Life's been busy (so what else is new?) and last weekend my friend Marci (a.k.a. Auntie Boo) visited. We went to see Willie Nelson (first time for me and it was great) and then we hung out for the rest of the weekend. On Saturday we took Galen to the Deer Farm. This is a place just west of Flagstaff by about 25 miles. They have exotic deer (no native ones for some reason), bison, camel, pot-belly pigs, goats and birds. There's even a marmoset (primate). I brought the camera and got some great footage of Marci and Galen.
Galen is adjusting well to his new pre-school. He says he likes the teachers and the kids. We had a open-house for school last week. It was fun. Galen showed me the lessons he was working on (more like games really but learning is a side affect of these games). I talked to Galen's teachers and they said he was doing really well. Horrah!!!
So the Easter bunny arrived in the afternoon for Galen, while he napped. As you can see in the first video, Galen was not impressed that the Easter bunny came and was more concerned with his beauty sleep! But once he learned that candy was involved, well, we had a whole new outlook on the situation!
Well it's been a while since I blogged for Galen; life has been hectic. At the end of March, Galen and I drove to southern California to Marci's (Aunie Boo) house. My folks and my brother, sister-in-law and niece all joined us at Marci's house. There are several videos of that weekend posted below. We went t0 the park, the L.A. Zoo and the Train Museum (we were thinking of you Grandpa Bob!), we even got to ride the train! Even though we did alot, it was really relaxing for me. Pehaps it was the wine...
Mom came back with me and Galen for an extended visit in Flagtaff. It was so nice. My stress levels were the lowest in a year at least. The visit was wonderful and Galen and mom really bonded. Mom met Fred and helped me celebrate his 42nd birthday in early April. We showed the video you see below at his party at the Wine Loft (his shop/bar). Mom helped me make a cherry tart and it turned out tasty and hearty!
So Galen has started a new pre-school. It's a Montessori school on the east side of Flagstaff. Because it is so far from both home and work, I'll probably be moving from my little house in the woods to be closer to his school. Right now we travel 40 miles/day round trip! That's alot for me; I'm used to less than half that/day. The school is great and Galen is still adjusting to the new routine. It'll take some time, but we'll grow from it for sure.
Had trouble downloading the zoo footage; I will add that later. Keep an eye out for the Easter posting...coming soon!
So I know I haven't posted in a while. I'm still getting over this persistent bug with a hacking cough and early last week Galen got it. Poor little guy. His runny nose is almost better but now he has the cough. His energy is back up and for the last 2 days, he's been making us imaginary cookies. Not just cookies however, BIG, HOT COOKIES! As he likes to put it. He found the cookie cutters and he plays "making cookies" constantly.
Last week he was playing "making pizza". He was using his transformer that a friend gave him as the pizza. He put it in the oven and we both forgot about it. On Tuesday, I turned on the oven to bake a lasagna and then came the smell...at first it was curious, like "hummm, I wonder what that smell is?...and then wow, that strange smell is getting stronger...and then I realized that the smell was coming from the oven. I opened it up and there was a very warped and melting transformer. I caught it in time though and was able to take in out before the oven got wrecked. So I got him a new transformer and learned a lesson, always check inside the oven for toys before ignition, lest there be a casualty. Three year olds keep you on your toes for sure.
So sorry there are no new photos or film, life's been busy wth a sick kid, getting better myself and interviewing new baby sitters. 'll get some new pictures soon. We wish you all well and love you.
Okay, I think I am addicted to blogging about Galen. I've been sick for the last 2 days so I haven't gone to work, giving me more time to play with Galen and do this blogging thing.
An update on Galen, he is in a new talking and curiosity phase. He has started the "why" questions. You know, where each answer to "why?" is followed with "why?". It's adorable. In one of the following videos, he does it a little but not to the glorious and persistent extent that he is fully capable of. I've been mulling over the "why?" phase that all children seem to go through. I pose a question, why does each child, at least in our North American culture, do the "why?" phase? We do not teach them to do this yet each child, upon embracing the gift of gab, partakes in the "why?" game. Interesting, I'm sure there is some fully funded, giant and ongoing research being conducted on the subject.
So as for the videos and photos; we had a ton of snow fall since Saturday night. At the house, we've probably received two and a half feet. Another storm is supposed to strike on Thursday (just awesome). So today I took a bunch of photos and film time to show everyone Galen and the ton of snow. Grandpa Bob, I'm sure you don't miss shovelling this from your driveway in Bluejay.
So here's a gem. Last Thursday, February 5, 2009, after bath time, Galen was having some "free body time". This is when he gets to run around for a few minutes naked or in his sleeping diaper. I was in the bathroom, tidying up and Galen was talking to himself about boots. When I walked into his room, he was proudly displaying himself in his diaper and red cowboy boots! We then decided to explore his other pairs of cowboy boots. He has a solid brown pair that are way too big and a tri-colored white-light brown-dark brown pair. All looked lovely with the diaper.
So came pajama time. Galen wanted to wear the brown pair to bed. I told him no, he got into his alien-themed, footed pajamas and we read bedtime stories and said goodnight. The next morning I wake him up to get ready for daycare. He's always quite groggy (not a morning person and tries to be quite the night owl). Galen is tightly cocooned in his blankets so getting him out is a birthing process each morning. I was drawing him out of his self-made womb; first the head, then the arms and waist, next the legs and cowboy boots! Mr. Galen, after we said goodnight, got up, turned on the lights, put those brown boots on and went back to bed, remembering to turn off the lights. Quite the sophisticated and stealthy move on his part. Well thought out and executed.The photo below is an example of Galen's sleeping style.
The footage below is just some evening and morning play with Galen and either me or Fred.
