Just Like Dad

Ian has been bathed in an inflatable bath tub since birth. The duck tub has served us well, and is probably even responsible for 'duck' being among Ian's first words. It quacks when you squeeze its beak, and is well adored by Ian.

Unfortunately, the duck has sprung a leak somewhere and needs to be inflated before each bath. I hate this chore and often try to get by and bathe Ian in a deflated duck... though most of the bath water escapes through the slumping sides of the duck before Ian gets clean. Scott, however, dutifully blows it up each time he bathes Ian. And apparently Ian has taken note. Last night, Ian mimicked Scott blowing air into the duck and we caught it on tape. Enjoy!

Some Favorite Things

Ian has developed a love for apples. He prefers to eat them straight off the core and is great at getting the job done!

Recently we pulled out this adorable Tonka Truck that Ian's aunties gave him. It came full of diapers just before he was born. Ever since we showed it to him a few weeks ago, he has taken every opportunity to enthusiastically push it around the loft, loading and unloading toys from the truck bed along the way. Perhaps he has inherited my love for construction equipment.

Visit from Grandma & Grandpa Larson!

Scott's wonderful parents came down from Blanding to see us this week. It was great to see how quickly Ian fell in love with his grandparents and we had so much fun watching them interact. Ian absolutely adored them, especially all of grandma's special attention (and getting to wear her watch!) and grandpa's funny noises, which seemed to baffle Ian. And I think adoration was mutual. :) It was wonderful to have them here with us. While they were here, we also saw and did some touristy things that Scott and I have been wanting to do for a long time. Here are some highlights of our adventures with the Larsons.

Houston Space Center

On Monday Scott took the day off work (woohoo!) and we all went to the Houston Space Center. Think 'Houston, we have a problem.' There is SO much to see and everything is so well done. I was amazed at all the things for people of all ages. Scott and I got season passes so we could take all the rest of y'all when you come down. In addition to watching one of several well-made films and exploring many fascinating exhibits, we took one of three trams to see actual space equipment and some impressive mock-ups.

Here we are passing time in the boarding line.

Mom and Dad Larson on the tram. Aren't they cute? They saw an alligator below us when we passed over a bridge. Yikes!

My astronauts by a rocket.

My guys hanging the moon. (After Scott did this, I watched a procession of other tourists do the same thing. What a trend-setter.)Ian loved riding on Scott's shoulders that afternoon. We were surprised when Ian suddenly leaned down and playfully bit Scott on the cheek. He apparently thought if was so clever and pretended to do it over and over.

This shot fascinates me. Would you believe the black , yellow, white and silver sections are only there to send that little brown part into space? That's it! Just the brown part! The astronauts then ride the brown part back down to earth and land in the ocean. Amazing.
Old Town Spring

On Tuesday Ian and I took grandma and grandpa to Old Town Spring. We learned that the city of Spring, Texas, was named not for a natural spring, but because when the railroad builders arrived they were delighted with the pleasant Spring weather. Old Town Spring is made of a few old residential blocks turned into fancy shops with toys, antiques, collectibles from around the world and lots of food.

We ate lunch at Puffabellys, a Southern-cookin' joint built out of an old railroad depot. It was a relaxed place and we dined alongside some cowboys. I liked the bucket of peanuts on the table and the encouragement to throw your peanut shells on the floor. It was there at Puffabellys that we all fell in love with Fried Green Tomatoes. WOW. They were phenomenal. And along side them came enough fried pickles to feed a starving army. Between those and the peanuts, we all struggled to finish our burgers and chili, which also tasted amazing. We were all stuffed to the gills, and incredibly satisfied. Then we set out to do some shopping. We got drizzled on, but thankfully there were fun shops to find refuge in.

Puffabellys. Now I know why they call it that.
Fried Green Tomatoes. Mmmmmm......

Ian refused to sit in his stroller, and his sweet grandma was willing to carry him. Ian loved feeling the rain fall on his face, and although he looks serious in this picture, he was smiling over grandma's shoulder nearly the whole time.
When our bellies finally recovered from our fried lunch, we joined Scott for dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Landry's. It was situated right along The Woodlands Waterway, and we watched a ferry pass by the windows and also had a great view of a dramatic Houston downpour hitting the water. Oh, and the food was phenomenal. In our group, Swordfish, Mahi Mahi and Tilapia were enjoyed. For the record, I got my typical Fettuccine Alfredo with Blackened Chicken and Broccoli, and it was fantastic. Yes, I know we were at a Seafood restaurant. I don't care. It was so yummy, and the leftover fettuccine also fed us for an additional 3 delicious meals.

The Waterway with Landry's in the background.

We had so much fun with Mom and Dad Larson and can't wait for them to move down here... We can dream, can't we? Thanks for coming to see us!

Roar!

While Ian and I were editing this video, Ian would "Roar" every time he heard Scott asking him to on the tape. :)

R O D E O & Rascal Flats Concert!

Our buddies the Linfords invited us to the Houston Rodeo this week and it was a blast! With giant roasted turkey legs, 12 inch Sausages on a Stick, cattle ropin' and some bull ridin', I felt like we had an authentic Texas rodeo experience. And Rascal Flats put on an awesome concert that evening. I loved shouting the words to some of my favorite songs, and not being able to hear my voice over the band. That is a great thing. Thanks Linfords! I think the Houston Rodeo will become a Larson Family tradition! We sure appreciated the Harvey's letting Ian come over and stay until an unspeakably late hour that night. I bet Ian had a great time trying to keep up with his buddies Matt and James.

Can you see that Sausage on a Stick I am holding? It is as long as my forearm!

A happy caveman.
The stage rotated, so everyone in the crowd had a chance at a good view. I usually watched the big screens though. I thought the set-up was perfect.

I want to go back already! I have finally recovered from my Sausage on a Stick, fries, and funnel cake, and I am ready for more!

11 Months Old!

Ian is quickly approaching toddler-hold. He is nearly 1 year old! 11 months is a fun age and he seems to really be enjoying himself.

I don't have any growth stats this month, but I CAN say that Ian's pants no longer pile and drag on the ground, and he feels heavier than ever. So he must be growing. He has 7 teeth: 4 on top and 3 on bottom. His eyes are greyish and often green. His hair is getting super thick and long in the back, and will probably get a haircut sometime soon. He is very blond. He smiles incessantly, and continues to be a great joy to have in the family.

Here are some favorite activities du jour:

Climbing stairs: Today he climbed up all 20! I encouraged this skill at first, but now see the err of my ways. We really need a gate because he often sneaks over to the stairs and begins his climb unsupervised. Scary.

Making Animal Noises! This is my favorite. Yesterday he began to "roar" when we asked what a lion says. He has been "quacking" and saying "duck" for a couple months now. But now ducks are starting to "roar" too.

Rah! Rah! Rah rah rah! Goooo Cougars! Ian has learned to pump his arm along with the Cougar Fight song! He starts somewhere in the middle of the song in anticipation of the big finish.

He dances: Mostly bobbing up and down and squatting in response to the beat, and only if someone else is dancing with him. Actual music is optional.

One, two, THREE! It doesn't matter what follows, Ian gets incredibly excited when you count to three. He flaps his arms and laughs in a quick, high-pitched giggle, and tries to not watch for what is about to happen... which is usually tickling and getting tossed in the air.

Identifys Nose and Teeth Scott is entirely responsible for this accomplishment and I think it is so cool. He will grab your nose (when you ask for it and when you don't) but he is especially zealous about pointing to (and scratching) your teeth. He can find his own teeth, as well. Perhaps we have a dentist in the making. He LOVES to get friendly with anyones teeth.

Reaching underneath stuff: This one is actually pretty cool too. He used to try unsuccessfully to get balls and other toys from under the couch, and would just bonk his head and hand over and over again. He didn't grasp depth-perception and the need to reach under and to crouch down. Now he sees his prize under the couch or his crib and can get it successfully. Usually he'll even lay flat on the ground and walk a hand under the couch or whatever when it isn't even necessary. I guess he really wants to avoid the repeated head-bonks he used to suffer. And I have seen him roll a ball under the couch purposely so he can feel the satisfaction of retrieving it.

Abhorring formula: Why did he decide he's too cool for nursing and formula during the same week? He is willing to nurse once in the morning, but says "no thanks" to anything but apple juice the rest of the day. Actually, he says nothing, and throws his cup on the ground. So after a two-week dairy strike, yesterday I decided Whole Cow's Milk was better than No Milk, and gave him a sippy cup full. He looked interested, but didn't really drink until I heated it up. Look who's picky all of the sudden! Today I heated formula, and got results as well. Never in his life has Ian had a heated bottle, and I dislike starting a high-maintenance trend now. But at least he is drinking it.

Squatting and picking up: Ian can squat (while holding steady to something) and pick up a toy, and then stand up straight again. He looks so strong when he does it. He can also 'stand' on his knees and take a few 'steps'. Walking isn't really on his mind these days, but occasionally he stand unassisted for several seconds before falling back on his bottom.

I'll bet you want to see videos of Ian doing this stuff, don'tcha? I will see what can be done.

G A L V E S T O N !

Scott had a conference in Galveston last week, and Ian and I were invited to tag along. It was my first time on the island, and what a fun trip it was! There was plenty to do and see, however I would describe Galveston as a dying city: it seems it never totally recovered from the 1906 storm which killed 6,000, and the resulting up-tick in investments in rival city Houston. During our three day stay, Scott had meetings until 5 p.m., so I was lucky to have the company of a few other Exxon wives. We did quite a bit of eating, exploring and walking together.

I LOVED the historic hotel we stayed at. What this picture doesn't show is the pink and purple monstrosity that stands several stories tall and arches over the road at the far end of the hotel. Mardi Gras could be the only excuse for it. It clashed horribly with the lovely Tremont Hotel which was built in the 1800's and had cool birdcage elevators and neat architecture. It was fancy, yet friendly and I loved our overstuffed, oversized bed. Ian's sleeping arrangements were not quite as posh, but at least the closet was quiet and dark, just how he likes it.

One afternoon we took a free ferry ride to Bolivar Island, about a 20 minute ride off the coast of Galveston. We weren't sure what Bolivar offered, but made plans to find some ice cream and other entertainment. Our first clue should have been that there weren't any other joy-riders on the ferry. Our second clue should have been the curious looks the ferry crew gave us as we waltzed off the ferry towards... absolutely nothing. One lonely "store" was about 200 yards away, and we thought we spotted an ice cream sign on it. We strolled in that direction only to discover upon closer inspection that this "store" offered ice, beer and "Mullets: $5.00 for a dozen". Whatever that means. And they were CLOSED. About that time we heard the ferry blow it's horn to signal departure. Fearing we would be marooned on this desolate island, we rushed back to the ferry to board it literally seconds before it pulled away from the shore.

We attended several museums and ate at some delicious restaurants. I even found an old peanut- butter -factory-gone-condominiums.
And here we are outside the oil museum. I wanted to be a good wife and learn something about what Scott does to bring home the bacon. It was a great museum complete with videos and lots of equipment. It was really interesting. No Really.

Inside the oil museum I tried on some gear and checked out a display on finding a place in the oil process that fit my personality. Turns out I have potential in the industry.