Category: baby

As a sort-of-Father’s day present, my dad took me to see Return to Forever last night at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. I don’t expect that most people would like the show – fusion jazz is really not for everyone, and really, there’s lots and lots of bad music in the genre. However, Return to Forever is one of the three major groups from the genre that are truly amazing. I was raised on Chick Corea in one form or another, and I still listen to him with some frequency. He’s innovative, unique, sometimes overly complicated, but always interesting. Last night’s set was all of the above, but really, really amazing.

Normally when you see a live song that lasts 25 minutes, and you’re not stoned, you get a little bored. The way these four play prevents that from happening because unlike rock, there are somewhere between 10 and 30 timing changes and such complex interplay between musicians that your brain joyfully tries to keep up.

The musicians all seemed to be equally in love with the audience and we were with them and it made for a really fun show. They played for over 3 hours with a short break – and had both an electric and an acoustic set. I’m a big fan of the bass guitar, and Stanley Clark is amazing. While his playing was stellar, his solo on the upright base was moving. There were elements I’ve heard elsewhere, but his entire solo was unique and haunting. I hope I remember even 1/4 of it.

This was a big weekend for Ella. She started using the potty (though somewhat unreliably) this weekend. She’s rather pleased with her self, most likely because of our cheers. She’s also started asking for cheese by name. As the title suggests, pronunciation is still a little off, but its quite clear that she wants the pepperjack on the cutting board.

Ella has a preoccupation with shoes which I put sole blame for with my wife, Michellda Marcos. Lately, Ella insists on wearing whomever’s shoes have been left by the front door and looping around the room in them. Here she is in Michelle’s clogs.

Nice save near the end, huh? Shortly after this, she tried the same in my shoes, which is just absurd. She looked kind of like a nordic ski jumper, and moved with the graces of one… walking around the living room.

Tonight we sold Ella’s first walker. She was never ecstatic about it, but she had a few rousing jousts, a few good bumps, and lots of electronic classical music sessions. Oddly enough, when I got it out to sell it, she fell in love with it. Every time we were in the room with it, Ella was climbing in to the hanging webbed seat. She drove it around, played with the spinners, and banged on the buttons that released canned Baroque favorites to flashing lights. Of all her noise-making toys, it was probably my favorite.

Now it’s gone and I’m the bastard that sold it. To soften the blow, I took her in to the next room while the new owners carried it away. I’m sure I’ll pay for it later. Like when she’s 16.

Ella officially turned one year old at the beaver den exhibit at the Oregon Zoo today. It was probably pretty obvious that something was up since she had two parents in tow who alternated between tears, smiles, and picture taking. The zoo was of some interest to Ella; she saw a number of the animals, and seemed the most interested by the fish, otters, and other marine exhibits, though the chocolate ice cream was just as engaging. She’s still too young to understand that she is part ape, so I think her interest wasn’t as keen as it will be in coming years.

Michelle and I took a mulligan Sunday and hung out with the girl on her first. We reminisced about the changes we’ve seen, chased after her as she tottered off towards the dog food, and tried to get her to walk in a pair of semi-soft shoes. The whole day was wonderful, and the girl in a diaper with sassy pink shoes taking Frankenstein steps is both completely recognizable and different from the tiny creature that joined us last year.

I’ll admit, I don’t think babies are much fun. But each day that passes brings another way to interact with this little person who used to sleep everywhere we’d go. Now she’s mobile, starting to sign her displeasure with some foods, and paying Barley his dividend for all his patience.

Barley could not, however, help clean up the chocolate cupcake that Ella destroyed in celebration.

Ella went from taking her first connected steps last week to full-on walking yesterday before our friend’s wedding. Scary and wonderful at the same time. Here’s her walking in the ballroom at Semiahmoo and outside on the dock. One more thing to cross of before her first birthday.