Grandparents, part 1

Because, given the sheer quantity of pictures taken, there's no way this is going to be a single blog post.

We arrived in the early-afternoon, PDT, and after an already-full day of sitting still, Asa ran around literally squealing for joy.  And then - either because he heard us talking or because sometimes children have an eerie sixth sense, he ran straight to where his California Car-Car was hidden.

That was only the beginning of the backyard adventures!  There were oranges and rosemary to harvest:

Gravel to rearrange and give to Granna...

And room to just run around and play.

And that was just the backyard!

New Friends

Finally, on our third trip to California, we managed to get together with a long-time friend of Mummy's.  We agreed that if you had told us, when we met, that if anyone had told us we would be hanging out fourteen years later and watching our kids playing together, neither of us would have believed it.  What a great way to be laughed at by fate.

Along with Granna, we got to spend a day at the San Diego Zoo.  If you haven't been there, one word: GO.  It's worth it.

As great as the animals are, it was almost more fun to watch how much fun Asa and Milena were having.

After the zoo, we spent a little time just relaxing in Balboa Park, letting the kids run, jump and climb:

Here's to friendships that span years and generations.

Trip to San Diego!

Despite heaps of maternal anxiety, Asa's first flight(s) went remarkably well.  The worst of it was an excess of bodily fluid... but we're parents.  We're accustomed.

Fortunately, it turns out that Asa is not a screamer.  Pressure changes don't seem to phase him much, and he responds well to the suggestion that sucking his thumb might help.  Granted, it's hard to make a toddler sit still for nearly five hours, no matter how many books, how many cool toys, even how many Sesame Street and Muppet Show DVDs one may have brought.  But it could have been so very much worse.

Besides: he loves planes.

On the flight home, the bodily fluids weren't bad - he wet through his diaper twice.  Unusual, but not devastating.  It was on the way out that things got interesting.  Here's the recipe:

Take two slightly nervous mothers who managed to get themselves and their toddler to the airport by 6:30am;

Add seats in the very last row of the airplane;

Mix in several of the toddler's favorite snacks, like goldfish, dried fruit, and milk;

Subtract maternal organization in the form of a clean change of clothes in the carry-on;

and SHAKE WELL.

By this I mean, of course, add some of the worst turbulence that I've ever experienced (which is worse, we discovered, at the back of the plane).  Result: puke.  Secondary result: toddler stripped to nothing but socks, shoes and diaper.  Usually, that's how you leave the Las Vegas airport, but it's how Asa arrived there, to the hilarity of the airline staff at the arrival gate.  So our little boy is now the owner of a new Las Vegas t-shirt, and his parents are much the wiser.  And more organized.

Pull-Toy Train

Complete with Bay-ow, Mow, and Muss.  (Bear, Cat and Mouse, in case you don't speak Asa.)

Yet more art...

Yeah, he does this a lot.  And we take pictures.

But can you really, honestly, say that we're boring you?


I didn't think so.

(oh, the paint-covered hands...)

Cousins!

A cousin reunion in New York - good food, good fun, especially for a toddler with older children to follow!

(doesn't he look so much older in this one?)

(have you noticed?  no jackets!  it was almost kinda warm out!)

We also had time for a little quiet play...

...time to meet the newest family member...

...time to celebrate a third birthday...

...and time for this youngest generation to just hang out.

Such love - we are all so lucky.  Thanks to our fabulous hosts for such a great weekend!

Spending a day with Uncle Jacob

Proof that spring is coming - a real snowdrop, growing outside!

Other than that, we needed to go inside to find warmth and flowers.  So Asa, Mummy, and Uncle Jacob set off for a local Botanical Center.

Mummy was essentially chopped liver the entire time that Uncle Jacob was around.  The love affair between godson and godfather is pretty amazing.  Poor Uncle Jacob was nearly awakened at 6am by a very happy toddler climbing into his bed.  (Said toddler became a lot less happy upon being informed by Chopped Liver here that it was way too early to wake his Uncle, and that it was time to return to snuggling with Mummy.)

Fish!  ("Whish, Mummy!")

There was also space to just run, which trumped even a snuggle.

We capped the day out by stopping by Mommy's classroom, before an entire afternoon of meetings that didn't get her home until after Asa's bedtime.  Mommy has really fun books and art supplies!

When we dropped Uncle Jacob off at the airport, Asa said "Bye-bye" all the way back to the car.  We're all glad we'll get to see you again soon, Jacob!

It was soooooo long...

... How long was it?

Longest of all with water actually running through the curls and stretching them.

And, of course, the irresistible boy-in-bath shots:

Such a Corny Picture

groooooaaaaan....

Hey, Froggy Baby!

In one of the glass-front barrister bookcases, I keep the old Kermit the Frog that I had as a baby.  Asa noticed this a while back... so a few days ago, in the midst of some really horrible February weather, I thought it might be fun to play with Kermit.  

"Hey, Asa, where's Kermit?"

"Buppets!" he replied happily, and ran to...

... watch Sesame Street on YouTube.

Guess Kermit will have to wait.

Grover, Eat Your Heart Out

Otherwise known as "teaching prepositions".  Because this was educational, of course.



The original, for those of you unfortunate enough not to be familiar with it.

Making Pizza

Instructions for making pizza with a toddler:

1) stretch the dough in a pan.

2) pull up a chair to the kitchen counter and help your toddler climb up.

3) spread the sauce with your fingers.

4) check the dough to make sure it's good.

5) check the sauce to make sure it's good.

6) sprinkle on cheese.

7) check the cheese to make sure it's good.  Check from several spots - you can't be too careful.

8) sprinkle on toppings.

9) check the toppings to make sure they're good.  Again, check several times, to be sure.

Asa-isms

Verbal communication begins!  As I noted to M. the other day, it's like tuning in a radio station.  Until very recently, it was all static.  Now, slowly, we're beginning to hear real meaning in the garbled white noise.  And every week, at least, it gets a little clearer.

Now, the most common word is still "No", which can answer any question, whether or not it should take a yes/no answer.  A friend today asked, "And how are you, Asa?" to which he replied, "No!"  with a huge grin on his face.  (Rough translation: fine, thank you, and by the way I really like you.)

But in and among all the "no", we hear some interesting real stuff.  Here's what I can remember from the past week or so:

Scene: a drying rack in front of the baseboard heater, with about a dozen cloth diaper covers hanging to dry.
Asa, pointing at a diaper cover: Poo!!  Poo!!  Heeheeheee Poo!

Scene: lunch time, at the kitchen table.  Asa in his high chair, Mommy and Mummy at the table.  Asa has finished (mostly) his lunch.
Asa: Peekon?
Mommy, looking at Mummy: Pecan?  Has he ever had a pecan?
Mummy: No.
Asa, a little more insistently, and pointing at the fridge: Peekon?
Mummy: ummm... Mango?  Do you want mango?
Asa: No.  Peekon.
Mommy: Are you sure you don't want mango?
Asa: Mango.  No.  Peekon.
[Both parents apologetically explain that we can't understand.]
Asa, considering, then speaking slowly: Peek-ow.
Both Parents: Pickle?
Asa, grinning broadly and clapping excitedly: NO!  (which, in that instance, meant "yes".)

Scene: Dancing to music in the living room.  Specifically, a nonsense song by the band They Might Be Giants, entitled "Violin".  
Song Lyric: Speck of dust, dust, dust; speck of dust, dust, dust; speck of dust, dust, dust; aaaaahhhh.  (wow, that loses a lot in transcription.)
Asa: dust, dust.  [pause, for the lyric to come around again]... dust, dust...  (in time, and on the beat.)

Scene:  early morning, in bed.  Mummy is trying hard to wake up, Mommy has gone to shower.  Asa, of course, is wide awake and playful.  He covers his eyes with his hands.
Mummy: Where's Asa?
Asa: Ah-ee-ya!  [takes his hands away]
Mummy: PEEKABOO!!!  (giggling all around, and Asa puts his hands back up.)

Mummy: Where's Asa?  

Asa: Wah-ee-ya!  [takes his hands away]

Mummy: PEEKABOO!!!  (giggling all around, and Asa puts his hands back up.)

Mummy: Where's Asa?  

Asa: Wah-ee-aya!  [takes his hands away]

Mummy: That's right!  Where's Asa!  oh, er, peekaboo.  Right.  Sorry.  

In other news: he has developed an interest in puzzles, finally, and mostly does them well, except when he tries insistently to put a piece in upside-down and gets frustrated when it doesn't fit.  He's learned to climb over the arm of the futon, and then wiggle feet-first under the arm and back to the floor.  And he's still entirely Muppet-obsessed.  If he had his way, we would watch DVDs of the Muppets and Sesame Street ALL DAY LONG.  

What can I say?  The kid has taste!