All about Kevin

October 15, 2007

Going through the Zoo's Gate

First I was sleeping and then daddy waked me up. Then we drived to church and then we stayed in the class for a little bit. Then, ta da, the school bus (actually, a charter bus) arrived. Then it took us to the zoo.

We saw lots of animals and got to ask questions. We saw howler monkeys, lions, prairie dogs, and gibbons. We learned that they walked with their hands up. We practiced walking like a gibbon and looked in the mirror for practice. I asked, "Why do pandas have black and white fur?" And the zookeeper said, "The scientist don't know." But I know exactly what the answer that the scientist will give me - "I don't know" is probably what they will give me.

I liked Mommy and Daddy being with me. I liked that we got to see all sorts of animals together. I thought the prairie dogs were special too. I also liked the monkeys. I liked eating and I liked the crocodiles, but we didn't go to the petting zoo.

At the end of the day we went to the gift shop and I got a shirt. Then daddy got something for Alex and gave it to him. We had to hurry down the hill. We stopped in the middle of the hill to look at frogs. We saw all sorts of animals in there, then we saw a frog. We saw snakes and turtles and then frogs. We saw some poison frogs, there were red ones and blue ones and green ones. Then we went to the bottom of the hill and got the bus.

There was three special spiders that didn't have any glass. There was also a big spider that could eat birds.

My favorite animal was gibbons and my favorite part of the day was going to the zoo. I think my brothers favorite animal was monkeys, I think he liked the little ones. His favorite thing at the zoo was the trucks that were working, I liked them too.

Posted by Jesse at 07:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 15, 2007

Another step towards geekdom

It won't be long before Kevin heads out on a long journey. Some of the family is going to North Dakota to visit Teri's grandparents. They're planning on taking the portable DVD player and some other games, but that's a LONG drive. There's not much that you can do to relive 2 days in the car, but I did have something that I thought would help.

Not to long ago, I won an iPod shuffle. Ihaven't been using it since I have a regular iPod so I thought he'd get a little use of it one the trip. This morning Teri told him I had a surprise for him and then, after lunch, we played "Dad's Clues" (ala Blue's clues). The clues were block shape, music, and an apple. He was pretty surprise to get his own iPod...some of the comments so far: "Wow," "I never want to stop this thing," and "Daddy, I really like my iPod."

We may need to make a trip to Best Buy for headphones, the ear buds aren't made for small ears and keep falling out.

Posted by Jesse at 02:51 PM | Comments (0)

September 30, 2004

Seasoned Traveler

I just updated what states I've been in and I noticed that, although he's not even 2 yet, Kevin has been to 20% of the states.

Posted by Jesse at 11:38 PM

September 23, 2004

Mickies

We arrived safe and sound yesterday in Anaheim. After checking in and finding some lunch, we headed to the room for a much needed nap. We got up at 3, and headed off to Disneyland. We had twilight passes which would let us in after 4, and until the park closed that night (8 pm).

Kevin was soaking it all in and enjoying the many sights of the park. The first ride that we went on was It's a Small World, which is a boat ride. In a change from our last trip he enjoyed being near the water and didn't mind the boat at all. We also rode Storybook, Casey Jr.'s Circus Train, Dumbo the flying elephant, The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (twice), Pirates of the Caribbean, Autopia, Disney Railroad, and possible another that I can't remember.

We also saw the parade, and meet Chip, Mickey, and Minnie. We took a trip into Toontown and saw some of their houses as well. We left Disneyland and had dinner at Denny's, surprisingly, Kevin stayed awake until we left Denny's around 9:30 (which is after midnight at home).

Kevin really enjoyed the park and learned who Mickey Mouse is (Mickies as he calls him).

Posted by Jesse at 11:43 AM

September 20, 2004

A Weekend With The Family

This past weekend we spent a time together at Willow Valley Resort in Lancaster. We arrived a few hours before dinner and asked Kevin if he would like to go to the pool. In the past, Kevin's been pretty leery about the pool (or any body of water since the dolphins splashed him), but when we asked him if he would like to go to the pool, he started saying "Pool! Pool!" and that's all we heard until we arrived at the pool.

We spent quite a bit of time in the water park (designed for kids) then went to the kiddie pool where Kevin could spend some time without getting splashed. He didn't want to leave, but he couldn't stop shivering, so it was time to go.

We cleaned up and went to dinner, which was a smorgasbord, and like most people faced with an all you can eat buffet, Kevin ate like there was no tomorrow. He had a little bit of several different dinners and then claimed to be done - until dessert was brought out. After eating, he went to play with other children his age and Teri and I went with the adults - thus ending a very fun evening.

On Saturday we had a big breakfast, Kevin had more play time, and we spent more time at the pool. We also took a trip into Intercourse, PA where there was a pretzel making factory. Kevin tasted several of the pretzels and took a handful of hard pretzels to enjoy later. We also went to a cannery where they had several places where we could try different samples.

Kevin tried (and for the most part enjoyed) dill pickles, pickled beets, sweet pearl onions, apple butter, jelly, pickled mushrooms, apple salsa, corn salsa, and a host of other treats....and we wound up skipping lunch.

Kevin had a fantastic weekend, slept on the way home, and was exhausted Sunday when it was time to get up for church.

Posted by Jesse at 02:35 PM

May 23, 2004

That's my goat

We went back to the zoo today and Kevin had a chance to pet some of the goats again. He petted a few, but then decided that one of the short haired goats was his. He got upset anytime someone else tried to pet it. We pulled him from that one and he started following another one around until it made a snorting sound, which was okay by him, but we though it best to leave.

I think he could have stayed in there for a long time if we would allowed him to.

He's learned the sign (although I'm not sure if it is the right one) for gorilla and the sound that a peacock makes. I'm sure his brain is on overload this week. He's learned so much and had a great time. Hopefully he'll get a good nights sleep tonight and be okay with going a few more days until we go home.

He has been really well behaved and has been a blessing to have on this trip.

Posted by Jesse at 01:57 PM

May 19, 2004

Meet Jake and his pal

Kevin went to the zoo today and was worn out. We got there at 9 when the gates opened, meandered for a bit finding out the Children's zoo didn't open until 9:30.

We decided not to wait it out since we needed to be in that area for the sea lion show at 11. We headed for the Absolutely Apes section where the orangutans are housed. From there we went on to the aviary which is one of Kevin's favorite parts of any zoo. It was a tropical rain forest aviary and was a bit loud for his taste at first. We looked at the birds for a while and then moved on.

The children's zoo is built with everything their size, even the bathrooms. Kevin was able to see lots of different animals and petted a few goats while we were there. When we finished there, we grabbed a seat for the sea lion show which lasted about 30 minutes. Kevin was absolutely stunned by the show. They swam, waved, danced and barked and he ate it up. When we told him what they were he began using the sign for lion and later in the day he was able to make a sound a little like them. (We caught the tail end of the second show as well.)

He saw bears, had a ride on the top level of the tour bus, rode the sky tram, saw the elephants, giraffes, bears, and a host of other animals. By the time we went to see the gorillas he was sound asleep and couldn't be awaken enough to see them. We let him sleep while we finished our walk around the zoo.

Kevin woke up about an hour later as we made our way to the exit, then back to the hotel for a brief rest before getting dinner and going to bed.

Posted by Jesse at 11:00 PM

May 18, 2004

All gone

We left the house around 11 and will arrive in San Diego by 6 which is about 10 hours worth of travel. So far Kevin has been very good. He picked up the sign for airplane less than an hour after we got to the airport (about 5 minutes after getting to the gate).

We took a Dash 8 to Philly (a prop plane). Kevin enjoyed looking at it, but when we went outside to get on it, he was very unsure. He was a bit disquieted by the takeoff but was agreeable with the flight. When we landed, there was a bit of a wait and that wasn't tolerated quite as well (although he didn't make much of a fuss, just enough to bother us).

When we got to the airport I asked them if they could sit us in a row with an open seat on the way from Philly to San Diego. The gave us 17 A & C which would block out B unless the needed it. In Philly, we boarded the plane and settled in. The plane wasn't filling that fast so we thought we were in the clear, then someone said they were in B. He was scheduled for the later flight but had been able to get on this one. He moved to A so Teri and I could sit together and was quite cordial about the move. After they closed the doors, the flight attendant came by and asked him if he would like to move to a different window seat so that we could spread out. He did and here we are on our way and everyone's happy.

As we took off, Teri let Kevin sit on her lap and look out the window. He applauded the speed as we headed down the run way, then lost interest after we took off. He looked out the window again and as we climbed saw the ground disappear as we entered the clouds and pronounced "all gone."

Kevin's doing great and after the snack I'll give up the computer and let him watch some Einstein videos.

Posted by Jesse at 10:03 PM

March 30, 2004

Kevin's big ride

We took Kevin for his first big-people bike ride this evening after dinner. Jesse spent part of the afternoon yesterday and this evening putting the baby carrier on his bike. Kevin had the biggest smile on his face while we were riding. Now we'll be able to go out and get some exercise as a family when it gets warmer. It was a little chilly out tonight, so we only went a few times around the block.

Posted by Teri at 09:34 PM

March 04, 2004

More signs

Kevin's vocabulary is growing faster than I can keep up with. It seems that when he learns a sign, he picks up at least two. Yesterday was bird and something that I can't remember, today was cat and thirsty. He also used please, but not in context, just as a result of us saying the word.

I think it will be a while before he uses please anyhow since one word sentances will be the norm for a while.

On another note, he is abosolutly fabulous. He's taken the wierd schedule, the car rides, the long trip and everything in stride. Late dinners and bedtime put him to the edge, but he's been very, very good.

Of course, he's had some fun times as well. In addition to the zoo, he's watched the birds at the lake behind the hotel, played on the playground and been in the pool twice.

Posted by Jesse at 10:32 PM | Comments (1)

Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo

Kevin picked up a new sign yesterday and had a chance to use it today at the zoo. We went to the zoo and they have a lake with a lot of waterfowl. He was honking and making the signs and was interested in little else. Eventually he noticed the lion and the elephants.

The other animals didn't really peak his interest until we came to the tiger. He was able to sit on the fence and look into the exibit and look at the sign at the same time. The tiger was sleeping really close to the mesh so Kevin was able to get a good look at him and match it up with the sign about the tiger. While he studied them he picked up the sign cat.

The Baboons grabbed his interest, but not nearly as much as the squirl monkeys...but those things were going crazy and running all over the place, jumping down and scaring people when the looked in the window and all sorts of antics. I thought they were going to make one girl cry the scared her so bad.

Teri has more to say in her blog about the zoo:

Teri's World: Zoo Doings
The Virginia Zoo was about 10-15 minutes away from the hotel. Upon entering, there's a large area with a black globe in the center surrounded by spouting fountains. Just beyond that is the Waterfowl pond with a large assortment of swans and Canadian geese, with a smattering of other birds thrown in for good measure.

It was a much better zoo than I had imagined. A tad small, but the overall feel was much better than the national zoo. In the main parts of the zoo you feel like you are on a safari and seeing the animals in their natural habitats.

Posted by Jesse at 10:00 PM

Can't Sleep

I've got quit a bit I want to blog about but at the moment I'm stuck to blogging with one hand and in a rather uncomfotable typing position. I'm sitting in a chair, with the laptop propped up on a crossed leg (and the foot quickly falling asleep) and Kevin in my lap.

His sleep schedule was wierd today, so he's tired, but not enough to be in the playpen to go to sleep. Instead he's content to rest in my lap and watch me read. Blogging this way is really hard, but it beats anything I can think of.

More on th trip later.

Posted by Jesse at 09:38 PM

October 05, 2003

Wakins Glen

We went to Wakins Glen this weekend to take pary in the Accord's annual trek up the gorge. It's about a 6-hour drive and Kevin did wonderfully.

We left Friday morning at about 8:30 and went to BWI to pick up a friend that would be riding with us. Then we stopped at Chick-Fil-A for breakfast. After that we stopped for gas and then, later had lunch in Scranton, PA.

We ordered a Chicken Taco for Kevin from the Kid's menu, but he preferred Daddy's Southwestern Egg roll instead (this kid has a thing for spicy).

We finally arrived in Ithaca close to 5:30 and Kevin was meet by a plethora of people. After having dinner in the room and talking with JC and Jenna, we went down to the lobby to say goodnight and turned in around 11.

Saturday morning we went to College Town Bagels for breakfast, then on to Wakins Glen. Kevin had a good nap on the way there and was ready for lunch when we arrived at the Burger King. After some fries, chicken fingers and some juice we headed into the gorge.

He seemed to have a great time looking at all the people and sites that were to be had. Along the way we explored some crevasse, looked at leaves and waterfalls and took some time to toss rocks into the water.

Usually we've walked back down as well, but we had JC drive our truck to the top and we drive back down and then back to the hotel (and with that a short nap for Kevin).

When we got back we hung out in the room, went to Big Lots, then came back to the room for a nap that never happened. Later, JC came by, then at dinnertime we headed over to Billy Bob Jacks.

Kevin couldn't take the wait and took a small nap while waiting for dinner. He wasn’t to happy when he woke up, but having the food there helped and soon he was chowing down. After dinner we headed over to Purity’s for Ice Cream, then back to the room to go to bed. Kevin was awake and wired, but didn’t fight bed too much since it was close to midnight.

Sunday morning we woke him up around 8:30, headed to CBT for breakfast, returned to the hotel, checked out, said our good-byes and headed home. The trip home only lasted 7 ½ hours, including an hour and a half for lunch. Kevin enjoyed his cheeseburger and fries, and then slept the rest of the way home.

He was an absolutely great kid to take on a trip. He was grouchy a few times, but considering the disruption to his routine, I think it was justified. In fact, I’d have probably complained a lot more if I were him.

Besure to check out the pictures of the trip in Kevin's album.

Posted by Jesse at 08:20 PM

May 31, 2003

We Got Bumped

We spent the morning at the apartment. Mom and a few others were not feeling well from the food the night before and preferred to rest rather than go to Savannah to see the sights, which really were not all that much to see in the first place.

When we got to the airport we found that the flight had been overbooked by at least 8 people. We were towards the tail end so we didn’t have a confirmed seat but would get one at the gate when they found some volunteers to take a later flight.

When we found out that we could fly out of Hilton Head a little after 7pm and still get a connection home we volunteered to stay later and take the free flight coupon. Then we went down to River Street in Savannah. We only stayed for a short time; Dad got Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Mom got a squish penny.

We flew out of Hilton Head on a prop plane and went to Charlotte, then home to BWI. Kevin slept and ate for most of the flights. We got home a little after 12.

Posted by Jesse at 11:46 PM

May 29, 2003

Crazy Parents

My parents are crazy. I was up until well after midnight again! We had a pretty full day though so it was well worth it. Dad’s wondering if I will get back on schedule when we get back home.

Today was a few firsts for Kevin. We went to the beach in the morning and saw the ocean. The waves were not very high at all, but they were big enough for Kevin to be a little afraid. He got used to them after a while and didn’t mind being around them. He also had his feet put in the wet sand, which wasn’t too well received.
One the way out of the beach we stopped by the playground and he rode down the slide.
After the beach Mom and Dad did the old people thing and spent the afternoon (until 5) shopping at the outlet mall. Kevin was with us until lunch then stayed home with Lizzy afterwards. She baby sat for 2.5 hours which is one of the longest times that we’ve been away from him.
In the evening we met Uncle Sam at the Starbucks and chatted for about an hour. Then we went to a Japanese restaurant where they cook the food at your table. The cook built a mountain out of onion rings and filled with oil and then lit it. Fire shot out for a few minutes and Kevin was totally amazed the whole time.

When we left there we stopped by Walmart to buy a game for the night, but we struck out and just went home to bed.

Posted by Jesse at 11:43 PM

May 28, 2003

Trip to Hilton Head, SC

Not much gets in the blog lately, but I just have to tell you about Kevin's first Plane ride. On Wednesday, May 28, 2003. We left out of Baltimore Washington Airport in the early afternoon and rode to Charlotte NC for a connecting flight to Savannah to visit his cousin Virginia who was graduating from Hilton Head High School the next day.
The plane was late taking off, but we didn’t mind too much since that would shorten the 45 min layover. Kevin seemed to think of the ride as nothing more than a noisy car ride in which he did not have to be in his car seat. He played, squirmed, and enjoyed the flight until it was time to land. By then, he was tired of being held and wanted down plus the cabin pressure was changing and his ears may have hurt.
We were supposed to come into gate C12 and leave out of C19. By the time we pulled in we had around 15 minutes to get to the plane. Unfortunately we pulled into a B terminal way in the pack and we really had to haul but to make the connection. We did, but they shut the doors behind us. This time the flight was not as crowded and we were able to keep the car seat and let him have his own seat, which was better since he could sleep.
On the way into Savannah he ate, but when he was done he was once again irritated with the change in pressure and was pretty grumpy.
Shirley and Virginia picked us up at the airport, but they only took us and our carry-ons…remember, we just barely made the connection, our luggage didn’t. We were told that it would be in on the 10:50 pm flight and should be delivered around one in the morning.
We felt kind of gross from traveling and we would have liked to have been able to change, but really not that big of a deal…that is until 11:30 passed and we didn’t receive the expected phone call to confirm that the luggage was on the way. At one, when it didn’t show, Mom and Dad went to the 24 hour Walmart and each bought $50 worth of stuff to the next day…clothes, bathroom stuff and the like. US Airways say that we will be reimbursed but chances are we will have to fight for it.

Posted by Jesse at 11:41 PM