Dan and Vivian's Visit

Dan and Vivian were flying up to Livermore for a daddy/daughter weekend away, April 1-3. Vivian's mom Carrie stayed home. Pregnant with Vivian's little sister-to-be and due in May, her doctor advised against traveling.

Dan and Vivian's flight got in to Oakland airport shortly after 7:00pm on Friday, April 1st. Frank and I went in to the terminal to meet them rather than doing the standard drive-by pick up approach, where the arriving travelers drag their luggage out to the curb area outside the baggage claim, toss their bags into the trunk, and then jump into the car. We figured Dan would have his hands full with a two-year old and bags and we wanted to be in a parking lot while getting Vivian securely situated in her carseat. Frank and I stationed ourselves at the base of the escalator just beyond the blue "sterile area" sign demarcating the border established by security. When we spotted them at the top of the escalator we started waving frantically. I dropped to my knees and held my arms wide for Vivian. She held her daddy's hand coming down the escalator. At the bottom, she let go and ran full tilt across the space yelling "Grandma" and flung herself into my outstretched arms. My heart melted. This was going to be a great weekend!

By the time we got home Friday evening, it was just about Vivian's bedtime. We ate a quick dinner. I had made Sloppy Joe and cornbread earlier in the day that just needed to be warmed up. I'd set up the Pack 'N Play in my sewing room and sewn a sheet for the mattress earlier in the week, so it was all ready for bed and nap times. Vivian dropped off to sleep quickly.

We planned to have a lazy morning Saturday, April 2nd and go to an early matinee of the movie Zootopia. It was a beautiful day and on the short walk over to the theatre from the parking garage, we paused to pet and admire a statue of a dog and a boy with an ice cream cone.

The bronze plaque at its base showed the title to be Sunday with Jessie. Our dog when Dan, Robin, and Alex were growing up was also named Jessie, so that sparked some reminiscing. The sculpture was just installed last fall so it was new to Frank and me as well. I love that Livermore has these little personality touches nestled throughout the town. It makes me glad we live here.

Once inside the lobby of the movie theatre we stocked up on lots of popcorn. We learned that our local theatre was being refurbished with all reclining lounge chair seats. What a treat! Vivian was fully engaged throughout the entire movie even though we confused our movie times and got there 30 minutes too early. I was concerned that she might get antsy and we'd need to leave before the movie ended. I am glad we got to stay through the whole thing because the movie was really fun and I actually cared about the outcome.

The animation, especially the background scenery, was truly exceedingly creative. The characters were expressive, believable, multi-dimensional, and likable (or at least explicably unlikeable).  The plot and theme had a good message without being preachy. There was action and suspense. It was far better than some of those films that are nominated for academy awards! The sloth sequence at the DMV was positively hilarious.

We admired the movie poster on our way back to the car, although it looks like Vivian found Grandpa more interesting.

One of the exit doors to a theatre in the process of refurbishment was open. We got to sneak a peek at what was involved in upgrading the seating. It had been cushy and relaxing to watch a movie the way we did so I am pleasantly surprised about the renovations in progress.

After the movie, when we got home, it was nap time for Vivian and she took a nice, undisturbed one. Vivian's turns two on April 6, next Wednesday so after her nap we had some birthday presents for her to open. One of them was a set of farm animal wooden beads that teaches stringing skills. She lay companionably close to her daddy as he took the pieces out of the packaging for her.

I never thought about it before, but how many times in your life have you needed bead-stringing skills? Sewing on a button or feeding a curtain casing onto a rod needs that skill but I could not off-hand  think of much more than that. I suppose I use it in my quilting to thread a needle but, with my eyes the age that they are, I use a helper. The thread goes in a slot, the needle goes eye side down in a hole, I press the lever, and voila, a threaded needle.

In the greater scheme of things, stringing skill is a means toward developing eye-hand coordination. (In today's society, isn't that also said of video games...?) Even if you never passed that shoelace though the shaped wooden "beads", I thought the painted animals were quite striking and appealing and they were in keeping with some farm themed gifts we had given her at this past Christmas. Vivian's use of the toy involved lining up the animals neatly on her daddy's chest, never mind that string thing.

Another birthday gift was a pair of sandals that light up upon impact. The three hearts down the center of the front vertical strap at the instep will flicker on and off in sequence at the "patter of little feet". Vivian allowed her daddy to help her put them on. I noticed this trip that, more often than not, she declared "I do it!".

The next day, Sunday April 3rd, we set off to do bowling with Alex. Vivian's typical "I do it" mantra kicked in at the bowling alley as she worked hard at putting on her own bowling shoes. Luckily the smallest size the alley had, size 7, was "just right" as Goldilocks might say.

Dan and Vivian stood side by side to show off their daddy and daughter matching shoes.

Alex and Frank had arrived before Dan, Vivian, and me so they could get in a couple extra games. It is a hoot how Vivian leans casually against Dan's leg to watch Uncle Alex in action bowling as she waits her turn. I love her pose –  right elbow on Daddy's knee, left hand as if her thumb is hooked in her rear jean pocket. Watch out for her teen years; they will be here before you know it.

Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl has dinosaur ramps for the very young bowlers so we borrowed one for Vivian. She pushed her ball off all twenty times! Well, almost all twenty.

Toward the end, Vivian piled her jacket on the top and pushed it instead. The jacket may be a lot lighter and easier to lift but it does not knock down nearly as many pins as a bowling ball.

Our jaws dropped when it was Alex's turn and Vivian was in the rotation. He approached his lane, went over and got the dinosaur ramp, and set it in place where he was to bowl. He then placed his ball on the top of the ramp, and pushed. We had never done this with him and were amazed that he took the initiative to try this for himself. He did this entire sequence unassisted on his turn all ten frames that Vivian was bowling with us.

After finishing our game, we ordered pizza from the snack bar. Vivian opened another present we had brought along. It was a stacking castle toy and when she ripped off the wrapping paper she announced "castle". I was impressed with her vocabulary at age two.

I'd brought along mini-cupcakes and birthday candles and matches. We sang Happy Birthday to her, then she and Alex got to blow out a candle inserted in a cupcake. Vivian enjoyed her cupcake. It was chocolate, a favorite of hers, just like her mama. All right, Grandma does spoil her. She had two cupcakes. But they were small. The photo is a child-in-lap cell phone selfie taken by Grandma. The lucky thing is, unlike Vivian's face, my cell phone escaped being coated with blue icing.

Here is the motley crew after the festivities, pre-icing cleansing.

Here is a closeup of Vivian and Uncle Alex after icing removal –  sort of.

Vivian is sporting her pink FAA shirt, a gift from Aunt Robin during her visit to OKC the week before.

I would text Carrie periodically to let her know what we were up to so she would not feel left out. On our way to bowling I had texted her a photo of a happy Vivian in the car seat. Ever the watchful mom, from Southern California, ~390 miles away, Carrie texted back that the seat belt clip was too low for ultimate safety. It needed to be higher on the chest, at armpit level.

On the way back from bowling we complied. Vivian cooperated and I texted Carrie proof.

As Dan was packing and we were doing the final preparations before departing for the airport we offered Vivian the opportunity to watch Frozen. She agreed immediately and was rapt watching it.

I set her up with Goldfish crackers. Carrie told me she had never had them but she seemed to enjoy them.

Before leaving for the airport we tried to use up a lot of Vivian's energy pre-plane ride. Grandpa did one last episode of monkeys jumping on the bed - one of Vivian's favorite activities.

It was a great weekend and we loved having Dan and Vivian here. We did miss Carrie but hope she got some rest at home with it being less action packed since her husband and daughter were away. At least we only have to wait a month or so to see Vivian again, next time at her own home. We plan to fly down in May when her baby sister arrives.