Michael discovered the joy ...

... of dropping crunchy stars ...

... down his overalls.

Curling up with a book by himself.

Michael tries on a Hungarian vest.

All decked out.

Chatting with Laci Bácsi.

Within five minutes of our arrival, Michael had some cars.

Family Christmas #1 in Falls Church.

Determined to help Aunt Ester play her song.

We were deluged with gifts. Thank you, everybody!

Enjoying his giant dump truck.

Happy Birthday to Mommy!

Daddy wore this vest when he was little.

The tower Daddy built.

The stockings were propped on the sofa with care ...

Michael waits patiently on Christmas morning.

Michael helps hand out gifts.

Delving into his stocking.

Putting cars in neat rows is a new thing.

Builder Man must be hungry.

Daddy sheepishly loves his geek toys.

Too small for the trike, but it's still fun.

Okay, it works that way, too.

Family Christmas #2 at home.

Grandma and Michael say hi.

Michael models a wrapping paper hat.

A cool car from Uncle Garren and Aunt Lindsay.

It definitely gets Michael's stamp of approval.

Yay for Uncle Ryan and Becky's creative gifts!

Warming up to Elmo.

Family Christmas #3 in Maryland.

Gotta have Nana's fried oysters.

Pa carved Michael a special truck.

That certainly didn't take long.

Christmas #4 at Great-Grandma and Pa's.

Ooh -- a box!

Daddy makes Michael giggle.

Cute cousins again.

How long does it take ...

... to get a decent shot ...

... of two kids ...

... next to each other?

Drayton and Wendy, et al., visit from Chicago.

Dan stopped by Reston with us, too.

Benner 2.0, Benner 2.1, and Hogye 2.0.

Michael just wanted to walk around and around the circle.

Susie dances with the dollar she found.

With a kid this goofy, you know ...

... that she has to be Drayton's.

Three silly kids.

Drayton and Adam.

We saw Daddy's brand-new office, too.

At the XC Mamas group Christmas party, ...

... Michael entertains himself with trucks.

Pausing to see what's going on.

Michael shakes to the music.

Dylan and Selah get into the singing.

An interactive Christmas story.

Michael gradually decides to participate.

Cody and Drew get to know each other.

The 2008 Great Pumpkin Bread Disaster.

We decorated cookies at our small-group party.

Michael eyes Bradley's Hershey kiss.

Andrew wasn't shy about the cookies.

An icing goatee.

Mommy and Michael.

Daddy helped decorate cookies ... and eat them.

The boys play "together."

The next batch came out fine.

Michael helps make enchiladas.

Still learning what pockets are.

At the Va. Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, ...

... Michael loved the giant model railroad.

Pappy and Michael in the gallery of vintage autos.

Michael's favorite car in the museum: a Studebaker taxi.

Michael "smiles" at the camera.

Little boy, big black engine.

With Mommy on the little red caboose.

With a race car that goes "vroom!"

Next to the wheel of a horse-drawn carriage.

An antique train engine, with wheels taller than Mommy.

Looking over the whole model train setup from above.

Michael also loved the elaborate model circus train.

Some of the circus train model cars.

The museum was right next to the ...

... real freight yard, with working trains.

In the woods at Pappy and Grandma's.

Playing around in the leaves.

Grandma and Michael like to play with cars together.

Michael still has a little curl in his hair.

Picnicking while his chair is cleaned.

Twenty-month-old Michael.

Michael's contribution to the Christmas decorating.

The star seems to have a bit of a problem.

Okay, now just stay like that till January.

Michael finds the star.

Our ornament-less tree this year.

Coloring is Michael's new thing.

Pizza is always a big to-do for Michael.

Arrr, there be trucks here!