New York visit with grands and cousins

The dog days of ... March?

Our boys beat the heat in the backyard.






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Introducing....Amittai!!

Amittai Alexander was born in an all-natural water birth on February 4 at 7:52pm and is a true "Vermonster" at 9lbs 2oz and 22 inches. Our whole family is healthy, happy, and thrilled to have Amittai with us!

BLOG MOVE:

As of today we will be migrating the Zaki blog over to http://zakiandamittai.blogspot.com

Please change your links/bookmarks and set up a subscription to the new blog. We promise lots of cuteness to make it worth your while!

Jellyfish swimming toward a reef

The artist explains his work:

This week's ski camp was a focus on turning. Zaki told me this morning that he was going to ski all the way down by himself without needing an adult to stop him or help him. I smiled and nodded, but he sure was right. The first run down with his instructor he did completely without assistance! By the end of the day, he was making big "S" turns in his pizza pie down the hill. Here is a short video of him skiing toward Jonah at the base. Zaki is wearing a red helmet and blue/grey coat -- Jonah is wearing orange. You can hear Zaki's instructor cheering him on from below.

A monster named "Scare"

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A cozy read

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Ski camp week 2

This week zaki learned to play "red light, green light" on his skis! We are extra proud of him because even thought was only 9 degrees he didn't once complain of being cold and took 6 long runs!





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An amazing first ski day!

Zaki had a fabulous first ski camp day. The weather was great for a newbie (35 degrees), his main class instructor was an Olympic gold medalist, and his one-on-one instructor had been a student teacher in his preschool! First the kids learned how to fall safely (we can't wait till the lesson where they learn to get up too).

The first time down the hill after learning to ride the Mighty-Mite (tow bar), Zaki told his dad to "let him go"! He managed a great snow plow the second time down and learned to stop on his own. Here are some pics of the day, which was exhausting but super-fun!

Ready to ski!

Zaki tried on his new ski boots at the ski shop and rocked his helmet and goggles at home!!!






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Why it is wonderful to have cousins!!

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Lobsterman

This is the 2lb lobster Zaki decimated in Boston on a visit with Sally Grandma this weekend! Manetta-Walker family folks should recall a similar picture of Peter from nearly 30 years ago! If anyone has it in digital form please send as I would like to post them side by side!


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Location:Boston MA

Parseltongue?

Zaki chats with two Anacondas in the Biodome in Montreal.


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Happy Thanksgiving

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What's in a name

Zaki has gotten very into working on writing his name well. Here are some early attempts from a few weeks ago:

Pumpkin magic

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Halloween parade

Zaki and his classmates in costume! Find the jellyfish!



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Views of a jellyfish

Here's our guy getting ready to go out trick-or-treating! He was thrilled with his jellyfish costume, which he helped mommy make!








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Art gallery

Zaki decided to create an art gallery in one corner of the kitchen!





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Zaki and his friend Eliot tend bar at a Pablo's rehearsal dinner. They actually got quite good at using the keg!





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Zaki's painting for his new room

Zaki's painting, which he has titled "Road to New York City". Tempera paint, grass clippings, and sand on canvas.


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The best things in life are...

Today Zaki just happened to be scootering by a house where some older children were giving away their old toys. And he scored a whole freezer bag full of dinosaurs!

When he got home he sat down on the floor and started to have intense imaginary play with them, including a lot of growling. Oh no, we thought, now begins the play-fighting, the play-violence, the dinosaurs tearing each other apart.

So I asked Zaki, with some trepidation: "What are the dinosaurs doing"? He answered, "Putting on a show." "Oh," I said, "What kind of show?". "Well," Zaki answered "It's about magic. The magic of theory." I repeated "The magic of theory?" in disbelief. "Yes, the magic of theory," he answered. And his parents wept tears of joy.

Challah

We'll get back to Zaki's summer fun shortly, but here's Zaki making challah at school!

Sand castle

Zaki helps Uncle Peter with a mega-castle!

Waves!

Letters in the sand

Zaki worked on writing letters in the sand. Here is his "A" and his "o".

Vaca with David Grandpa and Grandma Joan

Dinner with the family, and reading with grandparents before bed!