10/30/09 Halloween parades

Good grief. Three separate Halloween parades, parties and events today.

First, Julian's. The school even changed the schedule for the PM kindergartners so that they start school with everyone, so that all kinders would be together for the Halloween events and parade, which completely dominated the day.


Julian's class.


And dominated the school grounds. This is a big deal!

I was intrigued at how into it all the parents are, the majority of whom hail from cultures that don't share this tradition. I guess dressing up in fun costumes has global appeal.

Later in the afternoon, the parade for all the school-agers, or perhaps just grades 1-3 (4th and 5th grade are dismissed later). Gabriel was strangely ambivalent, almost bored, with a blank look on his face and humming absently to himself the whole time.


Gabriel's class.

I wondered how a kid without a costume would feel, but an uncostumed girl in Gabriel's class (next to SpiderMan) said with confidence and humor: "I'm going as a girl with a dog T-shirt!"

The 2nd grade formed a circle and called for all kids with various costume types to come into the center. I was pleased to see that in 2nd grade, witches outnumber princesses.


Next! Preschool performance and parade, though the parade was to a nearby pumpkin patch. I picked up the boys, parked at the pumpkin patch, then we walked to the preschool. This way Katrina would only make one trip, and as part of the parade.

First, the long-anticipated singing. Katrina drives her teachers crazy because she absolutely refuses to participate in circle time and in rehearsals, except for ONE day when she did a total turnaround. At home, she sings the songs constantly, with all the gestures, but not at school.

And, not for the performance either. I know she knows the songs very well, but she refused to sing or gesture.




The little stinker refused pictures during the parade too.


But she didn't catch on to my stealth photographer (Gabriel) in time to hide her face for this one.


There was a common costume theme among my kids' teachers.
Gabriel's teacher.


Julian's teacher.


Katrina's teacher (well, not her regular teacher yet, but a frequent sub and was Julian's pre-K teacher)


Then, about 50 minutes of jumphouse playing for all three, which is what "pumpkin patches" have become. I'm not sure what inflatable play structures have to do with large squash, but, whatever.

Once again, typical personality characteristics emerged. Gabriel stayed on the shark slide the entire time. Katrina stayed in one jumphouse the entire time. Julian moved around, bugging other kids.

The 13 seconds I was able to get them to stay here for a photo shoot was the sum total of time spent with pumpkins at the "patch."


For some reason I'm having trouble raising my Halloween spirit this year -- no pun intended -- but it really is energizing seeing the parades and all the kids together. It's better than the place I'm in, that's for sure.

10/30/09

10/29/09 Chat night

Coffee, cheesecake & company! My favorite 3 C's.

Helps get an increasingly bad taste in my mouth about going to work full-time for the company I've been contracting at. To think, a few months ago I was hesitant when things were normal -- now I'd give anything for it to be like that again, instead of taken over by this new Director wreaking havoc with people's lives. It figures that when he put me on the spot today and asked who my "ideal" was professionally, that I started with Carol, one of the first engineers to leave because of him (and one of the best I've ever worked with, I stand by that). Then when he asked what my weaknesses are, I said that I don't learn quickly. I should have said that my biggest weakness is saying stupid things off the top of my head. Or considering a job working for someone I know I will hate working for.

But, no work tomorrow -- I reserved the day off weeks ago to attend to what is really important: the day before Halloween!

10/29/09

10/28/09 Cupcakes

Every year, the SCEEPers (3rd-graders and up, I forget what SCEEP stands for) at the CDC put on sales of baked goods and crafts to raise money for ... something. They hit up parents the instant we walk in, frazzled, in a hurry, ready to go home -- and often with little more than our car keys on us. I hardly ever carry cash anymore anyway, so when a little cherub asked if I wanted to buy cupcakes, I used my financial state to put him off. It worked -- there's no arguing with being broke.

For once, Julian got ready to go without any arguing or running away or generally resisting. (Gabriel was directly defiant: "NO!" "SO WHAT!" and "WHY DO YOU HAVE TO PICK ME UP NOW?!" and I had to drag him away.) Turns out, a CDC staffer had promised Julian a cupcake if he didn't give me a hard time today, which somehow had to wait because I couldn't buy Gabriel one either, which I was willing to do after I heard that he's been really good lately. For lack of 75 cents!

I felt a little bad, but, that's life. I piled the boys in the car, then went to fetch Katrina. It weighed on me...the nice CDCers set aside cupcakes for the boys for tomorrow when I'd bring money, but...why wait? I made a detour to Wells Fargo, and even went inside the bank branch to get change, anxiously leaving all three in the car in the meantime. The boys forgave the delay when they realized what we were doing: driving back to the CDC just to pick up their cupcakes -- and one more, for Katrina. They surprised me by being genuinely grateful and appreciative; I was actually expecting more rudeness.

And pending cupcakes eliminated all homework arguing. The extra driving, time, and trips just to get tiny 75-cent Duncan Hines cupcakes bought me all sorts of leverage. So now you know the real reason.

10/28/09

10/27/09 Computer Lab

Julian mentioned he had a computer lab at school recently. He was vague on what it involved, but from what I gathered, it was mostly games and videos and very introductory stuff. A total joke, since most kids are way way WAY beyond the basics on modern computer applications by kindergarten.

Katrina can now type in her password and log in, and with some help, she can bring up TuxPaint, a Mac drawing and painting application. Today she decided to type in the alphabet, discovering that even though "mno" is sung together, they're really three separate letters.


And then she discovered that there's no key for "10," and was delighted when I showed her how to type in 10 with two separate digits.


This reminds me of Gabriel when he was 3-1/2, logging into Dave's computer, bringing up TextEdit, enlarging the font, and then typing in all the names of his preschool classmates.

(June 2005)

Julian never did anything like that, but he was able to navigate TuxPaint's buttons and dialog boxes when he was just 2-1/2.

Good thing they're teaching them about computer videos in school.

10/27/09

10/26/09 Science Museum

Phew, tired tonight, but compulsion drives me. MUUUST POOOOST PHOOO-TOS....

Dropped Katrina off at TLC today, and took advantage of a Staff Learning Day at the boys' school to go to the city and check out this highly regarded science museum.


It has an aquarium, planetarium, rain forest and many other environmental displays. It would take weeks to see it all, but with two little kids in tow, start with the good stuff.

Penguin feeding! Boys loved them.


Some game involving a lit mat. You push images of fruit into a pit trap and hope the "bugs" follow and you catch them. Or you just stomp on the bug images.


Many displays of reptiles and fish.



Some sort of tree snake waiting for fish in the water below.


An eel garden.


We caught a "dive demonstration" in the Phillipines Coral Reef, with a diver answering questions (from the water!), and a fish feeding.


New habitat: rainforest, an enclosed area with water, fish, trees, birds and many beautiful butterflies.



An elevator takes you down under the rainforest, including a transparent tunnel so we could look up at the big fish and turtles. And take some very strangely lit photos.



We were there all told about 3-1/2 hours and saw a tiny fraction of the fascinating attractions. The boys had a great time and really really enjoyed it. And such a glorious day to be around Golden Gate Park too.

Bonne Maman had suggested going here, based on some descriptions she'd read in a paper -- funny how you get to know your own area from visitors!

10/26/09

10/25/09 Pumpkin Patch

Going to pumpkin patches -- that is, farms that put up many sorts of entertainment and ways of spending money to sell pumpkins -- is now part of the modern ritual that is Halloween. Today we joined our old 2002 friends at a pumpkin patch we've been to for several years now that our favorite one with the train closed down.

Of course, you dress in fragile costumes to run through fields, around animals and play in jumphouses.


We tried for a grandmother-mother-daughter shot; this was the best we could do.


We hit the farm at peak parking time, requiring a bit of a walk. But fortunately, I had brought reinforcements.


A gopher entranced the kids for a while; this little guy must have really wanted to go out this hole but kept pulling back when encountering numerous inquisitive little faces. Maybe he got lost in his underground maze.


Pony rides! Now that I know Katrina likes ponies, we had to do this. To my surprise, Gabriel wanted to also, and Julian wasn't scared and also wanted to.




Photo-op! The kids (minus one of mine).


The moms (plus one of mine).


Then, of course, the inevitable jump house. One small jumphouse, and $5 a pop! I'm starting to put jumphouses down there with swings, lollipops and balloons as childhood staples that I don't like.

But, new thing: Katrina? She wanted to try a jumphouse? Sure enough, and she loved it!


So instead of a tantrum about going in, the tantrum was about getting out, and I had to go in to fetch her. The natural exit was a slide, which she at first refused, but gravity won.



Pumpkin time. I didn't want to haul around three pumpkins, so found a cart, and ended up hauling around three more.


Home, lunch, naps...no tantrums today. It's really stunning how much more enjoyable days are without hour-long toddler tantrums. I have so much more energy and have such a more positive outlook. I wonder if I'll forget how draining they are. Yesterday was really exhausting with Katrina's nonstop demands and impossible tantrums, and the relative ease and joy of today really underscored that.

Since a visit isn't a visit without THE photo, I shamelessly exploited greed by telling the kids we'd open gifts from Bonne Maman after pictures. It worked!




As usual, we're having a great visit -- fun play, terrific food, and lots of just hanging around together! And since I got THE photo of Bonne Maman with grandkids, I can relax now!

10/25/09

10/24/09 Bonne Maman watches BMX

Bonne Maman is here! A picture of our lives would not be complete without a trip to the BMX park. Dave took the boys before lunch, and Mom and I followed with Katrina to watch. I'd never seen Julian ride on the 16" bike here. The bigger bike suits him so well, it's hard to believe he was riding the tiny 12" bike so recently.

Gabriel is getting more and more confident with the bigger hills, and has to work harder to get up them too.





Not quite an endo...

I completely believe they need to test themselves and take chances and learn, so I'd never nix this. Still, that doesn't mean I can't cover my eyes for some of it.

Down is easier, of course.


...or is it? This view would freak me out!



Julian doesn't take this nearly as seriously as Gabriel though.



Katrina was delightful for much of the day, but got into a serious snit before lunch, one that deteriorated into a massive, hour-plus tantrum. She wouldn't eat, wouldn't stay in her room for a nap...but Dave handled the situation. Thank heavens.


Having a great time chatting and cooking with Bonne Maman, as always! But so far been delinquent in getting photos of her with grandkids.

10/24/09

10/23/09 Fall Festival

Bonne Maman arrived today! Perfect timing; I picked her up from the airport, we went home and had lunch, relaxed a little, then went out to pick up my brood. Gabriel and Julian's school was holding a fall festival, so we spent a little time walking around the various booths at the school.

Julian did great at throwing these football darts -- got 2 out of 4 through the holes (Gabriel missed all 4).


Gabriel did great at these tricycle races, though he got paired with a kindergartner. What kind of race is that? He lapped his opponent and won easily, but it was hardly a fair race.


Katrina was agreeable for about 3 minutes the whole time, during which I luckily took a photo. One tantrum after another, especially while waiting for the tricycle races -- she was furious that she couldn't take one of the tricycles.


Julian was deliberately ruining photos too, but at least Gabriel was cooperative.


I must get a great shot of Bonne Maman with her West Coast grandkids! ('Cause, you know, it just isn't a visit without THE PICTURE!)

10/23/09

10/22/09 Toddler day

Before....


...after.


Tantrums! And no nap!

10/22/09

10/21/09 Job hunting

I can think of fewer boring things to blog about than work, but it was a heavy afternoon. I've decided (resigned myself?) to trying to convert to full-time at the company I've been contracting at. Despite many reasons to move on, two reasons were compelling enough to stay: 1) a really, really good manager -- the value of which should not be underestimated; 2) interesting new technology to work on.

But today, reason #1 to go turned into reason #1 not to. The boss's boss, a new guy that everyone has doubts about, told me I could be working for him. Big problem. He's vague and secretive and demanding and by all counts, difficult to work for. He told me I'd be backfilling a position for someone who is leaving only as of this morning, and told me to talk to the departing employee to find out what he's working on -- but don't let on that I know he's leaving. I can't stand that sh*t! However, my confidence and unemployment being what it is, this is one gift horse whose mouth I'm not looking in.

Another colleague at work and his wife are about to adopt their first baby. He seems really excited about it, and it brings me back to the amazing time of bringing your first baby home and all the changes it represents to your life. It's even more amazing that I can look back on it already, and with much fondness, despite the hardships. With your first new baby, you feel like you'll have a baby forever -- you have no idea how or when it will change. But, as another experienced mom at work said today, she didn't bother with a crib for her second child, because she knew they'd only need it for 2 years anyway. New-baby parents can't think that way at all -- a 2-year-old is a completely different world than a newborn. Experienced parents know how temporary all stages are.

Which makes me also keenly aware that I "only" have two more years left of preschoolers, of not having all my kids' lives dominated by school. I'm looking forward to that, as I'm much more in my element with older kids than babies and toddlers, but at the same time, I wonder if someday I'll mourn Katrina's 3-year-old and 4-year-old years, and wish I were with her more. I think I'll mourn the idea of it. In practice, I long for more control over my time, as I mostly have when the boys are home. Katrina's age still demands that I drop everything at any moment and run to deal with something, and she's still very unreasonable. I really am done with being "on duty" like that, even as I romanticize it in retrospect talking to my new-dad coworker. He's on the cusp of leaving the grownup world just as I'm on the cusp of re-entering it. It's a no-brainer which world is more important in the long term.

10/21/09

10/20/09 Monster Mouth

"RAAHOOOOOORRRRR!"


"Mommy, is this a house?"

Sort of....it's a Starbucks, where I treated myself to a pumpkin spice latte.

I was tired. I'd been up late writing, and up early getting kids to school. Most people would say I have to cut out the "up late" part, but for me the real problem is the "up early" part. I slept great, because I went to bed tired and ready to sleep, but not enough, because there's no way around getting up for school.

I've had sleep issues on and off since Katrina was born, but I'm increasingly convinced that what really happened was school and work. I have had no success re-training my body clock. "Just go to bed early" to a hard-wired night person is like telling a chronically cold person "just put on a sweater."

I'm looking forward to when I can take a nap during the day any old time I want, which is when Katrina is old enough to be trustworthy on her own for a while. Better yet, I'm looking forward to when I can sleep as I need to, and don't need a nap. If my day could end at 1am and start at 9am, I'd be right back to my old bursting-with-energy self.

Then again, today I put Katrina in her room for a nap, and she seemed cooperative, then I lay down myself. But she had no intention of napping. I woke up when I heard her voice downstairs, where she was happily playing with a puzzle, chatting and singing, having completely changed her clothes. Good thing I'm not freaked out about matching; she had three different types of stripes going on in her shirt, pants and socks.

Kid-time notwithstanding, maybe someday when they're all grown and out of the house, I'll long for the days when they were here, and the constant fatigue will have faded into distant memory.

10/20/09

10/19/09 Happy Birthday Dad!

43 -- you're in your "prime" !

10/19/09

p.s. check out retro-post on 10/17 about the airshow experience.

10/18/09 Down Day

I'm writing up our trip to the airshow, but I'm out of steam. I barely made it out of jammies today! We all stayed home and had a very unpressured nothing sort of day. I can't quite afford that sort of time -- after all, Bonne Maman is visiting next weekend! -- but, that's what we all needed.

Back to the real world tomorrow.

10/18/09