RoRo

Easton's Gigantic Trees!

2010-11-15T15:39:00.000-06:00

Riding in Great-Granddaddy's truck!

2010-02-21T22:11:00.001-06:00

"Take a picture of my serious face, Mom."

2010-02-21T22:03:00.001-06:00

2010-02-21T22:01:00.001-06:00

Oh no! Snow!

2010-02-21T21:59:00.000-06:00

2010-02-21T21:58:00.001-06:00

Comic Book Artist!

2010-02-21T21:55:00.001-06:00

Ro at his dad's office, drawing on the big whiteboard. This is the X-
Men fighting some Sentinels-- notice that Wolverine is calling one of
the bad guys "bub"---!!!!!

Got Daddy's Glasses!

2010-02-21T21:50:00.000-06:00

Ro's Photograph

2010-02-21T21:48:00.001-06:00

Ro's Artwork

2010-02-21T21:47:00.001-06:00

Cute

2009-10-25T10:33:00.001-05:00

Ro said, "I need a fast transport! Can I buy this Raptor for ten
dollars?"

RoRo and the Art of Interpretation...

2009-10-15T12:32:00.001-05:00

I said to Ro, "Hey, I'm going to run downstairs for a second, okay?"
He said, "Okay!" and as I started toward the stairs, he says, "Well,
it sure doesn't sound like you're running."

A Rohan Cute

2009-10-08T06:47:00.001-05:00

It doesn't really matter if Rohan knows the exact meaning of all the
words he uses or not, he gets his point across. We were watching Star
Wars Attack of the Clones the other day, and when Annakin kisses Padme
at the end, Rohan said, "Oh no! He's going to get displayed from the
Jedi order!"
Well...
Today Rohan woke up in rare form. At one point he was jumping around
on our bed, and I told him to get down and come eat breakfast. Sujit
was still in bed, and I said, "Don't climb on your daddy, get off and
go around." Rohan jumped right onto Sujit's side and said, "I'm
climbing *over* Daddy!" I rolled my eyes and said, "It's all about
semantics with you!" Rohan said, "Oh yeah, you want some antics? Hee-
yah!" and proceeded to try to wrestle Sujit and me into oblivion.

Practicing Politeness

2009-09-25T08:13:00.001-05:00

Today, RoRo has been a model of good manners. When asking if he could
do something, he said "Can I do the honors?" When he handed an item to
me, he said "You can be my guest!" And my personal favorite-- when he
wanted something to drink, he asked "Can I pardon you for a glass of
water?" What a kid!

Rohan's schoolwork

2009-09-16T15:15:00.001-05:00

Just thought I'd show off some of Ro's scoolwork. He drew the turtle
an extra umbrella, as well as a black spot on his shell where he was
struck by lightning!

Walking on curbs!

2009-09-10T21:01:00.001-05:00

I used to do this when I was a kid. Anytime we get near a curb or
anything like this Ro has to walk on it. He's got very good balance,
too!

Scientist in the House!

2009-09-05T18:19:00.001-05:00

Ro got to meet Sid the Science Kid from PBS at the science center today!

Pie

2009-08-23T11:06:00.001-05:00

This is Pie. Although she is our smallest cat, she feels that it is
her duty to make sure everyone is well-fed!

Aerospace Studies

2009-08-23T11:04:00.001-05:00

We attended a rocket-building workshop at COSI, a science center in
Columbus. While Dad did the precision taping, Ro drew out both the
design for our first rocket and all the adventures it would encounter
on its voyage.

25 Launch to the Moon!

2009-08-23T11:00:00.001-05:00

The little white smudge back there is RoRo going to retrieve our 2nd
rocket, "25 Launch to the Moon. "

Time Out!

2009-08-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

Blast Off!

2009-08-23T10:56:00.000-05:00

RoRo launches the rocket! It wasn't the highest flyer of the group,
but it did pretty well. Ro was just thrilled at the whole experience.

County Fair II

2009-08-13T20:13:00.001-05:00

This was Ro's favorite part of the fair- the red-eyed rabbits.

Kids Day at the Fair

2009-08-13T07:32:00.001-05:00

RoRo really liked the swings at the county fair! He also liked the
"Ice Age" funhouse. As you can see, we barely got a few rides in
before it started to rain, so we spent the rest of the afternoon
checking out the livestock. The rabbits won for "cutest animal at the
fair" while the hogs won honorable mention for "smelliest barn to get
stuck in while waiting for the rain to stop!"

Kiddie Karate

2009-08-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Hyah!

Happy Birthday, Smokey!

2009-08-06T16:09:00.001-05:00

We celebrated the 65th anniversary of Smokey Bear's birthday at the
Wayne National Forest visitor's center. We learned all about the cub's
rescue from a fire in Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico and his
life in Washington D.C. as an ambassador for fire prevention. Did you
know that Smokey was so popular and received so much mail that he had
his own Zip Code?

Little Wildfire

2009-08-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

Putting out wildfires at Wayne National Forest!

Mobile blogging, baby!

2009-07-31T07:34:00.001-05:00

RoRo's brilliant Daddy found an elegant internet solution for us!
Technology has combined forces with the powers of Ultimate Cuteness to
vanquish the Data Void--So RoRo's blog is back in business!!!

Sent from my iPhone

Ninja Baby and Sneaking Tiger infiltrated the parental bed last night...

2009-07-31T07:27:00.001-05:00

Another great park!

2009-03-20T08:10:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday we went to the park after I picked RoRo up from Preschool. He must have had a good time, because he fell asleep in the car on the way home!

Our backyard

2009-03-20T08:06:00.000-05:00

Is this thing on?

2009-03-20T08:04:00.000-05:00

Rohan played with this toy stage for nearly an hour. He issued tickets, told me the show would start in five minutes, took my ticket, came out and did a scene from Monsters Inc where Mike eats and burps out a microphone, and then went over to the couch on the left and interviewed those baby dolls like a talk show host. What an imagination!

A great new playground!

2009-03-20T08:01:00.000-05:00

The playgrounds here are really fun! From slides that make your hair stick up to X-wing cockpits to hidden dinosaur bones!

Our new neighbors

2009-03-20T07:59:00.000-05:00

We have exciting new neighbors! I caught a picture of this hawk just before the crows chased him away, and we hung some birdfeeders on the back porch and always have a bustling crowd of chickadees, finches, siskins, juncos, squirrels, chipmunks, titmice, cardinals, wrens, jays, sparrows....

Before and After...

2009-03-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

And still crazy no matter what!

Fun at Home

2009-03-20T07:52:00.000-05:00

We found a neat little play area in the mall! It's a great place to go on a cold winter day, and Rohan loves the little animals there.

Happy New Year!

2009-03-20T07:49:00.000-05:00

We visited Tennessee for new years day! Rohan loved the firecrackers we set off in Grandma Liz and Granddaddy Gene's field, and liked exploring the ridge and the creek with Grandaddy Gene and Daddy. (In the first picture he's modeling Grandpa's hat, and has the perfect attitude to go with it!)

Christmas in Virginia

2009-03-20T07:46:00.000-05:00

We spent Christmas with Aji and Ajoba. Rohan loved Aji's decorations! The weather was unusually warm, so we got to go to the park and play outside. And Santa Claus managed to find Rohan all the way in Virginia and gave him his very own camera!

Daddy's New Office

2009-03-20T07:42:00.000-05:00

Rohan spends some time exploring the nooks and crannies in Daddy's new office. This includes a trip to the coffee shop for a cookie before we leave.

Community Helpers

2008-11-14T20:26:00.000-06:00

RoRo's preschool class spent a couple of weeks talking about community helpers-- doctors, police officers, and fire fighters. They topped it all of with a visit to the fire station, where they got to see where the firefighters ate, slept, and hung out, and best of all they got to see the fire trucks!

What you say?

2008-11-14T20:23:00.000-06:00

RoRo tries out some neat new technology-- his Dad's phone headset. Ro is just too cool.

Little Bobcat

2008-11-14T20:19:00.000-06:00

RoRo and his Dad at the Ohio University homecoming game.

Calloo, Callay! It's Ro's First Day!

2008-08-20T22:43:00.004-05:00

We've been really busy wrapping up our summer and getting ready for...
PRESCHOOL!
Check it out! Big second-year preschoolers have to have Backpacks, and RoRo absolutely loved this blue and yellow sling.
Here we are getting ready to go...

Same school, different people...

2008-08-20T22:36:00.004-05:00

This year, Ro has new teachers, Mrs. B and Mrs. P, new classmates, and as a new classroom that he says is the greatest in the planet. After I picked him up, he told me all about the transformer toy that was in the car bin and the lego guy he found under all the blocks. He says he LOOOOVES his new teacher. He also said he colored a picture of Baby RoRo (that will hang all year in the classroom) with black hair and dressed up in only underwear... Oh my... all year... in just his skivvies?... oh dear...

One more peek...

2008-08-20T22:33:00.003-05:00

And I couldn't resist one last peek inside.

(If he looks worried, it's just because he's realized that I'm taking his picture, not because Mom is leaving! He's an old hand, now!)

Sparklies!

2008-07-24T09:45:00.000-05:00

And of course, what Fourth would be complete without sparklers!

Independence Day!

2008-07-24T09:43:00.001-05:00

We were invited to a Fourth of July barbeque, and our hosts let RoRo play in their pool. No need to tell you whether or not he enjoyed himself! Yipee!

Fourth of July Parade, Hooray Hooray!

2008-07-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

RoRo was very excited to watch the parade downtown!

Fourth of July Parade!

2008-07-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

So Long, Hank Lloyd Wright...

2008-06-15T10:38:00.003-05:00

Hank-O the Fish, Betta extraordinaire and Attack-Fish of the first order, was found at the bottom of the tank yesterday afternoon. The betta spendens, best known for threatening any creature that came up the stairs, had previously been treated for fin-rot a month prior to his decease. It had recurred, but the fighter survived only one treatment.
Burial services were held in a secret location and a memorial took place last night as the news was broken to younger members of the household.
He is survived by his tankmates, danios Cheech, Boink, and Doink.

RoRo got over it pretty much instantaneoulsy.

Balloon Science

2008-06-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

At the family reunion (you can see Grandpa Gene and Ben in the background, Uncle Gavin's tattoos in the foreground) RoRo found a balloon that escaped from another reunion in a neighboring shelter. He decided it needed more air and held it up to a fan until he was satisfied with it's volume. That was so cute!

Dinosaur Walk Museum

2008-06-07T12:31:00.000-05:00

On Monday, we took RoRo and two of his cousins on a little trip to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The first thing we did was stop by Dinosaur Walk Museum, an attraction with about 50 dinosaur replicas in really nice, realistic settings. I especially like the little dino dining on the possum ; )

Ripley's Aquarium

2008-06-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg was one of the best we've seen. There is a moving walkway through a huge tank that features several different kinds of sharks and rays-- we had to do that twice, it was so cool!

RoRo at Ripley's

2008-06-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics of RoRo at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg.

Racing Hair

2008-06-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

While in Pigeon Forge, we couldn't resist a round on one of the many go-cart tracks. When we were done, RoRo had "racing hair!"

Little Boy, Big World

2008-06-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

Taken at Hinds Creek, June 2008.

Playing at Home

2008-05-25T16:57:00.000-05:00

After our trip to the lake, Rohan played around in the backyard.

1000 Hills Lake

2008-05-25T16:54:00.000-05:00

Today we took RoRo out for a boat ride at the lake. He especially liked going FAST!

I Admit It!

2008-05-11T22:02:00.003-05:00

I admit it! I've retouched photos of RoRo before-- dried yogurt on his chin, a dog's hind-end in the back of a shot-- but this is.... Let's just say I appreciate my silly, sometimes messy, often needing a haircut little boy very much!
http://naturalbeautiescontest.homestead.com/retouchc.html

Hello there!

2008-05-05T21:04:00.000-05:00

We're finally getting some pretty weather! That also means pretty pictures! Hooray!

First Mow of the Year!

2008-05-05T20:57:00.000-05:00

"Someone will wash a dish eventually..."

2008-05-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

Q-Tip won't be bothered with drinking water from a bowl. He'd rather wait patiently until someone needs to use the sink and get it right from the source (no dog-spit contamination that way.) He'll sleep here if he has to.

Washington St. Java Co.

2008-05-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

Rohan loves going to the coffee shop.
No, he doesn't like coffee.
He's not into the hip artwork on display.
He doesn't play chess (sometimes he'll work a puzzle.)
He's in love with the blue vinyl couch.

Big Three-Wheeler

2008-05-05T20:39:00.000-05:00

Daddy brought home a big-wheel trike this weekend! We tried it out at the university tennis courts on Saturday, and he's been playing "Speed Racer" with it ever since!

Scaring Practice

2008-05-05T20:29:00.000-05:00

Rohan asked me to take some pictures of him "being scary." He was pretty satisfied with the results.

Getting Warm

2008-05-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

We ran some errands downtown on Tuesday-- it was one of the first really nice days we've had so far this year. RoRo sat down on the curb and wouldn't get in the car. I asked him what he was doing; he replied, "I'm getting warm. Aaah!"

Our Attack Fish

2008-03-16T15:12:00.000-05:00

This is a picture RoRo took of our betta.

Ring around the RoRo

2008-03-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

Nice Pictures

2008-03-08T11:08:00.000-06:00

On Thursday, I wanted to take some nice pictures of RoRo, since he was dressed in nice clothes and was not dirty after Preschool.

Silly Pictures

2008-03-08T10:46:00.000-06:00

But the picture-taking session quickly became silly, and we stopped.

Raking the Snow

2008-02-26T14:51:00.000-06:00

Snowy Day

2008-02-26T14:48:00.000-06:00

The Kitchen Sink, Too

2008-02-26T14:43:00.000-06:00

Rohan helps Dad and Mom install a new kitchen faucet.

Pointing and laughing is his specialty!

The Further Adventures of Spider-Man

2008-02-26T14:39:00.000-06:00

Spider-Man and New Goblin are fighting Venom in the kitchen!

Happy Valentines Bears

2008-02-26T14:37:00.000-06:00

Rohan dressed these magnetic bears all by himself. He said they were going to go get married! What a cute little Valentine!!!

Thanksgiving Fun

2008-01-01T16:41:00.000-06:00

The weather was so great over our Thanksgiving visit that we got to play outside almost every day! Thank-you to Ajoba for sending this video!

2008: The Year of the Spider

2007-12-28T23:40:00.000-06:00

While no children were harmed in the making of this film, the producers did not disclose their intentions when they told Mom to get lost for a while.... But this is beautiful...

Santa's Toy

2007-12-26T11:11:00.000-06:00

Rohan got a Spider-Man 3 Final Battle Playset from Santa this year! It was the only thing he asked for, and he says that it's even cooler than he thought it would be. He said, "I didn't realize from the box that it had Venom and the New Goblin too! I didn't know that it came with a web! I didn't know we could defeat Flint Marco and he would fall down!"

Christmas Dinner

2007-12-26T11:04:00.000-06:00

Rohan requested beef stew for Christmas dinner. So we made it from scratch and served it with sourdough onion bread bowls. Rohan hasn't cleaned his plate in weeks, but he left an empty bowl at the table when he was finished! Merry Christmas!

Bevier, MO

2007-12-26T10:59:00.000-06:00

We went to the Pear Tree in Bevier, MO on Saturday night. So far we've been twice and gotten snowed on both times. But we always stop to look at the Bevier&Southern train, anyway!

DIY Extreme Gingerbread Home Makeover

2007-12-26T10:54:00.000-06:00

The Wonder that is Gravity

2007-12-09T15:03:00.000-06:00

O Christmas Tree

2007-12-09T14:56:00.000-06:00

Rohan put up the Christmas Tree this year-- I think he did a fine job, don't you?

Here he is with a Black-suit Spiderman ornament that his Daddy got for him this year. Besides our Voyager Delta Flyer ornament, this is by far his favorite.

Everyday surprises

2007-12-09T14:50:00.000-06:00

I often find Rohan's toys laying around wherever he left them in whatever poses he was putting them in, but thisone really amused me. Are the dinos watching the fish for fun, or for food?

Check This Out!

2007-11-30T14:59:00.000-06:00

Rohan loves working jigsaw puzzles-- imagine how much fun he had with this giant floor puzzle his Daddy gave him!

Geese in Virginia

2007-11-30T14:55:00.000-06:00

Some geese that we saw (and fed) during our Thanksgiving visit.

Belly-Diving

2007-11-30T14:51:00.000-06:00

Rohan calls this innovative approach to sliding "Belly Diving" and demonstrated it at length at Aji and Ajoba's house this Thanksgiving.
(I have a feeling that belly diving is something that kids are NOT supposed to do at preschool!)

Fishin'

2007-11-15T19:20:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of Gary Clark.

Vroom-VROOOOM!

2007-11-15T19:17:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of the completed model that Grandpa was working on (with RoRo) this summer. Ro was very excited to see it and recognized it almost immediately! The '49 is also a model by Grandpa-- his hobby has been passed along to RoRo in the form of piecing together dinosaur skeletons and mix-and-match dinosaur figurines.

Photos courtesy of Gary Clark (aka Grandpa)

Whatcha Doin?

2007-11-05T07:26:00.000-06:00

During our most recent visit to Tennessee, RoRo helped Grandpa put together a model car. He still asks Grandpa how the car is coming along when they talk on the phone.

August

2007-11-05T07:18:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Tennessee back in August... a special portrait at the Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge... Waiting for Einstein at the Bird Show at the Knoxville Zoo... Walking the creek with Daddy at Grandpa Gene & Grandma Liz's house... and playing with Tyson, Frodo, and MURPHY ("That crazy dog!")

Just Can't Wait for Halloween!

2007-11-05T07:07:00.000-06:00

Rohan dressed up as Simba, complete with his "Can't Wait to Be King" crown, for Halloween. He practiced his ROAR! before we left to make sure he was plenty scary. He chose Dum-Dum lollipops as the candy we would give out at our house, but it was hard to get him past our candy to go collect more! As he says, "Those popsicles are yu-um-my!" When we got home, Rohan had to greet all of our "visitors" and quiz some of them on their costumes. Even after he'd taken off the Simba outfit, he continued to roar at everyone who came by our house.

Those Questions!

2007-10-27T21:29:00.000-05:00

Ro quite frankly has more questions than I have answers, and that's a hard thing to admit. In fact, there are some questions he has asked recently that I don't even care to try to figure out a reply for. Here is a sampling...
(Warning: mostly funny but also fairly gross three-year-old questions ahead!)

How do we get older?

Why are "O"s shaped like "O"s?

When will I be all grown up--when I have lots of tools like Daddy?

Why do hadrosaurs have 'dung-balls*'?

Can I make the kitty bite me? Pleeeease?

Do panda bears sometimes bite people? (Mommy admits that she does not know the masticulatory preferences of ailuropoda melanoleuca in regard to homo sapiens.) Can we pet panda bears? (Mommy answers that panda bears mostly live in zoos and in China.) Can we go to China and pet a panda bear?

How do kitties poop out of their pooper? (Mommy says she does not know.) Do they poop like panda bears? (Mommy answers that they probably do poop much like pandas do.) How do panda bears poop, then?

Why did the kitty bite me for?

Is poop gross? (Mommy suggests that yes, poop is a little gross and explains about bacteria for the twentieth time that day.) Well, Nigel Marven** says it's not.

Am I famous?

What are my hands all sticky from?

Why are you annoying me, Mommy?

Did I poop out my french fries yet? (Mommy answers that yes, he probably has.) Then where's the ketchup?

*Mommy finally figured out that Ro was referring to the duck-bill of duck-billed dinosaurs.

**Nigel Marven is a wildlife documentarian/adventurer and star of Ro's all-time favorite DVDs, "Chased by Dinosaurs" and "Prehistoric Park." He evidently knows more than we do.

And here's one that doesn't quite qualify as a question but deserves an honorable mention:

Aw, why does it always take two years to poop?!?

Busybusybusy

2007-10-27T21:06:00.000-05:00

This last month has been very busy-- I have been working on projects for Rohan's school (quilt & baby boots for a fundraiser and the fall book fair, see "A Very Special Visitor" below) and Daddy has been busy with Homecoming so we have not been able to keep this updated. Sorry! I think we've got a little break coming up before the holidays so we'll try to keep the pictures coming!

Repeat After Me

2007-10-27T20:56:00.000-05:00

Not bad, huh? And of course everyone should have an
extra "O" in their name!

Eat Dirt

2007-10-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

Rohan is playing in the mud.

Nope, mud does not taste good.

Would Card like to try some mud? "Eat the mud, Card! Eat it, boy!"

Does Mommy want to try some mud? "No, Thanks, Rohan!"

Mooonster Gogggggles!

2007-10-27T19:43:00.000-05:00

The Gingerbread Man

2007-10-27T19:41:00.000-05:00

Rohan really loves the story of the Gingerbread Man-- imagine how much fun he and Daddy had making one of their own! (And even though he could indeed smell the gingerbread, he did not open that oven door!)

A Very Special Visitor!

2007-10-27T19:38:00.000-05:00

I volunteered to help set up and take down the fall book fair at RoRo's school. On the last day, they had a very special guest! Ro was much more excited than these photos show to have his picture taken with none other than Clifford the Big Red Dog!

Hooray for the swing!

2007-10-27T19:37:00.000-05:00