Mobile kitchen

Even though we are staying at places with "kitchens", most of the time the tools are crap. Which is fair - it's what I'd stock a rental too. But it makes me angry and worried that I am going to cut off my finger in some foreign country. 

So, next time we are traveling to places with kitchens and I will cook, I think that it's in my best interest to take along:

- a sharp chief knife. 8"?

- pairing knife

- cutting board, probably plastic for weight

- a peeler

- bottle opener / corkscrew

It's not really a lot of things, but it would make me so much happier while making meals. 

The other thing that I debated and decided against was to bring a better coffee machine. I really wish that I had. I guess if I did that I'd have to add in a food thermometer. Such is my life. First world problems. 

http://j-i-m-s.blogspot.com/2014/10/living-life-of-minimal-stuff.html

It will be nice to be home with good knives and boards again. I think that I'll sharpen them just for fun.

One sided posting

I've noticed that a lot of my posts are about Alice and hardly any about Isaac. This isn't because that I'm not spending time with him, it's that I'm experiencing all things with Alice for the first time. With him I am still experiencing things with him, but I don't feel that I am stumbling as much (yet). 

Today we sat on the blanket on the beach and played with a cloth. We sat on the hotel bed and played rolling a ball around. We sing songs, play games, go for walks, eat dinner together and I carried him in the onya carrier until he fell asleep. 

Isaac: if at some point in the future read this blog, know that the path I walked with you was still newish, yet familiar at the same time. I felt more confident and had less reason for introspection. At least in the first 8 months, which is today. It's been a wonderful 8 months. 

A wonderful drive

Today (right now in fact) we are traveling from Monterey to Pismo Beach. It's a beautiful drive with nerve wracking turns, long drops and crashing aqua waves. There are long grasses with fuzzy / feathers on their tops and monarch butterflies flying by (so Laura tells me)

I'm currently relaxing in the car with Isaac while Laura takes Alice to see some elephant seals. I wouldn't call this "the road less traveled" on this holiday weekend, but it's surely the slow way. Now I just need a lateé and pastries to munch on by the seaside and my day would be complete. 

Down by the sea with my blanket and babies

Today we went to the super kid friendly Monterey Bay Aquarium. Lots of fun and Alice did better than I had hoped. That's not to say that it was perfect, it just it was pretty good for someone who recently turned three. 

Laura has been reading the Spirted Child book and been teaching me some things. It's hard when you want to yell at your kid for provoking and what they really need is a hug. Hugs seem much more effective than time outs. 

Back to our day. It was fun. I'd love to live close so that I can read more and experience it better. Better to have gone than not at alm though. I always love the jellies and the kelp forest was pretty neat. It was really cool to see the schools of fish and how they wheel and behave. I think that I could watch that for a week. 

Yet another awesome day. 

Sleep deprivation

It's been more than a week now of Alice going to bed late and getting up in the range of 4-5 am. On the rare day she'll sleep in to around 6, those are the days that I'm awake from 4 with worry running through my head. It's currently 5:17 am and she has just finished multiple plates of peppers, humas and crackers. Now her plan is to "play and play and play". 

Well, as they say, you can sleep when you're... at work. 

Not sure exact date, but this post not correct date published 

Last day

Even though The Dark One made an appearance this morning, it occurred to me that this is the last day Alice will be two. It brought a tear to my eye.

2014-11-23

The Day of Three Approaches

We are drawing very close to the Day of Three. What will happen on that faitful day I can only guess at.

We really see (at least) two different children. One being the helpful, bright, and inquisitive little girl with bright eyes that look up to us. The other is much darker and tests both patience and boundaries as much as possible. 

This morning we were seeing the dark one again and with limited options I suggested that we play dress up with the two toys we brought. Well, that was an instant success. Pretty soon she wanted to ditch the capes for playing "astronaut" with Mr Bunny and Mr Bear. Soon you need a spaceship for them, so a box from the grocery store stood in for that. I think that it became a time machine after that, or a transmogrifier. Who knows. Either way it means we had some fun times with our girl while keeping The Dark One away. 

2014-11-22