WaterWorld…
Crappy movie, but Harry seems to be a big fan of the concept.
All of Kim's swimming lessons and time at the Pool with Lance & Lola have certainly paid off. Over the holiday weekend, Harry spent some time in the baby pool with his new bestest bud "Dom-nic," and proceeded to scare the crap out of everyone with how much he likes to go underwater… eyes and wide open and grinning ear-to-ear, and pop back up with a big belly laugh! He didn't seem to mind, much less notice until well after the fact, how much he feet were getting scraped up on the bottom, but he was having a BLAST!
He also got to spend a day at the beach, where he seemed to be stuck with a surprise hatred for sand and everything about it. Now of course, this immediately got blamed on me. Now granted, other than the obvious effects of sunburn, the only thing I really don't like about the beach is getting sand all over the place (minor huh?), but I can deal with it. Harry wouldn't let his feet touch the ground… even with his shoes still on. Wouldn't walk on it, didn't even really want to be carried over it. I think for the first time ever, I was the one trying to get someone to enjoy the sand… go figure. Eventually we got him to stand barefoot on a beach blanket, but no more budging than that. At that point, Kim swooped him up, and off to the waves they went. I stayed behind, to guard the chairs of course, as I'm not a big fan of Harry in a bad mood.
Whatever she did though, got him into it… coulda been the aforementioned Dom-nic effect, coulda just been the waves, but by the time I ventured down to the water, he was back to his old self again, jumping (yes --- even getting some air) over the water, and running all over the place.
At some point, we'll need to discuss his obvious obsessive tendencies with regards to fishing, golf carts, and Dom-nic, but I need to get some work done.
More to come...
Journaling the last month before Harry's arrival into the world, and wherever that takes us.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Window?
Harry's doll's, Baby Ernie's, stroller was in the car yesterday, but Baby Ernie was not. Harry asked where he was and I explained that Baby was waiting for him at home. They next logical question: Window?
I always stand at the window when Harry goes to school in the morning. We wave to each other and blow kisses. Harry and I sometimes watch out the window for Kevin to get home, as well, and lately Harry sometimes waits for me there. He was visiting with "Gammom" on Monday while I worked in NJ, and sure enough, when I pulled in the drive way at the end of the day, he was jumping up and down at the window with a huge smile on his face. Luckily, I had left Baby Ernie very close to the window!
Stuck in Boston today. Harry asked if I was on an airplane. But of course. Apparently he also got his shoes and jacket promptly at 4:30 and sat on the sofa because "Mommy coming." He waited patiently. He really is not happy at Yasmin's, but he has only 4 more days there, and I can pick him up early on 2 of them...I am still trying to decide what sorts of flowers and jewels and treasures to bestow upon Menike when she returns from Sri Lanka.
Harry's doll's, Baby Ernie's, stroller was in the car yesterday, but Baby Ernie was not. Harry asked where he was and I explained that Baby was waiting for him at home. They next logical question: Window?
I always stand at the window when Harry goes to school in the morning. We wave to each other and blow kisses. Harry and I sometimes watch out the window for Kevin to get home, as well, and lately Harry sometimes waits for me there. He was visiting with "Gammom" on Monday while I worked in NJ, and sure enough, when I pulled in the drive way at the end of the day, he was jumping up and down at the window with a huge smile on his face. Luckily, I had left Baby Ernie very close to the window!
Stuck in Boston today. Harry asked if I was on an airplane. But of course. Apparently he also got his shoes and jacket promptly at 4:30 and sat on the sofa because "Mommy coming." He waited patiently. He really is not happy at Yasmin's, but he has only 4 more days there, and I can pick him up early on 2 of them...I am still trying to decide what sorts of flowers and jewels and treasures to bestow upon Menike when she returns from Sri Lanka.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Bear Country Jubilee
Taking a break from the Disney recap to explain yet another traumatic moment in Harry's life.
Taking a break from the Disney recap to explain yet another traumatic moment in Harry's life.
- Dropping the ice cream.
- 3-D Bug Movie.
- Da Bears.
Harry has had an issue with bears lately. I think it is from Dora. A few weeks ago at Great Falls we were looking for bears. Since then, he has become worried about them. It is unfortunate. Also unfortunate is my poker face, or lack there of.
Late this afternoon I was talking to Harry about our upcoming trip to Chicago. He, of course, asked if there were bears. My response was "There are no bears in- uh...(Isn't there a sports team known as the Chicago Bears? Hmmm...I think there is....what do I tell the boy?)". Too late. The boy noticed I was uncertain whether their were bears in Chicago and immediately welled up with tears. I HAVE GOT TO WORK ON THE GAME FACE!!!!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
My Version of the Events
Kevin’s account of Disney was pretty accurate, but since he covered 6 days in just a dozen or so paragraphs, I thought I would fill in a few more details.
Sunday morning did indeed arrive early: and with no Dora to buffer the wake! Not just no Tivo, no Noggin or Nick, Jr. period! Luckily, Harry seems to like hotel rooms, so we were able to snooze here and there until the Mouse waffles arrived.
We lucked out with our view of the “harbor” and its boats. Harry loved them. We did take advantage of the opportunity to review colors. As noted, he seems to have a penchant for "Ooornj". “Yellyow” is cool, too.
As noted, Monday was Animal Kingdom day. Kevin brought up the fact that almost everyone we talked to recommended against Animal Kingdom. We assumed it was mostly because they thought it was boring. Many people think EPCOT is boring, too, so we risked it, if only to check out the animals on the safari.
For once, we agreed with everyone else. AK was “eh.” Yeah. Maybe a “C”. For one thing, the walk space was not nearly as wide as Epcot, so you were constantly walking into people. Nothing seemed to loop or flow. It also seemed so much less “authentic” then other parks. Yeah, it’s a theme park, but it was a little cheesy. For a new park created next to such fine examples, we expected more.
Kevin also mentioned Harry’s Simba face. This was kind of a whim. Kevin went to get a Fast Pass (or whatever) for the safari and I plopped Harry in a chair (on my lap, actually). I didn’t even have a wallet on me. Oops! Harry didn’t like it at first, so he was almost a different, less labor intensive cat (A Paka Cat, maybe?) that did not involve eye paint, but he soon gave up the way Bailey does when she gets her nails cut. Learned Helplessness we called it at the Psych building. Regardless, teh result was an adorable Simba in a blue Townsend Kids T. Even cuter with dark shades! I can’t tell you the number of people that stopped to say how cute he was. Harry was not a fan though. That is to say, when he saw himself in the mirror, he did not like it. So I moved him away from the mirror. He was none the wiser, and I was able to add a novel spin to the day's 200 photos.
Next: The African Safari Truck Tour. Harry liked the truck! He really is all about modes of transportation these days. I am sure PopPop will be pleased. He’d been concerned about Harry’s doll and tea set. Anyway, the safari was pretty cool. The scenary was scenic and there were real animals. There was the goofy poaching thing. It was just that: goofy. And they didn’t really elaborate on the problem of poaching, so why bring it up at all?
The Bug's Life 3-D movie ranks right up there with the “ice cream cone incident” as one of Harry’s most traumatic moments. I have never seen him so truly frightened. Lots of shouts of “All Done! ALL DONE! HOME!” We were in the middle of a packed row, so that wasn’t an option. I did take off his 3-D glasses. Fortunately the production was only a few minutes long. When we were done, Harry actually said he liked it.
Moving on... the search for bears… Harry DID have fun looking for bears and even waited in line at the meet & greet for Baloo and King Louie. He practiced his hugs and everything. Once it was our turn, hugging a 7 foot bear ceased to be a good idea. No trauma though. It was all good.
One thing I thought was really cool was the bat exhibit. I have never seen bats like these before. They were close to my height and wrapped up like Dracula. They were the coolest things ever! (Harry slept through those).
Not to be outdone, AK had a playground area too. It was called the Boneyard. They promised lots of fun with fossils. It was pretty cool... Harry probably could have played there all day., but it was very hot and we had to move on.
Next stop EPCOT.
The gardens were amazing as usual. I want to build Tinkerbell’s Garden in our backyard!!!
Harry eventually moved on to the water area. I brought clothes, since I expected this, but I didn’t bring shoes. Oops! Luckily, we were able to track down a new pair from the souvenir shop. $20 big boy sneakers with Stitch on the side. Kind of convenient, actually, since I had searched all over Greenwich, CT for a suitable pair and could not find them.
We then moved over to Mexico and had a not so quiet lunch next to a screaming 2 year old. “Baby cry!” Harry did not like that. He did like his sandwich though, so that was good.
After lunch we were nourished enough to make it through the boat ride in Mexico and then on to color a mask in a little side room where he was able to talk to the kind woman running the operation about Dora, and properly use “Hola.”
The Mexican ride was relatively uneventful, but Harry was not interested in Maelstom. “No boat.” He stated, matter-of-factly. Being the empathetic parents that we are, we put him on anyway. As soon as the lights went out Harry burried his head in the crook of my neck. Lesson learned.
We left EPCOT to go to the pool for a bit. Harry practiced jumping off of the side. He jumps perefectly well if it’s into water!
The sun gave me a horrible migraine but I was able to sleep it off in just a few hours. I missed the lizard run-in though, but I certainly heard all about it!
We finished up our trip with a day at Magic Kingdom. I will let Kevin fill you in on that. As Harry would say, “Daddy turn!”
Kevin’s account of Disney was pretty accurate, but since he covered 6 days in just a dozen or so paragraphs, I thought I would fill in a few more details.
Sunday morning did indeed arrive early: and with no Dora to buffer the wake! Not just no Tivo, no Noggin or Nick, Jr. period! Luckily, Harry seems to like hotel rooms, so we were able to snooze here and there until the Mouse waffles arrived.
We lucked out with our view of the “harbor” and its boats. Harry loved them. We did take advantage of the opportunity to review colors. As noted, he seems to have a penchant for "Ooornj". “Yellyow” is cool, too.
As noted, Monday was Animal Kingdom day. Kevin brought up the fact that almost everyone we talked to recommended against Animal Kingdom. We assumed it was mostly because they thought it was boring. Many people think EPCOT is boring, too, so we risked it, if only to check out the animals on the safari.
For once, we agreed with everyone else. AK was “eh.” Yeah. Maybe a “C”. For one thing, the walk space was not nearly as wide as Epcot, so you were constantly walking into people. Nothing seemed to loop or flow. It also seemed so much less “authentic” then other parks. Yeah, it’s a theme park, but it was a little cheesy. For a new park created next to such fine examples, we expected more.
Kevin also mentioned Harry’s Simba face. This was kind of a whim. Kevin went to get a Fast Pass (or whatever) for the safari and I plopped Harry in a chair (on my lap, actually). I didn’t even have a wallet on me. Oops! Harry didn’t like it at first, so he was almost a different, less labor intensive cat (A Paka Cat, maybe?) that did not involve eye paint, but he soon gave up the way Bailey does when she gets her nails cut. Learned Helplessness we called it at the Psych building. Regardless, teh result was an adorable Simba in a blue Townsend Kids T. Even cuter with dark shades! I can’t tell you the number of people that stopped to say how cute he was. Harry was not a fan though. That is to say, when he saw himself in the mirror, he did not like it. So I moved him away from the mirror. He was none the wiser, and I was able to add a novel spin to the day's 200 photos.
Next: The African Safari Truck Tour. Harry liked the truck! He really is all about modes of transportation these days. I am sure PopPop will be pleased. He’d been concerned about Harry’s doll and tea set. Anyway, the safari was pretty cool. The scenary was scenic and there were real animals. There was the goofy poaching thing. It was just that: goofy. And they didn’t really elaborate on the problem of poaching, so why bring it up at all?
The Bug's Life 3-D movie ranks right up there with the “ice cream cone incident” as one of Harry’s most traumatic moments. I have never seen him so truly frightened. Lots of shouts of “All Done! ALL DONE! HOME!” We were in the middle of a packed row, so that wasn’t an option. I did take off his 3-D glasses. Fortunately the production was only a few minutes long. When we were done, Harry actually said he liked it.
Moving on... the search for bears… Harry DID have fun looking for bears and even waited in line at the meet & greet for Baloo and King Louie. He practiced his hugs and everything. Once it was our turn, hugging a 7 foot bear ceased to be a good idea. No trauma though. It was all good.
One thing I thought was really cool was the bat exhibit. I have never seen bats like these before. They were close to my height and wrapped up like Dracula. They were the coolest things ever! (Harry slept through those).
Not to be outdone, AK had a playground area too. It was called the Boneyard. They promised lots of fun with fossils. It was pretty cool... Harry probably could have played there all day., but it was very hot and we had to move on.
Next stop EPCOT.
The gardens were amazing as usual. I want to build Tinkerbell’s Garden in our backyard!!!
Harry eventually moved on to the water area. I brought clothes, since I expected this, but I didn’t bring shoes. Oops! Luckily, we were able to track down a new pair from the souvenir shop. $20 big boy sneakers with Stitch on the side. Kind of convenient, actually, since I had searched all over Greenwich, CT for a suitable pair and could not find them.
We then moved over to Mexico and had a not so quiet lunch next to a screaming 2 year old. “Baby cry!” Harry did not like that. He did like his sandwich though, so that was good.
After lunch we were nourished enough to make it through the boat ride in Mexico and then on to color a mask in a little side room where he was able to talk to the kind woman running the operation about Dora, and properly use “Hola.”
The Mexican ride was relatively uneventful, but Harry was not interested in Maelstom. “No boat.” He stated, matter-of-factly. Being the empathetic parents that we are, we put him on anyway. As soon as the lights went out Harry burried his head in the crook of my neck. Lesson learned.
We left EPCOT to go to the pool for a bit. Harry practiced jumping off of the side. He jumps perefectly well if it’s into water!
The sun gave me a horrible migraine but I was able to sleep it off in just a few hours. I missed the lizard run-in though, but I certainly heard all about it!
We finished up our trip with a day at Magic Kingdom. I will let Kevin fill you in on that. As Harry would say, “Daddy turn!”
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Part II
Sunday morning began like almost any other -- EARLY.
You'd think after a night of traveling, Harry would have wanted to sleep in. Not so much. That said, the view from the balcony and the extra window afforded us by a corner room, was a great asset. We overlooked the "harbor" from which the shuttle ferried from the Swan & Dolphin hotels over to either EPCOT Center, or to MGM Studios. Regardless of where they were headed, we were assured of periodic entertainment for little man spotting boats and calling out their colors… every once in a while, he even got it right (he seems to have a penchant for "Ooornj").
So out we went to explore the immediate area… lots of running by Harry, chasing by Kim, and catching-up with the empty stroller by me. The weather was pleasant, although still a bit chilly in the early part of the day. Lunch by the pool, some swimming, a nap, more running around, and then dinnertime.
Monday came, and we headed off to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Harry seems to be quite fond of public transportation these days, as evidenced by an overwhelming desire to point out every single Bus, Train, Airplane, and Truck that crosses his field of vision. This is a plus, as we hopped on the shuttle bus after a brief wait.
Almost everyone we talked to recommended against Animal Kingdom. Mainly as they seemed to think it was boring, but we love EPCOT, which they also seem to hate, so we thought we'd give it a go. Aside from Harry's exceptional face painting purchase (a GREAT one of Simba from The Lion King), it wasn't much to speak of. Especially the Safari Tuck tour when we had to run down the poachers. Nothing like the denouement coming at the death of the matriarch of the elephant herd… great for kids I tell ya.
The other big attraction there was the Bug's Life 3-D movie. This was great until the first audience-scream-point. From there on out, Harry was a bit displeased. Then this huge animatronic grasshopper comes up out of the stage and starts yelling at the audience amidst a huge cloud of fog… then a bug shoots water at everyone… then everyone screams again.
Needless to say, bad idea.
Harry did have fun playing drums and looking for bears (right up there with the trucks & buses), but overall, I'd give Animal Kingdom a C at best.
Next day was the trip on the boat over to EPCOT. As I mentioned, Kim and I are big fans. This time was no different, as Home Depot had sponsored a Garden & Flower exhibition. At just about every other "country," there were these great backyard-playgrounds set up. Harry was in his element, and I think we were both impressed with what you could potentially build in your own yard (for a nominal cost of course).
Harry made it over to Mexico for lunch, and then we headed into the pyramid for the boat tour… he did quite well considering how dark it was. It's pretty mellow though, so a nice starter ride. We got ambitious and then got on the Maelstrom over in Norway. That one was much darker, literally and figuratively. This didn't go over so well, as the loud booming voice of the haunted tree stump that came up out of the water was only about 2 feet away.
So we're pretty much done with rides at this point.
Exhausted, Harry finally fell asleep for a nap, and since we had all-day passes, we decided to head back to the hotel for a swim, and try to come back for the fireworks/light show and parade later in the evening. Whilst at the pool, Kim got an awful migraine, so we headed back to the room, she took a nap, and Harry and I headed back over to EPCOT for dinner. Thomas the Train kept him entertained in the English toy store for a while, and we ate in Canada. Walked around for a bit, and spent the rest of the evening watching the toy trains and playing in one of the Home Depot playgrounds. As we headed back, Harry got good & tired running, until one of the little lizards in the underbrush by the Boardwalk ran across his path…
"Wahs dat?"
"that’s a lizard"
"neez-ird?"
"Yep. Did you see it"
"No … no neez … no leez … no neez-irds. No neezirds."
He repeated that for pretty much the rest of the night, with appropriate finger shaking as well.
When we made the clubhouse turn, I could see Kim watching for us from the 2nd floor balcony. We were still about 75 yards away, but thought it'd be a good idea to point this out to him, as he had been asking where she was for most of the evening. Needless to say, once he saw her, he immediately was telling her all about the lizards and that he wasn't very inclined to see any more of them. All while running towards her, past several other couples, from 2 floors below.
Quite the sight.
Sunday morning began like almost any other -- EARLY.
You'd think after a night of traveling, Harry would have wanted to sleep in. Not so much. That said, the view from the balcony and the extra window afforded us by a corner room, was a great asset. We overlooked the "harbor" from which the shuttle ferried from the Swan & Dolphin hotels over to either EPCOT Center, or to MGM Studios. Regardless of where they were headed, we were assured of periodic entertainment for little man spotting boats and calling out their colors… every once in a while, he even got it right (he seems to have a penchant for "Ooornj").
So out we went to explore the immediate area… lots of running by Harry, chasing by Kim, and catching-up with the empty stroller by me. The weather was pleasant, although still a bit chilly in the early part of the day. Lunch by the pool, some swimming, a nap, more running around, and then dinnertime.
Monday came, and we headed off to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Harry seems to be quite fond of public transportation these days, as evidenced by an overwhelming desire to point out every single Bus, Train, Airplane, and Truck that crosses his field of vision. This is a plus, as we hopped on the shuttle bus after a brief wait.
Almost everyone we talked to recommended against Animal Kingdom. Mainly as they seemed to think it was boring, but we love EPCOT, which they also seem to hate, so we thought we'd give it a go. Aside from Harry's exceptional face painting purchase (a GREAT one of Simba from The Lion King), it wasn't much to speak of. Especially the Safari Tuck tour when we had to run down the poachers. Nothing like the denouement coming at the death of the matriarch of the elephant herd… great for kids I tell ya.
The other big attraction there was the Bug's Life 3-D movie. This was great until the first audience-scream-point. From there on out, Harry was a bit displeased. Then this huge animatronic grasshopper comes up out of the stage and starts yelling at the audience amidst a huge cloud of fog… then a bug shoots water at everyone… then everyone screams again.
Needless to say, bad idea.
Harry did have fun playing drums and looking for bears (right up there with the trucks & buses), but overall, I'd give Animal Kingdom a C at best.
Next day was the trip on the boat over to EPCOT. As I mentioned, Kim and I are big fans. This time was no different, as Home Depot had sponsored a Garden & Flower exhibition. At just about every other "country," there were these great backyard-playgrounds set up. Harry was in his element, and I think we were both impressed with what you could potentially build in your own yard (for a nominal cost of course).
Harry made it over to Mexico for lunch, and then we headed into the pyramid for the boat tour… he did quite well considering how dark it was. It's pretty mellow though, so a nice starter ride. We got ambitious and then got on the Maelstrom over in Norway. That one was much darker, literally and figuratively. This didn't go over so well, as the loud booming voice of the haunted tree stump that came up out of the water was only about 2 feet away.
So we're pretty much done with rides at this point.
Exhausted, Harry finally fell asleep for a nap, and since we had all-day passes, we decided to head back to the hotel for a swim, and try to come back for the fireworks/light show and parade later in the evening. Whilst at the pool, Kim got an awful migraine, so we headed back to the room, she took a nap, and Harry and I headed back over to EPCOT for dinner. Thomas the Train kept him entertained in the English toy store for a while, and we ate in Canada. Walked around for a bit, and spent the rest of the evening watching the toy trains and playing in one of the Home Depot playgrounds. As we headed back, Harry got good & tired running, until one of the little lizards in the underbrush by the Boardwalk ran across his path…
"Wahs dat?"
"that’s a lizard"
"neez-ird?"
"Yep. Did you see it"
"No … no neez … no leez … no neez-irds. No neezirds."
He repeated that for pretty much the rest of the night, with appropriate finger shaking as well.
When we made the clubhouse turn, I could see Kim watching for us from the 2nd floor balcony. We were still about 75 yards away, but thought it'd be a good idea to point this out to him, as he had been asking where she was for most of the evening. Needless to say, once he saw her, he immediately was telling her all about the lizards and that he wasn't very inclined to see any more of them. All while running towards her, past several other couples, from 2 floors below.
Quite the sight.
Monday, May 08, 2006
And we're back!
Only 1 week later, but it feels like months since we left for Disney, and even longer since Harry's birthday party.
2 hotel rooms, 3 airline flights (1 transfer), quite a few juice boxes, Uncrustables, and Mickey-shaped Chip 'n' Dale Pretzels, and 1 embarrassingly expensive Sushi dinner later, and we're all still just a bit tired.
Apologies so far for not posting any new photos, will work on that tonight (gobs of them from the last few weeks… pre-birthday visits from the Magoo's, party week, post-party DC-ing, pre-trip, in-transit, vacation, back home, and ex post facto), and that doesn't even include the 2 disposable cameras full from our last day at the Magic Kingdom, as I managed to leave the digicam behind, right on the hotel-room credenza for safe keeping.
An early ride to the Airport on Saturday (thanks to Tara the Chauffeur) gave Harry plenty of time to explore Terminal A at DCA while we digested the aforementioned 'spensive Sushi (bad ordering on my part = big bill for me to pay). Harry loved making airplane noises all over the terminal, and no one else was there to "enjoy" them, so it worked out well.
Thru security and into the plane… Kim's idea of loading the car seat on an old collapsible luggage cart was huge, and getting it into the airplane seat was simple. Harry dozed off after takeoff, and we had a smooth ride to Orlando. Getting bags were a bit of a challenge, as at that point in the evening (10:30PM?) all of the luggage carts had neglected to ride the elevator back up from ground transportation (the nerve!).
As we had decided to forego the rental car for the week (no sense in paying for a car for a week just to drive it to a parking lot and then pay for that), we hoped into a cab, popped the car seat back in and were off. Good idea, as we then also didn't need to pay attention to where we were going!
A bit of a SNAFU with the accommodations, apparently no cribs left in the complex, and found the room we got wasn't even ready when we opened the door (think lots of dirty dishes and unmade beds), but after Kim's best tired-traveler tirade at the front desk, and some help from the bellman, a nice room with a balcony and crib a short time later, we were off to sleep.
Day 1 at Disney to follow.
Only 1 week later, but it feels like months since we left for Disney, and even longer since Harry's birthday party.
2 hotel rooms, 3 airline flights (1 transfer), quite a few juice boxes, Uncrustables, and Mickey-shaped Chip 'n' Dale Pretzels, and 1 embarrassingly expensive Sushi dinner later, and we're all still just a bit tired.
Apologies so far for not posting any new photos, will work on that tonight (gobs of them from the last few weeks… pre-birthday visits from the Magoo's, party week, post-party DC-ing, pre-trip, in-transit, vacation, back home, and ex post facto), and that doesn't even include the 2 disposable cameras full from our last day at the Magic Kingdom, as I managed to leave the digicam behind, right on the hotel-room credenza for safe keeping.
An early ride to the Airport on Saturday (thanks to Tara the Chauffeur) gave Harry plenty of time to explore Terminal A at DCA while we digested the aforementioned 'spensive Sushi (bad ordering on my part = big bill for me to pay). Harry loved making airplane noises all over the terminal, and no one else was there to "enjoy" them, so it worked out well.
Thru security and into the plane… Kim's idea of loading the car seat on an old collapsible luggage cart was huge, and getting it into the airplane seat was simple. Harry dozed off after takeoff, and we had a smooth ride to Orlando. Getting bags were a bit of a challenge, as at that point in the evening (10:30PM?) all of the luggage carts had neglected to ride the elevator back up from ground transportation (the nerve!).
As we had decided to forego the rental car for the week (no sense in paying for a car for a week just to drive it to a parking lot and then pay for that), we hoped into a cab, popped the car seat back in and were off. Good idea, as we then also didn't need to pay attention to where we were going!
A bit of a SNAFU with the accommodations, apparently no cribs left in the complex, and found the room we got wasn't even ready when we opened the door (think lots of dirty dishes and unmade beds), but after Kim's best tired-traveler tirade at the front desk, and some help from the bellman, a nice room with a balcony and crib a short time later, we were off to sleep.
Day 1 at Disney to follow.
Monday, April 24, 2006
“Burt-day to you”
Kevin did a great job documenting The Big 2 below. I did some documenting of my own en route to Greenwich...
“Burt-day to you…burt-day to you…burt-day to you…” Harry’s melodic little voice rang out from the living room Saturday morning. Kevin, his mom and I all looked at each other. Is he singing “Happy Birthday to you?” He was indeed! How cool is he!?
Such was the case when the big number 2 candle was lit at The Little Gym on Saturday. Harry joined right in with the singing. Little Dude is in the loop! The candle magically went out as well, though I suspect one of the members of the “inner circle” had a little something to do with that.
I am stuck at the airport waiting for a flight to White Plains that is now leaving later than the original time of arrival, so we may as well start at the beginning…Saturday, April 22, 2006 Harrison Everett McDermott turned 2! He had been properly versed in knowing how old he would turn, that there would be cake and that his friends would show up for his birthday- even Dora and Boots and Diego! That is, a paper banner with Dora, Boots and Diego that seemed to suit Harry just fine. Harry also knew no one was working on Saturday, and that was the most important part.
Harry was permitted to hang out in his PJs and watch Dora for an extra hour. We skipped Daddy’s homemade banana pancakes to instead meet the Wileys/Deckers at the Sheraton in Old Town for some waffles. After breakfast, we took a little walk towards Old Town but turned around when the rains got heavy. This was not a problem for Harry, though. He LOVES to walk in the rain. Provided it is not freezing, I don’t mind so much either.
Our intention was to give Harry some time to nap so he wouldn’t be Mr. Cranky Pants, but since PopPop arrived with a new basketball hoop and Grandmom arrived shortly after that didn’t really happen. After some quiet time with Dora and Mimo we headed to the gym, caravan style.
Harry was a little thrown off to see Zayne, Tyler and Hunter at the gym when we arrived. More and more people showed up that didn’t belong at the gym. Finally Lance arrived. Lance has been to the gym before. Things started to make sense! Well, a little. Harry still looked a little confused when the activities started, but, bells are bells. It was “time to stop and play” with the bells…and then put them away…and then do warm up laps. Harry obliged, still looking confused. A few minutes later he was really thrown for a loop: ALL OF HARRY’S DAYCARE FRIENDS ARRIVED! Menike & Johnny and Solan, Sage and his dad, Renee (or “Honey” as she has now decided to be called, thanks to Harry!) and her parents, Aisha and her mom. Harry and Solan, to put it bluntly, proceeded to beat the &^%$ out of each other, basically – especially once the pool noodles came out. I think they were meant to be “dance partners” but Harry and Solan decided it was more fun to beat each other with them. I had no idea that those two were so violent! It seems to be only with each other! I suppose he comes by it honestly, considering his dad is a goalie and his mom used to pay good money to get pounded on (Krav Maga, we call it). Once friend Hannah showed up, Harry’s smile never left his face.
The gym has been rather hit or miss lately. Harry likes to do what Harry likes to do. Harry likes balls and bubbles. Harry likes playing peekaboo in the donut mat. Harry does not like waiting in line. Luckily, birthday gym did not involve waiting in line. Kids got to be kids. Since most of Harry’s friends are a little bit older, they all follow directions pretty well. Harry gave into peer pressure and also played along, even participating in parachute activities…holding the handles, walking in circles…
When it was time to break for cake, I was worried Harry wouldn’t leave the room. Luckily, the big kids charge. One minute Hannah was directing Harry to cake, the next minute he is seated at a table surrounded by Solan, Dominic, Hannah and Isabella, all of the kids are wearing hats, Harry has his special birthday hat on…the instructors had everything under control. SO MUCH EASIER THAN A PARTY AT HOME!
After cake the kids were able to play a little longer and then Harry helped to hand out his monkey themed gift bags. He had had the time of his life, all thanks to his favorite people being there, especially “Uncle Kris.” I think Harry was as happy to see Kris that day as Bailey was the time Kris tied squeaky toys to himself for Halloween!
Later, we had Pizza and opened presents. Dominic and Isabella helped open gifts- total assembly line...Team Lightyear sweatshirt from Aunt Toni…bathtub crayons from Linda and Charlie…Bathtub Dora that Lance picked out just for Harry…Play-doh and puzzles from Mackenzie…a new train table from Grandma Patty as well as his first Thomas train from Isabella and Dominic and his first Thomas video from Zayne. After touring DC with the Wileys/Deckers (where we saw lots of “Airplanes” and the big “El-phent” at the natural history museum…and rode the train) Harry even spent some time playing with his sand toys from Kayla on the living room floor, quietly singing to himself.
Harry is an awesome little boy. He loves his friends and it meant so much to him that they were at his party. And you know it’s been a good party when you find yourself asleep in the doorway…as did Harry at 7:00 PM Saturday night. He pulled himself together a little while longer though and ended up in bed before 8:00.
So, Harry is 2 now. He had his 2 year check up today, He weighed in at 29 lbs, 15.8 ounces. I thought he weighed more than this actually. His weight is 75th percentile. His height is 33 inches. They claim. I've got to say, the nurse didn’t spend too much time on this. He was pretty squished up, I thought. I suspect he could be as much as 34 or 35 inches, which may bump him out of the 25th percentile for height. Maybe, maybe not.
Developmentally, he is right on track. Except he can’t jump. But, he is a little white man. We don’t expect to much. Apparently, like father like son. It’s a thorn in my side but we are working on it!
All in all, things couldn't be better in Harry's world! He is currently looking forward to his own airplane ride to Disney next week.
Kevin did a great job documenting The Big 2 below. I did some documenting of my own en route to Greenwich...
“Burt-day to you…burt-day to you…burt-day to you…” Harry’s melodic little voice rang out from the living room Saturday morning. Kevin, his mom and I all looked at each other. Is he singing “Happy Birthday to you?” He was indeed! How cool is he!?
Such was the case when the big number 2 candle was lit at The Little Gym on Saturday. Harry joined right in with the singing. Little Dude is in the loop! The candle magically went out as well, though I suspect one of the members of the “inner circle” had a little something to do with that.
I am stuck at the airport waiting for a flight to White Plains that is now leaving later than the original time of arrival, so we may as well start at the beginning…Saturday, April 22, 2006 Harrison Everett McDermott turned 2! He had been properly versed in knowing how old he would turn, that there would be cake and that his friends would show up for his birthday- even Dora and Boots and Diego! That is, a paper banner with Dora, Boots and Diego that seemed to suit Harry just fine. Harry also knew no one was working on Saturday, and that was the most important part.
Harry was permitted to hang out in his PJs and watch Dora for an extra hour. We skipped Daddy’s homemade banana pancakes to instead meet the Wileys/Deckers at the Sheraton in Old Town for some waffles. After breakfast, we took a little walk towards Old Town but turned around when the rains got heavy. This was not a problem for Harry, though. He LOVES to walk in the rain. Provided it is not freezing, I don’t mind so much either.
Our intention was to give Harry some time to nap so he wouldn’t be Mr. Cranky Pants, but since PopPop arrived with a new basketball hoop and Grandmom arrived shortly after that didn’t really happen. After some quiet time with Dora and Mimo we headed to the gym, caravan style.
Harry was a little thrown off to see Zayne, Tyler and Hunter at the gym when we arrived. More and more people showed up that didn’t belong at the gym. Finally Lance arrived. Lance has been to the gym before. Things started to make sense! Well, a little. Harry still looked a little confused when the activities started, but, bells are bells. It was “time to stop and play” with the bells…and then put them away…and then do warm up laps. Harry obliged, still looking confused. A few minutes later he was really thrown for a loop: ALL OF HARRY’S DAYCARE FRIENDS ARRIVED! Menike & Johnny and Solan, Sage and his dad, Renee (or “Honey” as she has now decided to be called, thanks to Harry!) and her parents, Aisha and her mom. Harry and Solan, to put it bluntly, proceeded to beat the &^%$ out of each other, basically – especially once the pool noodles came out. I think they were meant to be “dance partners” but Harry and Solan decided it was more fun to beat each other with them. I had no idea that those two were so violent! It seems to be only with each other! I suppose he comes by it honestly, considering his dad is a goalie and his mom used to pay good money to get pounded on (Krav Maga, we call it). Once friend Hannah showed up, Harry’s smile never left his face.
The gym has been rather hit or miss lately. Harry likes to do what Harry likes to do. Harry likes balls and bubbles. Harry likes playing peekaboo in the donut mat. Harry does not like waiting in line. Luckily, birthday gym did not involve waiting in line. Kids got to be kids. Since most of Harry’s friends are a little bit older, they all follow directions pretty well. Harry gave into peer pressure and also played along, even participating in parachute activities…holding the handles, walking in circles…
When it was time to break for cake, I was worried Harry wouldn’t leave the room. Luckily, the big kids charge. One minute Hannah was directing Harry to cake, the next minute he is seated at a table surrounded by Solan, Dominic, Hannah and Isabella, all of the kids are wearing hats, Harry has his special birthday hat on…the instructors had everything under control. SO MUCH EASIER THAN A PARTY AT HOME!
After cake the kids were able to play a little longer and then Harry helped to hand out his monkey themed gift bags. He had had the time of his life, all thanks to his favorite people being there, especially “Uncle Kris.” I think Harry was as happy to see Kris that day as Bailey was the time Kris tied squeaky toys to himself for Halloween!
Later, we had Pizza and opened presents. Dominic and Isabella helped open gifts- total assembly line...Team Lightyear sweatshirt from Aunt Toni…bathtub crayons from Linda and Charlie…Bathtub Dora that Lance picked out just for Harry…Play-doh and puzzles from Mackenzie…a new train table from Grandma Patty as well as his first Thomas train from Isabella and Dominic and his first Thomas video from Zayne. After touring DC with the Wileys/Deckers (where we saw lots of “Airplanes” and the big “El-phent” at the natural history museum…and rode the train) Harry even spent some time playing with his sand toys from Kayla on the living room floor, quietly singing to himself.
Harry is an awesome little boy. He loves his friends and it meant so much to him that they were at his party. And you know it’s been a good party when you find yourself asleep in the doorway…as did Harry at 7:00 PM Saturday night. He pulled himself together a little while longer though and ended up in bed before 8:00.
So, Harry is 2 now. He had his 2 year check up today, He weighed in at 29 lbs, 15.8 ounces. I thought he weighed more than this actually. His weight is 75th percentile. His height is 33 inches. They claim. I've got to say, the nurse didn’t spend too much time on this. He was pretty squished up, I thought. I suspect he could be as much as 34 or 35 inches, which may bump him out of the 25th percentile for height. Maybe, maybe not.
Developmentally, he is right on track. Except he can’t jump. But, he is a little white man. We don’t expect to much. Apparently, like father like son. It’s a thorn in my side but we are working on it!
All in all, things couldn't be better in Harry's world! He is currently looking forward to his own airplane ride to Disney next week.
Worlds Colliding -- Redux
Harry's 2nd birthday party, hosted this year by the Little Gym of Springfield, was an absolute blast. With kids on the roster from daycare, play dates, and extended family along with their assorted parents, caretakers, guardians, and extended families, made for a great crowd of familiar faces for Harry, even if some were new to his parents (great to meet you all!).
You see, Harry has particular crowds to hang with wherever he goes these days. Family at the beach, kids at daycare, neighborhood kids, our own friends' kids… you get the idea. Saturday, they all showed up at the same place at the same time, with nothing to do but run around in a padded room, then eat Cake!!!
The looks on Harry's face were priceless each time someone new came in the door. Running in circles at his own version of a full sprint, only to double take with that adrenaline-crazed/suddenly confused look of
"… hey wait a minute, I know you! But not from here, what are you doing HERE? Who cares!!! We're all here!! Come run with us! BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Now you'd think with all of this going on, family in from out of town, lots of faces at the house, and unwrapping galore, that not having a nap would be grounds for certain meltdown and absolute disregard for instruction and order at the party. Not so! Harry did incredibly well throughout (of course with plenty of willing assistants to help him at every turn), and even stayed up for an extra half hour while the grown-ups all had dinner back at the house.
Follow that up with a weather-challenged walking tour of the National Mall on Sunday with the Wiley/Decker clan, and it made for quite a weekend. Unfortunately, poor Belle Decker didn't get as much enjoyment out of the Metro rides as her brother Dom Jr. and Harry did (sitting together on the train SO politely and well-behaved… EXCELLENT!!!)… hope she's feeling better soon.
Thanks again to everyone who was able to make it down & to the party! We had a great time seeing you all, and think we can confidently say that Harry enjoyed everything as well. For those who weren't able to, we certainly look forward to the next time we get to share an afternoon together, on the slide or on the beach, I'm sure Harry's grin will be just as big!
Harry's 2nd birthday party, hosted this year by the Little Gym of Springfield, was an absolute blast. With kids on the roster from daycare, play dates, and extended family along with their assorted parents, caretakers, guardians, and extended families, made for a great crowd of familiar faces for Harry, even if some were new to his parents (great to meet you all!).
You see, Harry has particular crowds to hang with wherever he goes these days. Family at the beach, kids at daycare, neighborhood kids, our own friends' kids… you get the idea. Saturday, they all showed up at the same place at the same time, with nothing to do but run around in a padded room, then eat Cake!!!
The looks on Harry's face were priceless each time someone new came in the door. Running in circles at his own version of a full sprint, only to double take with that adrenaline-crazed/suddenly confused look of
"… hey wait a minute, I know you! But not from here, what are you doing HERE? Who cares!!! We're all here!! Come run with us! BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Now you'd think with all of this going on, family in from out of town, lots of faces at the house, and unwrapping galore, that not having a nap would be grounds for certain meltdown and absolute disregard for instruction and order at the party. Not so! Harry did incredibly well throughout (of course with plenty of willing assistants to help him at every turn), and even stayed up for an extra half hour while the grown-ups all had dinner back at the house.
Follow that up with a weather-challenged walking tour of the National Mall on Sunday with the Wiley/Decker clan, and it made for quite a weekend. Unfortunately, poor Belle Decker didn't get as much enjoyment out of the Metro rides as her brother Dom Jr. and Harry did (sitting together on the train SO politely and well-behaved… EXCELLENT!!!)… hope she's feeling better soon.
Thanks again to everyone who was able to make it down & to the party! We had a great time seeing you all, and think we can confidently say that Harry enjoyed everything as well. For those who weren't able to, we certainly look forward to the next time we get to share an afternoon together, on the slide or on the beach, I'm sure Harry's grin will be just as big!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Worlds Are Colliding…
So we're pretty much on the eve of Harry's second birthday. Two years ago, he changed our lives irrevocably (for the better of course) by beginning his own. Trying to think back to what it was like before his arrival while sitting at a keyboard is one thing. Having parts of it come crashing into your psyche at the hands of electronic media is another entirely.
Let's try to set the stage here…
Lately Harry's day has expanded from what may have appeared as observational, to full-on participatory. He 'gets into' conversations now… for example, the tone of his voice changes appropriately when asking a question, or to when he expresses his subtle distaste for something like Brussel Sprouts. When they sing the Blues Clues song on TV, he sings along (in his own lyrical version) while bopping away with his oversized teddy bear (which seems a milestone in and of itself).
So the last 2 years, shows have been dominated by (and check our Tivo if you don't believe me) Sesame Street, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, and the entire Baby Einstein DVD collection.
Last night, courtesy of ye olde NETFLIX queue, threw in a DVD of the Dave Matthews Band performing in Central Park from a few years back. I forgot how much I liked them. I forgot how much fun their shows used to be, before they got big. Before seeing them in concert meant wading past kids (okay-pre-pubescent teens) making out in the restroom, just to take a leak. Back when it mattered that they weren't serving beer at the show (thanks to the GMU Patriot Center, TCBY was the best you were gonna do). In college, especially around the time Kim and I began dating, I was a certified Dave-head.
We thought out loud to ourselves, remember when Dave concerts were good? That was a long time ago...
Later in the evening, Tivo had hung onto a past favorite from our pre-parent days… The West Wing. Used to be a weekly fix for us -- to see where in town they were filming, and if we knew anyone in the background. Last week's episode was the show's funeral for Leo McGarry, echoing the real-life passing of John Spencer. Granted, neither of us have watched the show with our old fervor in quite some time, so most of the plotlines were fuzzy at best, but this one had lots of familiar faces, and it was good to see everyone again… like old friends.
We thought out loud to ourselves, remember when West Wing was good? That was a long time ago...
This morning, we took a subtle turn from the norm. Where one episode of Blues normally segues neatly into Dora the Explorer, today we switched back over to the DMB DVD of central park. Funny enough, one of my favorite songs came on -- Granny -- so I go to be the one singing and bopping along to the TV.
Harry walks up to the TV… points at Dave and says… "Daddie?"
Um… not quite bud, but thanks for the confidence vote on the singing ability.
That exchange has been sitting with me all day… was wondering when the real father-son sharing was going to begin.
Sounds like it just did.
So we're pretty much on the eve of Harry's second birthday. Two years ago, he changed our lives irrevocably (for the better of course) by beginning his own. Trying to think back to what it was like before his arrival while sitting at a keyboard is one thing. Having parts of it come crashing into your psyche at the hands of electronic media is another entirely.
Let's try to set the stage here…
Lately Harry's day has expanded from what may have appeared as observational, to full-on participatory. He 'gets into' conversations now… for example, the tone of his voice changes appropriately when asking a question, or to when he expresses his subtle distaste for something like Brussel Sprouts. When they sing the Blues Clues song on TV, he sings along (in his own lyrical version) while bopping away with his oversized teddy bear (which seems a milestone in and of itself).
So the last 2 years, shows have been dominated by (and check our Tivo if you don't believe me) Sesame Street, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, and the entire Baby Einstein DVD collection.
Last night, courtesy of ye olde NETFLIX queue, threw in a DVD of the Dave Matthews Band performing in Central Park from a few years back. I forgot how much I liked them. I forgot how much fun their shows used to be, before they got big. Before seeing them in concert meant wading past kids (okay-pre-pubescent teens) making out in the restroom, just to take a leak. Back when it mattered that they weren't serving beer at the show (thanks to the GMU Patriot Center, TCBY was the best you were gonna do). In college, especially around the time Kim and I began dating, I was a certified Dave-head.
We thought out loud to ourselves, remember when Dave concerts were good? That was a long time ago...
Later in the evening, Tivo had hung onto a past favorite from our pre-parent days… The West Wing. Used to be a weekly fix for us -- to see where in town they were filming, and if we knew anyone in the background. Last week's episode was the show's funeral for Leo McGarry, echoing the real-life passing of John Spencer. Granted, neither of us have watched the show with our old fervor in quite some time, so most of the plotlines were fuzzy at best, but this one had lots of familiar faces, and it was good to see everyone again… like old friends.
We thought out loud to ourselves, remember when West Wing was good? That was a long time ago...
This morning, we took a subtle turn from the norm. Where one episode of Blues normally segues neatly into Dora the Explorer, today we switched back over to the DMB DVD of central park. Funny enough, one of my favorite songs came on -- Granny -- so I go to be the one singing and bopping along to the TV.
Harry walks up to the TV… points at Dave and says… "Daddie?"
Um… not quite bud, but thanks for the confidence vote on the singing ability.
That exchange has been sitting with me all day… was wondering when the real father-son sharing was going to begin.
Sounds like it just did.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Ob, Brother! Instead of banning all things bad, why not just market all things good, and provide more healthy alternatives? Government subsidized produce carts? When zie Germans visited, the availability of healthy choices was the biggest difference they found between Germany and the good ol' USA.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Getting flak again for not having posted anything insightful in a while, so will do my best in this or perhaps an upcoming post or two, to dig in deep.
As I'm sure everyone knows, we're all coming up on the big #2 this weekend, and it's amazing to try to look back to see where we've gone in the last 12 months.
We've moved into a new house, moved into the minivan era, and moved another year closer to pre-school. Harry learns more words every day, sometimes more quickly than I'm even aware he knows them. Kim says these stories need to be documented better, so here goes:
Harry and I were watching Dora a week or so ago after a hard day at daycare and stuck in the server room, so I will admit, I wasn't paying too close attention to today's plotline, however I did notice that the first stop of the daily adventure was the big red hill. Harry immediately looks at me and adamantly proclaims..
"ssshick-un."
I think he could sense my confusion, because he quickly reiterated...
"SSSHICK-un"
Huh?
"sssSSShick-un... sshICK-un"
"Chicken?"
Cue the big dimply grin... "sshick-un."
Hmm... chicken. Wonder when he picked that up. Ah, hold on a sec...
"Big Red Chicken?"
Grin now grows exponentially... "SSHICK-un!"
"No Harry... that's the big red HILL. It kind of looks like the big red chicken, but it's just a hill."
"sssshick-un."
So off Dora and Boots go on their adventure of the day, and I start to doze off while little man takes it all in. A few minutes go by, and here it comes again:
"sssSSShick-un!! sshICK-un!"
Sure enough, there's Boots climbing up the big red hill, which quickly stand up and shakes him off, as it's (who else but...) The Big Red Chicken.
"SSSHICK-un." with a very satisfied look.
Yup... Big red chicken it is.
Lesson learned, never question a cartoon's plotline to someone who A) actually watches & pays attention and B) does so every 97 times they watch it.
As I'm sure everyone knows, we're all coming up on the big #2 this weekend, and it's amazing to try to look back to see where we've gone in the last 12 months.
We've moved into a new house, moved into the minivan era, and moved another year closer to pre-school. Harry learns more words every day, sometimes more quickly than I'm even aware he knows them. Kim says these stories need to be documented better, so here goes:
Harry and I were watching Dora a week or so ago after a hard day at daycare and stuck in the server room, so I will admit, I wasn't paying too close attention to today's plotline, however I did notice that the first stop of the daily adventure was the big red hill. Harry immediately looks at me and adamantly proclaims..
"ssshick-un."
I think he could sense my confusion, because he quickly reiterated...
"SSSHICK-un"
Huh?
"sssSSShick-un... sshICK-un"
"Chicken?"
Cue the big dimply grin... "sshick-un."
Hmm... chicken. Wonder when he picked that up. Ah, hold on a sec...
"Big Red Chicken?"
Grin now grows exponentially... "SSHICK-un!"
"No Harry... that's the big red HILL. It kind of looks like the big red chicken, but it's just a hill."
"sssshick-un."
So off Dora and Boots go on their adventure of the day, and I start to doze off while little man takes it all in. A few minutes go by, and here it comes again:
"sssSSShick-un!! sshICK-un!"
Sure enough, there's Boots climbing up the big red hill, which quickly stand up and shakes him off, as it's (who else but...) The Big Red Chicken.
"SSSHICK-un." with a very satisfied look.
Yup... Big red chicken it is.
Lesson learned, never question a cartoon's plotline to someone who A) actually watches & pays attention and B) does so every 97 times they watch it.
Monday, April 17, 2006
No Fight!
About 8:00 last night I had a slight problem. I was literally stuck in the shower. Door would not open. Kevin was shop-vac'ing water from the basement and could not hear me, and the reason he was shop- vac'ing was because our plumbing issues have returned, so I couldn't even hang out under the hot water. I was freezing and stuck. I knew I might wake Harry, but all I could do was scream for Kevin at the top of my lungs. I could hear Harry on the monitor and he was awake and curious but didn't seem scared. I guess my screaming and combined banging at the door for 15 minutes lead to one obvious conclusion: we were fighting.
Once released, Kevin and I sat down with Harry and tried to explain the situation. He was pretty confident we weren't fighting, and seemed to understand the door was stuck. I did my best to not create any phobios of tubs or water or doors. But, what's the deal with "No fight?"
How does Harry know what fighting is?
It occurred to me as I was nodding off that his version of fighting may be different. Perhaps it is Harry and Sage yelling at each other and Menike saying "No, no, fight!" All in all, made for an interesting evening.
About 8:00 last night I had a slight problem. I was literally stuck in the shower. Door would not open. Kevin was shop-vac'ing water from the basement and could not hear me, and the reason he was shop- vac'ing was because our plumbing issues have returned, so I couldn't even hang out under the hot water. I was freezing and stuck. I knew I might wake Harry, but all I could do was scream for Kevin at the top of my lungs. I could hear Harry on the monitor and he was awake and curious but didn't seem scared. I guess my screaming and combined banging at the door for 15 minutes lead to one obvious conclusion: we were fighting.
Once released, Kevin and I sat down with Harry and tried to explain the situation. He was pretty confident we weren't fighting, and seemed to understand the door was stuck. I did my best to not create any phobios of tubs or water or doors. But, what's the deal with "No fight?"
How does Harry know what fighting is?
It occurred to me as I was nodding off that his version of fighting may be different. Perhaps it is Harry and Sage yelling at each other and Menike saying "No, no, fight!" All in all, made for an interesting evening.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Good News
It looks like Harry will be able to stay with Sage and Aisha while Menike is away. At least, I am assuming Sage and Aisha. Kevin picked Harry up yesterday while I waited for Comcast to not show with our new modem (new email address to follow) and came back with the news that Menike found a place for "the three of them." I know Menike was worried about Harry the most, I guess since Hunter is still a baby and the other kids are nearing 3. This will be good. There will be some normalcy at least.
In other news, it looks like Harry has 2 new cousins: Mia and Sophia Munn. They arrived a little early but seem to be doing well so far! Best wishes Ward and Lauren!
It looks like Harry will be able to stay with Sage and Aisha while Menike is away. At least, I am assuming Sage and Aisha. Kevin picked Harry up yesterday while I waited for Comcast to not show with our new modem (new email address to follow) and came back with the news that Menike found a place for "the three of them." I know Menike was worried about Harry the most, I guess since Hunter is still a baby and the other kids are nearing 3. This will be good. There will be some normalcy at least.
In other news, it looks like Harry has 2 new cousins: Mia and Sophia Munn. They arrived a little early but seem to be doing well so far! Best wishes Ward and Lauren!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Preparedness
Harry, how old are you going to be?
"2!"
Harry, what are we having at your birthday?
"Cake."
Now, if only we can prepare him for Menike's 4 week trip to visit her mother in Sri Lanka (who is not doing so well) and being without his friends. Luckily, we are on vacation f or one of teh weeks, and Harry may understand "Vacation" by then.
Harry, how old are you going to be?
"2!"
Harry, what are we having at your birthday?
"Cake."
Now, if only we can prepare him for Menike's 4 week trip to visit her mother in Sri Lanka (who is not doing so well) and being without his friends. Luckily, we are on vacation f or one of teh weeks, and Harry may understand "Vacation" by then.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Little Experiment
While shopping for a car seat that will fit on a plane at Babies R Us, I decided to see if my worst nightmares had come true. Standing in front of the video section, face to face with a big purple dinosaur, I said "Harry, who's this?" Harry's response: "Barney." He didn't even have to stop and think. Barney. HE KNOWS WHO HE IS!!!! Kevin said I looked like I'd been kicked in the knees (or something to that effect). I guess as hard as you try, you can't protect your kids from the evils of the world. We can only steer them in the right direction. "Look, Harry! Diego!"
While shopping for a car seat that will fit on a plane at Babies R Us, I decided to see if my worst nightmares had come true. Standing in front of the video section, face to face with a big purple dinosaur, I said "Harry, who's this?" Harry's response: "Barney." He didn't even have to stop and think. Barney. HE KNOWS WHO HE IS!!!! Kevin said I looked like I'd been kicked in the knees (or something to that effect). I guess as hard as you try, you can't protect your kids from the evils of the world. We can only steer them in the right direction. "Look, Harry! Diego!"
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Seen and Heard
Today when I picked Harry up at Menike's, I saw 3 tots swinging side by side. Harry, Aisha and Sage.
Harry came running over to say hello. So did Aisha! I was the proud recipient of not 1 but 2 hugs!
"Wheee! Wheee! Wheeee! Swings!" While passing the park at Park Fairfax.
"1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11." While swinging at the park.
Kim: "Who's my favorite little boy?"
Harry: "Meeee!" proudly pointing at himself.
"All done!" The entire time daddy mowed the lawn.
"Puppy? Puppy!" At any house that showed any sign of a dog.
Today when I picked Harry up at Menike's, I saw 3 tots swinging side by side. Harry, Aisha and Sage.
Harry came running over to say hello. So did Aisha! I was the proud recipient of not 1 but 2 hugs!
"Wheee! Wheee! Wheeee! Swings!" While passing the park at Park Fairfax.
"1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11." While swinging at the park.
Kim: "Who's my favorite little boy?"
Harry: "Meeee!" proudly pointing at himself.
"All done!" The entire time daddy mowed the lawn.
"Puppy? Puppy!" At any house that showed any sign of a dog.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Seen and Heard
"Flowers!" Spring in DC.
"Squirrels!" Like Tico.
"Cheers!" Glasses tink.
"Where's Daygo?" Formerly: Haiku. Actual: Diego.
What we're learing: Sharing. Taking Turns.
Kim: "Harry, Grandmom will change your diaper and then you can go for a wagon ride."
Harry: "No, MaMa's Turn."
My turn (again) to change Harry's diaper.
Apparently now whenever Harry prefers I do something, whether it be give him hugs, give him a bath, color, get more "Mimo," it is now "MaMa's Turn."
Channelling Lionel Barrymore, but with a modern day twist. Harry sits in his jogger, blanket covering him (his choice), cover up...chatting like a grown u p to PopPop for at least 10 minutes on the cell as we walk down the street.
Kim: "Do you know Kayla?"
Harry: "Yeah."
Kim: "It's Kayla's birthday Tuesday."
Harry: "Yeah!"
Kim: "Kayla's your cousin."
Harry: "Yeah."
Kim: "And Dominic's cousing."
Harry: "YEAH!"
"Flowers!" Spring in DC.
"Squirrels!" Like Tico.
"Cheers!" Glasses tink.
"Where's Daygo?" Formerly: Haiku. Actual: Diego.
What we're learing: Sharing. Taking Turns.
Kim: "Harry, Grandmom will change your diaper and then you can go for a wagon ride."
Harry: "No, MaMa's Turn."
My turn (again) to change Harry's diaper.
Apparently now whenever Harry prefers I do something, whether it be give him hugs, give him a bath, color, get more "Mimo," it is now "MaMa's Turn."
Channelling Lionel Barrymore, but with a modern day twist. Harry sits in his jogger, blanket covering him (his choice), cover up...chatting like a grown u p to PopPop for at least 10 minutes on the cell as we walk down the street.
Kim: "Do you know Kayla?"
Harry: "Yeah."
Kim: "It's Kayla's birthday Tuesday."
Harry: "Yeah!"
Kim: "Kayla's your cousin."
Harry: "Yeah."
Kim: "And Dominic's cousing."
Harry: "YEAH!"
Friday, April 07, 2006
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