“Hakuna Matata; it means no worries!” Lake has the gall to be shouting incessantly after today’s poopocalypse, falling quickly on the heels of the epic-emesis affair that constituted his stomach flu of the last half-week. Our cursed upstairs carpet has been severely taking a beating this sickness go-around. I’m down on my hands and knees scrubbing poo-splosion up out of the carpet in our bedroom and he climbs onto my back like a horse rider. Somehow he managed to get the post flu creamy diarrhea poo to completely fill up and drip out of his diaper and pants as he walked slowly around my bed. A bit of a rude awakening for me from both of our afternoon naps. I let him know it was not a happy way for me to conclude my nap. He asks me repeatedly in between my expressions of discontent with complete guilelessness, “Did you have a nice nap Mama?” I was admonishing him on the insanity of pooing in his diaper at the foot of my bed when there is a toilet right next door, when he calmly replies “I’m not ready to use the toilet yet Mama”. When then?? I ask. He looks at me. I decide to take a leap of faith in my favor. Tomorrow? “Yes, tomorrow,” he confidently confirms. Okay then, we are making a chart for Lake’s pooprogress! A smiley for toilette pee and a star for toilette poo. He asks for a moon and a cow and a pig for toilette poos. Anything you wish for we will draw on your chart darling, when you poo in the toilette. Lord have mercy!

“Hakuna Matata! It means no worries.” This guy! And then as we’re getting ready for bed he comes up with, “I hope and pray I can spend my life with you…” Yes darling, you are my shining star; have no doubt about that. Definitely a strange kind of perfect day. I am glad I spent it with you, Lake. (And I am also preemptively glad for the toilette chart to be a smashing success!)

Lake being sick with the stomach flu didn’t stop us from getting a little fresh air this evening and some cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossoms of the University Of Washington are for us a truly a magical tradition. Although Lake is not so impressed. Nonetheless we reverently walked laps around the quad, all wreathed with flowers, as the dusk turned to night.

In keeping with our college tour theme (UBC, then UW), Lake posed for a collegiate photo shoot at the UW Quad earlier this week in celebration of the cherry blossoms having popped. Somehow the lovely young German au pairs bring out that charming side of him for pictures that I really don’t have the talent for these days. Photo credits Luisa Jehle.

This morning we woke up running! So we ran directly to the Quad to check on the University of Washington cherry blossoms. They are out! The highlight of our year in the neighborhood.

If you’re interested in joining us for a run or some cherry blossom viewing, let us know! We’re planning on being at the quad next Sunday at 1pm with Langley and a handsome group of Newfoundland’s from the Newfoundland Club of Seattle. It’s going to be a perfect day. James Bond will be there, will you?

Canada. It felt like an epic adventure. Different outlooks different country. One hour border crossing. One “I’m not yet three” year old. We made it home each all in one piece. Our animals were each all in one piece when we arrived home.

Me: Are you happy to be home?

Lake: I have a smile on it. Because I’m happy.

Lake: (upon finding me in the house): I thought there was nobody. Then there’s yesbody.

Me: (laughing) yesbody!

Lake: Nobody. Yesbody. (Laughing) That’s a funny one!

Lake had a great time visiting the Greenlake Fire Department today! He was proudly wearing his fireman badge when I came home from work today. Turns out one can pop in for a tour of the fire trucks and get sticker badges and tours of the fire trucks and the firemen are really helpful and happy to host you… especially if you bring some muffins! Good work Luisa! Nice German Au Pair ingenuity! A great time was had by all… especially Lake!

Lake’s got the cutest expressions still. Every day something sweet and fresh. His latest take on the night time ritual is Sleep Dreams! And he says I’m going to dream on it when I went Sploosh! He’s referring to his most exciting event of the weekend, at the UBC campus Lake was ready to dive right in.

He was running all around their water features and we thought, it’s only a matter of time before he falls in. He actually cleared the fountain. Then, as we were heading out, he tipped over into their central campus entrance water feature, a chain of ponds and gentle waterfalls. As I came running he actually turned around so fast and scrambled up onto the walkway again. By the time I got there he was just coming up for air. I wasn’t sure if his exhale was going to bring laughter or tears. It turned into the biggest shocked horrified bloody murder scream. And as he tells the story, he went Sploosh! And Mama got him dry. Indeed, we directly stripped off all his drenched clothes right here in the middle of campus and quickly cobbled together a dry outfit: his jacket he was luckily was wasn’t wearing, our last dry diaper, mama’s socks, and Luisa’s scarf.

Riding up on the safely of daddy’s shoulders we went in search of lunch. From there, Mama spotted a children boutique and ran across the street to buy Lake a new (dry) emergency outfit and shoes. After all the excitement, he fell asleep on the restaurant banquette. Sleep Dreams, Lake!

Capilano Suspension Bridge Regional Park is British Columbia’s and nature’s own thrilling adventure park… so much fun! We all had a great time walking over the impressive suspension bridge, the beautiful canopy walk, the breathtaking cantilevered cliff walk, and ogled the beautiful of the trees and forest. Such a pretty spring day. There’s even a AAA discount on full-price admissions, so if you make it up here bring your AAA card! When we got back to the West End we noticed the cherry trees were blossoming. Spring is here in Vancouver, BC!

After just a little bit of sleep not a big bit of sleep just a little bit of sleep (Lake gesturing with his fingers ) we set out on the bathtub ferry boat for Granville Island Public Market, and then bussed up to the University of British Columbia where we saw the largest Blue Whale skeleton ever (well, at least in Canada), and plotted Lake’s future academic career at UBC. Then we visited one of my own favorite college haunts, The Naam, the 24 hour vegetarian health food restaurant open since the 1960’s that has such soul. Mid-chopstick, Lake took his nap right there on the banquet while we enjoyed our tea and dessert and chatted in the sunny window seats reminiscing about college days and swapping stories about our first jobs. A perfect day… so nice to explore British Columbia and Vancouver, Canada with Luisa, Lake, and Michael!

Langley was due for his monthly bath. Michael took him to Rub-a-Dub Dog in Greenwood. They’re pretty awesome. I’m unable to share the “during” photos due to privacy issues. I think a senior dog, and a retired grand champion deserves to be remembered in his full glory, not reduced to the drowned-rat look. Suffice it to say, he’s back to his fluffy (cleaner) self three bottles of shampoo and one full blow-out later.

Langley, “King of the Market”