Uncle Visit 2010

Uncle James @Windy Point

Two uncles. One weekend. One spoiled little girl.

The beginning of the bear hunt.

You can find many, many more photos from the day here.

How she sees her Daddy

This year, my Fathers Day gift included  a portrait of dear old dad as seen by my little girl. It is the best kind of portrait. It is a cookie portrait. (I also got bacon. Really. Bacon.)

It makes me look a bit like a mutant Mr Potatohead, but it tastes better. (Or at least I assume it tastes better. It smelled good and I imagine plastic doesn't taste very good.)

Features of note include:

• Seperate legs, knees and feet
  
• Seperate arms, shoulders, elbows and hands
  
• My goatee
  
• And that big blue thing on top is my brain.
  

I'm very happy that my daughter thinks enough of my brain to include it.

History lesson

Daddy, the dinosaurs all died because the King of the Dinosaurs killed them.

They did?

Yes.

The King of the Dinosaurs?

Yes.

Who's that?

The King of the Dinosaurs is the T-Rex.

And he killed all the dinosaurs?

Yes.

Where did you learn that?

At my school.

Honey, I'm pretty sure the dinosaurs were killed by a drastic climate shift caused by a meteor crashing into the earth.

That's right. The meat-eater is a carnivore. And that means sharp tooth, like T-Rex. And he's the King of the Dinosaurs. And he killed them.

Oh. OK.

Queen of the Dinosaurs

You have to imagine her paper crown flopping in the wind for the full effect.

One week ago, I was on a beach

As I sit and write this, the thermometer is slowly creeping toward 100 degrees. The air is dry and still – the only movement from the ceiling fan buzzing above me.

A far cry from our trip to Southern California last week.

We knew we had a four-day weekend coming up. That's not quite long enough for a trip home, but we didn't want to sit around Tucson either. Luckily, the Marine Corps was kind enough to station Uncle Ry just outside San Diego and give him the long, holiday weekend off.

So we packed up the car and drove west.

There was lots of good times, good people, good food, a trip to the zoo (click here for Kaylee's POV), but most importantly – this was Kaylee's first trip to the ocean. I'm pretty sure she liked it.

And I'm pretty sure we'll be going back soon.

Kaylee and her Uncle Ry. They're like chocolate and peanut butter – two great tastes that go great together. Only I don't recommend eating them – they probably taste like people, not candy.

One of these two people failed to put sunscreen on their feet and was pretty miserable for the rest of the week. The other one just got a little brown.

The two of us dug a Kaylee-sized hole – but she was smart enough not to get in. So we dug a larger hole and buried Mom instead.

Even though Uncle Ry's E-Tool was almost as big as she is, I believe we found the perfect beach toy.

At first, Kaylee wasn't interested in the water. I think it was just too big and too cold. But then the tide started to roll in and she couldn't resist playing in the big waves. Or at least running away from them.

A game which Uncle Ry was more than happy to get in on.

This is one of my favorite shots from the weekend. If you listen closely, you can hear her giggle.

A rough day

It could have been worse.

After a mad-dash-morning getting everything ready (that we thought we had done already – but apparently not because we barely left the house on time), Rae and I dropped the kid off at New School today. There was a little hesitation on Kaylee's part jumping into things – a lot of hiding behind Dad's legs and feigning shyness – but once the teachers started engaging with her she was fine.

She even picked her own name tag out (and called them out for not drawing the "y" correctly) from the pre-written sheets. Gotta say, that makes a Dad proud.

By the time Rae returned an hour later with a brand new towel (yes, they started swim lessons today and we had to make a Target run because we forgot to bring a towel – geeks may now commence with the Douglas Adams jokes) Kaylee was fully into circle time and was more perplexed than relieved at Mom's reappearance. (Mom, what are YOU doing here?)

We didn't get any emergency phone calls – so she stayed all day. Upon pickup we learned that:

• We need to pack a bigger lunch. She ate all of hers and wanted more, more, more.
• She, in no uncertain terms, did NOT like the cold water in the pool and really did not like water in her eyes.
• She told her teacher she wasn't going to nap – and proceeded to pass out minutes later.
• She really wants a blanket to snuggle with. (That, I can fix tomorrow.)
• She got along with everyone fine and seemed to enjoy her day.

After further reflection, Kaylee now tells us:

• She didn't like her new school because it is different and wants to go back to her old school.
• She didn't like any of the kids or teachers.
• She REALLY didn't like getting water in her eyes.
• Also, she wants to go back to her old school. (Added again for emphasis.)

So I know the move is for the best, and I know she's just being dramatic – but when you add into all of this that I got called into work and wasn't there to pick her up today like I promised, I just feel like #1 Deadbeat Dad.

Tomorrow is another day.

Tomorrow we'll bring a blanket and a bigger lunch.

Tomorrow will be better.

One last look at the green

Can you tell Kaylee likes grass?

We had to make one last stop at the park near Uncle Ry's beach to check it out.

Didn't even have to use my AK

Several hours spent at the beach. Mostly in the sand.

But Kaylee did get brave enough to get in the water - right around the time the tide started rolling in.

Big waves. Little girl. Lotta fun.

Art appreciation

I love coloring with the kid.
Can you tell which ones she did?

"I'm writing a note ...

... about Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Charlie and how much I love them
but they are always so far away."

"When I grow up...

... I want to be a soldier and a ballerina."

Well, with the help of Uncle Ry we've got the soldier part down. Now we just need a tutu.

Spider-Man part deux

We stopped in Toys R Us last night and Kaylee asked to ride in the car with her "best friend Spider-Man."

The same one seen in this post.

My how they have grown.

Budding artist

Kaylee drew this picture of me tonight, unassisted. Looks pretty darn
good – especially when you consider I haven't shaved all week.

And she gave me a little hair on top.

She's so generous.

Taking Care of Her Friends

So for about a week now we've been talking to Kaylee about how she's going to start a new school soon. We've talked about what she's going to do there, and somehow she's decided that learning about dinosaurs means she'll be hunting for them as if they were alive. That puts this new school at the top of her cool-but-a-little-bit-scary list, which is an apt description of how I'm feeling about the whole situation.

Today Kaylee told me something that made me want to cry and smile at the same time (I opted for smiling a big grin). We're on our way home from daycare and she's telling me about her day. Some days she wants to talk, other days she doesn't. Today was somewhere in between. Sort of out of the blue she asks if she can visit her friend Cleia after she goes to her new school. (Cleia and she have become quite attached to each other.) Then she tells me that Cleia is going to miss her soo soo much when she goes to her new school. She tells me that she asked Dominic if he would be Cleia's friend while she was gone and he said "Yes!" Her eyes were a little sad (or maybe it was the allergies) but her smile was so big.

I told her I was so happy she was making sure her friend had someone to play with after she was at her new school. My baby's growing up... (I get the feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot.)

"Dad ..."

"... my poop is brown like my eyes and my hair."

You know what's awesome?

Fresh chocolate-covered stawberries.

Especially when you're allowed to double-dip.

This week (so far) in Kaylee-isms

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a soldier. And a ballerina."

"Momma, will you call my teachers at home and ask if it's OK if I bring my brain to school?"

"I'm sorry I dropped Cinderella in the toilet."

Upon picking her up from school: "Yay! Daddy! You didn't died!"

Homadadita

I have no idea what the hell she is singing about.

But it's cute, no?

Happy Mother's Day

Kaylee and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Racheal (Grammys, Grandma Cindys and GGs too) for everything she does. The big things, the little things and the things that are so small that no one even notices – but would miss if the were gone. The meals. The cleaning. The play time. The hugs. Especially the hugs.

Go hug your Mom guys. Seriously, she deserves it.

Super giant bouncy fun

My knee still hurts.