Texas Bluebonnets

Around Easter time Texans brake for bluebonnets. They can be flying down the highway when they spot a nice patch and they'll screech to a stop and throw their kids and dogs out of their trucks and take pictures. Yesterday we drove up to spend Easter with Grandma and we found a nice patch on the property dappled in the evening sunlight.

Daddy I Got To Tell You Something

That's Evan not looking so that Vivian can hide the Easter eggs and he can go try and find them.

It's also one of the few times he shut up yesterday. The boy won't stop talking. He talks so much that Vivian who was our talker is sometimes stunned into silence. He starts talking before he's out of his bed. By the time he walks into our bedroom he's in full flow. When Jo and I or one of us and Vivian try to talk to each other he interrupts and says "I've got to tell you something". A couple of nights ago he called me back with "Daddy I have to tell you something" about a half a dozen times after I put the kids to bed. The first time he was thirsty. Then he needed to go pee. Then he just made up shit to say. The final time I warned him to either shut up and go to sleep or that it had better be something important. He pointed to a painting that hangs over his bed and said "Daddy - why is there a picture of a fish over my bed?".

Town Lake

Karen and Jo went to see a movie on Saturday morning (I can't tell you more but it was a private screening for Karen at the Violet Crown for a movie that won't be released for months). I took Evan and Vivian to Town Lake. Vivian dressed herself from tip to toe in white.

That's Evan in the green checked pants and the red and black shirt behind Vivian in the last photo. He never stood in one place long enough for me to take a better photo of him.

Serious Men

Grandpa was sitting out in the late afternoon sun and Evan hopped up on his lap. I encouraged them to smile so I could take a photograph but neither would.

Holi

While Christmas and Easter and Kwanza and Secretary's Day are all fun, it's Halloween that I wait for all year. It seems that Jo's preferred Indian festival is Holi. She invited a bunch of kids over. Parents and kids knew there would be color involved. But the scale of the color took them by surprise. Many clothes were ruined. Much fun was had. Next year it will be back bigger and better.

Then we went off with the kids to play soccer and eat pizza in the park. We got back home to party some more with Jeanne and Simran. Celebrating Holi with Simran has been a tradition for Vivian since her first Holi - when she was a few weeks old (here's a video of that). Last year we met in Goa and kept the tradition going. This time Simran brought four boxes of cascarones and more Holi colors and we started all over again, mixing up the ethnicity a bit.

The Cult

Years ago I used to make fun of my friends in cults.

Some people are serious Crossfitters. One joined a couple of years ago when he was an overweight geek and now he's a musclebound young man who spends all his time at every Crossfit competition without his shirt on. Another saw his wife go through the program and reap the benefits and he jumped into it feet first this year. Now he does a 100 burpies before every workout just for fun. You want to keep your cup of Kool-Aid close by when they are around.

I got drunk with Greta on St. Patrick's Day. She's in the Kool-Aid category. We had dinner with Amanda and Gordon. Gordon works out with me. Dinner was superb and paleo. We spent an evening at Becky's. Vivian and their children go to the same school. Becky and Jo workout together. And dinner was paleo - not counting the gluten-free brownies. Yesterday we went to a barbecue. Almost everybody there Crossfits. Dinner was paleo, almost primal - the main course was pig hunted and killed and cleaned and smoked by someone at the party.

Jo and I are spending all our time hanging out with people who Crossfit and eat paleo. Very nice people. In many cases people I've known long before there was Crossfit. But still. I guess that makes me a Crossfit bitch. Or a groupee. My world has shrunk. My menu too.

There's a sliver of good news. I don't wear Lulu. Yet.

Look Alike

After a cold but fun Rosedale Ride this morning we went to Crossfit Central to cheer Jen.

Vivian and Evan wrestled in the lobby while Jen put in a great performance. Then everyone got together for a quick photo. In the instant after the photos were shot Evan jumped up from Ingrid's lap and ran about 30 feet to a young African American man who was taking the photos. The whole group that had assembled for the photo held their collective breath as did the young man. Then Evan grabbed his leg. Everyone gasped. Finally Evan looked up and realized that it wasn't his dad. I guess we all look fucking alike.

Later that evening we went to someone's house for awesome barbecue. Their neighbor's son and Vivian and Ava and Evan entertained themselves for three hours in the back yard. At one point the lad pulled out handcuffs and cuffed Ava and Evan's legs. I told Evan that this may happen again later in his life. If it did, don't panic. Call your sister for help.

On the way back home after the party Vivian demanded that we arrange a play date with that lad. Jo asked her what his name was. She didn't know. While she was thinking hard Evan kept coming up with nonsensical names. That's when Vivian said  "Evan, stop. I can't think with you talking." I can see that happening many more times in their lives.

Rosedale Ride

We are getting ready for the 19th edition of the Rosedale Ride. Yesterday Jo and Vivian and Ava and Evan went out for a ride around the block. Then we went to the Ride's Silent Auction and Kick-off party. Evan got juiced on cookies and cup cakes. The kids went off to the Kid's Corner. There they met these amazing young teen girls who make robots. They were showing off a robot that throws frisbees. Vivian was impressed. Then the kids made some artwork. As soon as Ava and Vivian finished their art they ran over to show the results to their moms. As soon as Evan finished his, he took it over to show the robot girls. Moms shoms.

The Charmer

Evan doesn't show it. But there are girls out there that like that boy. For the life of us we don't know why.

There's his friend in his class. When we see them together they don't seem into each other at all. But when we see photos posted by their teachers, she and Evan are always close by. Sometimes there's an arm around the other. Then there's his other friend from school who's not in his class. When they are in the same room with us they don't even look at each other. But apparently she throws a tantrum when it's time to leave because she wants Evan to go home with her. The other day Evan was ready to go home with her. Last minute car-seat logistics intervened. And there's Evan's childhood friend. She often posts signs on her door. Here's a recent sign asking boys to keep out. On the top right you'll see "EXCEPT EVAN".

Jo thinks it's because he's sweet but not a pushover. I said "Honey - like me?". To which my wife replied "I'd never use the word 'sweet' to describe you". Ouch.

Big Boy

Evan is our problem sleeper. He usually sleeps only 10 hours each night and takes a short two hour nap in the afternoon. I know. So I trust Jo's sleep sense. And one of the things she does is keep the child in a crib longer than most mothers probably do. Vivian got her Big Girl Bed a month before she turned three. Evan got his last week at almost the same age. And he'll mention that he's a Big Boy now to anyone who'll listen.

He also seems to have completely gotten over holding on to his poop, now pooping multiple times on some days.

So he does seem so big so suddenly, wandering in and out of his bed and going to the potty all by himself when he wants to. Though he still runs up and yells "Daddy I pooped". This morning he had a milk moustache and was very excited that it made him look even "bigger".

Ice Cream Truck

On a gorgeous Saturday afternoon I took it upon myself to saw down the stump of the mulberry tree. I paused or the chain saw died and that's when I heard the ice cream truck two blocks down the street. The kids were on the trampoline and Karen and Jo were sitting and chatting. As soon as I mentioned the truck everyone was out and on the street faster than you can clear a dugout.

The kids were excited. I can understand that. But dare I say I have probably not seen Karen smile more broadly in all the years I have known her. Ice Cream Truck Happiness.

Sunday Morning at Rosedale School

On St. Patrick's Day morning Karen and Jo went to Jen's Sunday Lean Lifting class and I took the kids to Rosedale School. They ran all the way from home to the school, stopping and waiting patiently at the end of each block. Once at the school park they threw themselves at the swings. It was pure pleasure to watch the three of them fly through the air for about half an hour. Then Vivian and Ava attacked the monkey bars from opposite ends. Here's a photo of the moment before they met. Then they passed each other and did it all over again.

Vivian's Fashions

The other weekend morning I was going to run out to the grocery store for a quick trip. I asked Vivian if she wanted to come. She said she'd get dressed up in a minute. It takes her 15 minutes to get into her school uniform every morning so I wasn't holding my breath. Less than two minutes later she showed up dressed in quite a collection of things.

Business as Usual

This is what breakfast looked like this morning.

Yesterday we arrived at Nicolle's house a minute after they returned from their camping trip. Kids were spilling out of the cars. Vivian saw us and ran towards us. So did Cade and Devyn. When Evan saw us he took a few steps in our direction too. The last four days were the first four he's ever spent with neither Jo or me around. We weren't sure how it was going to go. As Evan approached the car we held our breath wondering what the reunion was going to be like. Being the cuddlebug that he is, he'd probably cry and hold on to us tightly for a long while.

He looked at us. Jo and I were still inside our car. He gave us The Hand. And said "No. Stop! I don't want to go home." And turned away. Eventually he came. Semi-willingly.

The kids had a fabulous time. And while they were gone we didn't hear "Why?" and "What did you said?" even once. They are back. And it's business as usual.

Portable Cell Towers

Two hundred thousand additional people are milling around downtown Austin, the convention center, and the clubs on 4th, 6th, and the east side. And almost every one of them is spending more time on her phone than any other non-autonomous nervous system activity.

The things you spot when you drive a bus around downtown - this truck pulled up. A couple of guys hopped out. The cell towers went up. They staked the guy-wires down. Fifteen minutes and three extra bars on my phone just like that.

Pictures from Grace

Evan's preschool publishes an electronic newsletter every Friday. Each class gets a short write-up about their week's activities and a photo. Evan always manages to get in that photo. Here are pictures from the last two weeks. He's learning about dental hygiene in the first and spring cleaning in the second. He does love to brush his teeth. But I've never seen him try to clean anything around the house.

South By

A few years ago I thought it was pretentious to say "South By" instead of taking the trouble to say the whole damn thing even though it's a mouthful. Now I use "SX" in emails and texts, too lazy to tap out the two additional letters. But it's upon us and Austin is under assault from any army of hipsters in skinny black jeans with a cigarette dangling from their slender fingers. This year I drove the mifft.com short bus one evening.

Vivian - I will give you a ride on the mifftbus one of these days. And Jen, yes - we'll pick you up and you can do tequila shots on the bus. That's legal.

IM Challenge

Jo finished her benchmark workout for the end of the Crossfit IM Challenge last weekend. She was coughing up nasty stuff from her allergies but went anyway. Karen was also in the same round as her. Tim, Ava and the kids and I went up to see it. It was inspirational (as a result I have finally shed my band and I am doing kipping pullups now). Karen and Jo improved their skills and strengths tremendously during the 8 weeks. Way to go ladies. Last year Jo and Sharath and I did an informal IM Challenge in Hyderabad. Can't believe it's been almost a year since we left India. In one of those small ironies of life Alu is in Hyderabad as we speak. Have a ball, bro.

Like Life Before the Blog

Before the children there was no blog. I didn't have anything to blog about and didn't care enough. Besides I was busy having too much fun.

With the kids gone camping for three days it felt a bit like that. Vivian and Evan - I love you. With every fiber in my body. But Jo and I miss our life before we were parents and I realized that again this week while you were gone. Life is fleeting. Soon you'll be busy with your own lives and be gone again for longer. And I'll miss you then again. But I hope I'll still remember how to live my life.

Camping

The kids have gone camping with Grandma and their cousins and Aunts Cole & Chel. Here are some pictures. Them in Grandma's truck. Devyn in the front seat (in all there were three dogs, three kids and Grandma in the truck and a camper in tow). The kids out on the lake. Breakfast and dinner with cousin Ava. And snuggle time for Evan.

This evening I heard that Evan and cousin Cade were jumping up trying to catch some stars. Good times.

ABCDs

The other day Evan was reciting his abc's. Ava and Vivian were around so he was hamming it up. Another future stripper...? Look at the full video that Jo captured. It's on youtube (I am having trouble loading the video here) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlNvkTEOkFs . Here are some stills but they fail to convey the amount of pelvis shaking going on.

Book Review and Reading

Some kids bring their homework folder in on Monday. It's not due till Thursday. Vivian works on hers before breakfast on Thursday morning. Luckily last week we checked early and saw that she had a book review due on Thursday morning and she would have to read a book in front of her class on Wednesday . She selected If You Give A Moose A Muffin. By Wednesday morning she had read the book sufficient times to master most of the words. It was also the day of her máquina simple exhibition. And by Thursday before breakfast she finished her review ("I will tell my friends to read the book because it is funny").

Her English teacher was very happy with how Vivian read the book.

I find it amazing that Vivian can pick up almost anything and eventually and painfully read it. It's a quantum jump - almost like when she started speaking. Most of us read. It's easy to forget that it takes a few years of work to master this seemingly simple but precious skill.

Máquina Simple

Vivian just finished her máquina simple unit of inquiry at school. For weeks dinner table conversations at home centered around poleas and rampas and tornillos and finally she had to dream up a problem to solve it with a simple machine that she and I would build and she would take to school for the exhibition. One day she returned from school with a plan. She was going to use a polea to build an elevator so she could get things that her little brother wanted from shelves to tall for him to reach. Evan is pictured crying a healthy stream of tears.

The next day Vivian found a cardboard tube from a roll of paper that she wanted to use for the pulley. I built a little cardboard contraption and added the tube and a shoelace and the model was done. Then I cut up pieces for the real machine.  Vivian glued them together. I drilled a couple of holes and Vivian added some toothpicks and a tin of pancake mix and took the finished machine to school. It worked pretty well and Vivian and her friends showed off some amazing machines at their exhibition. You can see Evan listening and watching.

I don't think she's going to be a nerd. But she has the capability to. If she wanted.