The Zoo as You've Never Tasted it

The fam took a trip to the zoo last weekend to introduce Aidan to the wonderful world of zoology!  Turns out, the creatures were equally as interested in Aidan.

Aidan was having a great time until...the cotton candy incident.

"YUK! Get it off, get it off!"

I'm afraid it turns out that Aidan has an aversion to the sugary, albeit fabric-like sweet.  He tried it twice like a good sport, but it soon turned scary and Aidan cried at the sight of it.

Daddy even had his turn at the zoo to try a new food; crickets.  Yes, bugs in a box with the sole purpose of dancing with your taste buds.

"What?!  I'm not going to eat any...OMG, THEY HAVE SOUR CREAM & ONION!"

How much might a box of these appetizing arthropods cost?  Just $3.99 for seven little morsels.

Now doesn't that look delectable?

They're better than you think!  They have the texture of peanut skins and the aftertaste of pistachios.  Very reminiscent of potato chips.  Bugs are actually the best source of protein out of any other living thing.  This will not be my last insect meal.  ; )

After Erin and I test drove the all-new, all-electric Nissan Leaf, we headed home.  Aidan literally fell asleep in his car seat after the buckle clicked!

Man in a Box

The title says it all!

You see, our vacuum cleaner has been breaking (in multiple places) so we bought a replacement today.  And that got me to thinking inside the box...

TA DA!

A man and his box is a beautiful, and sacred thing.  So, let's boogie.

 

Alas, the attempt to amuse my son has fallen flat...

(Actual at-time expression)

Well, I had fun.  That is to say, before this happened:

Yes, I'm stuck.  Please send help.

First Words?

I know, I know!  I haven’t posted since…since…*counts backwards on fingers*…okay, two months.  Heh.

Nixing the excuses and cutting straight to the chase, Aidan has done something very interesting today.  Allow me to illustrate.

Scene:  Driving back from the store.  Erin at the wheel, Aidan buckled safely in, and me next to him.
Ian:  Aidan, can you say, “Da da”?
Aidan:  Da da!
Ian:  Good boy!  *Gives Aidan a yogurt melt*
Aidan:  *chew**chew**chew*
Ian:  Aidan, can you say, “Ma ma”?
Aidan:  Ma ma!
Ian:  Good boy! *Gives Aidan a yogurt melt*
Aidan:  *chew**chew**chew*
Ian:  Aidan, can you say, “cat”?
Aidan:  Tat!
Ian: Good enough! *Gives Aidan a yogurt melt*
Aidan:  *chew**chew**chew*

HOW EXCITING!  Erin and I were ecstatic!

Yes, this is exactly how I taught my dog to do stuff.  But hey, stick with what works.

For awhile, Aidan has been doing a lot of “Dadadadadadada” and “Mamamamamama” and “Hhheht” for “cat”.  He has been mimicking sounds like that, but this was the first time he has mimicked words.  Can it be considered talking if he doesn’t connect any meaning to them?  Or is it still just mimicking? Simply put, I don't know.

And now, for something different.  What is Aidan doing right now?  Let's see.

Would that I could sleep so soundly!!

I'm Ready Mr. Demille

So I told Aidan, "Hey, you need a profile pic for social networking."

He's like, "Ok, Dad.  Gimme the camera."

The Boy Feeds

Now that Aidan is the big 0.5 years old (six months), he is ready to start making new kinds of messes.  Tonight, mushy rice stuff was on the menu.

So, Aidan, are you ready to start weaning from the bottle and to take the next step towards getting older and wiser?

"Uhh...sure.  But first, what is this contraption you've strapped me into?"

That's a handy-dandy portable highchair, son.  Here, try this.

"Say, that's not half bad, Pops!"

I'm glad you like it, and this is just the beginning!  There are so many different foods and food combinations that you have at least a million flavors yet to try!

"..."

I know, it's hard to fathom at six months.  Are you ready for more food?

"I was born ready."

Okay, here comes Grandma Trish!

"Must...keep...eating..."

I think it's time we cut you off boy'o.  Here's three ounces for the road.

"What about the *yawn* million other flavors?"

All in good time, Aidan.  All in good time.

Rock Him Like a Hurricane

...because a live rendition of the Scorpions is as good as any lullaby to Aidan. Regardless of the man-sized speakers and the cannon-like subwoofers, the sandman came anyway; creeping along in his parachute pants with his big hair bobbing to the beat.

HERE I AM!!! ROCK YOU LIKE A HURIC...zzzZZzZZZzzz

One woman at our table said, "If my kid was like that as a baby, I would have had three more." I guess Erin and I take Aidan's supernatural sleeping ability for granted. Now we know just how lucky we are.

Tonight I'll put on some AC DC to help relax him.

First Ocean Trip

From the dry, hot heat of California’s inland, we made our way to the coast for cooler weather and good times. A thick, ominous marine layer waited to embrace us!

And so, Aidan saw the ocean for the first time last weekend.  His reaction?

Even though he won’t remember the trip, Aidan still seemed to enjoy himself.  The majesty of the mighty Pacific ocean might not have impressed the little guy, but a waving flag brought him endless joy.  Ah, to live life so simply.

Despite the fact that Aidan has started cutting his teeth, he was very agreeable.  He did a LOT of sleeping, some whining, and plenty of smiling and laughing.

Baby Gear Review!

Item: The Peapod
Purpose: For the outdoorsman in your baby, the Peapod was designed to be a mobile crib. Complete with a blowup mattress, hand pump, mattress cover, and bug screen, baby is ready to brave the elements under adult supervision.  For your convenience, the Peapod was crafted to pop-up in the blink of an eye!
Outcome:  We love our Peapod!  It’s compact, easy to set up, and easy to pack up.  Aidan was fully protected from any bugs and comfy on his air mattress.  This is a must have for any camping enthusiast.

Soon after we arrived, my parents took us out to the bay where we piled in a boat and cruised along the coast of Point Reyes, a wildlife reserve.  We observed countless jellyfish, seals, river otters, ospreys, blue herrings, white elk, pelicans, sand pipers, and more.  There were photo-ops galore!!!

Just hand me my martini and I’m ready to rock n’ roll!

It was truly amazing.  If you get the chance to visit California’s coast, you should really hike the Point Reyes trails or boat into the less accessible areas.  You won’t be disappointed.

As is tradition, my folks whipped up some home made cioppino (cha-pee-no).  Ever hear of it?  This is what it looks like…

Open up and say, “AAAAHHHHH!!!”.  It looks like a dish from a horror film, right?  Well if you love seafood, you’ll love cioppino.  It has crab, scallops, clams, muscles, mushrooms, and olives simmering in a zesty cioppino sauce.  Mmmmmm!  It was a great meal to end the day on.

Afterwards, we left in style with the car that makes having a baby so much easier, the Pacifica.
(More about my Chrysler Pacifica blog post can be read here - Pacifica)