Our summer vacation, in one photo per day (sorta)

Friday, Aug. 27
Drove from South Orange to Syracuse, overnighted @ Grandma Vickie's. Photo is from Saturday morning as Lincoln demonstrated his bike-handling skills for grandma.

Saturday, Aug. 28
Drove from Syracuse to Rodman, visited Old McDonald's Farm in Sackets Harbor with Grandma Pat.

Sunday, Aug. 29
Drove from Rodman to South Orange, sans kids. No photo available. Picture Mel Gibson screaming "freedom!" in "Braveheart."

Monday & Tuesday, Aug. 30 & 31
Both of us worked during the day, dined at Above Monday night and watched a Broadway performance of "Memphis" Tuesday night. Explicit photos removed at the request of the author's wife.

Wednesday, Sept. 1
Drove from South Orange to Syracuse, visited New York State Fair with cousins.

Thursday, Sept. 2
Drove from Syracuse to South Lake. Lincoln fell asleep on the way in so Greta enjoyed some quality time with Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Pat.

Friday, Sept. 3
Perfect day at South Lake, capped by a sunset.

Saturday, Sept. 4
Ate a pancake breakfast, chopped down a healthy hardwood for mostly aesthetic reasons, and stuffed chipmunk holes with marshmallows (all of which were gone Sunday morning, reports Grandpa). Drove from South Lake to South Orange with a 3-hour layover at Crossgates Mall in Albany for some back-to-school shopping.

Sunday, Sept. 5
Ran errands: Home Depot for concrete crack filler, playroom paint (white), Costco (bread, milk, eggs, butter), Wal-Mart (more back-to-school shopping) Target (big boy car seat for Lincoln), Clean Way Express Car Wash, Jiffy Lube, Sears (vacuum). Too busy to take a photo.


Monday, Sept. 6
Last day at the pool, photos to come.

Labor Day respite

We're off to meet the kids at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, after two kid-less nights that featured a local 4-star restaurant and "Memphis" on Broadway. We'll be at the family camp on South Lake the rest of the week with no wifi, so no posts until Sunday or Monday. Happy Labor Day, all.  For those who care, the link to the Kodak Gallery in the previous post is now fixed.

Summer vacation, part I

We drove to Syracuse Friday, spent the night with Grandma Vickie, then continued north to Rodman on Saturday. Visited Old McDonald's Farm outside Sackets Harbor that afternoon. Slept late Sunday, then Carey and I drove back to New Jersey without them. They're at South Lake as I type, hopefully sleeping. Here's a link to a quick Kodak Gallery slide show.

A sense of place

I took an entire writing course about that topic in college, but don't think I appreciated many of the assignments until years later after I'd graduated and started a family of my own. Now every time I return to Rodman, N.Y., I'm overwhelmed with memories and amazed at how visceral things seem to me -- the stone wall in front of the old Woolworth's house, the trees in the backyard (once in danger of being run over by my lawnmower, now 50' tall with a canopy that blocks out the sun), even the cracks in the sidewalk. The one thing that's different?  Well.

Daddy!

I picked up the kids today at school, after a 9-hour commute from L.A. Lincoln was the most excited I think I've ever seen him, racing across his classroom floor and yelling "DADDY!" as he ran over for an on-the-floor hug. Greta didn't see me enter, but turned when she heard Lincoln yell. She actually leaped into my arms like some scene out of a movie.

It was about 10 minutes later when we were unloading backpacks and lunch bags in the house that they both asked, "Daddy, what did you bring us for presents?"

We're off to Rodman tomorrow and I'll post some photos then.

EWR --> LAX

I had a lovely weekend with the kids and am now off to L.A. for the work week. No promises that Carey will post anything. But in chronological order, here's how Greta & Lincoln spent the weekend with Dad:

1. Movie night pizza party -- "Barbie & the Diamond Castle" with Jack & Emma
2. Attended Charlotte's 3rd birthday party at the pool
3. Watched "Barbie & the Diamond Castle" with Duncan
4. Played Batman & Cinderella in the backyard
5. Movie night -- "Mickey Mouse: A Christmas Carol"
6. Ate breakfast at the Village Diner
7. Trained into the city for a spontaneous visit to FAO Schwarz. Enjoyed a Big Piano dance show and story hour. Left with a $10 Audubon-authenticated singing, stuffed bluebird and a $20 Spider-Man Web Jet.
8. Ate a dog and a pretzel on 5th Avenue

No Internets

Our Verizon DSL stopped working at home, so no posts after this one until Monday when they fix it. Our home phone is on the fritz, too, so if anyone needs to reach the Merrills, call my cell.  Carey is heading home for a high school reunion with her friends and I'm staying behind to attend Charlotte Hayden's 3rd birthday party at the pool on Saturday. Tonight it's movie night. My goal is to keep them up so late they'll pass out with no complaining about Mommy's whereabouts.

Chuck E. Cheese

We enjoyed a birthday party for one of Greta's classmates on Saturday at the pizza/arcade joint that must be doing something right -- I can remember my first party there in 1982. On past visits, Lincoln didn't like the kid in the mouse costume, but this trip he proudly slapped Chuck five and gave him a thumbs-up. 

Paddle boatin'

We rented one for $15 on Sunday to paddle around Verona Lake. The kids were very well behaved until about the 28th minute (out of 30), at which point I wanted to throw Lincoln out of the boat and see if the life preserver worked. Didn't help that the seats aren't adjustable. Carey and I were both eating our knees on the up-stroke. The cockpit didn't allow for much depth of field, but I like this shot, taken by Carey from the back of the boat, of me and the kids.

Spontaneous Sunday

No plans when we woke up this morning, so we loaded up the kids' bikes and drove 10 miles to nearby Verona. Walked through the flower garden, played on the playground and took a paddle boat ride. Best photo is Greta lost in the Black Eyed Susans.

School fashion show

Can't call it back-to-school because our big girl is just beginning her educational odyssey, but Greta did have her first experience shopping for school clothes yesterday. Carey and I both recalled weekend trips to Syracuse where the Big Mall was filled with rugby shirts and floral-print pants. Greta got a trip to the local used-clothes store instead. I didn't partake, so was treated to a fashion show before bed. Cousin Kim mentioned the other day that Greta might grow up to be a fashion model. As long as she's more Heidi Klum and less Naomi Campbell, I'm good with that.

Baterella!

Lincoln on Sunday playing a modified version of the Grand Duke finding Cinderella's missing slipper.

Fair is fair

Carey gave me grief for not cropping her orange-clad bottom out of the last post. So I'm posting this unflattering portrait of me and my girth as penance. The photo was taken by Lincoln at the beach. Yes, mom, I know I need to lose 30 pounds.

Fearless

Lincoln is all boy. Never walks when he can run and likes to jump off the strangest things. Here he is on a plastic Mickey Mouse table Sunday in the gloaming. I gave him a 9, with one point off on the dismount.

Life's a beach

Facing a weekend with no plans, Carey made the mistake of asking Greta Friday night what she wanted to do on Saturday. "Let's go to the beach!" said our darling 5-year-old. So we loaded up the CRV with towels, pails, shovels and gallons of sunblock. Destination: Seven President's Beach, which was recommended by Greta's pre-school teacher as a family-friendly place. We got there about 11:30 and staked out a spot just above the high-tide line. Spent the afternoon jumping the waves and burying the kids in the sand. Turns out it wasn't a mistake at all.

Precious Fridays

Carey gets off work at 2pm and picks the kids up around 3. I try to catch the 443 train out of the city and get home about 530. The last few Fridays when we haven't been traveling someplace I meet them at the pool. We splash around on noodles for 90 minutes or so then debate where to eat. Tonight it was the Village Trattoria in nearby Maplewood. Got home about 830 and the kids and Carey watched the second half of Mary Poppins while I threw things at the TV as the Red Sox went up 6-3 against the Yankees in the 7th inning. No plans for the weekend other than some more quality family time. Here's a nice pic Carey took Thursday night as I unsuccessfully tried to calm the kids down before bedtime.

Bootie Dance

We've captured this on video a couple times, but Carey always deems it child porn and doesn't let me post it. So tonight I took a photo and cropped it above Lincoln's butt crack.

Anyway, the Bootie Dance was taught to our children by the otherwise fairly refined Emma Bailey, who we think modeled it after Mr. Guinea Pig's dance on Pinky Dinky Doo. It involves stripping off all clothes and then shaking the rump in the direction of the audience while yelling "Bootie Dance, Shake Your Bootie Dance!" 

Carey joined in tonight, but I couldn't convince her to get naked. Yet.

Back scratching

Greta has inherited my fondness for it. Every night I'm home for bedtime, she requests a couple minutes of light fingernail grazing. Pulls up her nightgown, rolls over on her tummy and says, "Back scratch." Tonight she sighed as I began scratching and added, "This is my favorite part of the night." Mine too, sweet daughter, mine too.

Jack's 3rd birthday

Jack Bailey (and his mom and dad) convinced the Maplewood Fire Department to host his 3rd birthday party on Saturday. A swell time was had by all. First we met Fireman Bill and learned about the various things he has to wear to help him put out fires. Then each kid was given a chance to spray Engine No. 33's hose. After, we went across the street to what the kids call Dizzy Tulip Playground, but what Maplewood Town Hall calls Memorial Park. Lunch was pizza, fruit, salad, chips, hummus and salsa, chased by a birthday cake made from scratch by Anneli that was unlike anything I'd ever eaten before. Hints of banana, berries, brown sugar -- topped with a more traditional frosting. Jack was a gracious host throughout, never once throwing a tantrum or refusing to share. Lincoln is honored to call him a friend.

Natural History Museum

A weekend late, but worth sharing because I don't have anything fresher. Greta insisted on posing atop every one of the rocks out front of the museum. It was only 108 degrees, so I stood in the shade and humored her.

Duncan

His father remarked to me tonight at the concert in the park that Duncan was being exceedingly affectionate towards Greta. Is it possible she told him about this morning's conversation?

Idle chatter

Greta: How old do you have to be to get married?
Me: Well, Mommy was 27, but some people get married earlier than that. It depends on if they're really in love and mature enough.
Greta: I'm going to marry Duncan. I love him. What's mature?
Me: Mature is being responsible and knowing who you are and what you want. When you came into our room last night at 1145, 130 and 4 a.m. -- that was not mature.
Greta: OK, Daddy.

How we sleep XLIV

In order to pull off our date night Saturday in Washington, we told the kids they could have a movie night with Aunt Kathy. We brought half a dozen movies with us, but of course when we were walking through the Ballston Mall and saw they were practically giving away DVDs at Fye Music, we purchased Enchanted. The kids recently watched it twice when we signed it out of the library and loved it -- the irrepressible chipmunk, the clueless henchman and the incomparable Amy Adams (who Dad has yet to interview, but she's on The List.) We set up their air mattresses in front of AK's new 46" Toshiba and snapped one photo as the DVD loaded.

Sorry I didn't get one of Aunt Kathy sitting between them on the couch, as I'm sure she did a lot of that. But she reports when the movie finished, she read each a book, told them it was bedtime, turned off the lights and everyone was asleep by 930.

D.C. trip

We busted the kids out of daycare on Friday at lunchtime to drive down to Washington. Stayed with Aunt Kathy, spent the hottest part of Saturday at the Natural History Museum, enjoyed Eddie from Ohio on the lawn at Wolf Trap with my visiting cousins from North Carolina, and had a brief reunion with Jay and Ella Humphreys this morning. I didn't snap many pics, but this one is the best. She's standing on Pennsylvania Avenue where it crosses 9th St.

Pals

Greta was asked at her 5-year-old checkup last week to name her friends. Duncan and two Emmas, she said. Here she is with the two Emmas on Sunday at the park.

Country clubbin'

We experienced a first on Sunday as guests of Carey's temporary co-worker (also named Rob) at the Cedar Hill Country Club. He's an attorney on loan for six months to ACE, learning how the company operates with an eye toward landing more of their business down the road. Anyway, he's a new member at the club and eager to share the spoils.

It's only about 15 minutes from our house, so we drove over after lunch. Dropped the CRV with two car seats and gummy snack bags littering the backseat with the valet and hopped into an 8-seat golf cart for a brief ride through the parking lot and down a hill to the family pool. Greta loved the privacy of it compared to the South Orange "muni" where she usually swims. It was difficult to get her out when dinner was served. Flank steak, grilled chicken, salad and spin-your-own cotton candy.

Lincoln was a big fan of the complimentary swim goggles, which he wore for about three hours, in and out of the water.

For kicks I asked Rob how much a membership costs and he said there was a great deal going on as the club tries to skew younger. If you join before you turn 40, why it's just a $5,000 buy-in and monthly dues! I didn't have the heart to ask him the monthly figure. But I did learn that once you turn 40, they bill you $15,000. Call it a middle-age surcharge.

Needless to say, we plan to remain good friends with the Pariser family while I contemplate liquidating the kids' 529 plans and joining the club.

Potty training

We're down to our last two bundles of diapers and Lincoln celebrated tonight by going No. 2 without being asked.  Carey looked around and he was on the toilet with his pull-up around his ankles. He then celebrated his celebration with a "poopie dance" in the Batman underwear he got to put on after flushing and washing his hands.

Two-wheeled breakthrough

As Lance's star falls (OK, implodes), Greta's rises. She threw her leg over her princess steed this evening after dinner and pedaled all the way to Car Wash park, then back home, and then around the block. Along the way, she said:

"Daddy, bicycling is surprising."
"Surprising? How so?"
"As long as you keep your momentum, you can ride right over the cracks in the sidewalk."

Tale of the tape

Both kids had their annual physicals Friday afternoon. Greta weighs 44.5 lbs (75th percentile) and stands 46.25" tall (97th percentile). Lincoln weighs 26.4 lbs (3rd percentile) and measures just under 38" (65th percentile). Translation: Greta is going to be the tallest Merrill female ever and Lincoln has a good shot at being an American Manute Bol.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

creeps in this petty pace from day to day.

Don't worry, we're not depressed here at Merrilly Yours, but that Macbeth line is running through my head today. Carey and I are both a little tired of the routine and the heat. 90+ here for 10 days running, with little relief in sight. The kids are dealing with it OK. Lots of water play at summer camp and central AC makes life bearable at home.

I haven't taken a photo since last weekend, but will fire up the camera this coming weekend, promise. Until then, dear readers, stay cool.

Wonder Woman

Lincoln's superhero worship continues to evolve. One of his Batman books features Gotham's guardian getting help from an old friend in Washington, Diana Prince. She spins around to strip down to the red/yellow/white/blue bikini, then hops into her invisible jet and flies north to help Batman fight the Cheetah. Lincoln is fascinated by the spinning around concept and how that allows her to transform.

Why does she do that, Daddy? 
That's how she changes, like Superman always looking for a phone booth. 
But why does she spin? 
Because spinning is awesome.

To distract him, I Googled Wonder Woman YouTube and was treated to this suggestive delight. Everything but the spinning went right over his head, I think.

I hope.

Super Saturday

Everyone slept until 8:30, with most of those hours in their own beds. Dunkin' Donuts and bagels for breakfast en plein air, as my mother and the French would say. Came home and thoroughly cleaned the house for the first time in weeks, including the kids' rooms under their supervision. Watched "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure" on DVD six weeks before the rest of the world gets to see it on Nickelodeon and had lunch. We then picked up the Haydens' dog Nellie and took her to the South Mountain dog park for a little run around time. The old mutt was pretty lazy, but Greta got a good workout.

After dropping Nellie off we drove over to Memorial Park where we planned on just visiting the playground, but when we got there we realized Maplewoodstock was in full swing on a nearby hillside. Lots of free music and no drugs that we could find. There was a booth of comic stuff where Lincoln was treated to a Batman mask. He's all about the caped crusader lately and until today seemed to understand he is a superhero who protects Gotham City from various villains. But when Lincoln himself dons the mask, he makes it his mission to scare everyone.

Should we be worried?

Princess as colored by Greta:

Princess as colored by Lincoln:

Independent clothes

Carey wanted to make sure I got on the record a full-length shot of the kids in their red, white and blue on Sunday. We all wore red shirts, but couldn't find a tourist in our 'hood to take a family photograph.

Happy birthday, 'merica

Not your traditional celebration, here. After all going to bed about 9 o'clock Saturday night, I woke up early at 6 while Carey and Lincoln crawled into Greta's bed and slept until 845! Watched 1 1/2 episodes of "The Wire" season 4, grilled myself two eggs, bacon and toast, Facebooked and thought about doing the dishes. All before those Sleepyheads got up. When they did rise and shine, they were treated to pancakes and more bacon while watching half an episode of Miss Spider and another half of The Wonder Pets. At about 11 we thought we'd beat the crowds and make a trip to Costco. The prospect of facing a week without string cheese and whole milk was enough to outweigh the lameness of going to Costco on the Fourth of July. But Costco is smarter than we are. They don't make their employees work on Independence Day! But our Eagle-Eyed kids spotted a Chuck E. Cheese on Route 22 en route to Costco, so when we asked what they wanted for lunch on this holiest of holidays they said, PIZZA! There is something quite wonderful and sedate about Chuck E. Cheese on the Fourth of July. It was us, Chuck, and about four other families. Lincoln and Greta even braved the jet pack simulator game, which featured a TV screen to let concerned parents see how their kids were coping.

Two-and-a-half hours later, we drove home hoping Lincoln would fall asleep. He didn't, so when we got home we filled up the pool and a couple dozen water balloons and had a wet and wild blast.

At about 4 o'clock and with the mercury still in triple digits, I suggested we go see "Toy Story 3." We sang loudly in the car to keep Lincoln awake and then enjoyed $1 popcorn and $1 drinks courtesy of a one-day-only coupon from enjoytheshow.com. It was nearly 7 when the movie ended and the only sane way to end this feast of Americana was a repast at the golden arches that killed King George. It's now 9:30 and we're watching A Capitol Fourth on PBS while the local fireworks and cherry bombs try to wake our exhausted children. Not gonna happen. They're in a Fourth of July food coma.

California Gurls

Sorry for the paucity of posts. All's well here. Lincoln returned to school on Wednesday and his symptoms have disappeared. Doc sees him on Monday just to palpate the lymph node. I think she just likes saying palpate as much as I like writing paucity.

We have a relaxing long weekend planned. Lots of park and pool time. I'll get some fresh photos, but in the meantime here are the cousins with X chromosomes last weekend at the zoo.