- Kate's first movie in a theater was last Friday. She was a little bit confused by all the previews. "Is this the movie?" No, it's just a preview. "Is THIS the movie?" No, it's another preview. It's like a TV commercial. Unlike Jack, who sat down in the aisle, thinking it was a seat, and shaken up by how loud it was (I sat in the back row with Kate), Kate basically treated the movie like another TV show, just on a much bigger screen. Plus, "Winnie the Pooh" was more TV-like than Jack's first movie, "Horton Hears a Who."
- The Irish cousins were here briefly on Monday morning. They were all sleeping in the living room when Jack and Kate woke up. For the next couple of hours, Jack and Mikey basically moved around the house, and the yard, as one. They wore plastic fireman's hats and carried light sabers. They played on the swingset. They ran about and posed for pictures. They ate cereal together, talked about Star Wars toys and MightyBeanz and TV shows. It was 2 hours when Jack didn't care about anything else in the world but playing with his cousin.
- Kate, of course, was drawn to Abbey. When they finally had to go to school and camp, both said goodbye to everyone, and Jack went around giving out hugs. But he made a point of saying goodbye to Mikey, and as I took Kate out the door, she said, "Bye, Abbey!"
- They got presents, huge "Pillow buddies," a carrot for Jack and a strawberry for Kate. Jack sleeps with his; Kate puts hers in the chair next to her at breakfast, and let it watch her take a bath the other night. "Hi, strawberry!" she waves.
- I took Jack to "Dinosaur Summer" at the Maritime Aquarium yesterday. We saw a weak IMAX film, but also enjoyed a "Thrill Ride" dino film where the seats in the theater moved and everything was in 3D -- and vivid enough to scare Jack, when a huge prehistoric mosquito flew at us. I think the highlight for him was this big robotic model of a T-Rex where he could use controls to work its jaws and arms. Either that or the wooden cutout where he could pretend to put his head in the T-Rex's mouth. Sometimes, kids are easy to please.
- When I put Kate to bed at night, she asks for a "squeezer" -- to be hugged really tightly. She puts her arms around my neck and squeezes, and I hug her back. She gives a big smile and I suspect I do, too.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Arcade
Jack was home on Tuesday and it was really hot, although I guess it was actually the coolest day of the week, hurrah. So I thought we'd get out of the house and go to an air-conditioned arcade at Playland. Alas, the air-conditioned arcade was closed, so we had to make do with the one on the Boardwalk. Where it was remarkably hot and nobody else was around, oddly enough.
So anyway, we had the arcade Boardwalk to ourselves! Of course, we tried to win these cool stuffed toys in the claw machine, and I absolutely would have if the things weren't rigged to drop the Angry Bird stuffed toys even if you picked them up perfectly; I really don't understand it.
We moved on to Skee-Ball. I taught Jack to play, which was fun; if memory serves the last time I played was at an arcade we went to on the night of my bachelor party; I know, pretty crazy! So I taught Jack to play and we spent $3 to almost win a rubber ball that I paid $2 for at Target last month. Jack cleverly (craftily?) had this idea that we could roll both sets of game balls down the same lane to get one prize, but sadly the machine counted how many balls were thrown, so no go. It worries me a little that he's already thinking of ways to beat the system, but in fairness the claw machine was rigged so he's only responding in kind.
We played a racing game where we sat in car seats next to each other and zoomed on a video track. Jack couldn't figure out why he wasn't going anywhere until I helped him stretch his foot to reach the pedal. Then he did pretty well, if by pretty well you mean colliding with me and other cars on a regular basis, but I think we started doing it on purpose because it was pretty cool. We laughed a lot.
We played air hockey, which was OK, but he's not quite tall enough to reach very far. We played pinball, which was nostalgic for me and essentially impossible for him; again, not quite tall enough to see the whole playing arena. And we played some other scam game where you had to hit a button when the red lightbulb was lit up, which we were successful at, uh, not at all.
And last but not least, we went into the picture booth, the first time I'd done that in oh about 25 years, and got some great pictures of us making goofy faces.
On the way home, Jack sa
id, "You know, it wasn't fair that we didn't win that Angry Bird stuffed toy. But, it was still fun."
So anyway, we had the arcade Boardwalk to ourselves! Of course, we tried to win these cool stuffed toys in the claw machine, and I absolutely would have if the things weren't rigged to drop the Angry Bird stuffed toys even if you picked them up perfectly; I really don't understand it.
We moved on to Skee-Ball. I taught Jack to play, which was fun; if memory serves the last time I played was at an arcade we went to on the night of my bachelor party; I know, pretty crazy! So I taught Jack to play and we spent $3 to almost win a rubber ball that I paid $2 for at Target last month. Jack cleverly (craftily?) had this idea that we could roll both sets of game balls down the same lane to get one prize, but sadly the machine counted how many balls were thrown, so no go. It worries me a little that he's already thinking of ways to beat the system, but in fairness the claw machine was rigged so he's only responding in kind.
We played a racing game where we sat in car seats next to each other and zoomed on a video track. Jack couldn't figure out why he wasn't going anywhere until I helped him stretch his foot to reach the pedal. Then he did pretty well, if by pretty well you mean colliding with me and other cars on a regular basis, but I think we started doing it on purpose because it was pretty cool. We laughed a lot.
We played air hockey, which was OK, but he's not quite tall enough to reach very far. We played pinball, which was nostalgic for me and essentially impossible for him; again, not quite tall enough to see the whole playing arena. And we played some other scam game where you had to hit a button when the red lightbulb was lit up, which we were successful at, uh, not at all.
And last but not least, we went into the picture booth, the first time I'd done that in oh about 25 years, and got some great pictures of us making goofy faces.
On the way home, Jack sa
id, "You know, it wasn't fair that we didn't win that Angry Bird stuffed toy. But, it was still fun."
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Vacation, Part II
- The bulk of the week was spent beating a path back and forth from the pool, to the beach, to the pool. On our second day we found Breakwater Beach, which is where we spent most of the rest of vacation. At first, Jack was either tired or sulking, hard to say; he'd liked the previous day's beach (more than we did, since it wasn't much of a beach) and wanted to return. So we let him sulk for a few minutes and read our books. After a bit he got up and walked down to the water. Next thing we knew he was digging in the sand with another little boy, then running back to the towels to get another shovel, then coming back for another pail. So he warmed up to the new beach.
- Found a lot of cool stuff at the beach. Hermit crabs. Fragment of shell that looked like a big shark tooth, so of course I told Jack it was a big shark tooth. He thought that was pretty cool. On the downside, he kept bringing me up other shell fragments to ask if they, too, were shark teeth.
- At one point when I was wading around in the water with Kate and Jack was digging in the sand on the beach, an ice cream truck showed up. Jack saw it and it was like a TV commercial, with him standing on the beach, running a few steps toward me, then a few steps back toward the ice cream truck, then stopping and yelling at the top of his lungs, "ICE CREAM MAN!!! Daddy, it's the ice cream man! ICE CREAM MAN!!!!"
- If I have to be honest, the truth is that both of them ended up loving the pool even more than the beach. Kate got braver and braver each day with the water wings. After swimming with Mommy a bit, then with me, she said excitedly, "Mommy says I'm a brave girl."
- We went to a reading at a book store where a little old lady was reading books to kids. Jack was riveted for most of it. Early on, Kate showed no interest, instead walking around pulling books off shelves and such. By the end, though, she was bringing the lady over books ("Can you read this one? This one?") and asking "Can I sit next to you?" Sure! said the lady, who yes kind of reminded me of my Mom.
- One night, Emily got fresh scallops and made pasta with cream sauce. This really has nothing to do with the kids, who had plain pasta, but the scallops were simply fantastic.
- It was cold one day. We had breakfast at a diner and got seated outside, and it was really cold. Despite that, we went to the pool, because, uh, the kids loved the pool. I was in the water swimming with Jack when one of the staffers came out and announced a "cannonball" contest for the kids, where they'd be leaping into the deep end. I asked Jack if he wanted to do it. He clambered out of the pool, stood in the line, little goggles on and shivering in the cold, and went right up to the front and, when it was his turn, jumped on in. Best cannonball ever.
- We went to a baseball game; the kids were mostly into the playground. Jack watched about half an inning with me, I guess, and was disappointed we didn't get a foul ball.
- Jack I drew a picture of Tashi one morning, from these books he's been reading. One of our pictures was about Tashi and the Demons. Jack pronounced it "Dee-Mohns," even though I told him it should be dee-muhns. And, it was cute.
At the end of the week of the beach and the pool and food and drink and what seemed like too much sun and one or two pool trips too many (and now seems like one or two pool trips too few), we drove home. Kate fell immediately asleep, Jack lamented not being able to find a rubber lobster toy (and it's true, it was oddly elusive), I drove.
Like most vacations I guess, there were times it seemed too long, but most of the time, and especially on the way back, it seemed too short. But it was long enough that we discovered that Kate loves to swim in the pool and Jack loves to jump in the pool, and both of them, so quick to complain at times, are also brave about some things, and that makes me happy. And oh yeah the scallops were fantastic.
- Found a lot of cool stuff at the beach. Hermit crabs. Fragment of shell that looked like a big shark tooth, so of course I told Jack it was a big shark tooth. He thought that was pretty cool. On the downside, he kept bringing me up other shell fragments to ask if they, too, were shark teeth.
- At one point when I was wading around in the water with Kate and Jack was digging in the sand on the beach, an ice cream truck showed up. Jack saw it and it was like a TV commercial, with him standing on the beach, running a few steps toward me, then a few steps back toward the ice cream truck, then stopping and yelling at the top of his lungs, "ICE CREAM MAN!!! Daddy, it's the ice cream man! ICE CREAM MAN!!!!"
- If I have to be honest, the truth is that both of them ended up loving the pool even more than the beach. Kate got braver and braver each day with the water wings. After swimming with Mommy a bit, then with me, she said excitedly, "Mommy says I'm a brave girl."
- We went to a reading at a book store where a little old lady was reading books to kids. Jack was riveted for most of it. Early on, Kate showed no interest, instead walking around pulling books off shelves and such. By the end, though, she was bringing the lady over books ("Can you read this one? This one?") and asking "Can I sit next to you?" Sure! said the lady, who yes kind of reminded me of my Mom.
- One night, Emily got fresh scallops and made pasta with cream sauce. This really has nothing to do with the kids, who had plain pasta, but the scallops were simply fantastic.
- It was cold one day. We had breakfast at a diner and got seated outside, and it was really cold. Despite that, we went to the pool, because, uh, the kids loved the pool. I was in the water swimming with Jack when one of the staffers came out and announced a "cannonball" contest for the kids, where they'd be leaping into the deep end. I asked Jack if he wanted to do it. He clambered out of the pool, stood in the line, little goggles on and shivering in the cold, and went right up to the front and, when it was his turn, jumped on in. Best cannonball ever.
- We went to a baseball game; the kids were mostly into the playground. Jack watched about half an inning with me, I guess, and was disappointed we didn't get a foul ball.
- Jack I drew a picture of Tashi one morning, from these books he's been reading. One of our pictures was about Tashi and the Demons. Jack pronounced it "Dee-Mohns," even though I told him it should be dee-muhns. And, it was cute.
At the end of the week of the beach and the pool and food and drink and what seemed like too much sun and one or two pool trips too many (and now seems like one or two pool trips too few), we drove home. Kate fell immediately asleep, Jack lamented not being able to find a rubber lobster toy (and it's true, it was oddly elusive), I drove.
Like most vacations I guess, there were times it seemed too long, but most of the time, and especially on the way back, it seemed too short. But it was long enough that we discovered that Kate loves to swim in the pool and Jack loves to jump in the pool, and both of them, so quick to complain at times, are also brave about some things, and that makes me happy. And oh yeah the scallops were fantastic.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Vacation, Part I
We went on vacation last week. No laptop! So no blogging. But there were some highlights.
- In the car on the way there, Kate kept asking, "When do we get to vacation?" And we keep saying, THIS IS IT! Vacation started when we all got home last night and started packing up the car! And then half an hour later, "Are we at vacation yet?"
- About 3 hours into the drive we stopped at a rest area. Surprisingly, it had a big picnic area with tables, some with a roof over them. We hauled out the cooler and ate sandwiches, drank juice boxes and sodas, ate chips and grapes. Saw a wild looking caterpillar. Laughed. I wanted to say to Kate, Now we're at vacation.
- Arrived at the Cape tired, hot. Picked up our pool passes and went straight to the pool. Kate was scared at first until she got used to the water wings, flotation devices she wore on her arms, something I only decided to throw into the car as an afterthought at the last minute. Once she got used to them, and the fact that she could float easily with them on, she warmed right up to the idea. "I"m swimming!" she said happily. "I'm swimming!"
- At our first meal out that night, Kate didn't eat anything, even though we ordered her shrimp, which she said she wanted. The next meal out, we ordered her macaroni and cheese, I think, and she didn't eat that either. Jack picked at a grilled cheese sandwich that had yellow cheese instead of white. We ended up eating four dinners in our condo, half cooked and half takeout. It would have been five but I gave them another chance (Kate kept asking, "Can we eat at a restaurant?" And I said, Yes! If you eat!) and they came through.
- Our first full day there, we went to the pool, and played mini-golf, and got hotdogs for lunch, and then went to the beach for the rest of the day. That night, putting Jack to bed, he said, "This was the best day. The beach, the pool, and minigolf." Pause a beat. "And hot dogs for lunch!"
- We played with water shooters I bought before the trip. They could spray water 3o feet in the air. Jack had a lot of fun with them. I kind of did too.
- High tide and low tide at Brewster is the difference between about 20 feet of beach and waist deep water a few feet from shore, and being able to walk a mile out into the ocean without the water being up to your knees. It's pretty amazing. We did both, and when the water was shallow, we crab-walked along on our elbows, or dug up shells and rocks and hermit crabs.
- At minigolf we fed goldfish in a pond near the end of the course. I believe this was the highlight for the kids. That or the plastic shark in the water near the 11th hole, I'm not sure which. It wasn't the minigolf, although Jack did get a thrill out of sinking one long putt. And dragged me back there two days later during one of Kate's only naps all week.
- The condo had a tiny yard, but we played a game of Mr. Fox anyway. It's kind of like Red Light, Green Light, I'd say. The kids had a blast, I made burgers. Nice. There was also a selection of board games; I think Pick Up Sticks was their favorite. It reminded me of a game we played as a kid, Jack Straws. I'll have to look for that next time I'm up there, or have Robin do it before she comes down.
- Fascinated by a new house with new toys and loads of knick-knacks, the kids were inspired to make up games. They played something involving these little rubbery coasters shaped like flipflops, a hide and seek sort of game. They played another with little glass objects shaped like fish and shells, which remarkably they didn't break. A third involved this big calculator, or maybe they just liked playing with it. Granted, they were just as apt to get in fights with each other over nothing of consequence, but when they did play nicely together, it was awesome.
More later.
- In the car on the way there, Kate kept asking, "When do we get to vacation?" And we keep saying, THIS IS IT! Vacation started when we all got home last night and started packing up the car! And then half an hour later, "Are we at vacation yet?"
- About 3 hours into the drive we stopped at a rest area. Surprisingly, it had a big picnic area with tables, some with a roof over them. We hauled out the cooler and ate sandwiches, drank juice boxes and sodas, ate chips and grapes. Saw a wild looking caterpillar. Laughed. I wanted to say to Kate, Now we're at vacation.
- Arrived at the Cape tired, hot. Picked up our pool passes and went straight to the pool. Kate was scared at first until she got used to the water wings, flotation devices she wore on her arms, something I only decided to throw into the car as an afterthought at the last minute. Once she got used to them, and the fact that she could float easily with them on, she warmed right up to the idea. "I"m swimming!" she said happily. "I'm swimming!"
- At our first meal out that night, Kate didn't eat anything, even though we ordered her shrimp, which she said she wanted. The next meal out, we ordered her macaroni and cheese, I think, and she didn't eat that either. Jack picked at a grilled cheese sandwich that had yellow cheese instead of white. We ended up eating four dinners in our condo, half cooked and half takeout. It would have been five but I gave them another chance (Kate kept asking, "Can we eat at a restaurant?" And I said, Yes! If you eat!) and they came through.
- Our first full day there, we went to the pool, and played mini-golf, and got hotdogs for lunch, and then went to the beach for the rest of the day. That night, putting Jack to bed, he said, "This was the best day. The beach, the pool, and minigolf." Pause a beat. "And hot dogs for lunch!"
- We played with water shooters I bought before the trip. They could spray water 3o feet in the air. Jack had a lot of fun with them. I kind of did too.
- High tide and low tide at Brewster is the difference between about 20 feet of beach and waist deep water a few feet from shore, and being able to walk a mile out into the ocean without the water being up to your knees. It's pretty amazing. We did both, and when the water was shallow, we crab-walked along on our elbows, or dug up shells and rocks and hermit crabs.
- At minigolf we fed goldfish in a pond near the end of the course. I believe this was the highlight for the kids. That or the plastic shark in the water near the 11th hole, I'm not sure which. It wasn't the minigolf, although Jack did get a thrill out of sinking one long putt. And dragged me back there two days later during one of Kate's only naps all week.
- The condo had a tiny yard, but we played a game of Mr. Fox anyway. It's kind of like Red Light, Green Light, I'd say. The kids had a blast, I made burgers. Nice. There was also a selection of board games; I think Pick Up Sticks was their favorite. It reminded me of a game we played as a kid, Jack Straws. I'll have to look for that next time I'm up there, or have Robin do it before she comes down.
- Fascinated by a new house with new toys and loads of knick-knacks, the kids were inspired to make up games. They played something involving these little rubbery coasters shaped like flipflops, a hide and seek sort of game. They played another with little glass objects shaped like fish and shells, which remarkably they didn't break. A third involved this big calculator, or maybe they just liked playing with it. Granted, they were just as apt to get in fights with each other over nothing of consequence, but when they did play nicely together, it was awesome.
More later.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Lego Camp
Jack had Lego Camp all week. It was a half-day camp through the Rye Y where he built with Legos.
Every afternoon I picked him up, and he'd talk about it all the way home. And then to Mommy at dinner, sometimes going on for 5 or 10 minutes straight.
"And then I builded a car. And then Aidan and I builded a bowling alley. And it had these different chutes so that you could go this way, or that way, and there was a propeller. And then it could knock over this, and then that. And then we built a CAR. And then our car versed another car, and our car won. And then we builded a castle!"
Today I pulled in to get him after his last day. He was dancing around on the sidewalk, talking about something with his new friends. He said "Daddy!" and jumped into the car. I talked a little with the camp counselor through the window, and he handed me a card like one they presumably give all the parents. It read as follows.
"Mr. and Mrs. Richardson: Jack is a pleasure to have at Lego Camp and he always puts a smile on our faces. He likes singing songs while we wait at pick up and dropping off campers. Also, Jack seems to be making a lot of friends at camp. We hope to see Jack again!"
So yeah, I'm proud and happy for him, and it was nice. Plus he traded one of his lego things with somebody else and got this cool shark guy!
Every afternoon I picked him up, and he'd talk about it all the way home. And then to Mommy at dinner, sometimes going on for 5 or 10 minutes straight.
"And then I builded a car. And then Aidan and I builded a bowling alley. And it had these different chutes so that you could go this way, or that way, and there was a propeller. And then it could knock over this, and then that. And then we built a CAR. And then our car versed another car, and our car won. And then we builded a castle!"
Today I pulled in to get him after his last day. He was dancing around on the sidewalk, talking about something with his new friends. He said "Daddy!" and jumped into the car. I talked a little with the camp counselor through the window, and he handed me a card like one they presumably give all the parents. It read as follows.
"Mr. and Mrs. Richardson: Jack is a pleasure to have at Lego Camp and he always puts a smile on our faces. He likes singing songs while we wait at pick up and dropping off campers. Also, Jack seems to be making a lot of friends at camp. We hope to see Jack again!"
So yeah, I'm proud and happy for him, and it was nice. Plus he traded one of his lego things with somebody else and got this cool shark guy!
Friday, July 01, 2011
Summer break, Day 5
A low-key kind of day, at least for some of us. Kate still woke up too early, and woke us up too early, we put her back into bed, lay awake until she came in again 10 or 15 minutes later. Jack slept in, keeping with the trend that if one of them wakes up early, the other one sleeps in. If they could just sync up those days every once in a while, we'd all be happier.
Anyway, we got up early with Kate, slugged down coffee (not Kate, I think she had milk in her Peppa Pig cup), she had breakfast, and watched Olivia on TV. Jack came downstairs a few minutes after Emily had left for work, and he and Kate played some kind of game involving his snake from the Beardsley Zoo (rubber) and her wolf (stuffed).
Aunt Cathy had forwarded an invite to attend the local pool at midday, but given Kate's lack of sleep over the course of the week, I decided it best she stay home. So they took Jack, and Kate napped, I worked, and Jack swam, played volleyball, and had his second straight day (and third in four, counting the beach on Tuesday) in the water and the sun.
When Kate woke up, I read her the Olivia book, and then we drew pictures in her room. First she had me draw an elephant (she applauded), then a robot ("Is that a boy robot or a girl robot?"), and then a baby. She's a very appreciative art fan. She asked me to read her another book, and I was going to grab one I liked from her nightstand, but she said, "I like to get a book from my bookshelves." Which is why she currently has about 10 books on her shelves and 100 towering in Dr. Seussian epicness on her nightstand.
Later, at Cathy's, I asked whether Jack had a good time. When I told him about the pool this morning, he'd asked, "Is it deep?" (He's still not totally comfortable in water over his head, although he's actually a serviceable swimmer and water-treader/dog-paddler these days.) "Who will be there?" (He wondered if it would only be bigger kids who wouldn't play with him.) Well, your cousins, and the Hinz boys, and maybe some other kids. "I know Lyndsay will play with me!"
Cathy said, well, he mostly played with the girls, and then at the end, Matthew (older boy) played volleyball with him. And he was so thrilled.
Found Jack downstairs playing "Operation" with his cousins. He had a little glow to him, rosy cheeks, happy smile, all that. He looked like an older boy.
Anyway, we got up early with Kate, slugged down coffee (not Kate, I think she had milk in her Peppa Pig cup), she had breakfast, and watched Olivia on TV. Jack came downstairs a few minutes after Emily had left for work, and he and Kate played some kind of game involving his snake from the Beardsley Zoo (rubber) and her wolf (stuffed).
Aunt Cathy had forwarded an invite to attend the local pool at midday, but given Kate's lack of sleep over the course of the week, I decided it best she stay home. So they took Jack, and Kate napped, I worked, and Jack swam, played volleyball, and had his second straight day (and third in four, counting the beach on Tuesday) in the water and the sun.
When Kate woke up, I read her the Olivia book, and then we drew pictures in her room. First she had me draw an elephant (she applauded), then a robot ("Is that a boy robot or a girl robot?"), and then a baby. She's a very appreciative art fan. She asked me to read her another book, and I was going to grab one I liked from her nightstand, but she said, "I like to get a book from my bookshelves." Which is why she currently has about 10 books on her shelves and 100 towering in Dr. Seussian epicness on her nightstand.
Later, at Cathy's, I asked whether Jack had a good time. When I told him about the pool this morning, he'd asked, "Is it deep?" (He's still not totally comfortable in water over his head, although he's actually a serviceable swimmer and water-treader/dog-paddler these days.) "Who will be there?" (He wondered if it would only be bigger kids who wouldn't play with him.) Well, your cousins, and the Hinz boys, and maybe some other kids. "I know Lyndsay will play with me!"
Cathy said, well, he mostly played with the girls, and then at the end, Matthew (older boy) played volleyball with him. And he was so thrilled.
Found Jack downstairs playing "Operation" with his cousins. He had a little glow to him, rosy cheeks, happy smile, all that. He looked like an older boy.
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