History unfolds

I'm watching some world history unfold tonight. It's been election season in North America this past month... first another (waste of time) election here in Canada and the exact same result as the last... a minority government again.

That's not really the history part.

In our neighbours to the south, the most important election for president is unfolding. Either way, history will be made with either the first Black president or the first female vice-president. It's 10pm right now and although nothing has been officially called... it very much looks like Barack Obama will be America's first Black/African-American president. Turnout for voting is the highest in history, which speaks to how important this election is.

Obama is a mesmerizing figure. Charismatic, extremely well-spoken, the man just has presence. He's like Bill Clinton but with added significance. He's campaigned on a platform of "Change"... millions come out to hear him speak. There hasn't been a lightening-rod type figure like this since JFK. It's not my country... but even I get filled with hope about what this guy could do. The economy is in bad shape, morale is low and palpable... it's the perfect conditions for a 'hero' to come in and just by doing so, could turn things to an upswing.

Zach is 14.5 months right now. He's walking/running pretty much everywhere, opening and closing doors, drawers, pulling himself up onto the couch and often heard to say "Hi!". He has no idea of what this moment could mean... he just wants to explore everything, take Joey the bear with him, and if he can, put something in his hand into his mouth.

Years from now, I really do hope he asks me "why wasn't there a black president before?" I really hope that he is completely mystified as to why this would have been an issue at all.

Zach - today shows progress in the USA and the world. Maybe they're growing up. Someday, maybe Canada will jump the race divide... we've had a black Governor-General, hopefully a PM oneday. Hopefully, we'll all get to the state where it's the person that matters, not what they look like.

D!

I've gotten quite horrible at this... but I'll try and recount some of the highlights of the past few months. From an earlier post in June the hope that "da-da" would eventually distinguish me from the garbage can. Well, with regular consistency I can now report that I'm now "D! "

This is exciting.

Not only do I get a positive association for the sound that letter of the alphabet makes, there's clear recognition that I'm on the 'known associates' list of the Z.

Little Z continues to move like lightening and is one of the busiest and most determined little people I've ever come across. He pulls himself up on nearly everything, pushes his little ride-on toys while walking behind them and I swear is days away from walking on his own. It brings an interesting issue up... if walking and talking turn out to be such grief-causers down the road (having to chase them, trying to live through language you might not want to hear), why are we in such a hurry to teach and encourage them to learn these skills?? I mean, really, they'll learn how eventually won't they? Just as with the issue of the pacifiers and getting attached to it (how many adults do you know with this problem? Exactly) they'll figure out the walking/talking thing without us anyway. Why hurry it along?

Something else happened in July (2008) that I swore never would.

We bought a mini-van.

In retrospect it was probably inevitable.

Ok, I'm up, now what do I do?

That sliver of hope about associating 'Da Da' and looking in my direction is looking better all the time. In the past couple of months, baby Z has progressed from a frog crawl to outright speed demo crawling and now has figured out how to pull himself up on stuff.

This is inspiring and jaw-droppingingly cool... and sorta funny as well. He'll pull himself up but hasn't quite figured out what to do once he's there.

At the same time... all that teething-teasing since he was 5 months finally broke through. Our little hero now has two bottom teeth and two uppers... which from time to time cause him no end of crankiness.

I must say... tiny tot swimming lessons can be very entertaining to watch but participating is an entirely different thing. Led by the cheery 14 year old (or so) 'instructor', she has her charges (including the parents) in the shallow pool trying to demonstrate blowing bubbles etc... to 8-10 month olds who have no interest whatsoever. The part she hasn't really clued into is it's all fine for someone who can't walk and is carried around to float in water etc... you take your parent in their mid (ok late) 30s and ask them to keep getting up and getting down in 2 feet of water.. well, I guess she doesn't know the knees of a mid (ok late) 30 year old.

... but getting that semi-interested glance and little smile when you 'jump' into the water is kinda neat.

FYI... Da-Da could also be the garbage can

I have to admit... hearing "Da-da", as Zach is often babbling now, is quite rewarding. I mean, what father doesn't like to hear "dada" or something similar being among the first semi-articulate words coming out of their child's mouth?

News flash... and I think I'd read about this somewhere... is that while 'dada' is a fairly common first sound... it's fairly random and can be used to describe any of mom, dad, hunger, garbage can or perhaps the latest results of the American democratic race.

So, that tempers the excitement a tad but still... there's still that flicker of pride when "Da Da" comes out of his mouth and he's at least looking in my direction.

It's a world of laughter

Taking a 5-month old to Disney World is an interesting experience in a lifetime. Me, I love Disney and always have. Sure I was spoiled as a child and went often when I was a young'un. Even two years ago, Julie and I went for a vacation (winter after the wedding and Italian honeymoon, Florida was the affordable option) and did Disney... and had three very packed fun days there. Now we're traveling with someone who cannot (at this point in time) speak, walk, hold himself up, or be permitted to be out of eyesight.

Needless to say it's a different pace.

Still... I found myself watching him more than whatever ride we happened to take him on. Watching his fascination with the swirling lights or colours, became much more interesting to me than the ride itself.
Stopping for feeding every once and a while... many many rides he cannot yet go on. But still, here I am, now a parent of a child at Disney World. It doesn't mean squat to him right now but it means the world to me. I'm not really sure why... For some reason I waited nearly an hour in line for Zach to have a picture with Winnie the Pooh. Zach has several items of clothing with said Pooh and I thought it would be appropriate. Every 15 minutes or so, the characters would take a break. After nearly an hour, I was the next person in line. No-one was next for a picture but I. The three characters there.. The Pooh, Tigger and some unknown female character named Darby... they take their break. But hey, I'm next, so I'm patient. Tigger and unknown girl return... No Pooh. The 'handler' explains that Winnie had another photoshoot. This mystified me.. of course he does... right here, right now!

I was pretty ticked... maybe it was the almost-hour in line... maybe it was the 'who the hell are you Darby?'... but I was affronted that my little guy wouldn't get his photo opp with Pooh Bear. Did he care? He just ate, all was right with the world and now there's a 6ft tall orange and black cat standing next to him.

What's a dad to do?

Get him a photo opp with the Mouse himself, that's what!

It IS a small world after all...

It's been a while since we caught up here. I formulate posts in my head and then the day just seems to get away from me. Before long, it's two months later... Work has been hectic and busy for months now and every once and a while I start hearing the "cats in the cradle" in my head which means it's time to stop everything and hang out with little Z.

So what's been happening? Well, little Z had his first vacation at the end of January... first trip, first flight, first visit to another country. Zach in Florida was a smashing success.

In talking to many people about flying with a baby, I think we were pretty well prepared. I can't say enough good things about the people at Westjet, they're just amazing. It'd been suggested to us that we don't take the 'pre-board' advantage... which, secretly, I was looking forward to. Next best thing to first class I figured. However, the good advice we got was that if you do the pre-board, you're then sitting there for 20 or so minutes doing nothing while your infant gets antsy. So, in talking to the nice Westjet people, we compromised (since they needed to give us instruction on the plane anyway)... I went on half-way through and got everything settled... handed the ultra-light cool stroller we got, put the carry-0n's in the overhead compartment (with a selection of toys out, blanket etc..) All good.

We learned quickly that the key to infant flying is distraction. Westjet planes are a big help in this, with every seat having it's own personal tv. So, tune it to Treehouse and that buys you 15 minutes or so with the flashing colours... walk up and down the aisle.. and with a cute 5 month old, you feel quite popular. The feeding during ascent and descent worked out fine and Z seemed to enjoy. The arrival in Florida, with grandparents eagerly waiting, went speedy and before you knew it we were on our way...

And the first stop, in keeping with grandma, grampa and Mommy's favourite tastes, Ghirardelli Chocolate at Downtown Disney. But first, to greet the Florida sun, Zach had to make himself more comfortable...





Once settled into the condo, roughly 1.5 miles (yeah, miles, what can you do?)... The Florida adventure was in full sway... and the (continuing the string of firsts) first swim in the first pair of swimming trunks. His first swim, well, he seemed fairly unimpressed. No big smiles, no "My god, this is the coolest thing ever!" But conversely, no freaking out either.

With the vacation underway... and Disney eagerly looming, Grampa made his pronouncement. "When we're at Disney, I am taking him on 'It's a Small World' and he will sit on my lap!"

Who can argue with that?