Motorin'...

Alec started walking this week. He started out with a step-step-fall-on-your-butt approach, but went directly from that to this:

Next week, marathons! Of course, it's important to stay hydrated...

Alec is 1

What a year! What a baby! What a dancer!

He's not quite walking, just letting go and bouncing a lot. He also does quite the shark impression. (sometimes you just happen to be singing the right song at the right time):

Finally, Alec's laugh is pretty contagious. I feel kind of bad about posting a video of him on the toilet, but hey, he needs something to talk to his therapist about when he's older, right? 

Happy birthday, Alec!

Hazel's joke...

I told this joke to Hazel, and for the last few days she's asked me to tell it to everyone we come across. Two days ago she told it word for word. Just today our friend Mish was able to catch her on camera,

Not Quite Bigfoot or Nessie...

...but I did finally manage to get a picture of Alec's new teeth! (The elusive ones on top.

Behold!

This may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but it took some doing. Sometimes Alec was pleasant...

And sometimes h was downright difficult.

Hand, hand, faceplant

One thing I learned from this video is that I need to enunciate better. It sounds like I'm telling Alec to get a smoke.

Pulling up!

Facial hair (mine, not Alec's)

One of my earliest memories is of the day my dad shaved off his beard. I must have been six or seven, which should tell you something about my memory in general, but anyway,,, 

We were at the beach, and Dad must have decided it was time for a change. He came out of the bathroom, beardless, and Tim and I jumped to out feet. 

"Dad!" we yelled, "You look like Superman!"

Dad obliged us by twisting a lock of hair into an "S" curl on his forehead and wearing a beach towel as a cape.

Fast-forward to a few decades later, I grow a beard of my own. (I think of t as my "lazy dad" beard, because I've decided I'm too tired to shave.)

Hazel doesn't like it. In fact, she tells me every day that it scratches her, and she doesn't want me to kiss her goodnight while I have the beard, (Luckily, Elise and Alec don't seem to be bothered as much.) 

Still, after several months, I give in and get rid of the beard. 

I walk out of the bathroom. Hazel sees me.

"Dad!" she says, "You look like a clown!

(Also, she says my stubble scratches her.)