Looking Back

At eighteen months, we already have more pictures than we know what to do with. I now understand why my parents had such a hard time just picking out one picture to represent a stage in my life. We feel pretty lucky...

As you can see, Soren has been very busy...

Reading with his Uncle Jeremy...

...Late night streaking...

...picking out a tree...

...checking the headlines...

...riding the hog in Seattle with Aunt Jenae...

...wrestling with Will...

...charming his babysitter Sara...

...riding a bike with his dad...

...cracking jokes...

...riding piggyback with Mama (who wrapped him unassisted in a Moby on her back!)...

...wearing ketchup lipstick...

...falling asleep in dad's arms...

...admiring his mom's wedding shower bouquet...

...exploring the set of 2010...

...clapping with dad at the park...

...reaching for the lorikeet with mom!

...

(whew!)

The Grandparents are back!

The biggest downside about living in southwestern Ohio, all things considered, is being a long distance from my parents. We do believe that Cincinnati is a good place to be a kid, for the many trees and birds, lovely museums, good book stores, lots of happy kids, great parks, a few cool galleries, a nice aquarium, integrated neighborhoods, a few fantastic schools, etc. But it is so far from my parents, who are two of the most excited and committed grandparents that I have ever met.

I have so many memories of visiting my Grandpa Stu and Grandma Kay in Sacramento. My Grandpa roasted holiday turkeys and played board games with us at night. My Grandma Kay taught me how to paint and drove me numerous times to the mall (which was so exciting to us country kids!).

My Grandpa Don and Grammee March lived a stone's throw away in Carmichael. They had an apricot tree by the side of their house and a back yard full of geese and tortoises. My Grammee paid for me to take violin lessons from Kindergarten to 8th grade. I played a short saxophone concert for my Grandpa Don in 4th grade (I was so nervous that I insisted on playing in a different room so that he wouldn't see me!).

My parents drove us up to the Sacramento area very often- it felt like once a month. My brothers and I loved the chance to get extra popsicles and play in their front yards. Being around our grandparents was sometimes preferable to being with our parents! (and I'm sure my parents liked having the break, too)

Soren has only been able to visit with my parents a handful of times, and since my parents both work full time, it's hard for them to up and visit at the blink of an eye. But when they are able to fly out (as they did in November), it's hard to tell who is having more fun: them or Soren.

My dad loves reading books to Soren. My mom loves it when Soren shares his toys with her. It's incredibly great for me to see them love my son so much, and of course, it's so great for Soren. He just lights up and comes alive, bounding from Grandpa to Grandma and back. When he has all four of us as an audience, he looks like the happiest kid in the world.

When my parents do come to visit, I realize what a blessing it is when parents become grand-parents. It isn't something they eased into, or had to be talked into. They were immediate, wonderful, excited grandparents. And they love Soren more and more each time they see him. After a visit, they will call me up the next day to tell me how much they miss him and how they wish they could be out here closer. I think Soren wishes they could be here too.

My parents are such a blessing to me, and continue to be a blessing as i am a new dad. They've been a wonderful encouragement to me and Lisa alike, and their love is infectious. Even though they live so far away, I feel very lucky to have parents like them so invested in my new family.

When the cat is away, the mouse will do lots and lots of errands!!!

After being a dad for 18 months now, I've had a completely new experience: the house to myself! Lisa and Soren went to Seattle to visit friends for the better part of a week. Which means that while they are lazing around eating cupcakes and walking by something called "The Ocean," I'll be here all alone. Can you believe it? Leaving me to preside over the opulent Fairfax Palace?

Hmmm-- a week of Bachelorhood... You might think i'm running amok, sleeping in, drinking lots of beer, taking lots of naps, watching movies, playing video games, going out with friends. That's what a renewed bachelor would do, right? WRONG!!!

Before Lisa left, I made a massive To-Do list, including all the chores i would try to do in their absence! I don't take much solace in sitting around being boring. I'd rather work. I am an Earth Horse, after all, and a Capricorn to boot. Translation: I LOVE to work. Quiet, persistent, constant work. Love it.

Observe:

Here is the first version of my list.
Note that this doesn't exactly cover homework, which is a whole different "To Do" list.

#9) Laundry.
Washing my newly-found jacket, sweatshirt, and shirts! Also finishing up diapers and clothes.
Fold fold fold.

#8) Mirror and timer.
Installing the mirror so as to make our entryway more welcoming (Excellent advice, Martha Stewart).
Note also the new timer hooked up to the red lamp. Automatically turns it on before piano lessons and off before Soren's bedtime.
Oh yes.

#7) Emptied Kitty Litter.
Just kidding. Cleaned out the compost.
We keep our compost in here. You fancy compost bins can go jump in a lake.

#6) Super glue frenzy.
Glued broken colander. Glued broken 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Given my severe aversion to super glue, this is a huge feat.
Seriously, if someone ever captured me to try to pry American secrets out of me, all they'd have to do is super glue my fingers together. I'd start crying like a baby.
I HATE super glue.

#5) Organized tools.
Relocated some orphan tools. Organized our tool shelf some. Hooked up our latent land line phone.

#4) Taped off exposed asbestos.
I am supremely proud of myself for this! Wore a handkerchief over my mouth (probably not as good as a respirator...) and tore short strips of duct tape. It took me much longer than Ithought, but it is good knowing that asbestos is no longer lurking about, ready to be inhaled.

#3) Fixed heater noise.
Fixed a "ghost in the machine" transformer hum in our heater.
Again, totally excited about this. When Lisa and I sit at our table, we would hear an obnoxious humming note as we tried to sit and enjoy our dessert. To a pair of musicians, this is tantamount to Chinese water torture.
Hum solved. BAM!!!

#2) Bottled up homemade Kombucha.
Not an "errand" per se, but I am extremely proud and excited to taste my first batch of home-brewed Kombucha! I know, right... I'm completely becoming a hippie. I now brew cultured tea in my pantry. I have a jar with a weird mushroom thing floating in it. Next will be stewed monkey heads.
Soren, this is my apology in advance: Sorry I am so weird.

*Not shown: Clean up kitchen, and wash 2 sets of dishes.

#1) Turn in long-overdue Japanese homework.
I am not even close to being done on this, but it was a good step in the right direction.

and....

#)x Surprise errand.
Did something for Lisa that I can't post here in case she's checking this!! Hee hee. Let's just say that when she comes back from Seattle, she will have a surprise awaiting her. A GOOD surprise.

Mwa hah hah!!! And the tasks continue...

On the agenda for tomorrow:
1) Japanese homework.
2) Visit Cincinnati Zen Center with Jason.
3) Art History homework.
4) Clean bathrooms.
5) Install new caulk in upstairs bathroom.
6) Plant bulbs in front yard.
7) Mow lawn/rake leaves.
8) Make Mexican wedding cookies for Art History clan.
9) Host Art History clan and study for Quiz.
10) Read about home buying.
11) Grade papers for Visual Fundamentals.
12) Record more music.
13) Read Contemporary Art assignments.
14) Feel lonesome...

What does a LION say?

Let's face it: Halloween was made (stolen, actually) for children. The few adults to enjoy Halloween on the same level are either extremely confident and silly, or they are parents watching each other's kids bonk around and run into each other in their cute little costumes. Hopefully, my recent induction into this second realm won't negate me from my membership of the first. But for now, this was Soren's Halloween.

As you may remember, he had a wildly successful stint last year as Senator John McCain. However, this year found him in a wonderfully wily Lion costume. You see that fringe? You see that body suit? Where do you think it came from, hmm? Target? The Spotted Goose? WRONG!

My friends, I am proud to say that this is the first ever full sewing endeavor by Lisa Dexter Fairfield, budding seamstress and overambitious mom extraordinaire. Not only was the costume extremely cute, but it also fit well, and (miracles abound) Soren even left it through the entire evening!

Also amazing-- you know that routine of getting candy from doors and putting it in a bag you brought along with you? It turns out that this is human instinct. Without any prompting or hints from either of us, Soren marched up to the first house he came to, looked at the inhabitants with huge brown eyes, accepted his bounty, and promptly placed it into his candy tote.

Coincidence? I think not.

Soren's second Halloween may have been a bit more melancholy than his first. I think he was catching on to the changing seasons, the bittersweetness of the leaves falling. He's an interesting kid-- very brave, and very thoughtful too.

He looks so much like a Maruice Sendak character. So huge and wooly and stompy.

And who taught him how to enjoy candy so much? Even bad chocolate! We need to cultivate his sweet tooth so that he weeds out waxy "chocolate" and goes straight for the real thing: Scharffenberger.

Here is the official donning of the costume! Though he doesn't generally like being dressed, he loves being the center of attention. It was a compromise.

I Love You.

Countless groggy mornings after nearly sleepless nights. Little hope of ever having a tidy house again. Insurmountable piles of laundry. Dried cheese and cheerios smashed into the floor and on the bottom of the majority of my socks.

All small prices to pay, indeed, for the joy that we felt yesterday when Soren signed back "I love you" for the first time. Or for the tenderness of his first real little kisses, which covered my face today as I laid down with him for his nap.

What a sweet boy.

Pictures coming soon.

Wow...!

Soren's newest ability is being honed to a fine science. (Which will, we are certain, translate into a career in science). He can now locate any light switch in the house from a distance of fifteen feet or more. Leading the way with outstretched hand, he can flip the switch from On to Off with 25% accuracy at least.

This video was taken about a week ago. At this point, he can rapidly flip each switch, and his wowing is a bit more hushed and reverent.

Pachabel, You GENIUS!

Observe, if you will, a young man already pining for his wedding day.
Talk about social conditioning!! Can't a young boy just be a boy and not have to dream about his wedding day?
So much pressure...