Pics from the last month

We are just about to go on a little vacation. I plugged my phone into the computer and found some pictures that I thought I would put up here. A lot has happened since I last posted. Emmett and I went camping again (this time with our friend Jeff). We biked all the way there, about 15 miles from the house with the last 3.5 being off road and straight uphill. The trip got off to an inauspicious start with two of the three of us getting tickets for running a stop sign (Emmett was just a passenger so he got off of all charges), but the camping was good. It was much better than our previous attempt. I think that this mostly had to do with Emmett having napped before we left and the fact that it wasn't all brand new to him.

Emmett and I spent a lot of time together as Andrea was still in school until just a couple of days ago. Over the past weekend he and I took a trip to Susanville to see family. We took Amtrak from Emeryville to Reno and were picked up by Andrea's dad. It was a nice trip and again reminded me that trains are such a pleasant way to travel, especially with a kid. There was a ton of leg room for us which meant more comfort for me and no fear of Emmett kicking the seat in front of us. Anytime we got a little squirmy (more E than me) we walked around the train. There was a vista car that was filled with lounge chairs and was covered in windows. It was really a great experience.

The other pictures I have included are Emmett with a friend on the swing in the backyard, a trip Emmett and I took to Coit Tower, our trip to the T&A lounge on Father's Day morning, and an action shot of Emmett from swim class. Andrea got to go to swim class this week---Emmett has had about 10 lessons and the last time Andrea saw him "swim" was months ago before the lessons started when Emmett could do nothing at all in the water. Because of this, Andrea's seeing Emmett's swimming (no quotes) was shocking as he is actually swimming about 6 or 8 feet, has his head underwater, holds his breath, etc. It is great to see the progress he has made.

I hope to get to write more when we are on our travels. If not, I will add pictures upon our return.

Nearly the end of an era

Friday is Emmett's last day of Day Care. He has been out there for three semesters now, and it has been a good experience I think. Emmett is counting down the days, so he knows he is finishing, but I don't know that he really knows what it is going to mean to be finished. I don't know that we know. For sure it is going to be a lot of long days stuck with me while Andrea finishes up her school year (I finish on Friday).

I have taken to trying to keep track of some of the things Emmett says during the day, so I might list a few here. Before I start, though, I guess I should bring up one phrase that has not been great. About 3 months ago Day Care sent out an email mentioning how to deal with foul language coming from kids' mouths. It was clear that there was a cussing problem in the classroom, but we were pretty sure it wasn't Emmett. The next day that we were there, I joked with the teachers about how Andrea and I were hoping it was Emmett, but they said it wasn't. Over the next few days I learned who it was. First, it is worth describing this child: he is one of the smallest, if not the smallest kid in the class. He still uses a pacifier at times, which makes him seem even younger. One day while I was dropping Emmett off in the morning, that kid walked it ahead of his mom and said "Good morning, f***ers." It was surreal on so many fronts: he is so small, I had never heard such language out of so small a child, and it flowed out of him and into what I had always felt was a wholesome, warm environment so easily.

Over the next weeks I realized that this kid was very talented with his cursing and could use it appropriately. If a child took something from him or even simply had something he wanted he would say "f***er idiot". I heard him call his teachers this. It was everywhere in the class suddenly.

It didn't seem that Emmett was picking up on this, but one day we were riding the bike home and a driver and I had said something back and forth (not even heated), and as he drove off I heard Emmett call him a "f***er idiot." I should say that I thought he said that---I wasn't sure, but it really did sound like it. A week or so later was our camping trip, and while I was setting up the tent Emmett was singing me songs. One of them he broke into was "f***er idiot," which I wasn't familiar with. It was kind of funny to hear it come out of his mouth, but from what I had read from Day Care, I knew that I shouldn't overreact in any way, so I simply asked him where he learned the song. He told me it came from the little kid. I wasn't surprised, of course, and I told him it wasn't a very nice song.

Jump forward a few weeks. If Emmett now gets mad at anything, but in particular me or Malcolm (Andrea doesn't seem to get it as much), he turns red and calls the offending person or feline a "f***er idiot." It has lost its charm. We have been on walks and people have stopped in their tracks as what appears to be a nice, young kid starts talking as if he just stepped out of a Tarantino movie.

We are not the only family to have been plagued by this. Other parents are complaining about it is now the phrase of choice to let out frustration in Day Care by most children. This is definitely something I will not miss from Day Care, although I am sure Pre-school and the rest of Emmett's education will bring many more choice phrases into the house.

Here are some less shocking recent conversations Emmett has given us:
Andrea showed Emmett and I a very large bruise she had on her upper leg. Emmett looked at it and asked "how did you get the bruise?" After Andrea answered that she didn't know Emmett offered, "maybe it was from a seagull?"

Emmett and I were laying in bed and Emmett said "I'm thinking of babysitting. Maybe Ethan and I could babysit Greta." Greta is Ethan's three-month-old sister, and the quote was interesting as it came completely out of nowhere.

Post toilet, during flush: "When I am a diver, when I grow up, maybe I can put on my snorkel and you can flush me down the toilet into the ocean."

Today, as I tried to put on Emmett's boot but couldn't as there was already a sock in there. Emmett said "I feeled the sock in there." Me: "you felt the sock." Emmett: "No, I feeled the sock." Me: "when you talk about feeling something in the past you say felt." Emmett, "No, I like feeled better." ....I bring this up as I realized he had a point and then thought that I wouldn't say I pelt a potato, so why can't he be right.

I realize now that none of these quotes are as interesting revisited as they seemed when he said them. It just feels like kids approach the world in such a different way that we adults do and this kid that I am around has me thinking about things in a new way all of the time. For example, we have talked about the seasons a lot recently and Emmett is incredibly excited about summer's coming because of corn and blueberries. However, when we are going through the panhandle or other parks, there are often leaves on the ground and he is always asking me why leaves fall from the trees if it is not fall. I tell him that I don't know and offer up that maybe some leaves get sick or injured and then fall, but I realize that I am guessing at the answer to a question that I had never thought to ask even though I have spent thirty-some years on this planet. What have I been doing?

I love rock 'n roll

Emmett loves playing band at home. Ever since seeing Andrea perform in her teacher band, he sets up an area and has Andrea, me, or the both of us be members as he sings one of his top hits ("I love rock 'n roll", "Gigantic", or "We will rock you"). Emmett is usually the drummer/singer. He has taken to putting his drum set (T.V. tray covered with towels to deaden the noise of a plastic crow bar and my kitchen whisk which are used as drum sticks) up on the bed so that he can turn his head to the left and see himself playing in the kitchen mirror. He tells us to pretend we are different members of Andrea's teacher band and will say things like "Mom, you be Steve."

Another funny/sad thing is that when someone else is singing or saying things he often moves his mouth as they talk. This is something that I have been made fun of for my whole life. Genetics strikes again.

Week at the beach

This past week was Andrea's spring break, so she and Emmett spent a bunch of it up at Stinson Beach staying at parents from her class' weekend house. Most of the time was spent in the hot tub from the sounds of it, but they also spent time at the beach, boated, biked, caught crabs and other sea life, and just relaxed. I was able to visit at the start of their week and then for a day at the end. In between I got a call from Andrea as Emmett wanted to tell me something. He got on the phone and kept saying "I staadrrd" or similar where I couldn't understand the second word, but I knew he really wanted me to know what he did. Finally Andrea clued me in that the second word was "started" and what he was talking about was the fact that while I was gone he figured out how to start on his pedal bike all by himself, so now he is completely self-contained on the bicycle. I had spent a bit of time explaining to him how to do it (I realized that it is something I couldn't describe well as I don't think about it all ever), and he was very meticulous in trying to act out my descriptions---even saying all of the steps out loud while he did it. Alas, it was not me that got him going, but his mom, and he is definitely very excited about his new skill. Today he and I took the bike to the park and he kept stopping in front of people and saying "watch me start!"

Today was Easter and Andrea had put together a little easter basket for Emmett. I was at work late last night and when I got home I played the role of Easter Bunny, hiding eggs around the house (these were plastic ones which were filled with treats---I forgot the colored real eggs from the fridge, and Emmett was not happy with the Easter Bunny for forgetting). Emmett had also left out a carrot for the bunny which I worked on eating at 2 in the morning until I realized that i could just make it look like I had eaten it and put the rest in the fridge (my brain wasn't working so hot). Emmett found all of the eggs and then later in the morning had a reprise of the egg search with Augie and Ethan at Augie's house. It was a nice way to spend a morning.

Not too much to report from my end as Emmett was not around so much this past week. I attended our parent-teacher conference while they were out of town and it sounds like they are going to let Emmett pass day care and go on to pre-school.

Speaking of day care, there were two girls in his class last fall (Paloma and Lucia) who were no longer in his class, but whenever asked who is in his class he would answer "Paloma and Lucia aren't" rather than who is (he did this at his three-year check-up when asked by the doctor). Anyway, Paloma is in his class once again and she loves Emmett. She arrives earlier than Emmett and is very excited to see him when he arrives. Emmett, however, has acted incredibly shy around her. Often she is outside when we arrive, so he and I will be looking at something or doing something when she finally realizes Emmett is there. She will come in, say "Emmett!" loudly, walk up next to him, and say "Hi, Emmett!", and Emmett will completely ignore her, but he has this look on his face that he really wants to look at her. It makes him seem older, like an awkward middle schooler.

I will attach some pictures from the past week or so. Emmett got a wet suit, so that is included. Also, there is a picture that was sent to us by Anne from the birthday party.

Clothes make the man

I spent all morning trying to get Emmett to change out of his pajamas and go to the park with me. He loves his pajamas and was going to fight with every bit of strength he had. We started the process at around 9 and were finally out the door at about 10:30. Tons of fun.

When we got home he brought a doll up to me that he has and he asked "can we take baby outside?" I said sure. He said, "but baby is dressed in pajamas" and I said, well we can change baby's clothes and he said "we don't have any clothes that fit baby", and I told him we was right. He turned to baby and said "if I was your daddy I would let you go outside in your pajamas". Emmett wins, yet again.

A quick run-down of the pictures. 1+2: Emmett rode his pedal bike in the park for the first time last weekend. He can't start riding the bike by himself, but if I give him an initial push he can ride the two-wheeler until something catches his attention and he stops. 3: Emmett went after a friend in his underwear and rain boots on a rainy day. 4: Emmett found my glasses. 5: Emmett took his new cowboy boots out to launch rockets because they would send the rockets extra high. 6+7: Emmett loves mom's scooter helmet. He even uses it for safety's sake when doing sweeping on the sidewalks.

The great outdoors

Last night Emmett and I had our first ever camping trip. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and camped at a small, primitive campground in Tennessee Valley. We were actually all of 12 miles from our front door in road miles, even less as the crow flies. However, it really did feel like we were far from people. We had to hike about 0.9 miles from the parking lot to our spot and 0.7 miles of that was off of a main trail line. On that last 0.7 miles the only other people we saw were occupants of the other 3 tents on the site and a crew of 4 camera operators from the Discovery Channel who were spending their last of four consecutive days filming a bobcat who liked to hunt our campground (we didn't see the bobcat).

We chose the site not only for its proximity, but because it is known to have a lot of barn and great horned owls, and Emmett has been obsessed with owls. We ended up hearing many owls, but didn't see any. He was still happy about that aspect of the trip.

The trip was pretty fun. Some things were tough. For example, Emmett was so excited about camping that he didn't nap (first missed nap in a long time). This made for a grumpier Emmett most of the evening. Also, in keeping with the tradition my mom and aunt set up when they took me on my first camping trip, I forgot half of the food I had packed at home. This added to Emmett's grumpiness as I had promised him some dried mango leather I had made a while back and I only learned I had forgotten that bag when we arrived. We had enough food to survive, though, so neither of us perished.

During the evening Emmett spotted two deer who let us approach quite close and we saw a couple of turkeys. Everything was pretty wet or muddy because of the recent rain, but it was also very green which was nice.

As we were preparing for bed, I was changing Emmett into his pajamas when I noticed that he had a tick on his shoulder. I must have had a pretty horrified face based on Emmett's later reaction (I really do not like ticks), but I recovered, tried to remain calm, and tried to plan how to remove it. I first tried holding Emmett and trying to get it, but he screamed out as he knew it was something I took seriously. It was getting dark quickly and I didn't want him to scream, but each time I tried that was what happened and he would tuck his chin into his shoulder so the tick was hidden. I weighed options such as asking other campers for help, giving up and leaving, or giving up and leaving the tick in. While I was thinking I asked Emmett if he knew what I was trying to do, what a tick was, etc., and he knew nothing except he didn't want me to touch his shoulder. Finally I decided on brute force, held him tightly with one arm, and twisted it out (counter-clockwise...I remember having a tick in Arizona, calling a nurse as I had been told earlier that I could put butter on it or turn it one direction or another and was sure that all of these must be myths, and then hearing the exact same advice from a nurse...anyway, I turned CCW as I figured it was fifty-fifty my being wrong). I showed Emmett what I was after, but it was crawling around and I was creeped out and ended up just flicking it out of the tent.

Emmett said the extraction didn't hurt. The subsequent sleep went pretty well. Emmett couldn't decide if he wanted to sleep in his own sleeping bag or mine, so he hopped between the two before falling asleep in his own but in my arms. He woke up cold in the middle of the night (out of his bag in his squirming) and transferred to my bag. The sleep felt like it was made up of many half-hour segments, but was pretty good.

During the night one of the noises that was pretty loud was the falling of the acorn-like things from eucalyptus trees which were right next to the site. It is funny that the panhandle playground is covered with these and judging by the frequency of the noises while we were sleeping they must fall all of the time, but all of the surrounding noise must hide it.

The other noise I had never heard that I know of is the sound of ravens flying overhead. There were many in the trees and the heavy beating of their wings was really prominent at times.

We will probably give this another try in a couple of weeks. It is a nice break for Andrea to get the house to herself for a change (she takes him away for nights much, much more than I do). Below are some pictures from camping---the two of Emmett's two camping partners were taken by him. (side note: I brought Emmett's bike so that he would ride at least some of the trail. The first 0.2mi were paved and downhill. He loved it and rode probably an extra 0.4 miles past the turn. I had to throw all of the stuff down so I could run after him. When he saw me running after him he went even faster. Lots of fun). Also I am putting in a couple from the day before when Andrea and Emmett buzzed the neighborhood as superheroes on scooters. Ours is a very safe neighborhood...now.

Reasoning with a three-year-old

Still busy these days, but here is another attempt to get something up here.

Today we went to the doctor for a check-up. Everything was fine, and one the way home I was talking to Emmett. He has taken to saying "what?" loudly after anything I say, telling me he can't hear me (he tells Andrea the same thing). So, on the ride home I asked him why he says "what?" everytime I talk to him---I asked if it was because he can't hear me, or he isn't paying attention, or something similar. Immediately he answered (as if the answer was crystal clear and I just hadn't thought of it), "it is because I have smaller ears. When I get older I will have bigger ears and will be able to hear you better."

Discussions with Emmett these days are beyond nonsensical. On the bike ride home he will often ask me what street we were on. We were on 20th Avenue. I told him this. He said, "no, it's not. It is 5th avenue." How do you argue with that?

Emmett started swim class on Tuesday. He held up pretty well, but got sad as he didn't know where I was the last 5 minutes of class as they force us to sit on the opposite side of the pool. On the way home I asked him if he liked it and he said yes, so hopefully next week we make it the entire class. Emmett is doing this as he wants nothing more than to learn to be a diver.

I don't think I wrote this before (not likely as I haven't posted in forever), but Emmett has been riding a two-wheeled pedal bike with no training wheels for weeks now. The Skuut bike Darin got him is pretty amazing as he really has balance down.

Tonight Emmett gave guitar and harmonica together a try. Just think, this is how Bob Dylan started with the same sort of hiccups. (sorry for the sideways video...I am too lazy to rotate it)