Pop culture, full circle.

Aaron and I share a few interests, and one of those interets is a long list of television shows that we watch together. Not that we're couch potatoes, but prior to baby the couch had special well-worn divots for our respective rear ends. Post baby, things that were funny seem horribly inapropriate for someone so young and unworldly. That of course doesn't stop us from making references and jokes about the things we have seen. But, lo, children are absorbing all the time. Yea, they are the sponges of the human race.

We are constantly making jokes about "peanut butter fingers"; from the episode of Friends where Monica is planning her wedding and needs help picking out hors d'ouvres...you know? (She hands the list to Joey, he gives it back with two additions, she says "what are peanut butter fingers?" he mimes sticking his fingers in a jar of peanut butter and then eating said foodstuff)

Yesterday, Adrian asked for peanut butter. And I said "you want peanut butter?" It's an odd request for him.
And he said "yes" held up his first finger and said "finger".

Our not-quite-two-year-old just asked for peanut butter fingers.

Kazoo

Nana came to visit us and we went to Brookfield Zoo. As evident by Adrian's face, the zoo is serious business. Here we are in the very neat primate exhibit, where it rains indoors. Adrian has not been able to stop talking about it, except with his limited vocabulary it goes like this: monkey Nana kazoo monkey (points to ceiling) rain.
(Kazoo means the zoo)

Here is evidence that babies are babies, regardless of species. I have to say that the primate exhibit here makes me feel sad for the monkeys (and such) who live in zoos where they don't have access to interesting environments.

This was supposed to be the first picture in this series, but Blogger has it's own ideas about picture order. This was on the drive to Brookfield. Adrian was pretty impressed with his ability to wear sunglasses and pick his nose at the same time.
It's good to have goals, I guess.
What would a trip to the zoo be wthout visiting the elephants? I love elephants.
THIS IS NOT AN INVITATION TO BUY ME ELEPHANT TCHOTCHKES.
I'm not a tchotchke kind of girl.
But if you happen to know of a place where I could go and hang out with some elephants, that would be information I'd be interested in.

Erica; here and gone.

A record of Erica's all-too-short visit:

Monday, noon:
Me: You have to take a nap so that after nap we can go get Erica from the train station.
Adrian: Erica?
Me: Yes, Erica is coming to see us. She's taking the train.
Adrian: Train?
Me: Yes, Erica is taking the people train to come and see us. But you have to take a nap or we can't go and get her.
Adrian: Night night.

Monday, 3pm:
Adrian and I head to the train station, only to find that Erica missed the stop because a) the conductor failed to announce it and b) she doesn't move at super-human speeds.
So we wait for her to come back the other way on the next train. During the wait, all of the stuff on the floorboards proved to be extremely useful in distracting Adrian from the fact that he was strapped into his car seat. We investigated deceased lady bugs, made puppets out of empty snack containers, and read some books that had escaped the diaper bag in months prior. That took 15 minutes. Then we got Erica, came home and Erica took Adrian outside to play while I made dinner (Thai fried rice with basil-yum!).
6pm: Adrian takes a bath and shows off for Erica, splashing and doing his impression of Elmo swimming.
7pm: Aaron comes home, Adrian goes to bed. I go to yoga (where I learn that I look like I'm 20). Erica and Aaron clean the kitchen (hooray!)
9pm: I get home. We all laze around until 10, at which point I go to bed.

Tuesday 6:30am:
Adrian wakes up. We go into the living room, where Erica is sleeping.
Adrian: sssh. Erica seeping.
Me: Yes, I see that.
Adrian: ssssh.
Teletubbies are watched, at 7 Erica wakes up. Coffee and breakfast are consumed.
At 8:45 we go outside. Bubbles are blown, plants are watered. Holes are dug, hostas are planted. Then we go to the park. On the way there, we pass a small bag of pot laying on the sidewalk. At the park we discover a condom and loose change.
Adrian: monee!
We show Adrian how to put money in his pockets and go home.

Lunch is eaten, Adrian puts hotwheels stickers on Erica's face.
Noon:Naptime for Adrian, and Erica gets ready to go.

22 hours of Erica just isn't enough.

Saving the planet!

I don't know how many of you caught that special on the Discovery Channel with Tom Brokaw about Global Warming and what we "need to know"; but Aaron and I watched and were thoroughly shamed by our living habits.

According to Tom your computer, TV, and stereo use 40% of their power while turned off (as opposed to 100% while on and fully functioning) . Aaron and I have decided to test this theory: every time we finish with the computer, we turn it off and unplug it. At night before we go to bed, we unplug the TV. If Tom's assertions are correct, we should see the difference in our energy bill.
We'll let you know how it goes.

He's a sly devil, that Tom Brokaw, with his gentle voice and concern for the planet. He shames us all with his coiffed hair and LL Bean apparel.

Of course all of that is somewhat silly, when we still haven't had our recycle bin delivered by the city (after 10 months of residence). And last Friday, the truck that dispenses city cans drove right by our house, WHILE WE STOOD OUT FRONT AND WAVED OUR ARMS FOR HIM TO STOP.
This Friday, I may have to lie in the street.

Now I know my Q, R, T's!

Adrian has these tubby letters, made of some sort of foam. Not only do they stick to his head, they are an educational tool. Witness:
Aaron is giving Adrian a bath, while I tidy the living room. The following is the conversationI overheard just this evening.

Adrian: E
Aaron: That is an E!
Adrian: T
Aaron: That is a T!
Adrian: B
Aaron: That is a B! What other letters do you know?
(This continues through R, Q, O, W, A, S, U, D, P, F, H, I, K, and X)
Aaron: Kaaaaaaraaaaah!
Me: Yes?
Aaron: Did you know he knows all of his letters?
Me: Um. Yes, I think so.
Aaron: How long has this been going on?
Me: Um...couple of weeks, I think.
Aaron: Why didn't you tell me?!
Me: I don't know.

I guess I figured he'd find out eventually. And compared with all of the other stuff that Adrian is learning and doing every day, the alphabet isn't all that exciting. (Don't get your feathers ruffled!) I'm just saying he's now sharing his snacks with his toys, engaging in imaginative play--his animals graze the carpet, complete with chewing noises, he's trying to write letters (he does a mean "Q"), he cleans the toilet (no, really), and he's making little sentances.
We're also in the stage of very funny verbal mix ups.
For example: for dinner, Aaron and I had tater tots.
Adrian had tater tits.

Some stuff that happened.

this is the 4th at Brookfield zoo (the joyfully damp one), some watermelon, and baby's first haircut (for which he was rewarded marshmellows). More posting will happen when I'm not up to my elbows in addresses, envelopes, and trying to stay on the good side of the folks at the local post office. (Hi! It's me again! How many ways can we send this? Which is cheapest? Oh...you have to scale them to find out, hunh? Well...would you? Yes, I know that there's a line forming, but I'm paying in pocket change so either way, they have to wait)

Kara D: disgruntling employees everywhere.

oooh, nice

As of late, Adrian has taken to pouring water on himself at bathtime and declaring "ooooh. niiice" The 'nice' is all stretched out and breathy-sounding, and is fairly rediculous.

Not as rediculous as the other instances when he has decided to trot out his new catch phrase:

while rubbing his face on the cat

upon discovery of a long-forgotten stuffed animal

while eating watermelon

To this I would also like to add that I never thought my catch phrase would become:

we only put fingers in our nose.

Parenthood: it's a whole other reality.

Mama's got a new number!

Hello ducks, dolls, and darlings!

I promise to update you sometime soon on the crazy hectic existence that we have been living.
But the big important news is that I have a new cell number and the 571-xxx-xxxx no longer works.

I've emailed a few of you, called a few of you, but for those I have inadvertantly neglected, please email me (karacrafts(at)gmail(dot)com and I will get it to you post-haste.

You can also leave a comment here with your email address, but DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER. This is an open forum, which means anybody and everybody can see your comments!

Kiss kiss!

The rest of Virginia

Okay, I realize that a lot has happened between now and Memorial Day (like an entire month), and I haven't been posting because I should be finishing up all of my stories about the trip Adrian and I took to Virginia. But as the days go by, the details get fuzzy. So here are some images and brief descriptions. Above, Fuz is playing upside-down baby while Chris looks on. (Adrian loves upside down baby). That day was hard because Adrian didn't nap well, and was overstimulated with all of the big people he had to boss around. Kathleen was there, too but I didn't get her picture. I'm not sure why.
The next day, Lyre (on the left) and Karlee (on the right) came over and we ate and got bossed around by Adrian. It was a good time. I hate living far away from all of these fabulous people.
Jono entertains Adrian with his amazing guitar skills. Adrian tries to un-tune Jono's guitar.
And the next day we went to the airport, got on an airplane and sat on the tarmac for 2 hours, before we went back to the gate and were told to try again tomorrow because of the weather.
The day after that we got on an airplane at 6:30am and actually made it home.

See how the time and the space dilute the memory?
Sorry if this has read like a rant of the insane, but I just had to get it over and done with so I could tell you what's happening now. Like how Adrian's learning about 5 words a week. And he's starting to realize how words that sound the same don't mean the same thing, and how he's starting to put together little sentances.
It's very cool.

Journey to Virginia: days threeand four

One of the many very cool, very old houses in Salem, VA.

Day three
Friday! The day that Mem gets married!
The morning starts in Arlington with the usual wake-up rigamarole. Then Mom takes me to pick up a rental car (which makes me feel very grown up). Drive back home, load the car, distract the baby, and then it's off to Salem with a heavy heart. I was physically pained upon leaving Adrian behind. I got over that as soon as I was on I-66 and had to play dodge-the-jerks-so-i-don't-die. A game familiar to anyone who has driven in Northern Virginia. This was also the Friday prior to Memorial Day, so 66 inbound was full of Vietnam Vets on their way to DC and the Wall. I almost cried twice. But I held it together for the sake of not dying while driving. It was orginially my clever idea to take 66 to Rt 11 and mosey on down to Salem the scenic way (instead of taking the speedy 81). After hitting EVERY RED LIGHT in Harrisonburg, that plan way quickly revised to the tune of: bugger that.
I will say that driving into those mountains was very much like coming home.
I arrive in Salem, take a driving tour of the College campus--wherein I am much confused by the new construction, and then head over to Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea on Main Street. Where I run into none other than Richard Gandee. Richard and I spent lots and lots of time together freshman year because I was dating his roommate (which is another rediculous story altogether). Richard is really funny in that irreverent way that I do so enjoy. Funnier still, Richard graduated from Roanoke in 2003, and is working in Mill Mountain because he's back for more of that higher learnin'. For the mere price of a cup of coffee I got to be entertained and order Richard around. Good times. After my caffine fix, I head over to Kym and Cat's very very cute house where I will be staying overnight. We do brief cathing up, I throw on wedding clothes, look outside and it's raining! Which puts the lid on my plan of walking to the church.
After my rediculously short drive--4 blocks--it stops raining, and I walk in to say my hellos and sit. That plan is quickly changed, as I am whisked away by Mem's mom to see Mem. She was so beautiful! There was a lot of trying not cry going on.
The ceremony was beautiful, the reception a little akward, as I knew only a few people, and they seemed to all know each other. After all of that, I headed back to Cat & Kym's where I de-fancified. Then Kym and I went to Mac & Bobs for 2 whole drinks (we're wild ones) before calling it a night.

Day four
The day started with breakfast at the coffee shop with Kym. And we talked about art (which is one of the reasons that she is so awesome), and took a driving tour of Salem, and reviewed Kym's fabulous photography.
Then I was back on the road for another 200ish miles of fun. I got home in time to hang out with my little man, feed him dinner, put him to bed. There's nothing better than hearing your son say "mama" when you walk through the door.

Trip time: 30 hours.
Total trip miles: 450.
I enjoy driving, but you know what I enjoy even more?
Getting out of the car.

Papa D and Adrian.

I'd post more, but I'm just too tired.
Check out the new pictures at Flickr.

Journey to Virginia: day two

Day two
The day started nice and early--5:30 a.m. eastern standard time.
I cursed the singing birds and the jingling dog tags and the sun.
But Adrian was awake, so our day began. Breakfast was had at the kitchen table, and then it was baby away!
This was when I started to notice that he was much less a baby and much more a little person. He required less of the hovering-style supervision and more of the mindful-from-a-distance supervision. It was an improvement.
Gagah and Papa went to work, and Adrian and I found ourselves keeping busy with toys and the out-of-doors. I think that a sliding screen door and a fenced in back yard are definately high on the list for our next home. Then it was lunch, followed by nap.
Post nap, Gagah returned home from work and there was much playing to be done. By playing, I mean travel to and much money spent at DSW (a shoe heaven). It was grown-up playing. Adrian enjoyed running up and down the aisles and throwing away trash, as well as playing peek-a-boo with another bored boy.
Then we returned home, fed baby, bathed baby...and then I left the grandparents to put the baby to bed. I walked out the front door...To have dinner with the fabulous Emily and her fiance Steve. We ate at Whitlow's on Wilson (which has been in Arlington as far back as I can remember--they used to advertise their brunch on the back of the church bulletin), then strolled down a block to the Galaxy Hut. Where I discovered a few things that shocked and pained me:
1. they had painted.
2.our bartender wasn't working there anymore (granted, it's been 4 years, but come on!)
3. they were doing karaoke. At my bar.
The bar that used to house wicked indie rock bands and be painted black with white spots that suggested constellations. Now it sports silver walls and has karaoke. Plus everyone there looked like they were 12 despite the "21 and up" sign posted on the door. It pains me that my once cool hole-in-the-wall bar aspires to more. I enjoyed it's lack of pretention: the unapologetic bathroom graffiti, and the "patio" (a glorified alleyway with green plastic lawn furniture). Another reason I could never move back to Arlington.
Being the old lady that I am, I was home by 11. And I only had 2 margaritas.

Next installation: The day I drove, and sat at stoplights, and drove some more! Plus Richard Gandee, Cat and Kym Davis make guest appearances!

Journey to Virginia: day one

(Drinking Gagah's iced tea)

Here I am to recap what-all everyone missed while we were away because I was truly on vacation. Technology, I refuse to be at your beck and call.

Day one
We get up at our usual time (5:30ish a.m.) after washing of faces and packing of last minute items (toothbrush, breakfast) we are out the door to the airport. Aaron is chauffering(it's a verb now, baby!) us, as I cannot manage airplane check-in, baggage, and an eightteen month old with an insatiable curiousity in the mundane.
We arrive at the airport and our plane is running slightly behind, but that's okay-by-me. It allows us a more leisurely pace through security and not one but two bathroom stops. (It's the coffee, okay?) Then we hang out at our boarding area, where Adrian meets-and-greets all of his future constituents (or voters in American Idol season threemilliontwelve). After a snack of applesauce and a diaper change it's on to the airplane!
I honestly don't remember anything about our flight. I know it wasn't traumatic and that's good enough for me.
Mom (aka Gagah) picks us up at the airport. We take the toll road back to Chez DeCarlo, where Adrian has a quick lunch and then a crappy nap. Or no nap? It's all a little fuzzy at this point. I do remember that his first 24 hours of sleep away from home were truly wretched.
In the afternoon, there's outside play time with the dogs (Mosby aka Bees, and Blaze aka Baze), a tasty dinner courtsey of Gagah, tubby time, and much requesting of Papa D.
Papa D arrives, and there is great showmanship on the part of young Adrian: watch me throw this ball, watch me spin in circles, watch me climb this chair. All of this is to the chorus of "Papa, Papa, Papa, Papa!" Then it's bedtime! Or to hear Adrian tell it, it's time for the paper-cut and lemon-juice treatment.
Oh, the screaming and the sobbing and the general dramatics.
After an hour and a half of carrying on he finally falls asleep. (Makes you really want a baby, doesn't it?)

Tomorrow: Find out what time Adrian wakes up! Hear about the nap that was too short! Learn about how nothing stays the same or proof that I am really an old lady in a young shell.

Travel: it kills me.

(Adrian and Jono)

I often fancy myself to be an intrepid explorer of places uncharted (uncharted by me, that is) But this past week kicked me in the teeth.
I am wore out. And it was so loverly that the whole thing ended with more! airline! problems!
Due to weather, we sat in an airplane on the runway for nearly TWO HOURS before air traffic decided to cancel the flight. TWO HOURS of keeping Adrian entertained, keeping him from kicking the seat in front of us, keeping him from running in the aisle like a baby posessed. The stranger sitting next to me was so kind and so helpful and I didn't even get his name or get to say: thank you, angel from heaven in a grad student's body.

Despite all of that, Adrian kept his cool and we were able to get on a plane at 6:30 this morning and come home.
And I have many photos, which I will share once this cold oozes it's way out of my head.

Funny boy.

I've known him his whole existence and I still can't figure out how his brain works.

For example:
Adrian has the hiccups.
I said to him: you have the hiccups.
him: hiccup.
(then he looks up)

hiccUP.
look UP.

It's funny he'd make that connection.
And they say mystery is dead.

Alternate Plans

In October, Aaron has some time off from work. I told him I'd take him to London, as he has never been overseas for fun (just for Uncle Sam). But check your calendars ladies and gents! It's nearly the end of May and our dear boy has yet to get a passport.
So!
Alternate plans are being considered. I've sent away for travel brochures to some US locations, because whether or not we go to London, we have to give Adrian over to the grandparents for a week. A week without a 6 am wake up "Mama!", a week without my life revolving around the schedule of the tiny tot! Clearly I cannot sit at home--the silence would be soul-crushing. If the much needed passport is not obtained, we will still be going somewhere. Or, I can go and Aaron can stay here.

Baby house, weekends, and yelling too.

Baby prison? No! Baby House! Which Adrian pronounces "haus". Followed by "Nana"(provider of house) and "Ank Oo" (Thank you). He's recently started saying "thanks" without prompting (it happens 30% of the time), but it sounds like "angst". Either he needs to work on his diction or he's terribly precocious. (Egads! He's a teen already!)

The main attractions of the baby house are as follows: he can move it with minimal assistance, it's an excellent spot for hide-and-seek (as well as hide-and-poop), he can look out the windows while declaring "peek!", and it has funny little drawings of ladybugs all over it.
We'll see how long the love affair lasts. (Hopefully years)

It was a life saver on Sunday when everybody(my mom, Aaron's parents, and Aaron) left. There were only a few tears and they were from me (yes, I'm a big giant crybaby. Let's move on)
My mom's visit was fun, although the weather was MISERABLE. Forty degrees and rainy the whole time. Adrian calls her "Guh" for Grandma, and spent most of his time telling her to sit and/or watch. There's no doubt that he's the Little Emperor.

Yesterday he was standing on one of the dining room chairs and I asked him to sit (repeatedly). So I finally said (loudly) SIT! DOWN! his response : AAAAA! AAAAAAA!
I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. It was unexpected, and I found it really funny that he thought that would pass muster as a convincing argument in his favor.
After I was done with the laughing and the wiping of eyes, I said "that was really funny, but I still need you to sit"
And he did.
Mystery.

Pictures for yous guys.

Not much to say--hey-hey-hey.
My mom gets in tonight for a brief stay and I'm super excited. I even bought flowers.
There's still cleaning to be done (surprise, surprise) and curtains to be hung (surprise, surprise).

But enough of the balr-de-blar from me. Go to Flickr and check out the new pictures.

Blogger was too slow with the uploading today.

Translation. Adrian to English.

Here it is, an up-to-date users guide to the subtle and nuanced language of Adrian (or what one childless friend refered to as inane baby burble--wait till you have your own and then you'll see how far from inane it is)

In no particular order:

Adrianese: English

Ba : Ball
Buh: Book, Bird, Burt (from Sesame Street or Mary Poppins)
BaBa: Bottle (although this is a universal one)
Bach: Lunchbox (our cat)
Aaa: Jack (the other cat)
Ti tees: Kitties
Eeeee : Eat
Na nan: Lawn Mower
Hecah: Helicopter
Tutuck: Dump truck
Sigh : Outside
Duhstes: Downstairs
Cow: Cloud
Moo : Cow
Up : Up
App: Apple, Apricot
Coo: Cool
Fa : Far
Fwoe: Throw
Keet : Kitchen
Chay : Chair
Tash : Trash
Durt : Dirt
Wheee: Playground
Wawa : Wagon
Wawer: Water
Tee : Tea, Tree
Bi Bur: Big Bird
Emoe : Elmo
Oss : Oscar the Grouch
Goger: Grover

Most of these are words and signs, especially in the instance where one sound may mean two things. It's fairly clever how he's training us to communicate.
That's all for now. Stay tuned for further installments.

Update:18 months

Dear Adrian;

Congratulations! You're a year and a half! At which point your father would interject: only 16 and a half to go.
I believe that it is fully appropriate to crown you with the title of toddler. You walk, run, dance (including the MC Hammer side-to-side dance taught to you by your father), and do the splits. You're interested in everything, which is fun to watch but provides unpleasant side effects such as the inability to leave the house in under 20 minutes, the refusal to sit in the grocery cart, and the desire to explore the personal space of strangers. Especially strangers with hats.

Your vocabularly expands daily with the most recent additions of Iowa, business, and Dude. Iowa is courtesy of your Granpa Gary who is bound and determined to see you go to the University of Iowa (you also know Herky, and can say Hawkeye), who spent the past weekend teaching you to play catch and say Iowa. Business came about because you were calling for Granpa and I told you "he'll be right back, he's taking care of business" You then looked at me and said "bissbiz". Now it's how we describe anyone who is off doing something in which you cannot participate: Nana's cooking? Nana's business. Dad's smoking a pipe? Dada's business.
And Dude! You've said "dude" before, but now Dude applies to the one and only Jim King. You think Dude is pretty cool, as he will chase you around the yard and play catch. I also think that this increases his cool factor by a million.

Your eating habits are becoming heavily influenced by the word "no".
Me: Adrian, would you like chicken or a hot dog?
You: No.
Me: How about peaches or a banana?
You: No.
Me: A cracker?
You: No.
Me: noodles?
You: No.
Me: what do you want?
You: (sign language for eat)
Me: you want to eat?
You: No. (while trying to climb into high chair)

I'm going to stop giving you choices if you keep this up.

It's very funny to watch you grow and change. Every day you move a little closer to adulthood, all the while pushing me a little closer to the edge of my patience. I understand that this is normal, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. My least favorite is when you pretend that you can't hear me so that you can continue doing something I've just told you not to.
I recently discovered that no ammount of explaining can prevent you from pitching a fit when you've decided to do so. This time in your life has also introduced me to a crucial point in my life: learning to divert my temper. I have a fierce temper, and I spend many moments counting to ten or taking deep breaths. I'll say that this is the most difficult aspect of parenting--I try to model "cool, calm, and collected" so that you may one day be able to do the same. I want you to know that it's okay to feel angry, but it's not okay to take that feeling out on someone else. I try hard to show you that your feelings matter, that some days aren't all sunshine and marshmellows, and that no matter how many fits you throw or how many times I tell you no my love for you doesn't waiver.

Love,
Mama