A few weeks ago we went to the dentist and my dental hygienist proclaimed

Lake is on the cutting edge!

Literally. He first cut his teeth at three and a half months old. She said that indicated he would be early side for all things dental. 

That brings us up to today with our friends in Bellingham. News flash! Lake has four upper front teeth that are breaking through. How do I miss these things? Grandma Julie noticed his first two teeth at Daddy’s birthday party in September. Now Lake’s eight year-old  friend spends a few hours with him and informs me he has lots of teeth coming in. It’s confirmed. It takes a village!

It’s happening. The career-mum plan is unfolding and “transition time” is here. I am preparing to return to work on Monday. I’ve been mining the Work-Life Balance resources for the past few months to coordinate this. Childcare, daycare, au pair. I hope the name holds true “work-life balance”. Lake will be starting daycare at the Harborview affiliated Bright Horizons on Monday: when I go in to work he will be accompanying me. We visited this Bright Horizons facility yesterday where he will be spending his days. It comes with the highest recommendations for quality early childhood development. We got oriented to Lake’s new “Little School” and there were introductions all around. Lots of babies, curious and crying babies, and nice smiling ladies. Then I left for a one hour trial.

Thankfully I met a friend who was just getting off work and we were able to spend the hour going for a distracting walk down to the Seattle waterfront. I was a nervous wreck to leave Lake chilling on the floor. But once Clarence and I got walking through the late afternoon sunshine we didn’t want to turn back. We walked down the hill to Pioneer Square and along the waterfront to the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium. It was great to be outside and it felt a bit naked not to have Lake with me enjoying the sights as well. 

We were back right on time. Lake was comforted to see me when we returned. He was crying on the floor where I had left him. The nice care providers assured me if had only decompensated a few moments before. It reaffirmed our glad decision to be welcoming our family au pair in the new year. Until then, this is our privileged adventure. I picked him up, gave him a hug and told him he had been so brave and that I loved him. As you can see, I was joyful to be reunited! 

In the evening Lake and I walked back downtown together. We went to Pacific Place to meet cousin Laura for some celebratory shopping.  Surprisingly we found Christmas music and decorations awaiting us! 

This morning I woke up, and I thought 

What a surreal day! Did that all happen?

I think it did indeed. Wish us all luck and a bon voyage! Today we are off to visit Nana and Grandpa for our finalé weekend capping a phenomenal maternity leave!

Lake was getting some petting practice today. He and the cats have just started to show a new level of interest in each other this week. Lake prefers Mr. Cat because of his fluffy long hair… so soft! Two nice pets before a big grab. 

Pet. Pet. Fistful of fur. Pry open little fist. Pet. Pet. Grab fur and hold. Like a little chimp he hangs on tight. I think we’re still at the point where supervision is required. So far so good though, and Mr. Cat is basking in the extra attention!

Just discovered some sad news. Regarding my high heeled shoe collection. All my most beloved footwear: my gorgeous wedding heels, my grandmother’s heels from the 1950s and 60s, and my black and brown leather investment heels from my 20s. None of them fit. It’s like trying on Cinderella’s shoes. My feet are officially bigger now. Pregnancy , yoga, breastfeeding, barefoot maternity leave, ligament laxity, yoga toes, pregnancy. Happy feet. Big wide feet. Noooooooooo. Breathe. Deep breath. It’s okay to give myself some time and space to grieve. I’m dragging my feet but ultimately working towards accepting the truth. I went to yoga tonight and the lesson was “surrender”. Time to let go. 

It has been six days since the election results came in. Six days of protests and six days of constant helicopters overhead in Seattle. I’m concerned for the stability of the economy and the safety of all our freedom as Trump names Reince Priebus his chief of staff and Stephen Bannon senior White House policy adviser. It seems he is choosing to let the Republicans play out their desired agenda while downplaying it’s importance to the people via the press and taking influence in the media from an ultra right wing perspective. For example the comment he made on the 60 minutes interview that aired yesterday about abortion. It struck me as cavelier when he said that women seeking abortive measures when Roe vs. Wade is overthrown (but relax, it won’t happen right away) will just need to travel to another state [where States Rights will presumably choose to protect it in some states]. It reminded me of the “No bread? Let them eat cake” comment that may have gotten Marie-Antoinette (wife of King Louis XVI) in hot water in 1789 France. I was moved to sign the petition calling on the Electoral College to consider casting their votes the way the popular vote did, for Hillary Clinton. 

I suppose I’ll also be seen as a delicate, out of touch, liberal elitist. I complain of the headache and phychological weariness the sound of constant helicopters overhead. Right away on Wednesday I found a safety pin and pinned it on Lake’s and my gear, the Baby Björn, as a sign of solidarity that we are a safe place for anyone feeling marginalized or experiencing violence. Then, immediately a slew of arguments came out against it. All the way from: that it is merely a meaningless token to assuage your privileged white guilt and if you want to send a meaningful message to use the pin to attach a large sign reading black lives matter, to: it’s too dangerous to wear the safety pin unless you’re willing to take an attack on another persons behalf. At any rate, we are still sporting the safety pin. I feel safe on Lake’s behalf, but there is a good point being made who is really going to notice it as I walk around my north Seattle neighborhoods?

So my safety pin should invoke in me a sense of fear and futility. Meanwhile I still have a headache from the helicopters. 

Yesterday on 60 minutes, Trump said of his volatile, and perhaps violence inspiring campaign personality

Well, sometimes you need a certain rhetoric to get people motivated. 

And then to both his supporters and his detractors regarding racial violence and protesters:

Stop it. I would say, stop it. Just don’t do it. I’m going to bring this country together. 

I can’t stop reading articles since the election results came in Tuesday hard and fast. I’m trying to understand and get oriented and stay informed. I want to hope for the best. 

I made a pilgrimage to nearby Peace Park. I’m trying to do face yoga to relax my face and mind and to let go of the tension. Lake remains a sweetheart with an easy smile. But how long of worried anxious mummy and ominous overhead rumbling before he begins to suffer too? He’s so innocent and good natured!

While the ultra-right celebrates, and the urban areas cry out in protest, the world holds its breath. Out of the shock, a spirit of collaboration painfully emerges.

Tuesday Hillary Clinton won the popular vote (so far and counting) but conceded the election, Wednesday #notourpresident ignited, and today Donald J. Trump is cordially welcomed into the White House as our 45th president-elect. The nation is reeling from the quick succession of events. Many of us were deeply offended by Trump’s cavalier and disrespectful nature while on the campaign trail and did not see him as a legitimate executive branch head, the ultimate ambassador for the United States. He did not seem to represent our strong values of integrity, respect and inclusiveness that we hold dear to our origins as a nation of political and religious refugees. On the one hand, with this outcome that was predicted by political science models, we are humbly reminded of the pendulous nature of national executive branch which has a long history of swinging back and forth between periods of democratic progress and republican recovery. On the other hand, we are confronted with the seemingly antiquated system of the electoral college. The concept and practicality of the electoral college recalls the days of horse drawn carriages, where the maximum size of a county was determined by the furthest corner that could be reached within a one day’s horse ride to the county seat. More weight is afforded each state itself than the population as a whole, de-emphasizing the prevailing sentiments in the urban density of the coasts and favoring the less populated middle states. The results emphasize how we have let down our rural poor adrift in middle America. What makes America truly great is it’s free basic education, higher education opportunities, innovative health care, environmental beauty, richness of the resources and continuous influx of talented immigrants. It reminds me of our responsibility to respect, preserve and further, not shortsightedly diminish, demolish and regress.

We, the VanLaanens, the Seattle, the West Coast, the urban USA, the educated middle class have misgivings, even as all signs of making nice and a smooth transition of power is underway. As charming as Donald Trump is, and as FDR-heralding-New Deal as his victory speech sounded, I feel cautious about how optimistic I can be about Trump’s presidency. I’m skeptical regarding whether he knows how to have the best interest of the environment in mind. Or our country’s social welfare over advancement of his own interest and the financial interests of his friends, other known-quantities-of-dubious-morality financial interests. I’m concerned that the older white under-educated American voter has been misguided into thinking Trump will provide them with a better way of life, when we will in all likelihood head into recession. I’m saddened we will not see the disillusioned and disenfranchised Trump supporters benefiting from Hillary Clinton’s presidential commitment to expanding access to free or affordable daycare, schools, healthcare and to becoming a world-leader in clean energy jobs. I had hoped environmental protection rather than degradation would be our way towards a better future, not by maintaining ignorance and accessing further fossil fuels via foreign wars and domestic plunder strategies. This election has illuminated our nation’s vulnerabilities, and is a call to action to turn the tide on poverty and ignorance in our own country.

Nonetheless, Mr. Trump is a skilled and charismatic individual. He speaks to his audience and he follows his goal with relentless energy. This he will bring to his presidency, and we will all benefit. As he was campaigning he had identified a very specific target, and I was not his audience . Now, we are all his audience and I think we will find that he is extremely cognizant of that and will comport himself accordingly. Furthermore, our country is fundamentally made up of our people and we are all ambassadors of the USA. Lake will soon be a US passport holder, and no, it’s not so we can emigrate, it’s so we can travel in a spirit of exploration, appreciation and cultural exchange!

Lately I’ve been reading All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot. It’s a wholesome diversion from election anxiety. And what a gem! It’s the sequel to beloved All Things Great and Small, which I’m familiar with but hadn’t yet discovered. James Herriot is a country veterinarian for small and large animals and gets himself in and out of the best scrapes.  He has a charming way of recounting his patient adventures and coupled with his outlook on life, he cultivates a strong practice of gratitude. His style recalls another one of my all time favorite books Sailing Alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum. They can both nonchalantly sum up some pretty extreme adventures and call it all in a day’s work!

Us, we had a pretty relaxing day walking around town, all things considered. We spent time in Gasworks Park, Fremont, Wallingford and Greenlake. We Lindsed around Greenlake in remarkable 21C weather. Autumn gorgeousness! All of the dangers are in my mind, nothing real like being crushed by bulls (Herriot) or whales (Slocum).

I love you Lake! You are such a joyful spirit. Thanks for keeping me grounded today.

A perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you, mon cher! We enjoyed the balmy weather today for walking-errands wearing our matching French stripes. Now on the eve of this historic election, I turn to what soothes my soul of anxiety: family and phõ. 

Lake loves a ferry ride! He’s a true Washingtonian. He’s a regular frequenter of the Washington State ferry system by now. Yesterday we look the bus then the light rail downtown to the ferry terminal. It was raining a deluge as we left our building so at the last minute, inspired by Lake’s rain suit, I ran back inside for my snow pants. I was so glad I did. I ended up being so cozy in the wind and the rain, we were able to go up on deck. Here we are reveling in the Seattle skyline from the Bainbridge Island ferry. 

We traveled out to Bainbridge Island for the weekend prompted by our nephew Benny’s third birthday. Auntie Kendra and her two boys are visiting from Ketchikan, enjoying the amenities of the lower 48. They come down at least once a year to stay for a few weeks with Grandma Julie and Grandpa Greg at their Bainbridge Island forest estate.

We had a lot of good times. Michael got to spend some cherished sister time. The grandparents, auntie, and cousins all got a good dose of charming Baby Lake. Benny was well fêted and we had a perfect three year old family birthday dinner of “soup and bread”, his favorite. 

Family fun:

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​All the merriment really wore Lake out! So during nap time Michael and I took the opportunity for some beach and forest time around the Rolling Bay Area while Grandma watched over her little flock of sheep. And then all too soon the weekend draws to a close and we are back at home tucked into cozy beds there. Meanwhile some of us are now a whole year older. Congratulations Benjamin, thanks for including us. Congratulations to father as well who turned 71 today! Quite a slick accomplishment to fit into the span of a weekend! Steady on!