A Central Park Kind of Day

As a parent, there are days that when you are in the middle of them, you realize that they will stand out in your memory. Saturday was one of those days. We decided that we would head into Manhattan and spend the day in Central Park, or more specifically, Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink and Hecksher playground. 

Before we headed in, I found myself doing something I had never done before. I printed a map of the park.  While I know my way around the park quite well, the maps I printed were of all the playgrounds and restrooms. Items that are very important when dealing with small children, especially with a child that waits to the last minute to tell anyone she needs to go.

Victorian Gardens is a small amusement park that is inside Wollman rink. For those who don't know, Wollman is an ice skating rink that is used throughout the winter. The place has 12 different rides geared toward small children.

It also has live entertainment for the kids. We saw Sammie and Tudie (a clown act) but more on that later. Caelyn loved the place. Absolutely loved it. Caleb was just happy that we kept him supplied with food all day long.

After checking out several different rides, it was time for lunch. We headed to the food court. Caelyn was wearing what she calls the most beautiful shirt in the world, a pink Ramones t-shirt. Sammie and Tudie came in to the food court shortly after we sat down to eat. We had not seen their show yet. Caelyn had, however, seen a little of the act a few weeks before at the Tribeca Film Festival street fair. She wanted to go over to say hi and tell Tudie her dress was pretty.

Turns out Tudie is a Ramones fan and started talking to Caelyn about the band. When the conversation was over, Caelyn returned to the table for lunch. Shortly after Caelyn's return, I heard what appeared to be a rendition of Blitzkrieg Bop being played on the ukulele. The sound was coming from behind a curtained off area of the food court. I grabbed Caelyn and we went to check it out only to be met by Sammie and Tudie returning to the dining area from behind the curtain. 

They had decided to work up an rendition of the song on the spot and came over to our table to sing it for Caelyn. So there we sat, enjoying every minute of two clowns playing and singing Blitzkrieg Bop for our daughter who was watching in awe. It was a great moment and I thank them for that.

Click here to see Sammie and Tudie sing Blitzkrieg Bop

After lunch it was off for more rides. As the spinning swings and the psychotic spinning tug boat had made me nauseous before we ate, I wanted nothing to do with them.

While I hung out with Caleb, Kerry got to accompany Caelyn on the spinning swings. After the swings, there were a few more rides, then it was time for Sammie and Tudie's show.

(According to Caelyn, it takes a lot of concentration to drive a truck with two steering wheels.)

Caelyn sat right up front.  When it was time for audience volunteers, she was brought on stage with a couple of other children.  She participated in plate spinning.  She could barely control her excitement.  A few times she was unable to control herself and she jumped up and down.

Sammie and Tudie on the Web

For anyone in the NYC area with small children, if you get a chance to see Sammie and Tudie, go see them.  I am not just saying that because of the attention they gave my daughter. They had the kids in the audience laughing and yelling back and forth at the stage the whole time. Every child there looked as if they were having fun and many of them stayed after to hear Tudie read a story.

After the show, it was a few more rides then off to Hecksher playground.  I won't give too many details other than it is a nice large playground, that and it borders a large area of climbing rocks.  Caelyn headed to the rocks and spent about an hour climbing rock formations. 

Caleb, well, mostly he just walked around but wouldn't venture to far from the Cheerios in the stroller.  He eventually passed out in the stroller before we left the playground.

Finally it was time to leave. We stopped at an ice cream cart on the way out.

Once that was finished, Caelyn climbed into the double stroller's jump seat for the ride back to the van.  She passed out on the way. 

We went home with two very tired and happy children making for two very tired but happy parents.

Preschool, Plumbers, Play Date, Pet Store

We had a really nice day yesterday even if the temperature did get in the 90s.  I know, you guys in Texas have 90s all the time.  Up here though, it's a shock this time of year and we are no where near as air conditioned as you are.

The day was busier than I originally thought it would be.  Other than Caelyn's school and Caleb's nap, we got a visit from our plumbers in the morning.  They other day I noticed corrosion on some of our water pipes in the basement and asked them to come take a look.  We have been doing business with John Heyrich and Sons for years based on a recommendation from some friends.  They are, I think, a 4th or maybe 5th generation family business.  One of the posts in our basement has an old metal plate with their name on it and a phone number with only 4 digits.

Anyway, they gave us good news.  While the piping will need to be replaced, it can wait 8 or 9 years if we wish.  You have to love a contractor that will come in and tell you the truth even if it costs them money.

Caelyn stayed for lunch at school.  I picked her up about 12:30 and we came home just long enough for a bathroom break.  Then it was off to the playground to meet some friends. 

This was the first official play date with these kids.  They are twin girls Caelyn's age and the three of them had met a while back at our neighbors going away party.  They instantly started running around the playground not caring in the least it was about 95.  The twins mother and I did our best to stay in the shade.  We cared a lot that it was 95.

The girls played hard for about two hours. It was then time to break up the party.  None of the girls were happy about that but they have an older sister that was due home from school around that time.

The kids and I then headed to the pet store. Yesterday was moving day for a few of our fish. They were upgrading from the 10 gallon tank to the new 55 gallon one. I needed to pick up a couple of things in order to make sure the water in our new tank was safe.  The move went well for them though they don't know what to do with all that space.  We will be getting them some friends soon.

It was then time for dinner and getting the kids to bed.  When I started the week, I thought Wednesday was going to be a pretty lazy day. It's amazing how quickly that can change.

Tuesdays

Tuesday is our busiest day.  At least it will be until school lets out.  Yesterday was busier than usual.

Caelyn has to be at preschool by 8:30.  After dropping her off, it is time to head home and get Caleb his morning milk.  He still drinks it out of a bottle and you would think he won the lottery by the excitement he shows when he sees it.

After the bottle, it is time for Caleb's Music Together class at 10:00.  He loves it.  He gets in the middle of the room, sings and dances.  Basically, he tries to be the center of attention.  The only time he pays much attention to me is when the little girl in the class who has adopted me plops down in my lap.  Suddenly, he needs to be there too.

From Music Together there is not enough time to go home before picking Caelyn up at 11:30.  Tuesday is the one day of the week that she does not stay until 12:30.  So, Caleb and I usually make a quick trip to the bank or CVS or some other innocuous errand.  Yesterday it was a trip to the pet store.  Unfortunately, they were out of what I was looking for.

After picking Caelyn up from preschool, it is time for home and lunch.  Caleb is then put down for a nap so he can be well rested for chasing girls at Caelyn's dance class.  He loves it there and flirts with everyone from the 5 year old ballerinas to their instructor and even the Jr high school girls that walk by as part of the school group that uses one of the studios.

After I wake Caleb from his nap, it;s time to get the girl dressed in her dance clothes and off to class that starts at 3:15.  I have almost no idea what goes on in Caelyn's dance class.  I could watch through the one way glass windows but I never really get a chance to.  I am busy chasing my son who is chasing the girls in the surrounding classes.  Yesterday though was observation day.

Kerry was able to go and we, along with all the other parents and siblings of the students, got to sit in on the class.  It was fun to watch the group of 3 and 4 years olds doing their best dance moves.  Caleb loved actually being allowed in the studio while class was going on.

Towards the end, the teacher announced that she had slips of paper that stated which class the students should take in the fall if they would be continuing classes. I heard her say it and I thought, "They are getting graded."  It's a preschool age class but all of the sudden I got nervous.  "What if she doesn't pass?" 

She did of course.  I imagine they all did so long as they were old enough for the next level but what was that nervousness about.  I can only imagine how I will feel when starts sports or the first time she brings home a real report card.

After dance class, it was drop Kerry and Caelyn off at home and head on to a much needed trip to the grocery store.  I got what I needed, then it was back home where I made pasta, ground turkey and as Caelyn puts it "red sauce."  Its just dumping pasta sauce in a bowl and nuking it but she doesn't need to know that.

Finally, after all that it was time to get the kids ready for bed and get some much needed rest.

Today, we only have a few things on the schedule (preschool, plumbers, play date).  If the days can get so busy at this age, I think I may have to just paint our car yellow and put taxi on the side in the future.

If They Love Me, Why Are They Trying to Kill Me?

I have long suspected that my children hate me.  How else can I explain some of their actions?  I now have proof it is worse than I thought. They are trying to kill me.

I have been sleep deprived since the day we brought our daughter home from the hospital.  She was not a good sleeper as a baby. Even now, she struggles to sleep through the night.  When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she typically calls for mommy.  I only get the call if there was a monster or some other nightmare involved but that still doesn't stop her from waking me up as well.  Lately, she has been waking about 4am, calling for mommy and ending up in our bed.

Our son is not much better.  Until recently, he was consistently waking up at 5-5:30am.  Now. he is normally up by 6:30 which means that I am up by 6:30.  Neither child as any concept of sleeping in on a weekend either.

I would often grumble, when getting up at hours that I used to go to bed at, about why it is that my children hate me. Now, though, I have proof that they are really trying to kill me.

The other morning Caelyn woke up at 4am and called for mommy.  She ended up in our bed and as I was finally starting to fall asleep at about 5am, Caleb woke and wouldn't quiet.  So, I got up with him as Kerry had Caelyn.  I brought him downstairs and turned on the TV.  The channel was on a 24 hour news network and the story was about a study showing that lack of sleep increases your chance of early death.  (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100505/hl_afp/healthsciencesleepbritainitaly)

The Rise of the Cheerios Monster

I decided long ago that Cheerios were nature's perfect food.

For years Cheerios have been a staple on long car trips or simply the quick trip to the store.  I take a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag, fill it half way with regular Cheerios, add fruity Cheerios and shake well.  Presto, nature's perfect food.  I throw the Ziploc bag in the car and leave it in there so I never have to worry about forgetting snacks.

Caelyn has been eating this Cheerios mix for a long time and it is still a favorite of hers.  Recently, when we are in the MINI, she has started sharing with her brother.  The two car seats are close enough that passing the Cheerios back and forth is no problem.  The van, however, is a different story as the two are separated.

I decided to get Caleb his own somewhat spill proof cup (the kind that he can put his hand in but everything doesn't spill out if he tips it over).  He was thrilled and cackled the first time I gave it to him.  He also made a large mess, pulling out more Cheerios that his little hands could manipulate, spilling them all over his car seat.  Being the ever attentive father that I am, when I got him out of the car seat, the spilled Cheerios stayed behind.

So now, getting Caleb in the car has become a little more difficult as the Cheerios monster has been born.  When putting him in his car seat, he fights desperately to grab as many of the fallen Cheerios as he can before I can strap him in.  He also starts demanding the cup of Cheerios as soon as I have finished strapping him in.  In his mind now, it is not a car trip without Cheerios.

On the plus side, at least he is quiet when he eats.

The Origin of a Punk Rock Girl

OK, so maybe I have already told you about the origin of our little punk rock girl.  This is actually about how we came to find out about her taste in music. Plus it gives me an excuse to post what I think are some pretty funny pictures of Caelyn.

I have loved music for as long as I can remember.  It is one thing that has always been a part of my life.  Our house is filled with it.  Kerry, though, would argue that much of it isn't very good.  She likes calmer, quiet music while I like it loud and noisy.  This being the case, I find it amusing that Kerry is the one who noticed our daughter's affinity for loud music.

When she was just a baby, I don't remember how young, Kerry noticed Caelyn would calm at the sound of a guitar.  If I remember correctly, the three of us were on the couch (I don't know what we were doing or what was playing) but Kerry noticed our daughter would start to yell when guitars were not prevalent in the music we were listening to.  When the guitars kicked back in, she would quiet.

After Kerry pointed this out to me, I started digging out Cd's of various types of music. We played them for Caelyn and watched her reaction.  Each time, she was calm at loud guitar sounds especially simple "3 chord" punk rock. She would complain about quieter music.

I was thrilled.  Absolutely beside myself.  I thought it was hilarious and great for me. It meant I had an excuse to listen to whatever I wanted to and would not be stuck listening to Barney's greatest hits or some other such stuff.

Once we knew this about her, I started using the music at every opportunity.  I don't know how it started exactly but The Who live in concert became part of the bedtime routine and still is to this day.  We would use White Stripes to calm her after night terrors. She would wake up screaming and not know where she was. Even with us holding her and talking to her, she would not calm but put on Seven Nation Army and she stopped mid-cry.

She had colic in the afternoon for a while.  I tried everything I could think of to calm her and nothing worked. One afternoon, in frustration I sat down in front of the computer with her in my lap and cranked up The Distillers to drown out the constant screams.  She quieted immediately and soon went to sleep.  This became an afternoon ritual until the colic past.

The Ramones have been by far the greatest find for her.  They are on at her request even as I write this.  She has Ramones t-shirts, wears Chucks and even has a Ramones kiddie cup.  And this past Saturday, she got upset when she was told she couldn't wear her Ramones shirt to a friend's birthday party.

For almost two years she would not allow us to listen to anything but them in the car.  If she started to act up in the car, all I had to do was threaten to turn off The Ramones and she would behave.  We took a 9 + hour car trip to West Virginia with her and she never complained as long as they were on. 

Her musical taste has branched out a bit now though she still wants songs that are loud, even complaining one day that Rage Against the Machine was not loud enough. 

The result of all this, other than a smiling father and a mother with a headache, is she has a strong grasp of song structure.  She is always making up songs and they get more and more complex as time passes.  She will even include a chorus that she goes back to throughout the song.  In the last day or two she has started putting together her own beats and rhythms.

We have encouraged this experimentation with her own guitar, (pictured above), various smaller instruments and my mom got her a drum set.  I am not sure if the drum set was more for Caelyn or for my mom to see if Caelyn could drive us nuts but it is quite popular with both kids now.

Of course, I don't know how long this will last.  She may have developed a love of music that will last her for life or she may move on to something else at any time but I plan to ride this wave as long as possible.

The Cast Part Three - The Wife and the Narrator

Now we come to the most dangerous post I may ever write.  The one where I describe my wife.  Actually, it is just the description of a couple of aspects of my wife that may make future posts more interesting.  In the previous two posts I could pretty much say whatever I wanted as the kids can't read.  If I say the wrong thing in this one, I could get in trouble.  It's a good thing she is a patient and forgiving woman.  =-)

My wife and I met at the orientation of her first job after graduating from Rice University.  I can only surmise that after graduation she decided to take a break from the smart thing necessary to make it through Rice.  It is that or Rice is not nearly as discriminating as people think. 

Either way, she started dating me. This was a surprise to just about everyone who knew her including, I think, herself.  If she could go back in time to tell high school Kerry about the person she was eventually going to marry, high school Kerry would never have believed her. 

We are opposites on almost every level. We think in completely different ways.  I truly believe that our brains are wired very differently.  We can both look at the same situation and see completely different things. 

I don't know how to explain it but somehow it works.  We will be married 10 years in September and have been together much longer than that.  We were engaged so long that friends started threatening to plan the wedding for us if we didn't finally do it ourselves.

She has a fairly quiet nature. This quiet nature is most people's impression of her until they really get to know her. And while she is much calmer than the rest of us in this household, she is not a pushover. Underneath that quiet nature there is a toughness that many do not give her credit for.  It is this underlying toughness that, in my opinion, make her the person she is.

She was under the World Trade Center when the planes hit.  While she did not know what had happened until she was safely on the Jersey side, I watched her pull herself together in the aftermath of that disaster knowing that if a few circumstances had been different she would have been in Tower 1. 

We went out to dinner for our first anniversary, September 23, 12 days after the attack.  We could smell the fires that were still burning as we walked to the restaurant.  That night at dinner we spoke a lot about what had happened and what could happen.  At another time, I will explain to those that don't know what life was like in NYC then but suffice it to say, people were on edge and not a day went by without multiple disruptions due to bomb threats and even attempts.

I asked her, if after everything she went through she wanted to move.  She told me no. It wasn't how she said it though, it was the look in her eyes when she said it.  There was steel there.

When Lehman Bros collapsed, she was an employee there.  Eight months pregnant and looking at facing child birth with the possibility of her job and insurance suddenly taken away, she never faltered. There is something inside her that bends but never seems to break.

I won't go into what kind of mom she is or what kind of person she is, not because I don't think she is a great one of each but because it should become evident as more posts are written.

How she puts up with me I don't know, but I thank God she does.  I don't know what I did to be blessed with this spectacular woman, but it must have been pretty good.  Or maybe, she did something really bad.