Head case

I wish I could say that every time we travel it gets a bit easier to sort out the logistics. More accurate would be to say every time the logistics change a bit; on this trip, I thoughtfully attached that stroller converter wheely thing to Zachary's carseat so we could wheel him around the airport, only to have to disassemble it at security and add an extra fifteen minutes to our checkpoint experience. But one thing that I have figured out (to the apparent amusement of fellow air travellers) is that when the wheels are attached, the most effective way to lug around his car seat is perched on my head. This actually gives me back both of my hands for bags, and I only really lose a minor bit of peripheral vision. This even works when boarding the plane, though checking row numbers is a bit of a challenge.

This background is offered as a preface to our return trip from Florida. Again, we connected through Houston (thankfully thunderstorm- and delay-free this time). Zachary of course had waited to fall asleep until 30 minutes before the previous flight had landed, and somehow he remained asleep through the entire taxi to the gate. When he was still asleep as Meh pulled him out of his carseat, I became that dad, lugging four bags on my shoulders and the car seat on my head as Meh carried sleeping Zachary and a backpack through the terminal heading for our connection - naturally at the furthest possible gate. Impressively, he continued to sleep solidly through the entire intervening time, as well as the boarding, takeoff, flight, and landing. Only when we left the jetway and entered SeaTac airport did he wake up and start a round of loud 'Dah!'s as he looked around happy but bleary-eyed. I think it'll be a few days before the jet-lag wears off; after collecting our luggage and car, we got back to the house at 1:30 in the morning, and he was up by 4:30. Good times. But all in all, Zachary was an incredibly good travelling little man on this trip!

Incidentally, the return trip set a new record for questions and compliments about that Travelmate seat adapter -- I think we may have single-handedly sold a dozen more of them, if the company wants to send along a finders fee...

We had a wonderful rest of our trip to Florida, spending some excellent time with mima and papa and enjoying some quality beach time (where Zachary could quite possibly have slept all day if we hadn't decided that a 4-hour visit was about enough) and excellently kid-friendly parks in southern Florida. At one park in particular (which we visited twice, it was so enjoyable for the little man), Zachary got to walk a nature trail (really more of an interpretive walk based on the way he kept doubling back and zigging back and forth), controlled an enormously complex mechanical lego ferris wheel contraption, rode a carousel with papa and myself (he loved it, we'll have to get mima and papa's pictures!), and ran around a giant wooden castle-like structure with water features in the middle. But of course, his favorite feature remained their giant swingsets. Consistency, consistency.

A very clean shot

We've long debated the merits of our digital camera. It's a handheld and very convenient to take with us, but we don't experience the excellent focus and crisp quality that our D-SLR-bearing friends get. Not to mention our camera (along with most other non-professional/non-prosumer cameras) doesn't even take photos in a standard print ratio, leading to partially cropped images when we send them out to get printed. (My favorite new feature of the photo-printing sites is the option to actually print in a 'native' ratio, even though that's like 4" x 5.3")

The thing about a camera being able to fit in your pocket is that, well, it will occasionally be found in said pocket. This morning, Meh went to do some laundry, and both of us forgot that the camera was still in the pocket of a pair of shorts that ended up in the washing machine. By the time I realized, it was already in the spin cycle. Papa had the excellent idea to use a hair dryer to help dry it out, but there was liquid behind the screen and it wasn't responsive. I've been occasionally trying out the camera during the day as it dries off, and for a while, each time something more happened: a quiet buzzing noise; all of the indicator lights coming on; the lense partially opening; and at long last, the screen allowing me to view pictures on the memory card (those at least seem wholly intact), though with a very retro vertically rolling screen. But it hasn't gotten beyond that, and I think we may indeed have to move on to the next family camera soon. For now, it'll be up to mima and papa to document the continuation of our Florida adventure, which has been very fun for the little man, us, and his grandparents alike!

Alas poor PowerShot, we knew thee well. Here's what could be its final picture, little man doing his silly little upward-squinting 'smile' in response to the camera and mommy's high-pitched "smile!" suggestion.

Medical tourist

Zachary has had a cold since, um, his first birthday? It's not quite that bad, but he's definitely gone from cold to cold - sometimes a cough, sometimes a fever, sometimes a runny nose, sometimes a stuffy nose. We've taken him in to the doctor after a few of the rougher days and nights, but they've generally said he just needs to keep getting rest and liquids. A few weeks ago, he actually got something different - an ear infection (in both ears actually) - and he got to do a round of antibiotics. As he recovered from that, he developed another cold and cough, which seemed to be on the mend until just before our marathon travel day on Friday. Then the nose began running again, and the, um, productive sneezes resumed. We exhausted at least a box of tissues before leaving for the airport, and it continued into our Florida trip.

After another rough evening last night, we decided it would be best to get him checked out to make sure the ear infection hadn't come back. So today we went to the pediatrician that one of mima's coworkers uses. I knew we'd approve from the moment we walked in the door; the lobby was set up like a cute little main street, with a sign saying 'Well St.' in one corner and 'Sick Ave.' in another, and cartoonish storefronts and traffic lights on the walls. (I actually incidentally sat with Zachary in the middle of Sick Avenue before I even noticed it, though I did notice another parent with a coughing kid sitting on Well Street.) And Aladdin on the TV screens for us to sing along with while Zachary smiled in our laps.

When we were led back to the exam room, the main street theme continued - the central nurse station was decorated like a giant truck (to Zachary's approval), and the room we waited in was brightly colored. Oh, and the theme of oranges was everywhere -- now I know oranges are a major Florida product and symbol, but would you walk into a doctor's office in Seattle and expect to see coffee beans or Microsoft logos even on the information signs? (Incidentally, nice rendering of steaming and heavy-looking briefs.) The little man wasn't happy to be weighed or measured, and hollered every time the stethoscope came near him, but the friendly doctor was happy to report it was just another cold that rest and liquids would help cure. The trip did give us the opportunity to update Zachary's stats - up 2 oz. and 1" since his last visit. (And yes, the doctor reassured us that it's perfectly fine that his weight is fairly stable for the last few visits.)

Taking the need for good old fashioned home remedies to heart, mima and papa took us to one of my favorite New York-transplanted kosher delis for lunch afterwards; true to form, Zachary declined both soup and a tasty looking potato latke. I'll admit it, I forced myself to finish the latke for him - yum!

A Minor Diversion

We're in Florida! Zachary, Meh, and I braved the journey to scenic West Palm Beach to visit Mima and Papa, as well as (let's see if I can enumerate them fully) nanny (Zachary's great-grandmother), poppy (Zachary's great-grandfather), Aunt K, Uncle H, and Aunt M. Oh, and we met cousin E as well, as part of a gala family barbecue dinner at mima and papa's house this evening. But first, on to the epic adventure that was our journey to the Sunshine State.

Unfortunately, none of the airlines seem interested in plotting a direct route from Seattle to the Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale airports. Not that these are gigantic hub cities or anything, but still - shouldn't every other city in the country have a direct line to beaches and sunshine? The only real 'direct' option is Miami, which is still about 2 hours to Mima and Papa's house, and has fares that truly reflect the non-competition, going for $650+ when I checked months in advance. So every time we visit, we get to enjoy a different airline's hub city and a few extra hours tacked onto the journey. Sometimes this is actually a nice break. Not so this time.

One big problem I have with the hub and spoke model is that you end up flying to arbitrary locations that may or may not be even remotely close to a straight arc from departure to arrival city. We at least are usually able to avoid the ones that are obviously in the wrong direction (though a friend once explained how this is a great way to exploit the airlines via mileage runs. Honestly, I fly enough that I don't want to invent additional flights just to get more miles.) This time, we picked scenic George Bush Airport in Houston. Unfortunately, we also picked a week where the airport would apparently be fully shut down multiple times due to thunderstorms -- and yup, we got to enjoy one of these events.

Zachary for his part was amazing on the flights - happy, talking up a storm, playing with his toys, and eating occasional snacks in between walking up and down the aisles with us. We did have a wardrobe malfunction, where his outfit leaked onto mommy pretty early into the first flight, creating some early stress (only one backup outfit) and discomfort (no backup outfit for mommy) that was a good preview of the stress of the extended delays that would ensue. As we approached Houston (on time), the captain came on the PA, announcing Houston was closed due to thunderstorms, and we were going to do circles for the next 30+ minutes waiting for it to open. When it didn't in 60 minutes, we were rerouted to Austin to refuel. Of course, every other plane heading for Houston had been rerouted as well, so we sat on the tarmac waiting for the 2 fuel trucks on duty that day to deal with the thirty planes sitting around us. 90 minutes later, we were done refueling, and had to wait for clearance to land in Houston before we could take off. 30 minutes later, we were back in the air for the short flight back to Houston.

By this time, the crew had exhausted most of the onboard supplies (not to mention themselves; an attendant had to waive his right to go off duty 16 hours after starting his shift, in order for the flight to not get scrubbed in Austin), including drinkable water. So Zachary got his first taste of fizzy water with a splash of juice. The faces were precious puckers and shivers of surprise(unfortunately not photographed), but he clearly wasn't a fan. We landed in Houston to an obvious state of bedlam - lots of cancelled, delayed, and still-not-arrived flights. And here came the second problem of the hub & spoke model: when every flight connects through a single city, late incoming flights mean later outgoing flights. Our own outgoing flight (due to leave two hours before we'd landed) hadn't even arrived yet.

Zachary still handled things pretty well, first strolling around in his car seat's wheeled adapter and then taking the adapter itself for a push around the terminal. But even he was totally fried and eventually needed to be held by mommy while she sang the same song over and over. The flight finally arrived, unloaded, re-boarded, and left, and Zachary again did very well and even slept a bit (in between more wokka wokka-ing) as our now long haul to Florida wrapped up a little after 3 am, more than 4.5 hours after we'd been scheduled to arrive, and 15+ hours after we'd headed to the airport. Oh, and here's a time lapse set of videos of Zachary's in-flight commentaries:





We all slept pretty late today; even Zachary wasn't up until 10 am. He's been very happy to see mima and papa, and has played a lot with them and their fun toys (including a toy piano that he plays and sings along with in a very cute way). And when the family arrived for the barbecue this evening, they brought his new favorites of this trip: pushable cars and trucks (did you expect something else?), both finger-sized and Zachary-sized! Through most of dinner he was pushing his Spiderman pushcart around the patio, to the delight of the guests. He was still pretty exhausted and was ready to crash before folks had left, though I think we'll get to see nanny and poppy again later in the week. A wild and full first day!

Home is where the hearth is

At last, our long-term fireplace remodel project is wrapped up! This was the one feature of the house that Meh really wanted to replace when we bought it; the previous owners (or perhaps two or three owners ago?) had turned their fireplace into some kind of altar/shrine thing (see below), complete with pipe organ-looking tile and a giant but only mildly effective wood-burning stove.

Various other projects (many invisible - crawl space, insulation, etc.) had distracted us, but finally Meh put her foot down and we got things rolling back in, um, Feburary. Unfortunately, when they went to install the new gas fireplace insert, the company that makes the inserts had gone bankrupt, and the model we'd planned on using was nowhere to be found. A futile search ensued (since other models were more expensive), but we finally switched models to one that was nice-looking but not bank-breaking, which thankfully didn't require the fireplace to be re-reframed first. Then the fabrication of the hearth and sides, then the mantel, and finally repainting.



The construction crew wrapped up the final paint touchups on Tuesday morning, and we enjoyed a cozy fire that night that warmed up the entire downstairs. Zachary isn't quite sure what to make of it; Meh says he'll hover just beyond the hearth and smile at the insert before running off in the other direction.

The birds and the weeds

Our neighbors tore down their fence in preparation for building a new one. This did two things: made me mortified that the dishevelled state of our backyard is now on display, and allowed me to get at some of the weeds and brush near the property line. While Zachary swung happily this afternoon, I raked old leaves and dead brush. While I was working, a tiny bird flew suddenly out of the stone wall. When I peered at the place she had been, I saw a nest with three tiny eggs in it.

Friend T showed me a website that helped me identify the bird as a dark-eyed junco.

I have spent Zachary's nap time for the past two days doing yard work and weeding the front garden. It's no fun. It was even less fun since the neighbors hired three professionals to do it for them. So, as they quickly and efficiently tidied the neighbors' yard, I yanked weeds pitifully with my tuchus in the air, making little progress. One of them actually asked me "who was winning." So tonight, I decided to take revenge. We ate the weeds. Dipped them in honey mustard and ranch. So there.

We didn't take a photo, they were gone too fast!

Baby's First Revisionist History Board Book

One of the fun things about being a parent is getting to introduce Zachary to things that we remember and enjoyed from our own childhoods: going to the beach (as we look forward to next week with mima and papa!), meeting fun animals at the zoo, enjoying a trip to the park, swinging, and most especially reading books that we recall our own parents reading to us. (Indeed, as I've mentioned some of the books we read to Zachary's grandma, she can drop right into a rote recitation of them; clearly Zachary isn't the only one who likes to hear the same book repeated ad nauseum!) Of course, all of Zachary's experiences are unique, and his perspectives and memories of them will be different than ours were. But at least the core content of the experience is the same, right?

Apparently not -- the books of our youth look to have been subtly changed from under us. Meh registered for one of her favorite children's books as a birthday gift, but the artwork had been dramatically updated and the text itself is labelled as a 'retelling'. And Meh thought she noticed a few updates to Zachary's current favorite Richard Scarry book (about trucks, of course), and while I chuckled at some of the dated vehicles (fuel oil trucks, anyone?), I didn't realize that his entire series has actually been politically corrected in the last few years; check out this fascinating before (1963) and after (1991) comparison of another book in his series.

On the same topic, as we discovered at Passover seder, even the classic haggaddah of our youth was updated last decade -- though the most major thing I noticed was that some of the archaic English language translations were updated. Is nothing sacred? :)

Please shine down on me

Someone found the 'summer' light switch for Seattle and flipped it on this weekend, skipping right past spring; Sunday through today have been glorious and in the 70s. Of course you know it can't last; we're supposed to be back down into the 50s and cloudy by tomorrow, and rainy by Friday.

But in the meantime, we've been enjoying the great weather! Zachary and I played at our favorite local park on Sunday -- he ran around and around the play area, talking loudly to himself, and then enjoyed a stroller ride the long way home. When the great weather continued yesterday, the two of us drove over to a
local state park, which has the most incredible kids play area, with some kind of oddly Bavarian-themed towers, slides, and swings. (Apparently everything there was donated and constructed by local community members.) He was pretty pooped by the time play time wrapped up, and conked out for a mini-nap at home before having more afternoon play time and a giant dinner featuring his favorite, extra-messy blueberries. This picture, believe it or not, was taken after I wiped his mouth, while he was singing to his cup of water:

Trust falls

Zachary has a new favorite activity at the local mall's play area. He climbs up the multiple levels of the faux ferry boat, looks back at us, smiles, and then steps/leans off into our arms. I'm mostly worried for the day when he doesn't notice that we're not there and attempts this feat; we try to at least instruct him to wait, and then count to three (taking the lessons he's learned from swimming time, where he doesn't go in the pool until mommy says it's okay). For now, it seems like he's all ready for a Ropes course or something.

The little man has been super high energy so far this weekend, and was yelling and hollering as we enjoyed the play aream, after happily chatting his way through lunch at our local kaiten sushi restaurant with friends K, J, and visiting LA friend E. And speaking of his trust falls, K and J have been taking their 2-year-old daughter N to this kids' gymnastics studio - it looks fabulous, and we'll certainly have to have Zachary check it out at some point in the near future. Perhaps the jumping off high surfaces thing will be the start of a career in male gymnastic tumbling?

A moment of silence

Whether it's CDs, portable media players, or mix tapes, there's always a clear delineation between tracks of music. We like to call it 'silence', and it often lasts up to one or two seconds. Zachary prefers to think of it as the end of the world; as a track ends, he'll look at us and frantically sign 'more' (and depending on his mood, perhaps accompany this with a good whine), only relaxing and enjoying the music again when the next track kicks in.

Zachary still really does love his music. He even sings (and not just in the way illustrated in last week's swing song), doing little descending two note melodies. (Is it a melody when it's only two notes?)

I keep meaning to bring this up, but I've found the music he's exposed to in kids' toys continues to be a little... uneven. Okay, now I feel like a music snob. :) (And this after I just got back from speaking at a conference where I learned that a now highly successful game audio director got started with the sound for Teddy Ruxpin!)

I remember chatting with T about this when we were in Arizona, and she agreed. Though then again, she was another music major, so we're not getting a great sampling here. Anyway, it just seems mildly sinister that "London Bridge is Falling Down" is present in multiple toys with the same incorrect added note ("...my fair ley-EY-dee"). Did just one person notate the song and then all of the toy manufacturers grabbed the same program? Zachary once had a mobile that had some interestingly incorrect rhythms and notes for some pretty well-known classical music. His Passover board book (one of his favorites, and just in time for the holiday!) provides music for the Four Questions melody but misaligns the lyrics. The Chanukah board book has a bunch of wrong note values. And then there's a toy we had that has knobs to play music by Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven, but it actually plays Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring for the Mozart option. Whoops.

Granted, none of this matters to the little man, who loves all music. When we get in the car and I ask him if he'd like to listen to music, he makes a happy little 'huh' sound and smiles when the tunes start to play. At home, he'll run over to the stereo system and lean on the plastic fence in front of it, waiting for the first song to start. Sometimes he'll even run over to the piano and plunk out some notes while looking at us and smiling. Even the end of meal time is accompanied by the "Zachary's Done" song, which generates smiles and laughs from Zachary. Such a little music man!