So our little, baby Western Scrub Jay seems to be doing very well! This is the little jay that Davey discovered in our back yard a few weeks ago.
It and its sibling have figured out how to fly and no longer spend much time on the ground (though we do see them there from time to time). Now they follow their parents around and tend to hang out in the back yard apple tree or the front yard oleander.
This morning I think one of the parents was trying to teach it about the bird bath.
So far the baby just sits on the oleander and watches. Soon, hopefully, it'll decide to take a bath.
P.S. The hummingbirds are also omnipresent this year:
When I returned home from the office this afternoon, Davey was joyfully playing in the back yard with Marina, and was wearing only some shorts and no diaper. After a little while he was making movements that made me ask him if he needed to go to the bathroom. He nodded and indicated he wanted me to carry him to the bathroom. So I did.
I took off his shorts and he sat on his potty but didn't do anything and quickly got up and ran out and back outside. When we asked him if we could put his shorts back on he ran off and obviously was enjoying just running around naked. Okay, sure, go ahead.
A few minutes later, without any fan fare or asking for help from us, he calmly climbed up the stairs, opened the door to the house, trotted to the bathroom and knocked on the door (because the wind had blown it shut). I opened the door for him (Marina and I were following closely behind out of curiosity) and he immediately sat down on his potty and peed! When he was done he stood up and applauded. Marina and I were in the hallway, outside the bathroom, looking at each other with wide open mouths and joy. We high-fived each other and gave Davey biiiiiig congratulations and praise. Great job, Davey! I then gave Davey a little piece of dark chocolate as a prize, which he was, of course, delighted to receive.
A little while later, he went through the same steps, peeing again. This time we gave him lots of praise and a high five but no chocolate (he didn't seem to expect it and I'm happy to not turn it in to a habit). And again, a while later, he did it for a 3rd time.
Davey and I met up with my friend, Quynh, at the San Francisco Zoo today to spend a few hours looking at the animals, having a nice walk and a little lunch. Davey really enjoyed seeing all the animals and playing on the playground and was definitely more intrigued than the last time we went to the zoo, 6 or so months ago. I think we're going to have to go back soon -- plus we need to check out the Oakland Zoo sometime soon.
As was the case last year, Davey is in HEAVEN with the peaches off our tree this Summer. He runs up to the tree, plucks off a peach, takes it to a chaise lounge, sits down and digs in. When he's done he walks back to the side of the yard and throws the pit behind a flower bush. And then start all over again. I think he'd eat peaches all day long if we'd let him.
Look closely at this photo and you'll see a drop of peach juice hanging from his chin.
It took a lllllong time to make today -- much longer than I expected. I think I need new yeast and maybe it was a little colder in the kitchen than I thought this morning. But mostly I think the yeast was weak. Still, I'll be making this recipe again because -- it's darned tasty!
We've had a couple of opportunities to visit Bonnie on the river in the past week. And, in fact, we're planning to spend this next weekend with her, relaxing and unwinding on the river, in the sun.
On this last visit we brought our wonderful friend, Bradford, to enjoy an afternoon of fun and relaxation.
Bonnie is always a wonderful hostess and, needless to say, Davey always has the best time visiting his grandma and playing in the water (and with Cosmo!).
On our most recent visit we picked copious amounts of blackberries and made very little dent in the crops. I suspect we'll pick more berries and I'll be making treats with them when we spend this next weekend up there.
In addition, on this most recent trip, Bradford, Dexter and Davey all experienced kayaking for the first time. Bonnie and I fitted Davey with a life vest and he sat in Mark's lap in the kayak while Mark paddled them around the island in front of Bonnie's house. Davey absolutely loved it. He is such a water baby, which both fills me with joy and terror.
I'll just continue with my job of: make sure he's comfortable with the water, practices the "swimming" moves we learned in YMCA swimming class last year but continues to have respect of the water and knows he's not allowed in without Mom or Dad with him. And keep an eagle eye on him whenever he's around water!
We ended our most recent visit with snacks and drinks at the Highland Dell hotel, in Monte Rio. I'd never been there before but Mark, Davey and Bonnie had eaten supper there a month or so ago and Mark came back raving about it. I suspect we'll go there for dinner one night this coming weekend, as the building is gorgeous, the view beautiful and the food was very tasty!
Mark and Ria, our neighbors, brought over a pint of blackberries from their thornless blackberry bush last night. They're sweet and perfect and, as you can see, Davey enjoyed a few for breakfast this morning.
This week we've been witness to an incredible growth spurt in Davey, but not physical: Cognitive.
For a long time it's been obvious that David understands pretty much everything we say and can follow compound directions. As much as he's babbled, and he's babbled a LOT, he's been reluctant to speak English much. He's regularly said "Dad'n" to mean Mark for a really long time, and he says, "mamamama" to get people to do things for him (but not as a way to address me). Months ago he'd made attempts at saying a few words such as bird, dog, kitty. However it'd been months since I'd heard him really say anything understandable other than Dad'n, even though I'd try to get him to say the words I knew he knew.
Well, this week... things have opened up.
I already blogged that he started saying his name a couple days ago. Since then he's been saying his name a lot. Day-yee or Day-dee. Always accompanied by pointing to his own chest. VERY sweet!
This afternoon I came in to the room while he was eating lunch an he casually smiled and said, "Hi Mama."
WHOA. That was the first time he'd actually addressed me as Mama. As you can imagine, I stopped dead in my tracks, smiled and praised him.
He seems to be trying to speak more words now, as well. He regularly says, "Cheers," when we're drinking at meals, "thank you," when given something he wants (sometimes without being prompted), "excuse me," when he burps (when prompted). And he's s trying and playing with different sounds. It's great!
Also, today he indicated to Marina that he might want to go to the bathroom so she took off his diaper and he sat on his potty. And he pooped! Just a little, but still... a poop! Before his bath I asked if he wanted to pee and he sat on his potty and DID. After his bath, he CLIMBED OUT OF THE BATH ON HIS OWN, sat on the potty and peed a little.
Aside from those major moves forward, he's been playing with physical growth and dexterity: He regularly climbs in and out of this stroller, high chair, adult chairs, up the ladder... heck, he's taken to carefully balancing on his pair of bongos and dancing.
And the past three evenings, he's stopped struggling and started cooperating when I brush his teeth and trim his fingernails and toenails. Finally!
And, of course, he has memorized the location of Goldbug on every page of Cars and Trucks and Things That Go and is picky and specific about which books he wants to read and when.
Basically, he's going through a huuuuge growth spurt and he's such a joy.
Last night, rocking in his chair and reading bedtime stories, Davey pointed outside and said "Dad'n" (Daddy) and then pointed to himself and said, "Day'm". Did I hear right? Did he just say his name for the first time? "Yes, that's right, your name is David," I exclaimed with joy. "Day-yum," he replied. And then we went on reading stories.
This morning I asked him, "What's your name?" He replied, quickly, "Day-yum." The joy that Marina and I showed had him saying it again, slightly differently. I got him to say his name three or four times, until Mark heard. Each time a little variant on David or Davey... but he's doing it. The last attempt is pictured here, where Marina is holding him and he's pointing to his chest and saying, "Day-yee."
Look who was found just outside our back door this morning! His parents have a nest high in the Japanese maple tree in our back yard and, from the looks of it, this little guy is learning to fly. Marin Wildcare says to just leave the area and ensure no cats, their only predator, are around. So long as its parents are around, they'll take care of it. Basically, they said it's "fledge season" and there's a period of 7 to 10 days where the baby birds are figuring out how to fly and this can happen.
I wonder how they'll get it back in the nest?
I guess no pool play in the back yard for Davey today! I only hope the bird is not still stuck on the ground tomorrow morning when the plumbers come to replace the waste line, not 10 feet away.
Here's a little video captured of Davey and Marina at gymnastics class. I was able to stop in for a few minutes after renewing my registration at the DMV, next door. Look how strong that little guy is!
What a fun 4th of July morning we had! Mark headed to the shop first with Davey and I following shortly after. Davey fell asleep near the end of the drive so we hung out in the downtown Sausalito parking lot until he woke, naturally. Then we headed over too the shop, put a chair on the sidewalk out front and the parade started!
Davey greatly enjoyed the parade, as did Mark and I. There were lots of floats with live music, all of which Davey loved, but he loved the Sausalito Art Festival float the most:
Personally, I really liked the Cal Alumni marching band
After the parade, Davey and I played in the Buena Vista Park and the "Cement Park" (where the top photo from this blog post was taken).
Eventually I took Davey home so we'd be there in time for lunch, leaving Mark to work as long as he needed. We got home and Davey had a big lunch of his favorite: left-over pasta e fagioli. And he was very happy. Then I put him down for a nap, which he resisted. It was funny though to hear him alternate between whining/crying and singing the Twinkle Twinkle melody.
After his nap we went for a stroll to the super market to get some groceries and ingredients for dinner. I made up some Davey-safe organic chicken fingers topped with organic honey, served with peas and a dessert of organic strawberry sorbet. Funny kid... he licked the honey a little and then picked the crust off the fingers and ate the chicken. And inhaled the strawberry sorbet, of course. Picture: very, VERY happy Davey. The rest of the evening for Davey was uneventful routine of a little Curious George, a bath, lots of stories and easily going to sleep. He's taken to snuggling with "Lobo" his stuffed wolf when getting in to his crib. So sweet.
Shortly before Davey went to sleep Mark came home from the shop and was feeling siiiiiiiick. Davey said goodnight to him and then went to bed.
Mark had a horrid night, with terrible stomach pain, cramping muscles, chills (but no fever) and lots of evacuation. He was in a terrible state. :-( I went to the store and got him some Keopectate, Saltines and 7-Up. He took one dose of the Keopectate and barfed it up 15 minutes later. :-(
Needless to say, I let Mark take the bed, piling on a couple more thick blankets and I slept on the sofa. After making sure there wasn't anything else Mark needed, of course.
This morning he's not puking anymore, thankfully. He says he barely slept, however, so he's not feeling well from illness as well as lack of sleep. Poor guy.
No tears or fears for Davey today in the petting zoo at the Marin County Fair! He enjoyed his time around goats, kids, sheep, lambs, deer, a llama, a wallaby... Fun, fun, fun!
Last night we went out to dinner with Dad, Linda, Polly, Prescott and Roslyn to Boca Restaurant as a late celebration of Mark's birthday (as we were out of town on the actual date).
Davey was restless, but overall he held up quite well.
The rest of us had (it would seem) a great time. Oh, and the food. Yow!! We started off with a round of cocktails -- Mark had a cosmo, I had a lemon drop, Polly a mojito, Dad a prickly pear margarita and Linda a Boca martini. For appetizers, Mark and I split a house salad (nothing extraordinary, but quite good), Polly had the beet salad with lemon creme fraiche (OMG good), Dad had the clam chowder (OMG OMG) and Linda had... shoot, what did Linda have?
The waiter was great and had a long discussion with the kitchen to determine what was "Davey safe" on the kid's menu. The only thing was the Boca sliders with duck fries, but we'd have to do it without the buns as there's egg in the buns. I love that they were conscientious enough to even look in to the bread ingredients. So we ordered the sliders for Davey and the waiter preemptively asked if he should send it out immediately (yes please!). Davey chewed a little of the sliders (adorable little things) but then spit them out. He still doesn't like burgers. He ate a fair number of his DUCK FRIES though. Yum!!
My entree was leg of lamb with mashed potatoes and green beans with a raspberry reduction and a shared side of jalapeno creamed corn with Mark, Mark and Polly got the filet mignon with duck fries and green beans, Rozzie had the chicken fingers (with duck fries!), Dad and Linda had the hangar steak (I didn't take a picture -- what was the side?) and Prescott had a cheeseburger with duck fries. Mmmm, duck fries. Plus we shared a bottle of Roshambo (sp?) Dry Creek zin (yum).
For dessert Polly, Linda and I shared two orders of butterscotch pudding (OMG), Mark had the dulce de leche ice cream with hot fudge cake and fudge sauce and a tasting flight of port (yum). Dad had the quesillo (tasty). I'm not sure what Prescott or Rozzie got. At that point Davey needed to run around so I was mostly chasing he around outside, popping in twice to scarf down the desserts.
We are SO going back. And on Tuesday nights, when bottles of wine are half off.
Davey is feeling muuuch better today than yesterday. He went to sleep at his normal time last night and he woke at 5:45 this morning, hungry and ready to face the day.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Marina told me that Davey had successfully peed in his potty yesterday while I was at the office. So last evening I asked him if he needed to pee and he got excited at the question. I took off his diaper and he immediately sat down on his potty and tried really hard to pee. And was successful! We were both very excited and happy about this turn of events. Here we go!
Today he's hungry and chowing down. I've been working and am about to take over Davey's care for the rest of the day. We'll see if there's more potty in Davey's future for today.
