Bomba Azul

Just ride baby

We went out tonight because Mariana wanted to ride her bicycle. It's actually a tricycle but hey, close enough. I was dragging my ass after working all day and really didn't want to go down to the basement to get her tricycle. This activity also often involves going up and down the block in the cold with breaks for hysteria. She has a tendency to get really frustrated by scooters and ridey things if she can't do it herself. Very independent that one. However since we last tried this tricycle she's grown a few inches and she can now reach the pedals easily. It made a big difference. We went up and down the block once with her just pushing along with her feet and me pushing from behind. On the 2nd trip I asked her to try putting her feet on the pedals while I pushed so she could begin to learn that motion, that wonderful magical spinning in circles motion that is bike riding. I WILL MAKE HER A CYCLIST DAMNIT! It was so cool to see how she can steer now too. The whole thing ended up reminding me of the inevitability of her growing up. That however she may seem now it won't last as she continues to learn and develop new skills - good and bad. I think I felt a simultaneous wave of pride and pang of regret that she's not so little anymore.

BrooklynVerni Day

I was going to write tonight to congratulate myself on how easily Mariana goes to sleep. Then she rolled around talking and jumping up and down and going wild for 1 1/2 hours. Hilary went up there twice to field bogus diaper alerts. At some point she cried out "Daddy? Are you there Daddy?" Usually we do as we (ok I) like to call it the drag and drop. There are no books, no story time, no singing- just a quick tickle on her chair, a family hug and then into the crib. Hilary and I live in mortal fear of this changing. Someday she'll have to go into a real bed and then she won't be contained anymore. I can't imagine her not coming out of her room repeatedly once she realizes she can. yikes.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. It's the 2nd annual BrooklynVerni Day. 2 years ago tomorrow we met Mariana for the first time. It's hard to imagine. We're going to celebrate by going out for dinner at Saraghina. yummy pizza. It's amazing how much she's grown in 2 years. From a little lump who couldn't sit upright without a pillow surround to the little girl she is today. Tonight she kept going into my backpack and pulling things out. I admonished her twice. I couldn't quite see and I thought she was doing it a third time so I started in on her. Only this time she wasn't. She put up her hands as if to say "whoa, whoa" and she said "I wasn't going in there". All that was missing was Jeez as in "I wasn't going in there, Jeez Dad, what a spaz.." In 2 years from lump to attitude.