New Year's Eve

I hosted a smallish gathering at the house for an "East Coast New Year's Eve" party.  Great to see my friends and ring in 2013.  I'll likely be asleep when it hits midnight here.    

Miles the Chef helping me.

Miles made the cheese signs!

Standing: Crispin & Jim, Andy & Rebecca
Sitting: Kim & Jack Kai & John, me!

Happy New Year!

Miles has new eyes!

Well, not really.  But as of this morning, Miles is wearing a contact lens in his right eye.  He was diagnosed with refractive amblyopia, which is basically "lazy eye" (without the drift).  Miles's left eye is pretty "normal" but he's far-sighted in his right eye, and the eye doctor recommended a contact lens to help his vision before it's too late to have a corrective effect. 

It's not an uncommon problem in grade schoolers, though my eye doctor says that Miles is his youngest patient.  (Low birth-weight and prematurity are risk factors.)  Lazy eye is often treated through occluding therapy (a patch), but Miles's vision is poor enough in his bad eye that he probably couldn't function if the good eye was patched.  So...he's wearing a 30-day day/night contact lens.  I had no problem getting it in -- second try -- though I'm relieved that I only have to do it once a month. 

It's hard to assess whether or not it's making a difference.  There isn't a subjective test that I can perform, but we have a follow-up with the optometrist in two weeks.  I was skeptical that he even had a vision problem because he has an eagle eye, and the ability to spot a fire truck from five miles away!  But two sets of tests confirmed that one eye really is quite far-sighted ("hyperopia"), and has been compensating with his good eye. 

We're back in Bellingham.  Nice to be home! 

Family!

Merry Happy Holidays! 

Miles & I spent the week before Christmas in Maui, meeting the Remmels.  Miles learned to snorkel on a great day trip to the island of Lanai (98% owned by Steve Ellison, I learned).  Mostly we hung out at the condo pool, the beach, and I went on a couple of runs.  Kathy cooked fabulous food, and we enjoyed a couple of happy hours (I highly recommend both the Happy Hour at Capische and likely the best sushi in Hawaii, Koiso Sushi Bar:  http://www.hotelwailea.com/capische/dinner-menu/). 

Miles & I returned to a rainy Seattle, and spent a delightful if not boisterous Christmas with my family:

Jackson, Jordan, and Santa Miles

Miles and a new car carrier!

Jordan and Miles with Kyle (Eken cousin)

Innocence

Like the rest of the nation, I am stunned and saddened by the horrible events today in Connecticut.  I can't even type out what really happened.  Besides my hope for real gun reform legislation, I want more for my son to be innocent just a little bit longer.  He & I have been through so much...please, let him just be a kid with no worries. 

In the car after I picked him up, Miles casually mentioned to me that "we had a lock down at school today."  Without telling him anything he didn't need to know, I asked him to tell me what they did. 

Miles: "There was an announcement that there was a lock down and we all went into the coat room and closed the door." 
Grace: "You all fit into that tiny coat room?  Ms. Linville and all your friends?"  (17 kids if everyone was there)
Miles: "YES! And Oliver's daddy too!  All of us.  Then Ms. Linville turned off the lights and we didn't talk." 
Grace: "So, you were all very quiet..."
Miles: "Last time there were tears, but this time no one cried." 

So, they've practiced "lock down" prior to today. I don't know how to feel about this; I guess relieved that the school and district has something in place, but also so angry that little kids have to worry about such stuff.  I am still reeling with the news.  Lots of hugs to my little guy today.  He's sleeping in my bed tonight.  There are just no.more.words.  So sad. 

Gymnastics

Miles has been going to a "Flips" class at one of the local gymnastics clubs.  He really enjoys it, and we'll likely stick with it in the new year.  Usually, parents stay in the waiting area for the entire session, but today we were invited in to take pictures of the "routines" they have been working on: 

And here is a quick video of his dismount from the balance beam:

Feliz Navidad

Miles's goes to Hillcrest Kids after school on Mondays through Fridays.  He has been at Hillcrest since he was 13 months old, and I am a big fan of theirs.  They are a (very) Christian-centered daycare/preschool; and I've been pleased with Miles's exposure to beliefs that are not my own.  They don't indoctrinate much, but because it is Christian, there is an annual Christmas Show.  Here is Miles singing "Feliz Navidad" (unfortunately, the video is sideways.). 

Miles has been practicing all week and was looking forward to singing.  It looks as if he's singing a solo, but in fact, he's on an overflow riser separate from the main group because he came in last. Here's a still shot of the group: