Soren's passport debut

Since we live so close to an international border, we ordered a passport for Soren earlier this year and two weekends ago we found an occasion to use it.

We crossed the Canadian border at the Peace Arch to visit friends in Vancouver, B.C. Although it's only 3.5 hours door to door from our house to theirs if all the transportation links run smoothly, we hadn't seen them since before Soren was born. And in that interim, they'd had a second child of their own!
Here's a group portrait of Vince (Jeff's grad school roommate), his sons Ming (in stroller, 18 mos. old) and Matisse (a wise 5), and Jeff and Soren (now 20 months). This fun orca sculpture was outside the Vancouver Aquarium, where Soren spent a dizzying afternoon with his nose pressed to the glass of innumerable tanks. Ooh, look, here comes a sea turtle! "Wow" was Soren's refrain for the day. But perhaps just as much fun was the extensive wooden train set that Matisse kindly shared with Soren. He knew how to manipulate it for all sorts of thrilling action, like the ski-jump off the couch...
Hmm, says Soren. This doesn't look so hard to make. Dad has woodworking tools in his shop. I'll memorize the design and try some trademark infringement.
Well, Soren, you don't have to break out the router just yet. Last weekend I found a bag of assorted Take Along Thomas tracks at a thrift store (similar to these, only plastic) and then ordered some more used track pieces that should arrive soon and make a big track set. Friends and relatives take note: Take Along Thomas engines and cars will make great gifts for the foreseeable future!
One rainy morning we rode Vancouver's SkyTrain -- you can read Soren's take on his blog. And then we had lots of fun in the indoor pool at our friends' condo. Soren has discovered the joy of goggles within the last month. Jeff has rediscovered the joy.
But best of all, Soren made new friends. "Ming Ming" and "'Tisse" will be a part of his vocabulary for a while to come.
And now you can guess that Vince was not a fellow law-school classmate, but an architecture student. He designed his parents' house with this incredible facade. More photos on his website -- click on the first building on the Projects page to see a slideshow.