Fun in the water

Sunday was a good day to eat bananas while floating down the Clackamas river. Well, that's what Gryphon thought, anyway. I had eaten a tainted burrito the night before, and spent my time on the raft trying not to vomit.


We went with my co-teacher Julie, her friends Deb, Lisa, Laura, Christin, and Katie. The four rafts were lashed together and the ladies did all the paddling.

Banana number three.

After 30 hours of nausea and vomitting (Cheri thinks it was a virus), I was cured when I awoke this morning. To celebrate, Gryphon and I went to the pool:

Advanced skills

Gryphon is getting better with his spoon. And his reading.

Text only

A couple of days ago Gryphon and I skated to the top of Mt. Tabor to relax and enjoy the view. After eating some goldfish crackers we headed for home, taking the jogging stroller to new speeds and burning up most of my brake in the process.

I lost my camera a few days ago, so it looks like it will be just text for awhile:

August

A few recent highlights:

Bath time art

Lately I've been sketching Gryphon while we take a bath. He often tries to improve my drawings, and it usually works.

Bill Cheetham

Cheri's parents watched Gryphon for most of the day while Cheri worked at the hospital and I slept. Later we went to the Cunninghams' for dinner and music.

On hold again

Gryphon has begun treating objects like telephones, holding them up to his neck (sometimes his ear) and speaking loudly.

Here are the recent calls made on my phone:

Gone to the birds

Yesterday while Cheri dealt with crazy children at work, the Cunninghams and I took our crazy children to the Audubon bird sanctuary.

Fun at home

Cheri worked today, so it was just the men at home. I'm continuing the legacy of my mom's pancake faces, but so far mine have come out real creepy-like.


We got a planter ready for potatoes, and did a lot of drinking out of the hose.

Garage sale

We've been clearing out our house lately, and today we put all the excess in our front lawn and waited. Sure enough, people started giving us money for it - like this person, who was happy to get my gourd instrument.

Jonah came by to help sell.

We turned around to find Gryphon eating some chocolate.

Cheri's parents joined us at the Schofields' barbecue.

Switchboard

Today we got a visit from Casey Alexander, a high school friend of mine. I took him with Gryphon to the Tapanov house in Vancouver, where we had lunch. Val began, "Let's start with vodka."
Gryphon got two new toys in one evening-
1. The Rocking Chair. He can already get in and out of it!

2. The Switchboard. I've been working on this for awhile; all that's left to do is add lights. Gryphon would look at the overhead light when flipping the light switch.

Wrasslin' and fiddlin'

Gryphon did a few more step this evening (up to 9). I continued the Shields tradition of wrassling before bedtime. Then Cheri decided it was time for some fiddling. It had been over a year since she had last played her violin, but she got it to work.

Sickly Wigs

Last night we tried out Sewickly's (or Sickly Wigs as we dubbed it). Despite the antique-store smell and the fact that we were the only diners there, we enjoyed the food. Gryphon had fun feeding himself yogurt and pancake.


This morning he looked like this within an hour of waking up:

Babyboard

This morning I made a program for Gryphon, so that he could just mash the keyboard and see cool stuff happen. It needs sound effects, but he was entertained. (If you try it, click in the center first, then try typing).

He walked a few more times today - he's up to seven steps!

Crazy baby

We went to an outdoor concert downtown on Wednesday. Gryphon crawled all around.

Afterward we ate at the historic Old Town Pizza, but Gryphon did not appreciate the wait time. He's been more demanding lately.

Skate

Now that the weather is cooling down, I took Gryphon on a 6-mile skate by way of the Cunninghams to show off his new haircut.

Jonah let Gryphon try one of his fine wooden people.

Gryphon had begun his nap when we arrived home.

First steps

Gryphon took two steps today. And yesterday he learned how to clap.

Family and friends

Erin (Nathan's cousin) and Andrew finished a hiking trip in Portland where they took us out to breakfast.

We hung out by the Clackamas river.

Gryphon has been getting better with the spoon.

The Cunninghams joined us at the Sheraton pool.