Yeah, right Bob. Actually the year is 1988 and that is Jimi’s Dad, Darren, looking toddler-suavecito. Chris is seven months pregnant with Erik our youngest son on board who will be 23 this July. For those of you interested in history, I read the other day in Wikipedia the on some unknown Easter past the warning don’t put all your eggs in one basket was coined. Part of that I made up. All seriousness aside doesn’t Darren look like Jimi in some ways? And don't Jimi and I look amazingly similar?
Here is Jimi already developing is Michael Jordanesque/Jose Campos/Julius "Dr. J" Erving-basketball shooting style. It's pretty, no? And in case you are wondering. this shot dropped in.Also if you're wondering, I had already obtained the same basketball skill level of Jimi by the time I was 14 years old, playing eight hours a day on Saturdays during basketball season.
The following is Jimi keeping his balance on a skateboard beam. He loves to watch Uncle Erik when Erik rides his skateboard and he loves to ride with him. I never did skateboards, roller skates or ice skaring, though I still believe to this day that had I put my mind to it, more than likely I would have made first string on the U.S. Olympic hockey team as a goalie (or maybe as a puck).
One week we didn't have anything to do out of the ordinary so we spent several hundred dollars having two - three men come over and cur down both trees in the front yard. Then we were stumped what to do until we took Jimi out front to play "stumping the trees."
Gramps above hugging Jimi. Now when Gramps does something wrong, Grams sends him to his "time-out" log in the front yard. Gramps think this is inconvenient when it is cold in the middle of the night.
"Such a beautiful baby, Mr. Jimi Hoff,
He's a handsome baby, Mr. Jimi Hoff !!"
(Lyrics by me, copyright, October 2005)
Surprise
Son, I know that these pictures don't bother you, but if you want them off, invite Mom and I out to eat at Chilis whenever convenient. :)--just joking; I will take them off for free since you are a fully accredited family member.
The cryingbaby to the left is not Jimi; the mouth is way too big and the teeth way too few. However, the Jimibino has been know to cry on occasion. The couple times that I have dropped him off at the Shining Stars pre-school and he has cried, his eyes pleading with me not to leave him, I have contemplated returning to my car, changing into my "hero" cape, and flying back to his rescue.
I don't remember dropping our sons off at schools or babysitters so I am assuming that Chris had to do all that by herself. I do remember being proud of Darren for graduating from Harding Webster pre-school. If I remember correctly, he ran track for the Harding Webster "Hulk Hogans."
Some Comparisons of Pictures From August 2006 when Jimi was 14 months old and August 2007 when he was 26 months old-- To the left is Jimi in August 2006 at the age of 14 months and to the right he is in August 2007 at the age of 26 months. To date, I can't get Carol or Chris to spill the frijoles on how old either of them are.
These pictures are also one year apart. I believe that it is pretty easy to tell in which one Jimi is younger. The similarity in both pictures is that he is doing one of his favorite daily activities, an activity that he performs repeatedly and repeatedly, no
O.k. I think that I am man enough to grant you that the picture on the right is not a particularly good one of Jimibino. Also, I have tricked you because he is 14 months in both photographs. However, I am sure that you caught the hint that he has the same shirt on in both pictures. And finally, I'll admit it: I wanted to get my own picture in the blog. I certainly am not going to hog my imaginary handsomeness all to myself. 14-month old Jimi to the left and 26-month old Jimi with cousin Mark to the right in 2007. These cousins are a pair, indeed; they challenged Darren and Jose to a tag team wrestling match--and won! Rumor has it that Jose and Darren are appealing this decision to the World Wide Federation of Incredibly Mismatched Wrestling Matches. For their part, the Twin Terror Tykes from Tulsa (they picked their own name) said that they will fight Darren and Jose, anyplace, anytime, with both hands tied behind their backs. In what has to be described as a major additional concession, the TTTFT also offered to have Grandpa Bob on their own team as a major liability.
Erik Returning From School, Darren Talking to Jimi, Jeff at the House...
Click on this link to meet Jimi's friend, tinyTrey Thomas. Here is Trey with his Mom Marjorie at a National Park Service barbecue the evening of 9/21/07 (last night). Marjorie is married to Dave who is my boss when I volunteer at the park. Jimi was with his Dad and didn't go to the barbecue. The barbecue was mainly put on by Avelina Childress.She is basically the work leader on so many projects and has been for years and years despite her young age.
These pictorial flowers are for both of Jimi's grandmothers--Carol Campos and Chris Hoff--who work so very hard, support him in so many ways. and never miss an opportunity to be there for the little guy. Jimi has a great Dad, but these ladies back Darren up when he has to be somewhere else with a great love for Jimi who I call "Pequeno Perfecto" And while I am handing out gifts, here's what Abel gets for his love, devotion, and effort for Jimi. Maybe I will get two of these Harleys and Abel and I can ride out to Walmart together (May God help the people who accidentally get in my way). I think that Darren has the greatest gift of all, and I bet that you know who I am talking about--the Jimibino himself.
Is Jimi getting to be a big boy or is my computer monitor getting smaller? The picture above I call Angel Caught Napping. Check out the gorgeous hair.
Erik and Jeffrey are both great uncles to Jimi and great helpers. I know that Jimi also has a great uncle in Jose and aunt in Veronica.
