If it weren’t for the happy tail, one might easily mistake this majestic giant for a bear in the woods on this frosty morning! Well, please, give me a bear hug. Oh, give me a bear hug! Reminds me of the song my friend Forest once wrote: Faces so soft. Love so strong. Give me a bear hug, oh give me a bear hug!

A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you Langley! It’s so good to have you back with us! Thank you, Mark and Karen Rupert!

My True Love said to me, “I’m sick! Probably not the flu, but I have a fever and chills and headache and sore throat and I’m ti-ired!” and then he proceeded to participate fully in a weekend jam-packed with visitors, visiting and merriment. We exclaimed, you were “six for six while sick!” We didn’t want to miss a minute.

Mama’s best friend “Auntie Jessica” came up from Portland to visit with her girls (rhymes with squirrels if you’re Lake, aka “his ‘tousins'”) and we had a general blast. To enumerate: Saturday we went to the University District Farmers’ Market, sunset beach walk at Discovery Park West Pt. Lighthouse, (We also snuck in phõ and santa photos in Ballard!) and capped the day off with carosel ride

and Komodo Dragon Lizard activity while wandering the Woodland Park Zoo WildLights.

Sunday we went to Pike Place Market by Link light rail (where per Lake we ride the alligator ie elevator) for family pictures. We drove out to Issaquah-Hobart to the Enchanted Winds Christmas Tree Farm for the Newfoundland Club of Seattle sponsored annual carting event.

Finally, we picked up Newfoundland Langley from the Rupert’s home. Yes, the four of us all fit in The Egg (our ’98 Honda Civic, aka compact family car). After his initial apprehensive shyness, Lake warmed back up to his old friend Langley. Lake said, “So Bi-ig!” “I touched him! He’s fluffy!” and “Langley Loves Me.”

When we arrived home, Langley and I walked through Ravenna Park while Michael and Lake made dinner for “Dinnertime”. We were all thankful for the good times with our friends and our relative health. We were by then thoroughly worn out and all went to bed early.

A perfect weekend, I’m glad I spent it with you, My True Love!

Lake has a hot/cold relationship with bedtime. Sometimes he’s an angel climbing up into bed and wishing us goodnight and reading himself to sleep. He can be sensible and funny. Sometimes he’s overtired and gets into a stupor: whining and winging, groaning or downright tantruming. Getting greedy and running bedtime early usually results in spending all the time it was hoped to gain with him sitting half-covered in bed, chatting and reading, often eventually breaking down anyway.

Tonight he was in-between, lukewarm, and Michael had a nice conversation with him. He asked him, “do you know about bedtime? do you know what bedtime is?

“Bedtime is when everyone gets all the things they need for bedtime. Momma gets her things. Lake gets his things. And then they’re set to sleep comfortably. What do you need to sleep?”

Lake asked: “Is Momma tired?” “Yes and, incidentally, Dadums is tired too.”

After organizing the various bears required for comfort, he settled in peaceably.

Though all this didn’t prevent moaning from creeping forth from his room twenty minutes later.

Finally we got him a book, and after it hit him in the head he was able to be engaged with the encouragement that he could be very proud of himself for putting himself to sleep by reading to himself after we read and sang and played together. And Lake thus engrossed, the parents went peacefully to sleep with thoughts of sugar plum fairies dancing in our heads and the sound of mournful Mama/Mami cries drifting down the hall.

And then we awoke, played and read books, went to work, played and sang and danced, made squash soup for dinner, and listened to Christmas music while trimming the tree.

We had a grand time, and again it was Bedtime. Back to Top.

We enjoyed one relatively non-raining day during our Alaska stay to go into the forest. We all went on a family walk around Lake Ward. Lake loved it… “we’re going into the forest,” he rejoiced. It’s very Alaska! Moss draped over every surface, coating everything, somehow even thicker than my reference temperate rainforest, the Quinault. He’s having a grand time overall playing with his cousins. We all are.

Once we were back cozy at play in the house, Oliver asked Can Lake stay for two years!? Then he reflected: if Lake stayed for two years, then I’d be 9 years old.

I’d be four, Lake rejoins.

This all happened and was corroborated by four actual eye witnesses.

We’re in the nice wintertime, Lake said looking out the window of the cozy house perched on the rock above the harbor that constitutes Ketchikan. Meanwhile, it’s so cold and wintery I’m needing to cut my Rice Dream with a knife and eat it with a fork and it’s a raging storm outside with small craft advisory warnings and wind gusting up to 60 miles per hour. What kind of storm would you call this? I asked my brother-in-law. “I’d call it an everyday occurrence type of day until May” he quips back.

A perfect day, a perfect stay. Thank you Bradley’s and Jamma Julie for a memorable thanksgiving holiday weekend! We love you all!

Lake loves airplanes, flying and going to visit people. It all came together for our Thanksgiving visit to the Ketchikan cousins. Full of thanks to the Bradley Family for hosting us for Lake’s first visit to Alaska! Getting on the airplane Lake proclaimed excitedly he was “going to see the cows!” The locals aboard laughed, “there are no cows in Ketchikan”, they countered. Lake’s confidence never flagged and he remained exuberant for the cows of Ketchikan. When we landed at the Ketchikan International Airport after a lovely flight, Lake exclaims “We made it in Ketchikan!” We land in Agra Ina Island and Sister Kendra is there to welcome us on the other side of the Tongass Narrows which requires a ferry ride to cross. We made it!… in Ketchikan!

Lake is at the sweetest age where he’s constantly exploring new environments and making discoveries. To wit… many “firsts.” Tonight it was his first ice water. Last weekend it was his first toy store. So special to see the joy of his revelations!

Here he is crunching first ice from ice water with the “shining eyes” of an inventor hitting pay dirt.

He also says the most adorable phrases, “come up here, pard’ner,” he said over and over whilst speaking with his stuffed animals this morning at play. “So many twing twings on icy!” he triumphed this evening while reading a book about penguins at the South Pole. “You wanna read the book together? Talk on it?” Really, Lake, I do! And what “A perfect day,” I’m glad I spent it with you, morning and night, my fun zestful ice man!

Lake and Baba have been fast friends since the day they met about a week into Lake’s life sojourn.

Fast forward two and a half happy golden years…

Now Baba just had a big birthday and Lake was so excited to wish him a happy birthday. Right up until the moment he was on the telephone with Baba or there in person visiting with Baba he was joyously singing “Happy Birthday to you!” He enthusiastically sang and congratulated Baba in private with me, then he would completely clam up when in the presence of Baba. Not a single birthday wish escaped explicitly from Lake’s lips.

They had a great time together in spite of the unspoken congratulations. Lake cherishes his time with Baba and he is so blessed to have living, devoted, and involved grandparents! We all are! We recently spent a gem of a day together at Ruby Beach in celebration. We love you, Baba! So glad you’re alive… a perfect day, we’re glad we spent it with you.

The answer was “yes,” and the response was a resounding “yea!” We went to the beach, although a couple of courageous and playful visitors from Russia did go in the beach swimming! Altogether, it was a beautiful Veterans’ Day at Ruby Beach on Washington’s wild Pacific Coast. It’s a special treat to share the majesty of the Olympic National Park, mama’s homelands, with Lake and the folks who made it so: Nana and Baba!

Ending with sunset soccer at Kalaloch. A perfect day! I’m glad I spent it with you in the beach!

One of Lake’s favorite expressions is Mama Do Yoga! Sometimes it’s a sweet question, “mama do yo’ga?” Sometimes it’s a cry of joy, “mama do yoga!” Often it’s accompanied by a strategic plan of something Lake wants. It’s a kind of gift he’s offering me, “yoga?” as a lure, yet also with an ulterior motive. “Lake look at pic’tures and mama do yoga!…(?)” He looks at me beseechingly with his beguiling and crafty innocence. It usually works. He’s got my number! (and then he’s also got my cell phone! … requisitioned for the purpose of looking at the photo album). It’s true: Mama loves yoga! And Lake loves looking at pictures!

Thanks for being my yoga champion, Lake! For your price of admission, I’m getting a great deal. I seize any opportunity to yoga with you. And here we are with Nana and Baba at Kalaloch beach. A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you!

The Northwest Trail Runs Ravenna Refresher Trail Run was this morning. We joined the race and given distances of 4, 8, and 12k, we opted for the 4k! Lake’s first trail race! It was super fun and super relaxed. We were happy to see our friend Lisa Hall there with her family. Thank you Lisa for introducing us to the Winter Trail Series. It is indeed a great way to stay active in the cold, dark months so we’re fit and ready when the Bloomsday’s of our early spring Bloomsday Tradition and bikini season suddenly arrive! Run for joy and be forever bikini ready!

Before basking in the warmth of the winter morning sunshine, then racing the ravine during…

and afterwards… a Family Of Finishers!

Our Ravenna Refresher was rather refreshing. We enjoyed exceptionally beautiful weather and the trails weren’t too muddy for the stroller to pass easily. We felt the 4K was plenty and took our victory lap over to the University District Farmers Market for a championship Tandoozy feast… followed by a nap! A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you for your first Trail Run!