Keeping Up With Baby

"I feel the need. The need for speed." - Mavrick, Top Gun

   I'm tired, guys. We as parents spend so much time getting excited for our wee ones to start walking, that we forget how much work it really is to deal with them once they've started walking! Our Wee Lass started walking about a month ago and she hasn't stopped since. There is also her fascination with the garbage, so when she's grabbed any number of discarded trash pieces, catching her is like wrangling cats. It's certainly added a layer of stress, but we wanted this, right? 

   There are certainly some difficulties that come with your toddler starting to walk. Every ledge and corner becomes a death trap. Since newly walking toddler all look like they are drunk, EVERY side of them is destined for some kind of infant fender bender. We watch for corners, surfaces that can pinch, toy land mines left on the floor, unattended stairs, and so on, and so on. With an 8YO and 4YO, there is plenty left within reach of "the runner". I mean, when we watched The Croods as a family, the older two immediately adopted the phrase "Release the baby!"

   So given that it was inevitable, and each phase only lasts so long, I thought a quick post recording this point in time was relevant. I wish you all in the same situation my best. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Though, sometimes you WILL be sprinting. Just remember to stay hydrated. 

J. 

7 Items You Must Have In Your Baby Bag

        (photo via walmart.com)

"Be Prepared" - Boy Scout Motto

   I was a Boy Scout. Achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, thank you very much. Having boasted about my ascension to the lofty rank of one who should be the model of "be prepared", I've had my fair share of moments when The Wife and I are one diaper short on a long day trip somewhere. In a recent thread in a daddy blogger group I'm proud to call my digi-home away from home, one of my eBrothers posed the question "Where was the weirdest place you've ever changed a diaper?" Immediately I thought of our flight to Maui, early summer of 2011. 

   We left on a Saturday, but had found out our 8MO had a double ear infection and was on an antibiotic. His diarrhea kicked in just as we took off. I mean RIGHT as we took off. He was in my arms, my hand cradling his bum, and he fired one out the side onto my arm and into my hands as the airplane's wheel lifted off the tarmac. I was shocked into silence. The Wife held him while I cleaned off (ahhh-maaaaan! it's all up inside the buckle of my seat belt!!!!), and once we were at cruising altitude, I cruised back to the lavatory with my little buddy's mess. I don't recall being responsible for my firstborn's diapers on the plane, but for whatever reason, those memories don't haunt me like the 5 trips I made to the "standing room only poop party at 30,000 feet". That was some kind of cramped space, but we got by and it left us with some additional experience around what to have in your baby bag, no excuses allowed. 

   I found what appeared to be a list that I agreed with in full over at BabyCenter.com. That's like the camping list for anyone getting ready to go to scout camp for the first time. Put it ALL in there, and then take things out as you don't use them,.....ever. That's the tough one though. 'Cuz you just....never....know. There are 7 items you must have in your baby bag. The ones you will flog yourself for NOT having in there are: 

Diapers - Whoa, man. Don't be caught without them diapers. The formula appears to be one per hour you'll be out, then a few extras in case of,...you know, life? 

Wipes - These bad boys are multi-use and a lifesaver for more than just the dirty jobs.
Hand Sanitizer - Once you've been in "surgery", you're gonna want to clean up a bit.
Changing Pad - With some of the places my eBrothers have changed their 'wee ones, you'd BETTER have one of these in the bag, or you should be ashamed of yourself.
Extra Clothes  - Too many times to count have we showed up to an event with children in clothes they did NOT leave the house in.
Snacks -  The unholy shrieks of your children might, just might be related to them being hungry. Snacks will exorcise the demons until you get a proper meal lines up for them.
Diaper Rash Cream - Salve that soothes the trouble soul. In other words, rashes can get out of hand in mere minutes on occasion, and this stuff takes up little room to NOT put it in there. Nothing says "I love you" like a nice shellac layer of cream on your kid's junk.

   These are the 7 items that our little family of three little ones has learned are indispensable. I advise to hit that list at BabyCenter.com to assess where you're at in terms of preparedness. We can't all be Boy Scouts, but as parents we can plan ahead and not be taken off guard.
   With a lengthy sign that indicates that I've been there,..............I wish you good luck.

J.

Baby Talk

"My friend has a baby. I'm writing down all the noises the baby makes 

so later I can ask him what he meant." — Steven Wright

   Isn't there a worldwide consensus that baby sounds and baby talk are precious? When our little ones start to find their voices and join the ranks of us communicators, we seem to just eat it up. There are grandparents across the globe that spend every waking minute of their visits trying to get a baby to make some sort of sound (along with that sought after smile). It warms our hearts when we wake up to it in a bassinet next to our beds. It brings a smile to our faces when we hear it accompanying a successful toy grab. Sometimes baby talk is introspective, and sometimes it is directed at us or a sibling. Either way, it's a welcome thing. Except at weddings, funerals, church, middle of the night, and so forth. 

   The noises become partial words. The partial words becomes actual words. The words are eventually strung together and then life goes on to mimic the line from Shrek:

Princess Fiona: "It talks!"
Shrek: "Yeah, it's getting him to shut up that's the trick!"

   I won't bore you with the experts who state how important it is to talk to your child. Those of you with more than one will agree that on average, your first one took longer to learn to talk than the younger ones. It's certainly true with ours. It makes sense that the oldest only had us parents to talk to. My younger two get NON-STOP verbal action. Between mom, dad, older sibling, and middle sibling, the youngest will be spouting the Gettysburg Address in no time!
  So talk to your children, first thing. Cherish those baby talk moments, because soon they'll be saying "no",....and they'll be able to give a reason why.

J.

   

When Fathers Dress Their Children

 

"The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard." - Steven Wright

 

   How is that we guys can roll out of bed, throw on yesterday's clothes in seconds, and be out the door in no time, yet at times we can't figure out which end is up with our kid's clothes? Sometimes if feels like I'm trying to figure out a Rubik's Cube, or at least like The Riddler is having a good laugh at my expense.
 

   Story time! When my father had a daughter later in life, he was pretty proud to bounce her on his knee and carry her around. His responsibilities were limited, as he admitted of himself, "I'm not really sure what to do with little ones." One visit to his place in the early months proved him right. The Wife and I were looking at my baby half-sister when I heard a giggle from my better half. I didn't notice anything, but remember, I'm a guy. If the nudity is covered, we're good, right? NOPE. The little wee one's shirt was on inside-out, backwards, with the tag up 'n out tickling her throat. When my dad asked "What's so funny?", The Wife could barely get the words out for the laughter. I was holding back my own laughter to protect my fellow man, but also 'cuz my father gets embarrassed and pissed off pretty quick. When he realized what he'd done, I saw his jaw muscles tense before he tried to calmly fixed the error.
 

   I know we've all done something similar, especially if we're not the primary care giver. The Wife never seems to make that mistake and my fellow dads that have the honor of being a stay-home probably have fewer issues than I do, I'm sure. No doubt, the less experienced were kept in mind when the "this end up" onesie was offered on CafePress.com. I think it prudent that when fathers dress their children, they shouldn't be watching the big game, reading their favorite magazine, or having an in depth conversation with anyone. Else they be subject to the mock and scorn of our counterparts. I for one will follow the "Measure twice, cut once" man code when I try to dress my kids. Smaller room for error, so they say.

J.

Time To Baby Proof The House

"Danger gleams like sunshine to a brave man's eyes." - Euripides

   Recently, our Wee Lass made the jump to light speed,...I mean crawling. Doesn't it feel like hyperspace when you realize the amount of debris out there for you little ones to get into? One day she was doing baby yoga and remaining stationary. The next day she was army crawling toward what she wanted. By day three, she had the crawl down and was off to get into all kinds of hijinks. With the two older ones laying out toy and food "breadcrumbs", Wee Lass just follows them to certain danger. Thus it's time to baby proof. 

   I'd like to be open and transparent and admit that I suggested to the wife that we invest in the baby fighting octagon (you know, like the Summer Infant Secure Surround Play Safe Play Yard. Boy that's a mouthful). After referring to it as Thunderdome and chanting "two babies enter, one baby leaves!" I was vetoed for the manual version. That is me taking my turn running interference and ensuring there's no unauthorized ingestion of foreign contaminants. We've done the electrical outlet safety plugs, cabinet locks, etc. It's all worked. There's one or two things we've learned after the first two. 

   Leave one of the lowest drawers or cabinets unlocked and fill it with the tupperware. It gives them something to get into without being as bad as a pit of snakes. Clean up seventeen times a day will get old, but it worked for us. Also, baby proofing is not a baby proof solution. Our 'Lil Man was a freakin' Houdini. It was like, how'd he get THAT open? Depending on your child, the baby proofing stuff will either work like a Harry Potter charm (en-lockium totalius!!!), or it will only act as a temporary deterrent until the child figures out how to get the goods. 

   Yes, we've found that when it is time to baby proof the house, a collective sigh is expressed throughout the home. It's a necessary task, for the greater good. Even then, they will get into stuff and even hurt themselves. My little sprogs are proof of that. So wish me luck, and same back at 'ya. Now where's my screwdriver? 

J. 

Multitasking With Children

 

"Multi-tasking arises out of distraction itself." - Marilyn vos Savant

 

   Over the weekend I was fortunate enough to get to some projects moved along. The Wife and I have found a decent balance so that we both get some time for ourselves. That being said, we also sometimes are so into our projects, that it's hard to stop once on a roll. Case in point: this weekend's art project.

   I've recently had a good start on some wood pallet art on my small but growing Etsy shop. The only issue I've had is "the zone". You see, "the zone" is that place you go when you're SO into the project at hand that you lose track of time and block out everything else. Let's just say, it's tough watching my older two out front when I'm in the garage and "the zone" hits while working on a project.

   So Saturday afternoon, The Wife has a make an Easter run, and I'm watching the two older sprogs out front, Wee Lass asleep in her crib. Halfway through a wood pallet piece (Pictured above, and please excuse the mess. Artist on board.), the baby wakes up and I have to make a decision. Pack it in, or multitask. Que the Ergo Baby and we're back in business! At first she was looking up at me, staring me in the eye with amazement and wonder. Oh, if only all the girls did that. Then she watching me paint like "awwwweee, yeahhhh,..now THAT'S a mess I can get on board with!" By the time she'd had enough, The Wife was home and took over while I finished the piece.

   Not every opportunity is suitable for multitasking with children. There are a few that work out seamlessly and I found one this weekend. Granted, I'm still looking for the other two kids (KIDDING!). Actually, The Wife and I have noticed that the kids are into projects more, now that they've seen us in action working on the art pieces and Oreo Pops. So I guess it's rubbing off on them.

   I wonder if any one's had similar experiences. I'm always on the hunt for ways to pull of more in the same amount of time. Ideas?

 

J.

When Babies Start Crawling

"Whoever wields this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." -Odin, Thor

   The time has come. Yes, it is now the time when we shall have no rest, yea no sleep. Our Wee Lass now "wields the hammer" of mobility. It's funny,..we knew it was coming, but not so fast! Now we're frantically jumping up from the our seated position every two minutes trying to prevent her from ingesting a block, a shoe, a crayon wrapper, the plague, etc. As our 'Lil Miss is a pack rat and our 'Lil Man is, well, a boy,...it's not that easy.
   What does life look like when your baby starts to crawl? First off, there's the baby proofing. That's standard. One must review the state of the rooms the baby will be in. Sharp edges, access to stairs, small items from other children's toys, etc, are all on the list of review and renovation. Depending on how quickly the child can move, grab, and open, baby proofing cabinet and drawers might be right on the heels of the other items.
   The other item that may play into how fast you take care of those items would be how aware you are of your creepy crawler. See, there are two types of creepers in my opinion. There's my Wee Lass, the grunter, who sounds like she's pinching one off with each army crawl she does. This makes her easy to keep track of, and therefore we haven't had to make a ton of changes all at once. Then there's the "binja", or baby ninja. Having mastered the art of the infant ninja within, you turn your head for a minute and the child has the car keys and is halfway to Vegas before you can do anything about it. If you have one of those and need a support system, drop me a note and we can talk. Our 'Lil Man was a third degree binja.
   They are precious moments. Don't forget to capture them on film. Then you'll remember how cute they were after you're done pulling out your hair keeping up with them. Good luck!

J.

When To Feed Your Baby Solids

"Did you know babies are nauseated by the smell of a clean shirt?" - Jeff Foxworthy

   I was listening to NPR today and a segment came on titled Survey: Parents Risk Babies' Health By Feeding Them Solid Food Too Early. A couple of things were mentioned that solidified why we do what we do in our home. The Wife, as has been mentioned before, is a research nut. It's really a talent of hers and she's tried to keep up on all the recommendations when it comes to care for our children. She's been diligent with nursing, even when our little ones treat it like they're being water boarded. Her diligence includes not giving solids to the little ones until 6 months old. We're there now.

   The NPR segment mentions that those who choose to start early are running the risk of chronic conditions such as childhood obesity.The CDC has some Childhood Obesity Facts that are a good reminder of why we need to keep that in check. The epidemiologist that was interviewed, Kelly Scanlan, mentioned that there is no good reason to start an infant early on solid foods. The study that was conducted said that about half of mothers got the impression from their health care providers that it was okay to introduce solids before 6 month, which is untrue. So we're needing to be more clear with our doctors, and they with us.

   This all being said, it's a lot of fun once we can introduce new foods. I've always tried to get video of each new food we try out on each child. The reactions are priceless, whether they be super excited for more, or make the face of utter disgust. I love the gusto in which my little ones go after their food. If it ain't all over, it ain't a good meal. Our kitchen looks like the end of the Animal House food fight. It's a lot of work, but getting our little ones started out right is a huge priority. How are you all doing? Thoughts?

J. 

When There's No Baby Sling

 

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."
- Love You Forever, Robert Munsch

 

   When there's no baby sling, what do you do. I was out watching the older two on their bikes and had my Wee Lass with me. It was still warm when we headed out, so I didn't have a coat or blanket for her. The sling or carrier typically acts as its own warmth device, but alas, I had none. So I unzipped my jacket, dropped her in, and zipped back up. She was snug as a bug in a rug. She continued to watch the world around her from the comfort of daddy's sweater jacket. In return, she kept me warm to.

   It was precious, and every so often she'd look up at me and grin. I'm sure some of you out there feel the same way when I say it feels like her smile could bring peace to the world. It brightens my darkest days, turns my frowns upside down, and makes me feel better no matter what. I found myself saying "I'll love you for always." I then remembered Robert Munsch's book Love You Forever that we all know.

   It's a small moment in our busy lives, but thought I'd share. There are little things we do that end up being big memories. I won't remember my days at work, as much as I'll remember the day I zipped my Wee Lass into my jacket and wandered around the neighborhood.

 

J. 

Baby Carriers and Slings

"Carry on my wayward son." - Kansas

   Aside from feeling like a humanoid marsupial, carrying my children in carriers and slings has been a mixed bag of reaction and emotion. The first time I put one one, I went through a myriad of feelings, from "this is what it's like to be pregnant", to "boy, this'd be GREAT for shoplifting!" Basically, it boiled down to the same benefit as any hands-free device. You get more done! There's the added benefit of the child falling asleep, as they're nearer to your body, body heat, heartbeat, etc. That means sleepy time!

   We've used two different models for our little ones. The first is the Ergo-Baby. We own the Bundle of Joy - Original Black/Camel with Camel Insert.

  This one's nice for loads of reasons. The waist belt keeps the babies compounding weight off your shoulders and on your hips, much like a mountaineering pack. There's a buckle in the back, between your shoulder blades that keeps the thing from feeling like it's going to fall off at any minute. The weather cover is great for the sun, a light sprinkle, or just to keep them more enclosed once your child has fallen to sleep. Check out the standard features tab for the full enchilada.

   We've also used (are using) Sleeping Baby Productions LLC, slings. The Wife is a research nut, and always has been. After a TON of looking around, reading reviews, etc. she found Jan Heirtzler's hand made slings a while ago and they're the biz for babies.Kudos to The Wife for such a find, and kudos to Jan for such a stellar product.

   This one's nice as they are of great quality material, craftsmanship, and are VERY reasonably priced. She'll add a bit of color flair to the fringe, add a pocket, and a few other extras available. The website covers safety, why to chose them (besides listening to The Cheeky Daddy, MY MINIONS!!!), and a bunch of other questions an involved parent would ask. 

   My last comment is related to the manliness of wearing a baby carrier. I'm past the embarrassment of it all. After being peed on, pooped on, puked on, and food dumped on, pride is OUT the window. Wear your kid with pride instead. They are my loudest cheering section these days, and THAT'S all that matters. Good luck in you baby wearing endeavors. 

J. 

Baby Milestones - Rolling Over

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” ― Plato

   I love to watch the progress of each baby that comes into our lives. Our Wee Lass has just started rolling over and it made me think of how fearless these little ones are. They are truly fearless when it comes to progress, learning, and so forth. It's funny how we can react in two directions when this kind of thing happens. There is a war "whoop" of excitement and success, followed by a realization that things are about to change rapidly. 

   We immediately want to get the carpets cleaned. It's also very apparent how many little things are left on the ground by our 3 and 7 year old kiddies. Her play mat is suddenly too small as she rolls into the padded arms that hold up her hanging toys. Then there's my panic that she'll perfect crawling too soon, a REAL game changer. 

   I also realize how fast time goes. Our Wee Lass is over 4MO, and we're already at rolling. The Wife and I have been trying to remember to savor each moment. We try to be more patient with the late nights and such. She seems heavier each day, but I love to hold my baby, as I at one point I thought I'd never do that again. So I'm now in the last rolling phase of my children (that I know of). I'm in the daddy zone, and I'm afraid of how I will feel once certain phases are over.

   Pay attention, cherish each moment, take LOTS of pictures (one can always delete, never create afterward). Now,...Autobots.....ROLL OUT!!!

J. 

When Baby Won't Sleep

"I see you're trying to get some sleep. Allow me to sing you the song of my people." - Wee Lass

   Captain's Log. Stardate 12/12/12. Day 134, and we're still at war. Baby sleep is an elusive beast, like unto the unicorn or snipe. Morale is low and spirits are sinking. Mom and dad are near tears and have a zombie-like demeanor. 

Haven't all parents gone through something like that? The Wife and I are there. I thought in the spirit of sharing, I'd also pass on what we've used to help with the Wee Lass. It was determined that she's experiencing a bit of acid reflux. As any of you know who have experience this with an infant,.....good times. ALL that adorable screaming,....and at such fun times of the night!

   Some of the natural remedies have been to keep her upright for at least 30 minutes after feedings, or what we were told in our case, "as much as possible throughout the day". Goodbye shoulder muscles. Aside from allergies, there is good reason for a nursing mother to stay away from things like caffeine and dairy. Follow the pediatricians advice on those, and typically the mother is more on top of that than us dads (crap!). When those aren't the problem and you baby is still experiencing colic, gas, stomach pain, irritability, homicidal tendencies, and the like,...here's what we've tried:

 Little Tummys Gripe Water: We tried it and Wee Lass griped anyway, so it wasn't for us.

 Little Tummies Gas Relief: this worked about half of the time to calm her little tummy.

 The generic Up & Up from Target was a cheaper alternative and seemed to work about the same for our family.

   If you suspect acid reflux in your baby (ours is currently 3 months old as of this post), the options are limited. We found out that the long and hard way on the phone between doctors office, insurance company, and the pharmacy. The two medications we've experienced:
 

Ranitidine (generic Zantac): It seemed to help some with the symptoms, but not enough to prevent the 3 hour bedtime routine, more than normal spit-ups, etc. Our health plan pharmacist said that ranitidine has a different mechanism of action than Prevacid, so some don't do well on the former. Some babies don't do well on it at all. Besides, our Wee Lass hated taking it and more was spit out than taken. We were moved onto...
Prevacid: (lansoprazole): Our little one enjoyed the mild strawberry flavor, and the solutab went down with no argument. The bedtime routine was not as intense and she slept for longer than she had for some weeks.

   I'm by no means a doctor, so do what's best for your child, consult your pediatrician and pharmacist, and be patient. I welcome any other ideas that may help. Good luck,

J.

Boy And Girl Baby Names

Avi: Should I call you Bullet? Tooth? 

Bullet Tooth Tony: You can call me Susan if it makes you happy. 

 - Snatch, 2000

   Baby names used to be a conventional thing. One would name a boy or girl using the traditional designation within their own culture, quite often for a symbolic figure within that culture or a particular family member. These days,...it's ALL over the place. Mostly here in America. Popular fruits, emotions, etc.,  have become the new personal label. There was recently a family that gave a Twitter inspired name. 

   For our part, the wife and I used as a base these two books:

Beyond Ava & Adien - published in 2009, it served us well for our '09 boy and even helped start the process with our '12 girl.

Best Baby Name Book In The Whole World - published in 1984, this was our first book and was a great launch to the search for our first, and kept us from "naming block" for our second and third.

   There is much to consider when naming in the early 21st century. Will my child be bullied? How many other boys or girls will have the same name? Will the company I'm in love with send me endorsement checks for showing this kind of loyalty? I realize that some parents feel the need to be unique, oblivious to the torture that "Bernice" or "Apple" will be subject to over the years. Others are thoughtful and will always adhere to the traditional naming convention of their culture.

   Never discount where you might find the name you are looking for. The books above gave some great suggestions that rolled over into other ideas. For our part:
- Our first child was a name within our extended family that fit and we never looked back.
- Our second was a name we heard on a television show that trumped all ideas we had instantly.
- Our third was a "similar names to..." suggestion upon looking at the website ParentsConnect.

   After my suggestions of "The Amazing" or "Artist Formerly Known As", I'm very happy with out names, even if friends or family wrinkled their noses at them at first. Our children are now branded, and no other names would have been more perfect. So happy hunting and let me know what you came up with. I'm curious.

J.

A Visit To The Doctor

     A apple a day, keeps the doctor awa....OUCH! Time for shots I guess.

     We had a recent trip to the pediatrician that was pretty typical. We got in quick, but sat in the room until both kids we're pulling open all the cupboard and messing up all the "clean" paper on the exam bench. My boy was fine with all the exam stuff. In fact he was quite curious about what was going on. The three shots weren't welcome, but again, the crying was over in seconds (granted, he was up in the night, and limping the next day). It made me think of my three tips for a successful trip to the Doc.

     1. Make sure it's no big thing - I've noticed that if I'm not phased, the kids usually aren't phased. I've seen parents prep their kids for scary things, like Disneyland rides. "Okay, Jr.! Now it's going to get VEEEERY dark, and PREEEETY scary, and somethings going to jump out, and you're gonna want to scream your head off a little bit...." Don't do it. You're setting up the fear. If you must, be honest, brief, and show 'em it ain't no big deal.

     2. Diversion techniques - Mostly used for the nasty stuff, like shots, I have a variety of treats, electronic gizmos, and keywords that will divert my 1 AND 5 year olds' attention away from anything. Even if for a small moment, it's helped us get past shots, scary ear lighting equipment, etc. It works for us, so give 'er a try.

     3. Loose Clothing! - We learned this one early on. With all the poking around the doctor does, loose and comfy work better. ALSO,.... after those shots, you're child will thank you if you can slide on some loose and comfy sweats. It makes things that much easier and happier.

     I found some additional tips for making a trip successful for first time baby visits here, by Teresa Shaw. Also some good tips from a RN (student NP) here. Good luck!

J.

The Pee-Pee Teepee

     Okay, so I laughed right out loud when I got a set of these as a gift after the birth of my son. At first, I had no clue as to what they were. Then I read the title of the product. The "Pee-pee Teepee", by Beba Bean. They come in an array of styles to choose from, allowing you to express yourself, while your son expresses himself. I kept them in the packaging until my first incident. Implementation followed shortly after. Give 'em a try and you won't experience the following: 

J.

Hey, Ho, Let's Go! To San Diego

     Took a trip down to San Diego this weekend. We hit Seaport Village, which is always a good time. The crowd was surprisingly small for the New Year's weekend, which made it nice and quiet. It was a beautiful day, so it was cool in the shade, but MMMmmm warm in the sun. Aside from a scene right out of Alfred Hitcock's "The Birds", and a son that was trying to dive through the fencing to gain pond access, it was a great time.
     On the topic of my boy, I did get tired of hunching over after awhile. Sure, it's cute to watch him eat bark and attempt to become the first Pigeon Whisperer, but my back can only take so much. We've been using an Ergo Baby Carrier since my daughter was born. It's been a blessing ever since. My wife uses it a lot, but I've logged my own time with this bad boy. I've had kids in the front, and used it with 'em on the back. Both are great and my little guy fell asleep on my back during this most recent trip. Look into it!
     Oh, and if you do get to visit Seaport Village, swing by Kite Flite to pick up your first (or newest?) aerial acquisition. It's right across from the Embarcadero Marina Park, so you can grab a kite and head on over to the "downs", where the ocean breeze makes for great flying. In fact, that's where the above picture came from. I have the best time with my daughter there. She loves to try to catch the kite as it dips down to the ground, only to have it shoot back up into the sky. 


Good times! 


J.