera. Here are just a few of the moments we were able to capture on film.

Tour Guide

 West loves introducing his favorite people to his favorite places. Grandma and Grandpa were visiting and West took them to see the fishies, where a good time was had by all. But especially West.

The Many Faces of Tate

Which one is your favorite?

Cookie Monster

 That's who we think Tate looks like in this jacket.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Holy Roller

 Caught in the act! Here is a visual play by play of Tate rolling front to back.

A Light Snack

 I think Tate might be ready for solids.

Splendor In The Grass

A sunny November day can only mean one thing: a trip to the big playground. This place is like a playground on steroids. West had whiled away 2 hours with Daddy before Tate and I showed up with the camera. Read on to see West's adventures in mud, jumping, yoga, dancing, and rolling down hills. Not to mention baby Tate working a cherry red sun hat.

The Rest of the Story

 While Tate was channeling his inner peacock, West was having a blast with his friends Matteo and Robert. Despite arriving fully costumed, he quickly abandoned the upper half of his giraffe suit but the giraffe pants held strong.

Peek-a-BOO!

 Or should I say, Peacock-a-Boo. Tate was resplendent in full peacock regalia for Halloween this year. Stranger upon stranger commented on his fabulous plumage. Whereas West only lasted five minutes in this ensemble two years ago, Tate rocked it for a full four hours. This meant lots of photo opportunities for you to enjoy, including some of Tate practicing at home before we headed out to the Academy of Sciences for the day and the requisite "Proud Papa/Proud as a Peacock" shot of Aaron.

Root, Root, Root(s) for the Home Team

Tate is a true Giants fan! We temporarily (and selfishly) suspended our No Television policy so the kids watched the Series with us. West perfected his cheer ("Go Great Big Giants!!!) and Tate worked on his happy dance. Both were put to good use during last night's victory over the Rangers. West even added an unsolicited, heartfelt "please" to his cheer (as in "Go Please Big Giants!"). Cuteness abounds.

Our Menagerie

Double Decker

Ray of Light

West loves his new yellow shirt. It's especially cheery on this rainy, rainy day.

An Object in Motion

West is at that wonderful stage of development we lovingly refer to as "Whirling Dervish". Other than puzzle-time and drawing, he is happiest while attempting to use every muscle in his body at the same time, with varying levels of success. Oh well, at least he comes by it honestly.

La Giraffe

This hand-me-down is a hit.

Puzzle Prodigy

West has a real knack for puzzles. It's kind of scary, actually.

Owl Baby

The gang and I headed across the bridge to the discovery museum this morning. Imagine our surprise when we pulled up and discovered a madhouse. Or, rather, a haunted madhouse. Today was the museum's annual Goblin Jamboree, an all-day smorgasbord of Halloween-themed treats and adventures. West did them all, of course, but that is a whole other post (don't worry - it's coming). This one is about sweet Tate, the only member of the family to avail himself of the free face-painting services. He proclaimed it a real hoot! More pictures after the jump, including my efforts to document the owl's disintegration (and Tate's eventual descent into slumber).

Mad Hatter

We have preschool to thank for West's newfound love for accessories.  In addition to butterfly wings, the dress up box includes all kinds of silly hats and ladybug jackets. West loves them all and has decided that hats are, in fact, kind of awesome.  As hard as it is to get sunscreen on this kid, this new development is a double blessing. Keep reading for more photos and to find out what West was hiding under his hat.

Knock on Wood

Tate really digs our softwood floors.

Reading to Zebra(s)

Note that the Zebra (whose name, according to West, is Anne), has a baby zebra (aka finger puppet) in her lap.

Tough Guy

West has been working on diversifying his range of expressions for the blog. Here he is trying something new - the perfect foil to Tate's everyday happy face. But can West maintain his tough guy persona?

Sitting Pretty

Double Trouble

Happy Happy Joy Joy

So much cute, it will make you sick. The title pretty much sums up Tate perfectly - this is one cheerful baby. The last photo is my favorite (with the second one a close second).