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Adventures of a spectacularly active, incredibly clever, and insanely adorable little boy.
Birth date: June 15, 2004
| nov 15 - dec 14 2005< previous month | next month > Start at the beginning of Simonial Kagledom |
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17 months
The Seventeen Month Old
this month's photosDecember 14, 2005
Welcome to Simon's new home.
December 13, 2005
This evening we made a bid for a beautiful four story, three bedroom, two and a half bath, attached garage, city view, skylighted townhouse in Lincoln Park. We've already had a counter bid and are set to counter the counter. The unit is in a small complex of townhouses directly across the street from a large park and four blocks from the "L", shopping, the post office, and everything else you could ever hope to have within walking distance. We knew it was the place when Simon felt comfortable enough to relieve his bowels while the owners, the real estate agents, Grammy, and his parents looked on. Luckily, the place is owned by a family with a two year old and a two month old so it comes childproofed, baby tested, and very diaper changing friendly. We've uploaded photos of Simon in the snow and some really terrible quick shots of the townhouse. Early tomorrow we weary travelers return home; tonight: a snow storm!
December 12, 2005
We made it to Chicago from Oakland on a very early flight Sunday morning. We took the early flight (making Grammy get up at 4 am) because Simon just would not go to sleep without his room. And, hey, if you're up, why not do something useful? Of course, by 3 am, Simon had FINALLY fallen asleep and by 4:30 we were out the door.
Despite sleep, Simon was perfect (and totally awake) on the plane, which left us with the belief that traveling with a grandparent is definitely the way to go. Sunday we saw one property before we took Simon out to experience snow and see the holiday lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo. He was a bit bewildered by the white stuff, the cold, and being bundled, but he seemed to enjoy himself. Last night he again woke up SCREAMING and kept us up for an hour before finally falling asleep with Mom -- banishing Dad to another bed altogether. Today we took Grammy and Simon out to see homes from 9:30 am to 2 pm. Simon was, again, perfectly behaved. He likes the homes with ceiling fans the best and asked all of the realtors to turn them on over and over by making a "round and round" sign with his hands or turning himself around in circles. We took Grammy and Simon back to the hotel for lunch and nap and left them to play while we looked at even more houses from 3 pm to 7 pm. We have seen some amazing places including one 3,500 sq. ft. greystone with 13 rooms for slightly more than our current home is worth. It is, however, not in our top three selections because the once amazing mansion is now tucked behind a Blockbuster Video, the windows look out onto the cement highrises next door, and the bathrooms were some of the ugliest rooms we've ever ever ever seen. One would never guess that any bathroom could be that ugly, and to have several in the same home was particularly amazing. Tomorrow we see a few more properties and then return to our top three favorites to round out the day.
December 10, 2005
Our plans to take off for Chicago have been foiled by snow. Tomorrow is another day (and hopefully, it won't be spent waiting at the airport). Simon was an amazing kid today; he waited without complaint for four hours before collapsing into his Dad's arms from fatigue. He then found himself back on the bus to long term parking and, come on, the bus is the best part anyway. The walls are torn apart in Simon's room so he will be sleeping in the port-a-crib downstairs near Grammy (our traveling companion). We'd post pictures of the airport wait (Simon made a new friend) and the walls (impressive holes) but the camera cable is still packed away in the car...
December 8, 2005
Simon says "Bye" to RLG on Hava's last day at work:
Dear RLGers,
Mama has told me a few things about her life before my existence. Apparently, a lot of her life so far seems to have been spent at RLG; this is some of what I know...
Mama met Daddy a few weeks before her interview at RLG; he was there to encourage her to apply for a job she thought was totally out of her league. He was also there to comfort her when she thought there was no way they were going to hire her after that interview. RLG friends were there when they were dating, they weren't surprised when Mom and Dad moved in together, or when they were married. Alice, a former RLGer I've met on a couple of occasions, planned a party to celebrate their engagement. Many RLGers were there as Mama and Daddy married. Some of them even came as last minute honored guests after September 11 happened and no one far away wanted to come. Still others came to Mom and Dad's home to help carve the more than twenty jack-o-lanterns which decorated the wedding site. My baby shower was, apparently, a fabulous occasion at RLG.
I first stopped by the office when I was only a week old. I immediately liked the look of the place and I've enjoyed it ever since. It is fun. People smile at me and wave as I run past their cubes. Mom says that I gave my first non-parent smile to Lori (a pretty blond) while visiting her at work. My favorite spot, of course, has always been Gregory's cube - he has the best collection of objects to touch. I sat alone for the first time while watching Gregory's carved ball spin. Sometimes I enjoy conversations with Bruce and Arnold and Ricky. Sometimes I show them my new tricks. I will never forget my BWWWOES meetings on Fridays (Mama says that if you don't know what that stands for, you're not supposed to). I have learned so many things and had such long laughs while taking apart Judith's wallet, unzipping Lennie's purse, feeding the bunny bank in Lenore's cube or rearranging her magnets. The blanket Fae made me before my birth is still my very favorite. I have especially enjoyed all of my time with Carl.
Mama says that it is because of the support of RLGers that I am just a wee bit healthier than I might have been (had they not given her the support to lock herself into a conference room three times a day until I was eleven months old). That conference room is officially called "Palo Alto" but some of us call it "the dairy." Mama says that the character of a company can be determined by how they treat their new mothers; that, in her mind, is what makes RLG rise to the top.
Love,
Simon (with a little help from his Mama)
December 6, 2005
Let it be known that December 5, 2005 was the day Simon started talking and decided not to stop. He has fifteen minute conversations on his toy phone before saying "bye!" and hanging up. He tells jokes only he can understand before collapsing on the floor with laughter. He talks to us, he talks to strangers, he talks to stuffed animals, he talks to pictures. Hava thinks she completely understood some of what he said yesterday; Matthew thinks that means she needs therapy. Other new things for Simon: he now swims on his belly in the bathtub, his favorite books are about the potty (in fact, he is fascinated by everything potty related), he saw a new teletubbies video we bought him for the plane twice (once last week and once three weeks ago) and now he asks for us to turn it on all the time. He has absolutely no clue what is about to happen to him; including that his room is about to be torn apart to save his wall paintings.
December 4, 2005
Simon says: Happy Almost Birthday, Grammy!
And the DSL Gods were merciful; after a small sacrifice of $15 for one month of dial-up, the DSL mysteriously returned. Thank you, RLG, for the DSL - after spending time without it, we are very grateful that it existed at all and will appreciate what little time we have left (assuming it really will be cut off soon).Today, Simon ate more than either of us, combined. Ravioli in marinara, corn, scrambled eggs, honeydew, pomegranate seeds, pirate bootie, beans, grilled cheese sandwich, asparagus, mighty bites cereal, raisins, figs, strawberries, crackers ... This evening he sat in the bath for thirty minutes and, instead of playing, he waited for us to feed him over and over and over. When he wasn't eating, he hosted his final Las Madres play date before passing out for over three hours.
How about some haircut photos:
Simon woke up looking like this on Friday.
So we thought it was time for this new do.
And a bonus photo:
Simon, trying out his new winter coat.
December 3, 2005
Just one of many challenges we Kagles are going to face over the next month ... we no longer have internet access. Our DSL was provided through RLG (since Hava worked at home on occasion) and, apparently, once Hava gave notice, the DSL connection was cut. What does this mean? If you want to reach us, PLEASE DON'T SEND EMAIL. We will be checking (through the wireless power of local coffee shops) but we can't spend all day sipping coffee so it is likely you won't get a response (unless you only require a "yes" or "no"). New things for Simon: he took his first digital photo yesterday when one of Hava's friends showed him how, he learned how to unzip Hava's friend's purse, he got his third haircut, and his lower two canines poked through yesterday.
December 1, 2005
Simon and his parents welcome the newest Kagle to the family!
Last night, instead of pointing to the CD player and saying "UUuuh! UUuuh!" (which is particularly annoying) we taught Simon to sign "more" along with a new, totally made up, sign for "music" (rotating one finger up in a circular motion as if to *sarcastically* say "I'm having a good time, really I am, look").
November 30, 2005
Just in case you were wondering, we've decided to focus our home search almost exclusively in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago (thank you for your tips). Lincoln Park is a few stops north of The Loop (where we will work) on the "L" which apparently stands for "elevated train." Because we will actually (theoretically) be living in Chicago itself we will most likely be choosing a condo or town home. Hava nixed the idea of living in a high rise and, to make our Chicago Real Estate Agent's life difficult, we're determined that this new home be within a few blocks of a park and a short distance from the train. It is likely that one day we will want a house with a yard but, after much consideration, it seems better to have a short commute so we can spend more time together while Simon is young and impressionable. Lincoln Park has some of the best schools in the country and is apparently a very nice place with the oldest zoo in America (and it's free!). We've never been to the zoo or, for that matter, to Lincoln Park. We're interested in buying instead of renting so we only have to uproot ourselves and disrupt Simon's existence (i.e. trouble sleeping in a new place) once. We're looking at homes online every evening and giving Real Estate Agent Rick our opinions. Sometime in the next two weeks we'll be there in person to check out the places that rise to the top of the list.
November 29, 2005
In addition to purging, Matthew has been doing a little fixing this week. Simon saw Matthew with a screw driver and just HAD to have it. When he was given a chance to hold it, he did the oddest thing: Simon took the screwdriver and attempted to unscrew the hinge on the bathroom cabinet. Matthew had been unscrewing the same hinge but Simon hadn't seen it happen. Handyman, another natural talent that Simon didn't get from his parents.
November 27, 2005
Welcome to purge week at the Kagle abode. Books, tapes, old clothes, the sand boat, and everything else we don't plan to drag with us is going away. Alas, we are still accumulating; this weekend we bought cold weather clothing. As it turns out, non sports stores in California don't actually carry many of the items we need (cue the online shopping song). We managed to find a really warm puffy coat for Simon but our new down coats, long johns, and new boots, pants, and slippers for Simon were purchased the new fashioned way. We also had a consult with a nice man who had great ideas on how to make us not quite so distressed about this move. See, Matthew spent a very long time painting the murals in Simon's bedroom. We love them. Simon loves them. And it looks like it will indeed be possible to take them with us. We will destroy Simon's room in the process (a good portion of the drywall will be removed and replaced) but we will have the drywall pictures, mounted on wood, somehow sealed and preserved for all time.
November 23, 2005
If there was ever any doubt that Simon is Matthew's son, let's clear that up now. Simon is a full fledged member of the silly face brigade (it is, apparently, genetic) ...
November 21, 2005
Simon says: Happy Belated Birthday Cousin Sarah!As promised, photos of Simon's first slumber party with his first best friend, Calvin.
playing
playing
playing
checking out the sleeping arrangements
sharing
November 21, 2005
Ah, the first slumber party of your life. Saturday night "the amazing sleeper" Calvin came over to play. Simon fed him crackers and Calvin returned the favor. Simon "talked" on the plastic blue phone and then held it up to Calvin's ear so he could take a turn. Calvin played on one side of the toy doorway and Simon peekabooed him from the other side and fell over laughing. They played together in the port-a-crib while Simon pretended to fall asleep. Once Calvin, the only kid we know who asks to go to sleep, got tired (he said "sleep?" and made the sign for "tired"), we read a few books and put Calvin down in the port-a-crib and took Simon up to his room. There are pictures and we will put them up. Soon. So why is it that this blog has been erratic and the photo of the week hasn't been updated every week? Hava has been interviewing; seriously interviewing. Interviewing and interviewing and interviewing. And interviewing is stressful; seriously stressful. Interviewing is even more stressful when you realize the day before three all day interviews with various companies that you've lost your wallet and the dry cleaners have given your interview suit to someone else (and those people aren't available). And then, after interviewing there are decisions to be made about where to go and what makes the most sense. What makes sense has a way of turning itself on its head when you have a child. Your child has a best friend. Your child has grandparents nearby and play dates everyday and a sitter he adores. But you notice that your house which used to be perfect has fifty percent more stuff since he arrived. He is just a little thing but he fills every room. And he is bored with the three rooms he inhabits and always wants to be somewhere else. We Kagles have decided to make a pretty drastic change. We're moving. We're moving in the winter. We're moving in the winter to Chicago. Hava has accepted a new job with Motorola and she is thrilled and she is terrified. She has been with RLG since 1998 and things are, well, comfortable. But we "thrill seeking" Kagles require at least one adventure a year so let it be known that ... in 2000 we walked from San Jose to San Franciscoin 2001 we got marriedin 2002 we bought a housein 2003 we got Hava knocked upin 2004 we had a kid and in 2005 we decided to take on Chicago
So things are likely to be a little rocky here in Simonial Kagledom. It might be interesting to document our change from seventy degree blue sky weather across the country and into below freezing; we hope so. It is going to be difficult to physically leave but this site will remain and so really, everything will be virtually the same (pun intended).
Oh, by the way, that lost wallet? Simon had apparently taken it and hid it in a drawer. Sunday evening he revealed his private stash of cash and credit cards in the night stand next to Mom's side of the bed.November 18, 2005
Last night Simon didn't fall asleep until 10:45 PM (if you slipped him caffeine, it is time to confess). We brought him into bed with us thinking it might help but the hyped up kid would give a hug and a kiss to Mom and then turn to give a hug and a tickle to Dad. After twenty hugs each, we decided enough was enough - sweetness only takes you so far when you're getting between these Kagles and their sleep. We put him back into his crib and, after twenty minutes of protest, he fell fast asleep.This afternoon, when Mom got into the car with him, the wipers were half way up the windshield. Simon said "swish swish!" (as in "the wipers on the bus go swish swish swish" ...), did the motion with his hands and said "on!" And (this is how great his Mom thinks he is) Hava drove a good 10 minutes with the wipers on their highest setting in the sun on a 70+* day. This evening he finally was able to play with Calvin. Tomorrow there are rumors of a very first Simon/Calvin slumber party!
November 17, 2005
And then, not more than 24 hours after it began, the boy Kagle replaced hurling with signing "MORE FOOD!" At 5 am he had toast and juice. At 7 am he had egg, melon, and milk. At 8 am he insisted on being taken outside to play. At 9 am he consumed large quantities of macaroni and cheese.Favorite book (of this week and last): Where the Wild Things Are
November 16, 2005
Simon is sick again. As if two colds in two weeks weren't enough, he woke up last night after vomiting in his crib. We moved him to our bed where he vomited again, and again, and again. He slept most of the day and watched video clips of poetry from his baby shower the rest. When Mom came home he insisted that Mom and Dad take him outside to see "da ball!" and so we took the boy outside and down the way to see the full moon -- large and yellow and low on the horizon. "Da ball! Da Ball!" Even more excitement was had when he got a glimpse of healthy Calvin from 50 feet. Calvin yelled "Cee Cee!" (Simon) and Simon let out his Calvin squeal which is really a cross between a laugh, a squeal, and the clearing of phlegm from the back of his throat.
November 15, 2005
Happy Seventeen Months to Simon!Simon's brain has been making connections at a feverish pace. We think this might explain why he is always tired, super hungry, and hasn't slept though the night more than two nights in a row in weeks (this may also be because he has some painful gum bumps where teeth will be soon). Over the weekend (and out of the blue) he came up with the correct labels for everyday things like "bread" and "water." The words he used to say but had stopped saying came back: "up!", "outside." His pronunciation of words he knew but only we could distinguish became clear: "downstairs", "all done", "more", "again." He woke up Saturday morning knowing that a lion says "roar!", a snake says "ssss" and a cow says "moo." And, as if that weren't enough, he showed us that he can and will pick up sign language *immediately* and use it appropriately if we bother to teach him and use it ourselves. New funniest things in the world: Dad juggling, balls being bounced off of his head, dancing with Calvin, watching Calvin get tickled, and pretty much anything else having to do with Calvin.