The little gentleman

That handsome devil you see there is the Skipper, posing like the young gentleman he is for Mommy's talented photographer friend Jessica.

We made a big trip up to the Seattle area this week to have some professional shots of our wee little Keaton, and he performed admirably.

You can check the rest of Jessica's work, including the complete Keaton photo shoot, on her Web site here.

In just two weeks, Keaton has grown to 7 pounds and stretched a whole two inches to 20 1/2 inches long. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health this week and told him to keep up the good work.

Cap'n Quinn, meanwhile, is well on his way to mastering the potty. We've got a ways to go before we can completely abandon the diapers, but we're working our way there.

He's been busy trying to help Daddy out around the house. He's used his toy screwdriver, wrench and hammer to help build a table and a desk. He helped with some landscaping and, as you can see in the pictures below, he mowed the lawn. He's a busy two-year-old.

Natural evolution

There are lessons being learned daily here on the U.S.S. Fussy Britches.

Consider, for example, the Good Cap'n Quinn. Just a few weeks ago, he went on a slapping rampage, smacking other kids across the face unprovoked just to see the reaction. Later, he would constantly repeat to Mommy and Daddy: "I smacked that baby."

Today we took the whole family to the zoo. Quinn was standing next to a pretty little girl about his age. He started to stare right in her eyes, a familiar preface to a slap, based on his three previous infractions. But instead, he moved in for a kiss, a delightful and innocent moment we hope is a sign that he's moved on to more peaceful forms of expression.

That urge to kiss and nuzzle has no doubt been borne from his love for his new little buddy, the Skipper Keaton. As you can see from the pictures below, the boys have become pretty comfortable with each other, though, admittedly, Keaton doesn't say much to confirm this.

Still, they're good boys and they're learning every day. Today, for example, Keaton and I learned that cute babies are far more interesting than any zoo animals.

We were a popular exhibit.

Night and day

The Skipper has found his way home.

Nearly a week old, Keaton has settled nicely into a routine: sleep all day, up all night. But compared to his big brother the Good Cap'n Quinn, Keaton is a piece of cake.

You could say it's the difference between night and day.

As a newborn, Quinn's crying never ceased. Want to put him in a basinet? Scream. Hold him? Scream. The only time he didn't scream it seemed was when he was being fed. He learned how to sleep at six months.

Keaton, however, is a mime with a squeaky hinge. He stares and observes his surroundings silently while awake, his hands waving wildly as if conducting an orchestra. Then, when he wants something, he utters this subtle yet steady screech that builds to a crescendo the more you bother him.

One of those moments came today when Mommy and Grandma Smith gave Keaton his first bath. He's a gentleman, you see, and gentleman don't like to show their business off so cavalierly. But there he was, bits exposed, getting sponged by Grandma while Daddy held the camera. Clearly, he was mortified. But he survived, looking even more handsome.

Quinn reached a milestone of his own today when Daddy took him out for a special day at the movies, his first time at the big theater.

Upon entering the theater to see the latest "Ice Age" film, he looked around and, awestruck, said "what is this place?" With his buttered popcorn and fruit punch in hand, he sat through the whole movie like a champ, leaving Daddy to say, "We need to go to a lot more movies."

Quinn agreed. We could even bring Keaton.

He won't make a peep.

Excuse me sir, but do you know the way to Casablanca?

Tomorrow we depart from this den of cleanliness and nice ladies in scrubs. Off we sail to our White House, as we call it, or "Casablanca," in the parlance of the two worldly adventurers at the helm of the U.S.S. Fussy Britches.

We shall lift anchor by 11 a.m., with The Skipper Keaton buckled in tightly to his hand-me-down car seat.

His third day on this planet was routine by the previous days' standards, but full of its own landmarks. Keaton is eating more, though still on a quest to gain weight. He's discovered the benefits of the pacifier, and has begun opening his eyes and scouting out his surroundings a lot more. With each day, his curiosity grows.

The Good Cap'n Quinn is still fond of his new sidekick. Uninstructed, he likes to lean down and nuzzle his nose against Keaton -- a gentler form of hug. He's driving his Grandma Smith nuts, but that's what 2.5-year-olds do.

Mommy is enjoying the service at the hospital, if not the food. She'll miss being waited on, though it's even odds that Daddy will take over some of those duties. He's probably happiest to return to the White House after three nights sleeping on a pull-out bed that could easily be classified as a mild form of torture.

But mostly, it will be the Skipper's big day. It's his maiden voyage to Casablanca, and Sam's gonna be playing his tune.

Here's lookin' at you kid.

Day 2: Smooth sailing

And on the second day, he slept. Then slept some more. Still sleeping. Woke up a bit. Ate a little. Back to sleep again.

That's pretty much been the Skipper's routine on Day 2 of his thus far, not-so-exciting life, save for the 10 minutes when a doctor and a sharp knife declared war on Keaton's privates. They won, the pirates, but one day we shall meet again.

Mommy is recovering nicely and was able to get up and shower. She has complaints about the hospital meatloaf, which I contend is not really meat, but is decidedly loafish. It still beats the liquid diet she was on before, which consists of jello, some sorbet, and a variety of broths that I imagine to be comparable in taste to the IV fluids that were pumping through her veins.

The good Cap'n Quinn is still getting used to his new sidekick. He enjoys holding Keaton on his lap -- "Put him on my pants, Daddy?" -- giving him nuzzling little kisses on the nose. It's cute for all of five minutes, when he resorts again to the rambunctiousness that comes with being two-and-a-half years old. It's clear, though, that he really loves his little brother.

As you can see in the picture above, Keaton is just starting to take a look at the world through those big beautiful eyes.

There's a lot to see, buddy, and a lot of time to see it. Take your time.

Go back to sleep.

The journey begins

He arrived blowing bubbles, as if to tell the world, "hey man, no big deal."

That's our man, Keaton. The Skipper. Actually, a pretty big deal.

He makes a perfect sidekick to our hero, the Good Cap'n Quinn, his big brother and partner in crime. The two met for the first time today, just a few hours after the Skipper breathed his first breath, squeaked his first squeak.

The Cap'n is brave and in control. He approached his new partner tenderly at first, then smiled that knowing smile, right before taking charge.

"Can I hold him please?," he asked Mommy.

Of course you can. Take him under your wing. Show him how we lead this mighty ship of ours, the U.S.S. Fussy Britches, through the rough waters and dirty diapers of life. Show him what it means to take and ball throw it, to race a car, to play with the dog, to beg for ice cream and then get it.

Yes, Keaton, Skipper, you have arrived. Blow your bubbles, young man. Tell the world, "no big deal." Then take it over.

This ship has set sail.

Keaton's first bath



Quinn meets Keaton



Quinn and Daddy hang out with Keaton