Terrible Twos

Friday, Nov 28th--Day after Thanksgiving.

Just came back from a delightful morning with Ms Z. We went to Sidamo on 3rd & H St, NE where Kenfe was roasting coffee. So nice to smell the roasted coffee in the cold air, and the chaff floating east down H Street. Had our usual breakfast of a bottle of water; a large coffee; and sausage, egg & cheese on an everything bagel. Ms Z is becoming more and more bold in her interaction w/ strangers. Some retired doctor sat down next to us at the cramped tables, and Z looked him in the eye and said, "Good Morning!"

With the last of our breakfast disposed of, we walked out to the car (so nice that Z is under her own power at least 5% of the time, these days), and stopped to watch one of the little cars that suck up dead leaves and trash from the gutter. Ms Z waving frantically, and getting a smile and a wave back from the city worker...

Next, we drove over to the Mall and parked in front of the Museum of Natural History. Thinking we'd walk over to the newly reopened Museum of American History, I had promised Z "trains", but had a moment of doubt when I realized that, given the vagaries of museum curatorship, and the tens of millions of dollars, and three years of renovations, the trains of my youth may have been banished to some remote annex in rural Virginia, or something. Not to worry: after milling around the Mall waiting for the museum to open (10am?), then standing in line for about 30 minutes, we finally were ushered in. Trains!!!

Oh, and a really nifty mock-up of the Chicago El, circa 1956, complete with flickering lights and clickity-clack soundtrack. Actually got a bit of vertigo, as it felt just like the Chicago El circa 1996... Anyway, love the new open layout of the central entryway of the museum.

Left American History, and headed over to the Carousel, where Z rode the "horsey-dragon". She kept letting go of the central post, so I guess we're still at the close-chaperone phase.

Next we went to the Air & Space Museum, saw the planes &tc... Went to the museum shop, and one of the clerks told us to go downstairs. Didn't even know there *was* a downstairs. Apparently that's where the bargains are. Got a few airplane themed books to keep the horseys from consolidating a complete monopoly on Ms. Z's imagination.

Left A&S, ate some fish crackers while watching some folks play "Ultimate Frisbee", then headed over to the National Gallery sculpture gallery, where we saw the "skinny rabbit" (who, Ms Z says, has "boney knees"). Watched the ice-skaters there for a while, did some "horsey-trotting" on the concrete lip overlooking the rink railing, and then walked back to the car. Five minutes later, we're back at Chez Nous for lunch & a nap.

Love this town; love that girl...

Election 2008

Regardless of how the next 4-8 years turn out, my daughter's going to grow up--from her first memories--thinking that a US presidential candidate who is a white man with a name like "John Smith" would be an anomaly. I can't express how happy that makes me.

I know optimism is usually a sucker's bet given modern history (US or otherwise), but I can't help but feel that we've been dealt a royal flush here. Adults are in charge, and an intelligent man of good faith is in the White House. And that's all we can ask, and all I can ask for my daughter.

Since this is for posterity, I'll limit my gushing since it's sure to embarrass me in retrospect, but I'm hopeful. And that feels like enough for now.

Creatures Great And Small...

I think we've turned the corner with Z and Jacques. Up until the last few days, most of Zola's interaction with Jacques has been to walk over to him on occasion, and kind of thoughtlessly, unmaliciously whack him on the top of his head. (Is there anything more casually cruel than a toddler?)

But recently, Z's been tentatively making grabs for Jacque's toys; and now she plays tug-of-war with him. He's been so gentle with her, that I think she's starting to realize just what "play" means.

She'll pull, and pull, and Jacques will be pulling back, and finally she'll fall on her butt and start...laughing. Up until a week ago, any time she was thwarted, she would either start crying, or baying for blood.

When did this happen?

Songs

Ms Z composed her first song today: "Horsey Saddle"

She's started spontaneously breaking into an aria of "Horsey Saaddle! Horsey Saaddle!" Sometimes, she gets so enraptured, she closes her little eyes, and pouts out her lips. "Horsey Saaddle"

It's quite amazing and sweet.

Zola 2.0 - A Birthday

We celebrated Zola's second birthday party last night. Things started a little ominously when I went in to get her out of the crib, and she pointed to the cup I was holding and said, "Mines!"

Uh-oh.

But aside from a little grabbiness at the beginning of the party, she was quite generous in her sharing--as generous as a two-year-old ever gets. By the end, she stopped trying to strip Gus of his balloon.

Great turnout! As for the smaller attendees: Zola, Vera, Skye, Lillian, Gus, Jacob. Baba, Di, and Neal were all there, which was nice. Also Dietrich and Sharon, Skye's papa Scott, Amy & Alexei, September, Mike & Acadia, Robbie & Kate.

This morning we went to Lincoln Park, and it was a bit like Sesame Street: lots of people on their front stoops waving and saying "good morning." One older gentleman introduced us to his dog, and cut an orange flower for Zola. We put it in her hair, bid "Adieu," and headed to the playground.

Missing Mama

Zola's started her Fall/Winter swim class in Rockville.  Today we woke up at 6:50am to get out to Rockville by 8:30, so that she could make the 9am class.  Ouch.

Getting up that early kind of sucks, but Zola does love her some swimming.  And--come to think of it--waking her up is one of my favorite things.  Love to walk in and sing to her a little bit, and have her give me a sleepy smile.

Susie's been in Milwaukee the last two nights, and won't be home til Thursday night (Zola's birthday).  I miss her.

Return to posting...

Haven't posted in a long time, but I really need a restart.  Zola's going to be turning two on Thursday.  Watching her grow up has been amazing.  The strangest thing is just how *capable* she is.  This is the first young child I've spent any time with, and had always thought that kids under two years were essentially "babies."   Because most two-year-olds are a little shy around strangers, I had no idea they actually had personalities.

But Zola is by turns serious, funny, kind...  just amazing.

We were reading a book about "Caring for your Baby" last night, that she had picked out of her bookshelf, between "Green Eggs & Ham" and "Corduroy".  As we flipped through the text-heavy pages looking for pictures, we came across a picture of a mother playing with a reclining baby's toes.

I said, "Look, the mama's tickling the baby!" and Zola started laughing.   Then she said, "Xoxo tickles Papa!" and gave me a hug and started tickling me.  We both collapsed into a laughing pile on the floor.

There's no way to write about things like that without making it sound trivial, but it's such moments that make this whole baby business not "worthwhile", but something I can't imagine having missed.