A Different Perspective

Self-portrait of the Photographer

Traveling with kids can be challenging. They aren't always interested in the same things that you are. They make countless demands and, in your mind, have misplaced priorities. They get tired and crabby and you have to adjust your plans accordingly. They slow you down.

Traveling with kids can also be amazing. They surprise you with things you didn't realize they knew. You can be reading from a guide book about the temple standing before you and your kid might sit down and tell you the story of Romulus and Remus. You might notice a bird overhead and your kid will tell you something you didn't know about peregrine falcons. They will stop to watch a cat lying in the sun as if they are seeing a cat for the very first time. They slow you down.

What do kids notice when they visit a new place? What captures their attention? Give a kid a camera and you just might see things from a different perspective.

Birthday Weekend

So...last Friday was my birthday. I turned an age that involves a 4 and a 3 but not necessarily in that order - like maybe I'm 34 now or 3/4. Who knows?! To celebrate, Luisa and I left the kids in the care of our amazing friends early Friday morning and flew to New Jersey. Our plan was to stay with Deborah and Gabriella and spend time exploring New York City and we did spend time in NYC just not that much. Who knew we wouldn't want to leave New Jersey?

Still, I did learn a few things while in New York and I wanted to share them with you today:

1. If you say "We don't need an umbrella. It's not going to rain", it will rain. A lot.
2. If you see a plain black umbrella at the NBC store, buy it but understand that you are at the NBC store. When you take off the plain black wrapper, you will find yourself with a Friends-themed umbrella. I'll be there for you indeed. It's ok - it helps the locals identify that you are a tourist.
3. Old ladies in NY will give you a smackdown if they think you're trying to get their cab. Even if you are super nice and polite and apologetic, they will kill you with NEWYORKOLDLADYLASEREYES!
4. There are many nice New Yorkers and, if you are reduced to ash by NEWYORKOLDLADYLASEREYES, a couple of them might hail a cab for you and apologize for the old ladies.
5. Denim takes hours to dry.
6. You should probably eat before you meet Twitter friends at the Cubbyhole and drink all the vodka. (Thanks to @Mayati, @Tweetsbian and @Faith_Venice - we had a blast!)
7. I will always trust Gabriella to pick the restaurant.
8. You can bump and grind to Tiny Dancer. You can...not saying you should.
9. The hair of the dog that bit you generally works but it's harder when you've been bitten by all the dogs...when it's like you've been covered in dog chow and dipped in dogs.
10. If you like gin, you need to try Nolet. Go get some right now.
11. Even the smallest moment can be amazing when you are spending time with the right people.

A list of eleven things! Radical! Do we all feel off balance now!

I could not have asked for a better birthday weekend. It was filled with the best people, the best food and the best drinks. Thanks to Luisa for taking the leap with me and making this last minute trip happen. Thanks to my Minneapolis friends for taking care of the kids (including little Momo). Thanks to my Twitter friends for a great rainy afternoon at the Cubby. Thanks to Deborah and Gabriella for everything - I can't even articulate how much we enjoyed our time with you. And lastly, I'd like to thank the Academy for the Oscar for Humorous Documentary Short should the video footage from the piano bar ever find it's way to the light of day.

Strange Days of August

After spending all of July together as a family, August has been crazy. Miguel left on August 1st and went to the Wisconsin Dells with friends. I left on August 4th to go to BlogHer. Miguel returned on August 5th but left early on the 7th to go to Camp Warren. Luisa left for Zambia in the early afternoon on the 7th and I didn't return from San Diego until later that night. Quite a jumble, huh? Let me break it down for you: I haven't seen Miguel since August 1st and haven't seen Luisa since August 4th. It's been quiet around here, made exciting only by Zeca's bedtime breakdowns. She cried because she missed them so much...she demanded that I arrange for their return immediately...she accused me of not loving them because I've shed no tears...and then she cried some more. It's sad and kinda sweet. Mostly, however, it's been annoying. So, I have done what I needed to in order to gaurantee our survival (mostly hers). That means I've let her sleep with me or sleep in Miguel's bed almost every night for the past two weeks. I'm sure we'll have no problems getting her back into her own bed. Nope. None at all.

Have I missed them? Of course. Have I pined for them? No. Have I cried? Not until today.

Today, I received a card from Miguel. Inside he drew a giant red heart and inside that heart he drew the four of us together. It was very sweet but it was the accompanying words that got me:

Even though I am having a lot of fun at camp, I still miss your guys generosity, love and care.

I'm going to frame that and point to it the next time he accuses us of being mean/strict/horrible/unfair.

I pick Miguel up later this afternoon. As I write this, Luisa is on a plane bound for Atlanta. Tomorrow, we'll all be together once again. The kids will be bickering and Luisa and I will be sighing heavily and the days won't be strange anymore.

Have a great weekend!