Savor the Day
In 20 years I will still remember the day. When I am old and senile, with thin skin, dandelion puff hair, and failing eyes, I will still remember the day. If it is one of the last memories that flashes across my mind's eye before I die, the face the reaper will see will be that of a smile. It may seem like hyperbole, but it is all true. Spending last Monday, Columbus Day, with Isaac, at 16 months of age, was a spectacular treat.
I was quiet the entire day and just followed him around. I wandered when he wandered. I watched when he watched. I tried, best as I could, to let him take the lead. I wanted to see the world as he saw it. And for a few hours I think I did. He is a wonderful little boy. A bundle of energy and curiosity. He is demanding and intense, like both of his parents. He is a scientist like is Mommy, watching things, looking for equal and opposite reactions. He loves to play, like his Daddy. But most of all, on this Columbus day I realized that for the first time really I was sharing a space with a new and fully developed personality. He might not be able to talk but he sure can communicate.
We woke up and saw Mom off to Connecticut for her lecture at Wesleyan University. Isaac played around a little with safety thermometers (i.e. no mercury). Here is a shot of the pixie kid wielding them like short swords:
Then we went to a new playground. It had tons of new play equipment and Isaac really loved it. Here is a shot of the little guy:
After about an hour and half we went to Toys'R'Us and got a new creature for Isaac's zoo. We also got a dino for Christmas, but shhhh, that is a secret.
When we got home Dad wanted to make SURE that Isaac ate is lunch (veggie mix) so we put on the TV and watched some Star Wars. With Isaac hypontized, Dad crammed down the veggie mix. It was a very brief TV watch, I promise. And it is Star Wars after all. Then Isaac took a nap.
During the nap Dad did some research on places to find cool rocks. Isaac loves rocks of all sorts and sizes so I thought it would be nice to take him to an actual rockhound place instead of a drainage ditch at St. Bernard's (which he loves, but still...). We found an old abandoned quarry about twenty five minutes away. When Isaac woke up, we set out for the quarry. Here is the sign welcoming us:
After some messed up directions we found the place. Here is a video of us on our way to the quarry:
After some fast paced hiking (the light was going out of the sky), we found the quarry. Here is a great shot:
Nothing to scale the picture, but the rock walls were about 30 feet high. Here is a video from inside the giant gash in the rock:
Even though we got lost and Dad started to panic a little on the way back we made it out in time with about fifteen minutes of sunlight left (Dad, of course, has a flashlight in the Adventure Suit, a Surefire G2X Pro, if you must know).
We then went to Subway and Dad and Isaac had dinner. Isaac even ate a little of the chicken from Dad's sub. We made it home at 6:38 PM. Mom arrived about fifteen minutes later. It was a truly splendid day.
All of this could have been said with a single picture. This picture (which is probably my new FAVORITE picture):
I was quiet the entire day and just followed him around. I wandered when he wandered. I watched when he watched. I tried, best as I could, to let him take the lead. I wanted to see the world as he saw it. And for a few hours I think I did. He is a wonderful little boy. A bundle of energy and curiosity. He is demanding and intense, like both of his parents. He is a scientist like is Mommy, watching things, looking for equal and opposite reactions. He loves to play, like his Daddy. But most of all, on this Columbus day I realized that for the first time really I was sharing a space with a new and fully developed personality. He might not be able to talk but he sure can communicate.
We woke up and saw Mom off to Connecticut for her lecture at Wesleyan University. Isaac played around a little with safety thermometers (i.e. no mercury). Here is a shot of the pixie kid wielding them like short swords:
Then we went to a new playground. It had tons of new play equipment and Isaac really loved it. Here is a shot of the little guy:
After about an hour and half we went to Toys'R'Us and got a new creature for Isaac's zoo. We also got a dino for Christmas, but shhhh, that is a secret.
When we got home Dad wanted to make SURE that Isaac ate is lunch (veggie mix) so we put on the TV and watched some Star Wars. With Isaac hypontized, Dad crammed down the veggie mix. It was a very brief TV watch, I promise. And it is Star Wars after all. Then Isaac took a nap.
During the nap Dad did some research on places to find cool rocks. Isaac loves rocks of all sorts and sizes so I thought it would be nice to take him to an actual rockhound place instead of a drainage ditch at St. Bernard's (which he loves, but still...). We found an old abandoned quarry about twenty five minutes away. When Isaac woke up, we set out for the quarry. Here is the sign welcoming us:
After some messed up directions we found the place. Here is a video of us on our way to the quarry:
After some fast paced hiking (the light was going out of the sky), we found the quarry. Here is a great shot:
Nothing to scale the picture, but the rock walls were about 30 feet high. Here is a video from inside the giant gash in the rock:
Even though we got lost and Dad started to panic a little on the way back we made it out in time with about fifteen minutes of sunlight left (Dad, of course, has a flashlight in the Adventure Suit, a Surefire G2X Pro, if you must know).
We then went to Subway and Dad and Isaac had dinner. Isaac even ate a little of the chicken from Dad's sub. We made it home at 6:38 PM. Mom arrived about fifteen minutes later. It was a truly splendid day.
All of this could have been said with a single picture. This picture (which is probably my new FAVORITE picture):