Archive for the 'Family' Category
Running Away From Home
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009Wii Fit
Saturday, December 27th, 2008Christmas came and went with a few big presents: Claire’s DS and Avery’s digital camera being big hits. But the biggest hit of all would be Rachel’s gift: a Wii Fit.
We started by taking turns registering. Claire had a Wii Fit age of 38 (+30 years) and I got an age of 30 (-12 years) . Diana would kill me if I posted her progress, but we all set goals for Valentines day. My goal, work down to the top of the normal weight range, Claire’s is to improve her balance.
After taking three games each, Claire continued to play for two hours (working up quite a sweat). Diana and I rounded out our half hour last night, then everyone put in another half hour this morning before breakfast. I’m going to try to alternate between yoga/strength exercises one day and aerobic exercises the next, rounding out with balance exercises (I scored very well on balance, but so did Diana).
The goal is to do half an hour every morning.
The Facts of Life
Saturday, October 25th, 2008As we ate some fried chicken Avery suddenly asked “Is this real chicken?”
“Yes,” replied Diana.
“That’s not fair.”
“Why not?”
“Because chickens lay eggs.”
“Yes, some lay eggs, and some we eat.”
Claire immediately chimed in, “Yes. The married chickens lay eggs and we eat the single ones.”
First day of School
Thursday, September 4th, 2008The kids had their first day of school. Avery was just a half day, but Claire not only had a full day, but some homework too. Fortunately it’s mostly review to ease her back into the schoolwork.
The Pool
Thursday, September 4th, 2008Yesterday we went to the pool for the last time this year. It closed for the winter, but Claire and Avery had fun and Luke came with us. Sadly, Luke forgot his bag and Diana went back to the house, spending an hour looking for it. As it turned out, it was in the car.
I also spent some time in the morning trying to fix the oven knob.  It looks like the rheostat is completely frozen. Very odd. I think I’m going to have to unplug teh entire assembly and take it apart to track this down. A replacement runs about $100. Blech.
Liberty Science
Monday, September 1st, 2008We went to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City yesterday with Melissa and Luke. The kids loved it. We saw the energy exhibit (which glossed over the issues of alternate energy production — like the places that generate wind power don’t have the ability to direct it to the places it is needed, so they run at lower power than they could so as not to destroy the national electric grid). Then Claire and Luke went to see a special exhibit on fear while we took Avery (who really wanted to go, but we don’t need more nightmare fodder right now) to see the harbor exhibit. Victoria enjoyed the fish too.
Afterward we went to see the communications exhibit (where you could learn Manderin, Spanish, or Cockney) and Claire and Luke took off again to see the Monsters of the Deep movie. Avery and Victoria went to the kids zone where Victoria saw some little pika looking creatures and just stood, looked and laughed. Avery played with an enormous ball ramp toy (as in two stories tall).
The giant Hoberman Sphere in the lobby (largest in teh world) entertained the older kids, but scared Victoria. It’s interesting that she already understands enough to realize that the way it expands and contracts is unusual.
Shhhh
Saturday, August 30th, 2008This morning Victoria woke up and romped a bit on our bed before Claire awaoke and sat with us. Victoria got so excited she let out an ear-piercing yelp. All three of us went “Shhh.”
She took a deep breath and let out an even louder yelp. “Shhh.” we repeated.
She took an even deeper breath and as we all prepared she went “Shhh.”
Victoria knew it was a joke and laughed uproriously at our faces. She’s quite the actress.
Yammerin’
Friday, August 29th, 2008Victoria was still awake when I got home last night, so I had a rare opportunity to play with her in the evening. She asked me to bring her to and fro, until she finally decided she wanted to sit at the computer.
I set her in the little chair and turned on the computer. As it started up she kept waiting expectantly. When the wallpaper came up finally she pointed at the picture of a heron and said “luch luch”. It took a moment until I realized she was telling me to “look.” Diana was pretty excited when she heard it too.
But when Diana went to Luke’s to get Claire Victoria pointed up the stairs and said “Mama.” At the time I thought she believed Diana was upstairs, but it looks like “Mama” is her way of saying “I want that.”
I followed her up the stairs (she loves to do that) and into Claire and Avery’s room saying “luch, luch” again. When she got in she pointed at the book shelves and announced “buch”. (That’s a hard ch like “loch” by the way.)
Pointing at each book on the bottom shelf she named each one “buch” and then pulled herself up to the second shelf and pointed to the bookend. “Bookend,” I told her. She listened, and then worked her way along again “buch, buch, buch . . .”
At the end of the shelf was Avery’s bedtime sippy cup (he always sleeps with some water so he won’t wake up 12 times a night). Without missing a beat Victoria went “buch, buch, milk.”
Well, it was water, but she knows what she takes to bed.
Aquarium
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008Went to the Brooklyn Aquarium yesterday. Luke and Melissa came along, mainly to see the baby walrus. The kids had great fun checking out the fish. Victoria loved just looking at them, especially one tank full of colorful ones. She was a little scared when anything big got too close to the glass, though. Especially when I set her up leaning against the window and the Walrus came by.
Claire has a bit of a scare when she looked into a dark tank and suddenly focussed in on a nautilus. Not a very pretty thing to come nose to nose with.
Luke was great with all three kids, even Victoria who seems to like him as much as Claire does. We spent a bit of time in the new cafe, though. Nice to sit for a while.
Avery managed to spill something at every meal, though. We need to break him of this. I’m still not even sure what it is that does it since I never seem to be looking at him when it happens, but Diana has seen it and says it’s just him flailing around like he normally does when he gets fidgity.
Oh, and I served in church in the morning, with three people running the service it was a bit crowded at the alter, but everything went relatively smoothly.