Build-a-Bear Workshop... Laibond Style

"How much, is that doggie in the window?"
Yesterday, during our trip to the very innovative and well marketed Build-A-Bear Workshop where children create their own stuffed friends, we discovered that Laibond's predilections match, in some very unexpected ways, with the store designers'.

Oh, the humanity!

"Bad boy!"

I don't want to know

Everybody Walk The Dinosaur

It seems that everywhere we take Laibond, he can't seem to stop himself from assaulting innocent children's characters.

I'm not saying that the story time dino at the Scholastic Store didn't get what he had coming, but there were children present.

Though we didn't plan it, it did seem a dinosaur themed trip, with the following snaps taken yesterday and today.

With the plush dinosaur collection at FAO Schwartz. When in Rome...

With the real thing at the Museum of Natural History

New York, New York!

Times Square at night
After four days of marketing meetings, Laibond, Wayne and I came down to New York City to do some market research on higher end specialty toy stores here in New York.

As in Japan, mad cap comedy did ensue. More in later blog postings on the goings on.

The trip has been long and exhausting with us trekking all over the city, seeking out the interesting, famous and merely bland. In the meantime, this was Wayne's first trip to NYC so we tried to at least point out the major points of interest as we blew past them.

"Oh look, Wayne, that's Juliard, a famous music school (as he snaps a photo out the cab window)"

"Oh look, Wayne, that's Grand Central Station."

"Oh look, Wayne, this is Rockefeller Center."

"Oh look, Wayne, this is Times Square."

Wayne and I at FAO Schwartz
It was fun to rediscover New York with someone who's never been here before.

He thought that Times Square was like the Times Square back in Hong Kong, only about 10,000 times more crowded. He also liked Central Park, pointing out that it was more natural than our equivalent in Hong Kong, Victoria Park.

Today, at the end of the day, after discovering that the final toy store on our list had gone out of business, we went to the Museum of Natural History and did our one and only real touristy thing.

I was happy to see it again.

Discovering that Wayne has illegitimate doll children in NYC
It made me think about the last time I did the Natural History Museum and FAO Schwartz - when I was a young child with my father.

Now, I am almost at the point where I will bring my own daughter on excursions such as those that I was brought on as a child.

It made me miss my dad.

Grabbing a late, NYC lunch between stores
It was nice to be in New York again, if only for a couple of rushed days.

There's nothing like summer in New York, and it's been simply amazing to be back and able to soak some of that New York energy back into my being.

Between the market research, the al fresco dining, the trip to the museum and the friends I've reconnected with, it's been a great trip.

Tomorrow, I'm back of to Maine to finally take a few days with the family.

All in all, pretty much perfect.

Some belated photos

To assuage any doubt that M loves MacMahan
It's been awhile since I've been able to blog, mostly because it's been a busy few days.

Since leaving Maine, I've been in marathon day long meetings in MA and, today, busily running around NYC looking at toy stores.

Now, I'm back in the NJ apartment after a long day. Still, I wanted to post a couple of photos from my camera from my day and a half in Maine during the beginning of my trip.

Happy to play with Lily



In her life vest

Cousins

We had the great joy of spending two days this week with Margaret's THIRD cousin and her family. This post is a tribute to three generations of cousins:

first cousins

second cousins

third cousins

Lobster!

Margaret was so happy to see her dad :-)

She was sitting with us in bed on Saturday morning and she just kept looking back and forth between her Mom and Dad and smiling and giggling. Every time she wakes up from a nap now, she looks at the bed as if she's searching for John.

We managed to cram a lot into the 24 hours or so that John was here before we all went down to Boston for a few days, leaving John there to work for the week. Most importantly, Margaret had her first lobster. Evidence of the adventure below:

heading to the boat

snuggling with Daddy every minute

first bite of lobster

needless to say, she loved it (and got plenty in her hair)

Drunk? On butter, maybe.

after polishing off nearly a whole lobster claw, plus fish and french fries

Full tummies, all ready for a nap!

Picking blueberries

For the first time that I can remember, we have a bumper crop of blueberries! I couldn't help myself but to set to picking. I tried to keep M entertained by planting her in the patch with a few pots and berries of her own. It took a few forays off mat to figure out that the blueberry patch did not feel good under hand or knee, and a few tastes of other plants to realize that the blueberry was tastiest.

"ouch!"


sampling the local produce

Blueberries for Margaret

Teething

I forgot to mention that Margaret has a new tooth! One of the top teeth has cut through and she's working on number two. Clues that this was coming included a bit of runny nose, general fussiness, and the dead give away: gnawing on rocks:

caught in the act

one pose for the camera

No more Paparazzi, please

So Many Grandmas!

While Mom went to the airport yesterday to pick up Daddy (who is here! Photos to come), Margaret spent the day with THREE Grandmas, : Mimi, Gramma Lucy, and her recently arrived God-Grandma, Tee. Photos below from the past few days:

Look at my outfit!

quiet moment with Mimi

Discovering that she could jump while playing with algae from a tidepool

Who's that?

Tee!

Mutual adoration

And guess what? I'm crawling! Video below:

Early attempts at self-feeding

I know I keep saying this, but Margaret has been eating so much. Until now, it's mostly been fed to her, unless we happen to be at a restaurant and are trying to entertain her by leaving bits of bread in front of her for her to pick up.

No longer.

Margaret has graduated to attempting to feed herself.

This new leap has taken Mom a bit by surprise. I'm just not used to the mess. Last night with all the company over, I found myself chasing after a freshly bathed Margaret with a wet wash cloth, attempting to do damage control as tomato sauce smeared not only over her face, but on her bottom, as she sat on the pizza she had plucked from the pan. I was simultaneously chastising myself for being such a neat-nik on MacMahan, of all places.

Today, I was more prepared. I stripped her down to her diaper for lunch on the porch, and let her go at it. Results below:



For those of you who can't imagine it, the view from Margaret's lunch spot:

Mimi's old flames

We enjoyed an impromptu dinner last night with not one, but TWO of Mimi's old flames. Margaret installed herself as the center of attention, as you can see below, and proceeded to eat everything she could get her hands on. The rest of us had a joyous time catching up and eating the tastiest pot-luck I've had in a long time.

old flame numero uno, with daughter and dog
(wife not in picture, but was at dinner)

number two, with wife

M wiggled herself right into the center

first taste of pizza

This last photo is dedicated to Popo, who gave M this beautiful sweatshirt, as well as the shirt she destroyed with cheese, pizza and rice crackers in the preceding pictures.

"I love you, Popo!"

On the island!

Dear loyal readers,

What a wealth of comments! This posting thing could really become an addiction. Below are photos from our day of outlet shopping, dinner with friends, trip to the farmer's market and transition out to the island. The first few are special for Daddy, recording two experiences that would be everyday nonevents for an American-born baby, but which represent firsts for our daughter:

diaper change in the trunk

first time riding in a shopping cart!

In case there was a question in anyone's mind, M is truly her father's daughter:

"When's Daddy coming so I can eat the real thing?

Dinner with friends and a trip to the farmer's market:

Learning about the local produce from another Mimi

"which way is North?"

"Aha! Perhaps this bit of bark will provide some clue!"

And then we were off to the island!

Mimi and mom loaded the boat ...

while M waited patiently(?) with Gamma L

dinner with a view
thanks for the loans, Monkey!

M attached herself to Big Sam

And they engaged in thoughtful conversation while sipping their beverages

M slept like a rock with the sea air blowing in the windows. Mom was pretty sure she was dead when I still hadn't heard from her at 7:07. Needless to say, she was up and at 'em a few minutes later, and dressed for success in her "granola" attire (again, thanks for the hand-me-downs Auntie J!):

anyone recognize those toys?

We had a picnic pot-luck at our house today, in belated celebration of my birthday. Speaking of belated, thanks to everyone for the good wishes from earlier in the week! I had the best birthday ever, with carrot cake and a walk to digest. M is still getting used to the backpack, but was much happier today than on our first foray!

The view on our walk

holding Mummy's hand

Lest anyone be concerned that M does not have enough to play with, behold the happiness that can be found on the kitchen floor with a few spoons, some plastic containers and a dog to watch:

"Lily!"

"Where is she going?"

"If you come back, I promise I won't pull out your hair anymore!"

Before bed today:

Reading (and loving!) Uncle R's book