While in New York

Fletcher was entrusted with important tasks, such as grinding up the flax seed for Grandpa's morning oatmeal. Fletcher does enjoy a good button-pushing.

He lounged on Mommy's lap while playing with a new electronic toy from Grandpa and Grandma, while Daddy fed him organic blueberries.

He got to hang out with Auntie Elizabeth, who kindly came to White Plains to spend an evening with him.

He also got to meet his brand new almost-cousins, Sophia and Olivia, but his mommy forgot to take any pictures. It's difficult to believe, I know, given that so few moments of his life remain undocumented. Just please imagine that there's a photo here of Fletcher and two really cute baby girls.

I think there's an oral fixation joke here, but I'm not sure.

A Visit with Aunt Bean

When we were in New York, we made a trip into Manhattan so that Fletcher could meet his Aunt Bean.

She shared some words of wisdom with him.

She offered him a cool Christmas present, but he was most taken with her tv remote.

We rode the very crowded subway back to Grand Central. Fletcher was probably the most patient passenger on the train.

High times at the Hyatt

Fletcher enjoyed every minute of the hotel in White Plains. No stairs to speak of, but lots of doors, a fitness room with a mirrored wall, long hallways, a fireplace, elevators, and a giant bowl of sparkly styrofoam balls. Every toddler needs a bowl of sparkle balls for Christmas.






Fletcher and I had a difference of opinion:




He wanted to hang out in other people's hotel rooms, and I didn't want him to. I always ruin his fun.



I made it up to him by letting him ride the elevator for a while, followed by some time spent roaming the halls.

Winter Wonderland

It was another White Christmas for Fletcher, and we were prepared!

Sweater, fleece pants, last year's snow suit, snow boots, a fleece hat (with a velcro strap!), mittens (with velcro straps!) and a hood. We had to give him a few minutes to get acclimated.

He had his doubts about the whole endeavor.







Yes, that's his mommy, daddy and grandpa snickering at the end.

Whee?

With the geese who live at my parents' house: Lefty, Henry, and Sweetiepie.

Merry (?) Christmas!

First Christmas Stollen

Fletcher got to try his first stollen (an Austrian Christmas bread) this year.

He liked it! I know he doesn't look very happy, but believe me, he doesn't eat
anything unless he really, really likes it.

Keen-eyed viewers may notice that Fletcher's mommy also enjoyed some stollen.

The Christmas Box

Grandma Bonnie sent Fletcher a box for Christmas! There were some wrapped packages in it, but really, who cares about packages? It's a box!

Work it!

Fletcher struts his stuff on the catwalk, er, the kitchen floor.

At the Austin airport - stairs!

At LAX - on the same peoplemover as last year.

The weather was dreary, but luckily we had the rain cover for his stroller, henceforth known as "the Popemobile".

We went to a charming French bistro for breakfast. Unfortunately, they were not prepared for babies (our waiter: "A highchair?"), so we only had coffee before we left and found...

...the International Bistro of Pancakes, where they know how to treat a boy.

Having dinner at Barney's Beanery.

Fletcher was very impressed by his new friend Annabel.

Our hotel, the Sunset Marquis, was very nice. The bathtub had a marble surround and came equipped with complimentary rubber duckies. No, really.

And they provided an Italian cotton bathrobe for young Master Fletcher.

Posing for Motherboy 2010.

We're concerned that he might be getting a little jaded.

Fletcher bites into a vanilla madeleine at Bottega Louie and thinks back upon the last time he ate a madeleine at Bottega Louie.

And then he takes another bite and reflects upon that last bite.

15 Months!

Fletcher and the Stuffed Terrier are good pals now.

Even though S.T. can be embarrassingly immature sometimes.

An apple fritter? From the grocery store? Where's the gourmet cupcake that I refuse to eat each month?

15 Month Stats:

Head circumference: 90th percentile

Height: 32 inches, 75th percentile (I'm not sure if this is correct)

Weight: 22 pounds, 12 ounces! 30th percentile! He finally weighs too much for his infant seat.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Last weekend, on the coldest day of the year (so far) we went out in the morning to get our Christmas tree.

That's actual frost on the ground.



Later, we went to the annual German Christmas Festival, where Fletcher got to chew on a gingerbread man while crawling up steep cement stairs. It doesn't get any better than this, people.

We told Fletcher that we put the gate up so that Gretchen wouldn't pull ornaments off the tree.





In the evening, we went to the Christmas singalong/tree lighting at the Capitol. Fletcher was more interested in perfecting his mitten removal skills.

St Nicholas Day

This past Sunday was St. Nicholas Day, so Fletcher got an early taste of Christmas. We hung a stocking - okay, a sock - and St. Nicholas filled it with treats.

Fletcher has been a very good boy this year.

Thoughtful St. Nicholas brought a musical snowman that plays "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" for a really long time. A really long time.

Fletcher wonders why his parents don't just let him eat his gingerbread in peace.



Stockings - okay, socks - are perplexing things.


St. Nicholas knows that Fletcher enjoys the taste of maracas at his weekly music class, so he brought him his own pair.


And finally...



...best of all...

...a package of ping pong balls!

In summary, Fletcher received: sugar, a noisy toy, a noisier toy, and a toy that will surely result in at least one of his parents spraining his or her ankle.

Thanks, St. Nicholas!

True Love

There's only one thing for which Fletcher would give up a cuddle with his dogs...a cuddle with his beloved camera.