Spring 2011

So the blog posts are becoming more of a quarterly thing rather than a bi-monthly thing or whatever they started out as. I suppose there's some sort of metaphor in there somewhere but I don't have the energy to tease it out.

It is Spring in the beautiful Northwest - we've now gone something like 195 days without cracking 70F (since November 3rd, 2010) on the thermometer at Seatac Airport. It's also been wetter this year than normal. So it appears Spring will largely pass us by and we'll go right on into summer. On the good side, the forecast for Friday this week is 70F and sunny!

What is everyone doing these days:

• Clara: closing in 23 months and talking a ton these days. Favorite expressions include "my doos it!" (leave me alone and let me do it) and "yak-it" (for "lookit" as in "look at this..."). Yakit daddy, yakit! The term "bi-ba-bee bar" from last post is now the common word for all cereal or energy bars. So, you could hear this from Clara: "Yakit daddy yakit bi-ba-bee bar!"
• Hadden: is taking karate class on Saturday mornings. He's no quite a master yet - it's called Kinderkarate and they do 45 minutes on Saturdays. He's totally into it and will show you a proper punch, kick, block and fist if you ask. As a result of this class, he can now count to 10 in Japanese. 
• Clara: Loves riding on daddy's shoulders when given the opportunity. Every time we walk outside now I get the "Daddy show-duh?" question. 
• Hadden: becoming more numerate. Can recognize double-digit numbers (some). Currently skips 15 a lot in counting but other than that can get to 20 easily. 
• Clara: can sing most of the A-B-C song from memory. Not sure she knows any of the specific words but she can do the whole thing. Kind of like singing along to that pop song you loved but never really knew the words to.

Hadden working on Karate punch form with Sensei Adam

Clara at "dance" class with me. I love my daughter but dance class is killing me. 

Preschool

Hadden and Clara are both happily in preschool these days. Hadden goes 2 half-days to Zoom (Spanish lauguage school) and the other 2 half-days plus the other 3 days he's at preschool at UW Child Center at Laurel Village. Hadden loves preschool and all his friends and teachers there. Clara goes to preschool about 3 days/week. Mondays Nona takes care of her and Wednesdays Jennifer comes over and takes care of her. T-Th-F are preschool days for Clara. She seems to love it too. The routine is a bit longer dropping Clara off.

1. sign in on the door going in to the classroom
2. parent take off shoes before entering classroom
3. go to Clara's cubby
4. remove jacket
5. remove Clara's shoes and replace with "inside" Crocs
6. sign the daily toddler report sheet (time in, time woke up, time ate breakfast, when you will pick up, etc.)
7. go to sink and wash hands - both the parent and Clara. Sometimes Clara lolligags at the sink and uses way too much water and soaps her hands like 2-3 times but we all look the other way because she can do it herself. 
8. dry hands with paper towels from dispenser
9. hold hands and walk to adjoining room where they are serving snack.
10. say "goodbye" (I usually say "adios") and watch her go get her morning snack
11. go back and put on shoes
12. off to Starbucks for a chai!

Hadden's Birthday (April 12th)

Strangely, we got fewer pictures this year. In fact, almost none. But...we had a family party for him on Monday April 11th, a Pump It Up party on Saturday the 16th and a pinata smashing in early May (thank you Angela and Kyle for the pinata!). So he got his fill of celebration. Hadden is now the proud owner of a real aluminum bat (we hit tennis balls at the park), a bicycle (training wheels) and various other items including some books, new clothes and even a few toys. 

Hadden, Dexter and Harvey scramble for candy from the busted pinata.

So Hadden is 4 now and 4 is WAY older than 3 so there are many things that ninos grandes can do that 3-year olds can't. Hadden can tell you. Now he rides his bike, plays baseball and dresses up as a soccer player (has yet to play on a team). Especially cool: the Colombia national team outfit his grandparents got in Cartagena, Colombia on their latest cruise. 

Angela and Kyle get Married!

Angela, our fabulous nanny for 3 years got married to Kyle in February! Hooray for everyone! Now, if only Kyle could do something to get his "Oregon Duck fan" problem fixed. 

Clara and Yvonne look great at the ceremony.

Hadden greets Angela!

Sabbatical

Yes, I am going on Sabbatical in September for 9 months. It is officially approved by the University. We have a place rented in Rome. We will be staying here: http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p331982?cid=E_OWNERINQUIRY_DB_O_20110308_propertyurl_text_LPROP. If you want to know the exact dates on which to rob our house you can e-mail me. Still finalizing any time in Hawaii. There will also be time in Seattle. I am considering working on that beer gut I've always wanted. 

Other occurrences of note the last 3 months:

• Hadden claims his grandparents have "cracks" (wrinkles) on their bodies and would like to know how they got there
• We let Clara run naked upstairs before her shower a bit too long one day and she dropped a deuce (wolf bait, tird, biscuit, log) in our room 
• As we exited the movie theater after "African Cats" (4pm show) Hadden announces very loudly, "Mommy, I don't have any underwear on!" 
• Clara responds to most requests (regardless of the request) with "no". Great to be 2-ish.
• Eating lunch at the Pacific Science Center - Dad notes Clara's bottom is really warm because...(wait for it) she peed on my leg. We soldier on for the rest of the visit - pee and all. Clara gets her diaper and clothes changed, daddy does not. 
• Only Cara is allowed to sing the A-B-C song in the car. If we join in, we are abruptly told to "Chop, daddy, chop" (accompanied by the sign language sign for "stop" - which looks like a...wait for it...chop motion)

Ciao for now,

Steve

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