I think he was tired...

Lunch is over... What's next?!

Dolores Park

Nathan's School, the Lycee La Perouse, set up a standing play-date every Saturday at the Dolores Mission park. The goal was to allow the newly inscripted students to get to know each other in order to reduce the stress of that "first day of school" in September.

We showed up on the first weekend and realized a few things:

1. We were the only people from the Lycee who showed up
2. A lack of drainage seemed to make water pool under the the kids swings -- and it appeared this had been collecting water for some time. John seemed to say that the water was sewage, but I had my doubts
3. The "big kid swings" were in various stages of disrepair... only 4 of the 6 had both chains attached
4. The edges of the metal slide had raised a bit. Just enough to shave off a paper-thin slice of thigh if you were really enjoying a fast ride down
5. It was Gay Pride weekend, and therefore the Dolores Mission Park was quite crowded with revelers
   
6. There was most likely a lot of revelers in the park the night before, because John stepped in a nice sand-encrusted pile of puke
7. And, finally, we realized that we would not be returning to the Dolores Mission park.

But the view was beautiful!

Working Lunch @ the "Good Earth" Cafe

No more goopy-eye!

Since birth his 8th day of life, Sidney has had a blocked tearduct in his right left eye.

The symptoms were a constantly "crusty" or "goopy" eye, as if he had just woken up from a 70 year nap. Of course he didn't mind it, but he didn't enjoy having us clean his eye every couple of hours.

It didn't hurt him at all, and doctors all said "it would clear up by itself."

10 months later, the block in the tearduct has indeed worked itself out!

Bye bye, goopy eye!

Bonne fete des peres, papa!

The runner

Swim class

Today was Sidney's first swim class. We arrived a little late as I had a lot of stuff to bring and the car was parked 1 block away. Even Sidney felt he had to help me carry his car seat!


Once at the pool, we were sharing an instructor with just one other baby so it felt like a private lesson and the place was so much quieter than on the weekends. Sidney loves water so much that as soon as he saw the pool he started flapping his arms like a penguin. He seemed very comfortable and went under water several times. He didn't cry at all even though he was drinking the pool at every try!

Sidney

Nouvelle dent

Nuit difficile. Dent du haut droite commence à percer et celle de gauche apparaît sous la gencive...

That's Hebrew!

Nathan was helping me while I was uploading that last movie.

In a fit of "helping," he pointed at the screen (at the "publish post" button) and exclaimed proudly, "That's Hebrew!"

Yippee ki-yay

We went to the San Rafeal farmer's market today. They had rabbits and chickens which were apparently doped up with prozac and trapped in a pen to allow little kids to come in and abuse them for $3 a piece. Nathan got his money's worth.

He then took a ride on the ponies! After letting everyone know he was a "first timer," Nathan named his horse "Messy." The lady said his real name was "Pearl." If you watch, at 1:35 it turns out "Messy" would have been a better name.

Sidney and Papa's first father-son chat

I think he might have pronounced "bzzzzzzzp" incorrectly, but other than that he's really making some amazing progress.

The hat malfunction

Or, "how Nathan and I survived the battle of the bouncy palm trees."

A-pickin' and a-singin'

Nathan loves listening to the narrated story of "Peter and the wolf" by Prokofiev. At the zoo today, I was asking him what noises some of the animals made... and I got a few surprising answers.

Graduation

Nathan had his first graduation ceremony yesterday. Sidney, Alex, Ana and I were there to watch.

All the kids, who reportedly "were all very well behaved and performed perfectly during rehearsals," were a bit freaked out during the whole ceremony.

At left you can see nathan straining to hear the teacher explain to them that they would be walking in line to the main classroom. Note the hand strategically positioned down the front of his pants (spoiler alert: no potty accidents occurred during the ceremony, or after!)

Once they made it into the main classroom, they all

sat in little chairs and were supposed to sing a few songs. Only a few of the kids actually sang. Most of them either cried, or ran to their parents to hang out "in the audience."

And all the while, Nathan kept his hand strategically positioned down the front of his pants.

Llave-train!

Nathan figured out that Papa's keys will fit into many different holes. It's hard to make out, but if you look closely he's shoved them into the "smokestack" of his llave-train! (llave means "key" in Spanish) .

Where is my dinner?

Caption: I've been patient, I had my bath, I let you dress me and comb my hair but now I'm hungry. Stop trying to distract me. I want my food. Where is my food? Enough waiting already.... Ah! Finally.... Well, keep it coming!

Kermesse du Lycée La Pérouse

Sunday, we were invited to this year's Kermesse in Marin. The weather was incredibly hot and "summery"... quite a change from the cold and fog we have been getting. The food was great and the show as well. Nathan was tired because this was right after his swimming class.

And Sidney was cranky because hungry but after lunch and while his big brother was showing us how well he is doing with potty training, he agreed to pose for a few shots.

Puddle jumping...

Sidney a du répondant

Sidney knows "jumping" too

and wants you to watch!

I need my computer...

This morning, computer in hand, I was getting ready to drop Nathan off at school and head into the office.

Ana chirped "trabajar bien, Nathan."

Nathan's eyes perked up, and he starte

d running to the living room. "I have to get my computer!" he cried.

Get a plate

This morning I was in the kitchen with Nathan and Sidney when Ana arrived.

Nathan was eating an "extra" chocolate chip pancake from out of our freezer.

When Ana showed up, Nathan excitedly said "Hola Ana. I'm eating pancakes. Sit. Do you want some? Get a plate!"

Blue Ewok

At his 9-month visit our little blue ewok weighed
18 lbs 12 oz. and measured 29", putting him in the 75th percentile.

You may ask yourself why he's bundled up like this in June... well that's because we are in San Francisco and we are FREEZING!