He's got the moves

Here's something Quinn gets from his Mommy: The kid can dance.

There's rhythm in those little legs. Shimmy in those little hips. No matter the song, he'll start wiggling, shifting his arms left and right, bouncing up and down -- all in rhythm, all in sync.

Each morning, Mommy has the TV tuned to the local PBS channel. The moment the theme song to one show comes on -- a tune that goes something like, "It' s a big world .. it's a big, big world." -- our little Astaire drops everything and starts to boogie.

To him, it's not really a dance unless his elbows start swinging up to his ears. Otherwise, it's just a bounce.

His brain is already attuned to music. Often, Mommy and Daddy will sit near the computer, listening to snippets of the new music out that week on iTunes. Quinn joins us, bopping his head in rhythm while reading a book before bedtime.

This leads me to wonder something: In that picture above, is he calling an agent?











Munching on a corndog at Portland's Riverfront Blues Festival.












Enjoying his first fireworks show at Portland's Riverfront Park.












Petting a goat with Mommy at the Oregon Zoo.












Quinn is enjoying the polar bear. Daddy's giving a creepy smile.












Quinn and Daddy drive the vintage Range Rover at the Oregon Zoo.

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Keeping it cool

It's been hot here in Oregon, and it's taking a while to get used to being immersed in humidity again. But the good Cap'n Quinn found himself a nice spot to cool down the other day.

The funny thing about Quinn and fountains is that as much as he enjoys it, he really hates having water poured on his head. He spent as much time running away from the fountains as he did running in them. Still, we had a good time.

It turns out that living in an apartment has its constraints. There's less room for Quinn and his doggie, Dexie, to roam. There's no backyard and a lot of obstacles to trip over. But Quinn has found his own jungle gym, and it comes home every day around 6 p.m.

It's called the Daddy, and it's great for climbing.

First Quinn runs into the Daddy. Then he climbs on the Daddy. Then he sits his butt on the Daddy's face. Then he bounces on the Daddy. Then he launches himself off the Daddy. Then he gets tickled by the Daddy.

Then the Daddy gets tired.

Stay tuned for some more updates coming soon featuring Quinn's first taste of fireworks. Dexie gives them a thumbs (paws?) down.

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Everything's rosy (almost)

There's a sweet scent in the air. Can you smell it? It's like progress mixed with relief mixed with warm cookies.

There's a strong chance that our house in Albuquerque might soon have a "sold" sign out front. That, my friends, makes this the scent of a burden being lifted. Or almost lifted. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Speaking of sweet scents, the good Cap'n Quinn found his nose immersed in rose petals last weekend. Mommy wanted to see Portland's famous rose garden. It was a beautiful day, there was a wedding in progress, and Quinn just wanted to run and play in a fountain. Which meant that within a few minutes it was still a beautiful day, there was still a wedding in progress, and there was one little man throwing a temper tantrum.

He's been throwing those tantrums a lot these days.

"Snack?", he'll ask, 15 seconds after not eating his dinner.

"No son, you don't need a snack," Daddy says, to which Quinn falls on the floor, flails his legs, buries his head into the carpet, rolls around, and utters a sound that seems to combine a whimper, a whine and a valkyrie.

We're thinking of nominating him for an Academy Award.

Speaking of dramatic acts, there's a good chance Quinn might have a future as a daredevil. He's taken a liking to jumping off of high places lately. For example, a little Winnie the Pooh truck he received as a birthday present is supposed to be something to ride on. But he found a way to use it as a diving board, discovering new thrills each time he launched himself off the seat and onto the floor.

That was, until he landed awkwardly on his arm. We thought maybe we would need a trip to the emergency room -- for two. Quinn for his arm, Daddy for a heart attack.

That would have smelled like bad.

Aloha. From Oregon.

We're here, in the land of pine and rain drops, a whole family unit, dog and all. And we couldn't be happier.

Inside an apartment in Aloha, Ore., is where the crime-fighting tandem of Daddy and Cap'n Quinn have reunited; the sidekick is back at Daddy's side.

As you can see in the video below, not only can Quinn defeat evil, but he's got some mean dance moves, too.

We're settling nicely in our little apartment after a long, but suprisingly easy three-day drive. Yesterday, we all picked strawberries and Quinn fed some llamas, goats and chickens at a local farm. Dexie has found the dog park. Daddy and Quinn played some soccer at a local park on Father's Day. And Mommy has been busy job hunting and getting acquainted with our new surroundings.

We're hopeful Mommy will find a job soon and that our old house will sell soon, so we can get Quinn a new house with his own back yard.

He'll need the space to practice his dance moves.

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The Q is coming to the PDX

It's been a long time since we posted anything. I know. Managing a blog loses it's place on the priority list when you're in the process of uprooting yourself.

It's not that there hasn't been an abundance to share. Quinn's vocabulary is bigger. He says "daddy" and "mommy" and partial phrases like "I know." He knows the "potty," can tell you when everything is "OK" and likes to go "bye."

He doesn't know it yet, but he'll be saying "bye" to New Mexico very soon.

As you can see in the picture above, the good Cap'n Quinn made a splash in Portland when he and Mommy visited a few weeks ago. They had a good time, which was helped by beautiful weather.

Soon, though, Quinn and Mommy and Dexie and I will pack up and head to the Pacific Northwest.

Hopefully soon we'll hear good news about a job for Mommy, and better news about the house selling. Those things will come soon. And when they do, Mommy will get a much deserved vacation.

Daddy understands that Mommy has the worst of this situation, all the heavy lifting that comes with coordinating a move, managing the sale of a house, and dealing with the stresses of separation. Yeah, she's getting her vacation. Daddy will see too it.

It will just be nice once we're all back together. It will be better than nice.

The world will seem right again.













Quinn and Daddy waiting for the "choo choo" in Portland.












Mommy took Quinn to splash in Portland's Waterfront Park.













Mommy's view from high above the Rio Grande Valley in Albuquerque during her Mother's Day hot air balloon ride.

Hi to Daddy

Daddy is off creating new adventures in Portland, and so Quinn is home missing him. Mommy took pictures of Quinn so Daddy wouldn't miss him so much. Here he is doing something he shouldn't be doing, but his dancing sure is cute!

On the go

Daddy's taking a road trip for a while. And while he'll be back soon, he wanted to show Quinn's fan club some of his greatest hits from the past few weeks. Here are three videos to enjoy:


In this one, the Good Cap'n Quinn prances around with our good friend Signe, whose mommy, Maggie, worked with Daddy at the Albuquerque Tribune.


Here Quinn tells us who is on his t-shirt. He and Elmo are good buddies.


Finally, Quinn hunts for Easter eggs with his cousin Axel at the home of Uncle Dwight and Aunt Carmen. Quinn enjoyed taking the eggs out of the basket more than putting them in.

Who Says the Easter Bunny is harmless?

Mommy decided that Quinn needed a picture with the Easter Bunny this year. Little did she know just the fiasco it would turn out to be. Even though the Easter Bunny was as cute and cuddly looking as he could be, he sure didn't fool Quinn, who upon seeing said Easter Bunny began reaching the other way and screaming for help. Daddy seems to think his frantic cries for help were warranted; he thinks the bunny was creepy looking. Mommy still thinks he was cute and was trying to preserve what memory she could, frantic look and all.

Let's hope he still leaves us an Easter basket after the visit we had today.

Just for fun, here's a happier picture:

Perfecting the swing

It's baseball season and one day Cap'n Quinn will learn the importance of every thing happening in Fort Myers, Fla., or wherever the Minnesota Twins will hold Spring Training in the future.

He's young, though, and maybe he'll have a sweet swing of his own. Daddy, as you can see in the video below, is trying to start him early. Quinn already has a good arm, though he hasn't yet decided if he's a lefty or righty. His curveball is unhittable, though mostly because he throws it behind his back.




While he may not have perfected his swing, he's doing a fine job mastering the English language. As you can see in this video below, our little hero has an ever-expanding vocabulary. Before long he'll be doing his own blogging.

Viva La Tribune

Dear Quinn,

When the day comes that you become old enough to read this, you probably won't remember most of the faces in the picture above. Except mine, naturally.

I will tell you that they were Daddy's former co-workers at the Albuquerque Tribune, that most of them held you at one point, welcomed you into a newsroom for the first time, and listened with interest every time I bragged about the most minor of milestones you achieved.

I will tell you that they were remarkable, each and every one. They were dedicated to a level of excellence that inspired your Daddy to be the best at what he does, to learn to truly love journalism. To some it's merely a vocation, but Daddy learned from these people above that it should be much, much more than that.

I will tell you that these people and your Daddy were part of a newspaper that died. It died after 86 years to causes that, I hope, will be history once you come to make career decisions of your own.

We watched it die, you and I. You were the little one in the plastic fire hat, trundling through the newsroom like an off-kilter conqueror, exploring whatever came around each corner. I was the bearded adult male, unable to fathom or hold back the wave of emotion caused by some 66 pages of newsprint and fresh ink.

I will tell you I cried on your shoulder that day, the last day of a great newspaper, because I could no longer fight back those tears. And because I knew it would be the last time I -- and you -- would be gathered around these great people inside a newsroom.

Finally, I will tell you that I miss these people dearly for reasons that will be purely nostalgic. Because this time in Daddy's life will likely be among the most challenging and the most rewarding.

So, my young man, should you grow up to some day follow in your father's footsteps, I hope you would be able to do it alongside people of similar fiber. I pray that you would show the same commitment they did at the smallest of papers, in the hardest of times.

With love,

Your Daddy

The super delegate

While Daddy's past two weeks revolved around people named Obama and Clinton, Cap'n Quinn was hanging out in Amish country, spreading a little cuteness around.

Daddy wonders whether cuteness is a better campaign tactic than resplendent oratory or a sound health care policy.

Quinn certainly won the Amish vote. Maybe it will work for Barack.

Our little hero is back now, and Daddy wonders whether there are some progressive qualities in air travel, as if time spent at 30,000 feet helps strengthen the legs or locate a center of gravity or mature hair follicles. Because the good Cap'n came back from his week-and-a-half trip to Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house with a nearly-full head of hair and an unbending confidence on two feet.

Mommy left with a baby. She came back with a little boy.

I'm not surprised that she may not notice all this the way I do. These changes happened slowly, before her eyes, at a pace that's impossible to track without the aid of elapsed time.

That time elapsed for Daddy slowly. He missed his best buddy.

But Quinn is back now, and Daddy finds himself hearing a lot these days about ballots and delegates.

And super delegates.

Super, like the little guy running around our house on two feet.

The one with a full head of hair.












Hanging out with Great-grandma Crissman.












Keeping an eye on Mommy.












"Yeah, I'm handsome. What's it to ya?"












Fun with Grandma Smith.












The dirty laundry.

One small step

You have to admire the giraffe.

They're tall, awkward, lanky creatures. Yet within moments of leaving their mother's womb, they're walking on shaky legs.

Sure, such a quick development is a means of surviving in the African wilds. But they make it look so easy.

Cap'n Quinn is many things, but a giraffe isn't one of them. While the little man is making strides on two feet, they're -- as the saying goes -- baby steps. It's a new challenge, and one he's taking on with modest enthusiasm.

As Grandma Siemers says, why move on two feet when you're faster on all fours?

Despite that sound logic, Quinn is making an effort in the mobility category. Mommy and Daddy have been encouraging him to push his fleet of plastic wheeled vehicles around the living room on two feet. He takes about five steps before losing interest, plopping on his diaper-cushioned rear and zooming away on his hands and knees.

He loves to walk, but only for as long as his arms are attached to something, such as the coffee table, Daddy's rocking chair, or Dexie's fur. The second he lets go, the butt hits the floor.

That's OK. There's no hurry here in our suburban jungle.

Our little snowman

We're a little behind the game here, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody.

The good Cap'n Quinn had a great time up at Grandma and Grandpa Siemers' house in Minnesota. We played in the snow, met a cat and two kittens all named Darryl and spent time with all of our Minnesota family.

Santa came to Grandma and Grandpa's house, too. Quinn and Cousin Abby left out some milk and cookies, along with a note explaining why Santa needed a quick dairy and sugar fix to keep him going through the night. Dexie the Wonderdog stayed behind in New Mexico, though there is some evidence that she may have been helping Santa's sleigh. She admits nothing.

Grandma and Grandpa's neighbors have a barn cat named Darryl that likes to show up at Grandpa's window several times a day knowing Grandpa will give him milk. Quinn liked to lean against the window and talk to the kitty. He can even say 'kitty' now. One morning, Darryl brought his whole family -- two kittens also named Darryl. They sat outside the window all morning waiting for the buffet to open. Unfortunately for them, Grandpa's restaurant was closed that day.

The good Cap'n Quinn was spoiled heavily, and he got a lot of presents. He was more interested in the Christmas bows and paper, though. We did get to go play in the snow, and Daddy took Quinn for a very slow ride on a sled outside. Grandpa then took Quinn for a ride on his John Deere tractor, which doubles as a snowplow in the winter.

Finally, before we came home, Quinn got to meet his Auntie Tory for the first time. She was impressed, just like everybody else, when Quinn was able to tell her how old he is. He holds up his finger and makes a number one.

The flight to Minnesota worked out nicely. Quinn told everybody on the plane his age, and he waved and smiled and flirted at everybody on board. The trip home wasn't as easy. The flight didn't take off until well after his bed time, but once we got past the air pressure's effect on his ears, Quinn fell asleep and slept until the plane landed.

He was a good boy, which is to be expected. And now, here on New Year's Day, we're looking forward to reporting more new and exciting developments into 2008.











Cousin Abby and Mommy share a birthday.











Quinn is fascinated by Grandpa's Christmas tree.











Daddy, Cousins Abby and Ashley, and Quinn write a Christmas Eve note for Santa.












Quinn's favorite part of opening presents.











Quinn hangs out with Auntie Tara.











Quinn having a talk with his Grandpa Siemers.











Telling Uncle Ken a story.











On his favorite lounge chair.











Playing with Daddy in the snow.











A couple of snow bunnies.











Riding with Grandpa on the tractor.

Daily Quinn? Since when

As the name implies, you must expect that this blog was "suppose" to be daily. Daily as in, everyday. Lord knows our little man does enough in a day to warrant a daily posting. However, it may not be things you'd want to know about specifically. Like, how many poopy diapers he miraculously makes on a daily basis. How many times he trashes the coffee table, daily. How much this little man detroys the living room with millions of toys, daily. You get the gist. It's not very exciting, and very repetitive, and sometimes yucky, ie: poopy diapers.

We figured rather you'd rather have a recap of some of his more memorable moments, and that seems to be what this blog has turned into.

Currently though, for those interested, Cap'n runny nose has a cold....AGAIN. He doesn't seem bothered much by it, except for when mommy comes at him with kleenex in hand to snuff the run-away boogies. And he also turns into a nap monster. "No naps for me mom! I can't seem to breath and suck the binky at the same time" Mommy has known for quite some time that Quinn sleeps like her....VERY lightly. I swear he can hear a pin drop on carpet. Which leaves mommy tip-toeing around just to keep him asleep.

Next week we make another trip to MN to spend Christmas with the Siemers clan. While we are busy preparing and wrapping presents, one thing doesn't escape our thoughts. Last time the Cap'n flew he was 5 months old and not too mobile. Fast forward 6 more months to a Houdini who doesn't like to be held much and wants down to explore. Hmmm. I think we're in for an interesting trip with plenty of snacks to keep him occupied. We may de-plane with a 30 lb baby after all the snacks we're going to feed him to keep him happy for 2 hrs.

We can't wait to get there and plunk him down in some snow. We'll open presents and eat a bunch I'm sure. Abby and Quinn can wreak havoc on Grandma's house and it will be great! I mean, great because we'll all be together.