We had an unofficial Northwestern reunion at Lake Mattoon this weekend. Our college roommates Jen and Cliff and their baby Zack flew in from Colorado, partly to hang out with us and partly so Cliff could do a triathlon with Ed and Tucker (more on that in the next post, tomorrow). Duggan flew in from San Francisco to experience the lake and hang with all of us as well.
Seven NU grads and two babies
Zack, 15 months, and Thomas, 5.5 months. Zack is bigger now, but based on genes, Thomas will pass him by as they grow!
Playing in the lake is okay if Thomas can grab for daddy's hat and suck on his life jacket.
Zack liked the water as long as mommy held onto him!
The guys do a warm-up bike ride on Saturday, gearing up for Sunday's big event.
Cliff and Duggan inhale half a 2-week-old angel food cake. There's apple pie, chocolate cake, and caramel brownies, all homemade, and they pick the stale, store-bought cake? Yuck. Seriously, though, we ate great this weekend: stuffed apple pancakes, bacon and onion quiche, chicken parmesan, blue cheese stuffed burgers, and the aforementioned desserts. Yum!
Duggan conquered the slalom start. Eight or so years ago at Pearl Lake he couldn't quite get it, but one wide ski, gloves for grip, and a "smart rope" later, he's a pro! Jen also got up on one ski for the first time (the boom is a great teacher), but I don't have any pics.
Zack helps Dustin find a good snack in the fridge.
A year and a half ago, Jen and I posed on our front steps when she was 5 months pregnant. Now there's two little boys in that same picture!
The boys with their boys.
Zack decided to drink his milk on the couch while Ed fed Thomas his milk.
He can now get his toes into his mouth!
Taking a nap on Uncle Tucker's lap while Tucker talks on the phone.
Thomas is very close to sitting up by himself. He can sit unsupported from anywhere between 0 and 15 seconds. Then he tips over.
Doing gymnastics with Dustin
When Thomas does tip over from sitting, he likes to just lay upside down how he lands. Pretty cute!
The guys before the race. They're all wearing matching singlets from Cliff's bike fitting company, Retul.
To get an idea of how long the swim was, look carefully at this picture. You'll see a big orange buoy right in the center of the photo, and then two more off to the distance on the right. There's a fourth buoy to the left of the flag pole. The last buoy is way off to the left...not even in the picture. It was a long swim!
Cliff finishing the bike portion.
Tucker finishing up the run through the great "corn desert." No shade whatsoever. Hot hot hot!
Ed on his new bike.
And what blog entry would be complete without pictures of the munchkins? Thomas cheers his dad on from Dustin's shoulders.
Zack chews on the fence waiting for his dad to go by.
Seven NU grads and two babies
Zack, 15 months, and Thomas, 5.5 months. Zack is bigger now, but based on genes, Thomas will pass him by as they grow!
Playing in the lake is okay if Thomas can grab for daddy's hat and suck on his life jacket. 
Zack liked the water as long as mommy held onto him!
The guys do a warm-up bike ride on Saturday, gearing up for Sunday's big event. 
Duggan conquered the slalom start. Eight or so years ago at Pearl Lake he couldn't quite get it, but one wide ski, gloves for grip, and a "smart rope" later, he's a pro! Jen also got up on one ski for the first time (the boom is a great teacher), but I don't have any pics.
Zack helps Dustin find a good snack in the fridge.
A year and a half ago, Jen and I posed on our front steps when she was 5 months pregnant. Now there's two little boys in that same picture!
The boys with their boys.
Zack decided to drink his milk on the couch while Ed fed Thomas his milk.
Ed shows off his new bike...a birthday present to himself! He'll be using it in the triathlon this weekend. 
I decided to make some Thomas handprints out of paint for a birthday card for Ed. It was messy! Almost all the paint is off his fingers now. And the results...not so handprint-like. Oh well...it's the thought that counts!
Thomas holds Ed's present and birthday card.
Guy bonding time...Thomas watches Ed work on his new bike before dinner.
Saturday morning Ed did his triathlon training while Thomas and I hung out on a quilt and waved every time he went by. Thomas kept rolling to the the edge of the quilt so that he could grab fistfuls of grass.
We spent Sunday afternoon at the pool in our friends' Matt and Mo's neighborhood. Thomas had a great time playing the warm pool water, with the fountains in the pool, and with Cooper and Molly. 
Thomas "sitting" on the pool fountain
Molly loves the slide
Matt's favorite toy--a motorized cooler that he can drive to the pool. 