Categories
Birthdays Pictures

Birthday Boy

Henry turned two today! Time flies. Well, kind of.

It’s been kind of hot for baking, but I made a cake we had at my grandmother’s Sunday, and you’ve never seen a kid more delighted to be the center of the happy birthday song. Sadly, the leftover cake is keeping ants fed on the lawn near the car, where the cake holder my mother put it in for ease of transport back here failed on me. Deb didn’t get any, and I was going to make another, but she didn’t think it was worth it in temps high eighties and above recent days. She did get to eat my experimental lemon spice cake based on the same Henry-safe recipe for chocolate cake. It wasn’t bad, but too mildly flavored and with a baking soda tinge. I still need to work on the frosting for the non-dairy non-egg cake. Even with less honey, it tasted overwhelmingly of honey.

Anyway, grandparents brough Henry a cool Spiderman sweatshirt for cooler weather, and it lights up the way Sadie’s beloved Cars shirt does. All three of them got bouncy balls that are like snow globes inside, so the glitter and color will settle when idle, then go nuts when they are used.

Sadie picked a cool stacking peg set with pegboard, which he loved. She shopped with Deb, and they also got him a wooden toolbox with wooden nuts and bolts, wood strips with holes, screwdriver, wrench, hammer, and wooden pegs. They loved playing with that today. Finally, a coloring book and crayons of his own, which also went over well. I supplemented it with a small plastic chair, red with Mickey on the back. He loves litle chairs that are more or less his size, so he appreciated it.

Poor kid has a checkup I have to take him to tomorrow. I should probably arrange to drop the girls with someone, but they’ll probably all come along as usual.

I’d like to post more pictures, even just recent ones, but I’ve been lucky to write this post. He has twice tried to occupy my lap, and part of the way through it he and Valerie played with and spilled a pitcher of red Kool-Aid all over the kitchen and living room, while Sadie neglected to mention this to me as I’d expect. Even if I can remember what needed to be worked on, it’s hard to do anything, sometimes even the most urgent of things, with them taking all of my time. They’re like free radicals mutating cells of productivity.

Anyhow, one of the best Henry pictures ever, at the playground in Lakeville recently:

Categories
Quiz or Meme

Just From Picking a Picture?


You Are Kind and Sensitive


You relate to others easily. You have many friends, and you love making their lives better.
You are genuinely warm and radiant. People feel comforted by your presence.

Becoming a better person is something you think about every day. You want to be interesting, insightful, and special.
You need love more than most people in the world. You’re willing to love those who don’t love you in return.

The Tree Test
Categories
Art Kids Movies Pictures

Sadie Does Watercolors

Sadie insisted, supported by the others, on letting the Tinkerbell movie DVD play over and over and over for more than two days. I noticed it went all through the “making of” parts in the process, and turns out Sadie was studying the art aspects of it. She was intrigued with how they created the characters.

Then this morning she demanded to paint.

They haven’t painted in months.

She draws amazingly, with a distinctive yet evolving style. She has never painted anything that was clearly something or shown the same talent as she has for basic pen drawing.

Using it as a bribe to get them to help pick up things, I set them up with their watercolors and off they went. I have a tiny rainbow and a princess in a multicolored dress she painted as well, but this was the first and most dramatic of the three things Sadie painted today. In keeping with the inspiration, it’s a fairy. Click for larger:

Categories
Food & Cooking Kids Medical

Oops

He may not be allergic to strawberries, but man is Henry allergic to something in a big way.

We spent much of the afternoon and evening with my mother and grandmother. Late in the day, my mother doled out M&M’s, being Pandora before I could remind her it’s milk chocolate. I consented to his having a few, but she reduced the number he got. It was probably half a dozen. Though perhaps there were a couple more thrown in. Of course, I also used to worry about something like M&M’s due to his clear reaction to the azo dyes in things. That seemed to be related to sensitivity to salycilates, which he also outgrew.

That was the last thing he ate before we came home, and pineapple has never bothered him before. I am sure nothing bad was in the other food, and the timing doesn’t fit.

When we got home, he looked fine but for one lumpy hive/welt I took to be a strong reaction to a mosquito bite.  I swatted one in the back seat as I strapped them in, so not unlikely to have had them feasting on him, and I have thought before that he’d reacted strongly to bites.

Then his face blew up with multiple hives and redness, one of the more severe attacks I’ve seen, if not up there with what happened when he ate a pile of eggs.

He’s had Benadryl and his face scrubbed in case there was a contact component.  He seemed to be a bit itchy.  Figured that’d help, whatever the cause.  I still lean toward the milk chocolate, though, and that’s impressive beyond anything I’ve seen him have to what amounts to a tiny trace of allergen.  I’m watching it go down even as I type, to where it’s mainly crimson cheeks and a couple peripheral spots.

Anyway, just when you figure you can relax…

Categories
Food & Cooking Kids Medical

Strawberries

For the record and any who might care to know, given his history, Henry not only seems unambiguously not allergic to strawberries, but also has decided he likes them a lot.

He’d mostly snubbed them previously. That seemed significant, given his dislike of eggs and peanuts, both of which are allergens. On the other hand, he loves dairy products, which give him a rash on contact, whatever they might do internally. That also tested positive. And he loves bananas most of all, but while those tested negative, he reacts worse to them than anything but significant ingestion of eggs. Apparently this is an “allergy” related to latex allergies, as opposed to the “oral allergy syndrome” food allergy they test for.

He wasn’t tested for strawberries, because we had no suspicion, and they limited it to the biggest (thus wheat and soy being included) and the supected (thus banana, which wouldn’t have been otherwise).

The remaining ones I can think of that are not yet known and potentially serious are a couple of the tree nuts and shellfish. There are allergies to Brazil nuts, walnuts and shellfish in the family, as there were with eggs and dairy.

I still see him get a little red from ??? when eating things that should not be a problem. The most recent instance, and it was minor to the point I’m not even sure it had anything to do with food, was basically just fries and iced tea at Wendy’s.

Anyway, glad that’s one more thing out of the way.

Categories
Quiz or Meme

Been a While Since a Quiz


You Love Being Single


In general, you’re very happy being single.
You like doing your own thing, and you’re happy not to have to compromise.

You’re not opposed to being attached, but you’re not going to settle.
Someone else should your enhance your life, and you’re happy to wait for that person.

Do You Hate to Be Single?
Categories
Birthdays Controversies Humor Politics

Happy Birthday

To Deb’s father!

And a buncha other people, like my friends and former colleagues Rich and Steve, former President George W. “LBJ” Bush and thanks for making Barack Wilson Nixon-Carter possible, etc. But for our purposes here, David is the one who matters most.

Categories
Kids

Many Names of Sadie

Sadie has acquired an impressive number of names, first and/or middle:
Sadie
Rose
Zephram
Veruca
Rory
Just
Shayro

Obviously there’s here given name, Sadie Rose, and I didn’t even include in the list our sometimes reversing it to Rosie Sade. There’s her own poor enunciation of iy we won’t let her forget, Shayro. And indeed, she thinks of herself not as Sadie, but as Sadie Rose, almost as one word.

Zephram Rose is the alternate name we dubbed her with ages ago. We joked about her inventing FTL (faster than light) drive. In the Star Trek universe, the guy who invented warp drive for humans was Zephram. What the heck, it could also be a girl’s name, right? Kind of like Leslie. Or, for that matter, Rory. The only Rory I ever knew was male.

Veruca is my name for teasing her when she is being a brat, from the spoiled girl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She hates being called that, seeming to know what the point is, even lacking the context.

Rory is what Valerie calls her. We have no idea why! Or where it came from. It’s so persistent, though, it verges on becoming a true alternate name in the family, and everyone knows who Valerie means when she refers to Rory. Despite being fully aware her name is Sadie. Too much watching of Gilmore Girls in utero or as an infant? It’s weird. So now I sometimes call Sadie things like Veruca Rory or Zephram Rory or Sadie Rory or Rory Veruca or Rory Shayro or whatnot. Or the entire string of them. Which makes her say “Just Sadie Rose!” So I joke that her name is Just.

Mostly, though, the whole Rory thing is a kick. Valerie is so matter of fact and unswerving about it. Maybe she had a sister that name in a past life, or expected to be born into a family with that name in it, or had a dream.

Categories
Kids Movies

Up

Deb had suggested recently that it was time sooner rather than later for Sadie to go to her first movie in a theater, which I’d been thinking of, but in terms of later this year or sometime next year. Sadie heard us talking about it and latched on, so just as well I’d realized Up might be a good one for the purpose.

Ended up going yesterday, to the theater in the mall in Kingston. It was the close one with non-3D version. Didn’t want to have to deal with that, given the circumstances, not to mention the added cost. Luckily she didn’t get excited about not going to Wareham, where I’d driven through the parking lot Sunday on the way home from their first trip to the beach – it’s a week of firsts, apparently – to show her where I planned to take her. They only had 3D. Kingston had the benefit of being near Walmart and having the food court right there.

Anyway, she was more than ready. And I felt bad, seeing kids much younger – and well behaved! – at the 12:45 showing. We got M&M’s, which took most of the movie to eat. During some of the “dull” parts she’d grab more of them. She sat still, was quiet, was entranced, like she’d always gone to movies.

What a great one! I loved it. Cried and cried. Would have anyway, but it was worse because I was emotional about it being an experience for Sadie, and then the fact she seemed so happy.

The short beforehand was exceptional, too, and I loved how that tied in with a scene in the feature. Even having read a description in a review couldn’t prepare me for the silent sequence showing their entire adult relationship.

Anyway, highly recommended.

Afterward, we had pizza at the food court and went shopping, which was also cool. Usually it’s either just me, or it’s everyone, Sadie seldom gets to do stuff like that alone.

Categories
Birthdays

Happy Birthday

To my niece Melissa, who is 20 today. Time flies!

Categories
Birthdays

Happy Birthday!

To my father, who is [holy crap!] today.

Categories
Uncategorized

Love that last line!


You Are Not a Snob


In general, you’re a very open minded and kind person.
There really isn’t a snobby bone in your body. You are very accepting.

You’re not afraid to be who you are… you’re proud of your individuality.
In truth, you think that snobby people aren’t good enough for you!

Are You Snobby?
Categories
Quiz or Meme

Only One?


You Are Imaginative


You are a creative, innovative person. You’re not afraid of great risks.

Right now, you are seeking excitement and a bit of adventure in your life.

You are drawn to people who are innocent and pure of heart.

You feel like there is one major thing in your life that needs to be changed.

You make a lot of course corrections in your life. Your first reaction is usually not your final verdict.

The Jungle Test
Categories
Quiz or Meme

The Blahs Have It


You Feel Like Winter


You’ve reached a point in your life where you need a lot of downtime.
You need to rest, recuperate, and reevaluate. Give yourself this time.

It’s possible that you’ve suffered some losses. Or maybe life just has you worn down.
Take time to relax. You will emerge a better person if you are able to find true quiet and stillness.

What Season Do You Feel Like?
Categories
Quiz or Meme

Meow?


You Are Like a Cat


You are independent and a bit stubborn. You are content to do your own thing.
You are curious about the world but still an individual. You prefer to be a solo explorer.

You enjoy your alone time, but you also like some quiet company from time to time.
You crave companionship, even if it means just spending time in the same room together.

What Pet Are You Like?
Categories
Quiz or Meme

No Wonder It Bruises Easily


You Are Thin-Skinned


You are very sensitive, and quite often, too sensitive.
You tend to take everything personally, and your feelings are often hurt.

While it’s good to be sensitive, your thin-skin is making it hard for you to cope.
You need help developing a thicker skin. Life is much better when you’re not constantly feeling down.

Are You Thin Skinned or Thick Skinned?
Categories
Quiz or Meme

But Please Don’t Pahk Me


You Are A Car


You’re the type of person who likes to do things your way. You’re a little stubborn.
You’re very expressive and a true individual. You don’t like to compromise.

You are a very private person. You value your alone time.
While you may seem self centered to some, you are actually very cooperative when you need to be.

What Type of Transportation Are You?
Categories
Business Geekery Job Hunting Money

Flow

Life may be like a box of chocolates, but Flow is like a good cup of coffee.

Great post about a concept I’ve talked about before, which is central to some of the types of work I do, and not at all necessary to others. At the old business, it was a mix, where I could be anywhere doing anything and answer quick questions that might come up, put out proverbial fires, but frequently not need a flow state at all. That’s the drive-by stuff, the small stuff.

I’m perhaps more needy of it than some, and may even have a harder time achieving the state than some. It’s how I write the best, or at least the most painlessly productively. It’s how I do certain things that are oddly at both the especially creative and especially analytical ends of the theoretical spectrum that calls those distinctive.

I always need it more for the equivalent of loading a program into my head and wrapping my mind around it. Or more accurately, when there is more to load, or material that is less fresh.

I may as well have been a programmer. If I could scrape by for a while and have a lot of uninterrupted time, (re)learning to be one is high on my list of possibilities.

Categories
Quiz or Meme

Would you believe a Kaos freak?


You Are 20% Control Freak


There’s no way you’re a control freak. You’re totally laid back – and able to take life as it comes.
While you definitely have a healthy mental attitude, don’t get suckered into letting someone control you.
Are You A Control Freak?
Categories
Quiz or Meme

How Appropriate!


You Are Blue


You are a philosophical and often inspired person. You are the master of ideas.
You are open to many points of view. You believe that it’s important to communicate and not judge.

You have a worldly perspective, and you’re always looking to broaden it.
You are a true people person, but you also value your solitude and personal space.

What Primary Color Are You?