Exotic Fruit Tasting

My brother Dan got really excited about exotic tropical fruit after reading The Fruit Hunters. So on our family trip to Hawaii he went hunting at farmers' markets and at small scale farms. Most of the fruits had really interesting flavors, but were too soft for commercial scale growth and distribution. A few are available on the mainland though. Here are my notes from the tasting:

Chayote - fried with oil and salt, tastes like zucchini
Rose Apple - hints of ginger, firm texture
Red Cuban bananas - carmelized brown sugar
Mystery #1 - spooned fibrous custard with seeds that look like giant beetle larvae
Sour Sop (Guanabana) - tastes like sour patch kids, suck and spit out pulp
Cacoa - slimy, sour seed covering, hard to get pulp in mouth
Cainito (star apple) - creamy, raspberry flavor, melt in your mouth
Cashew fruit - tastes like under ripe bananas
White Sapote - yum! Mango with over rip pear texture
Lyche - slimy, but delish! Texture like peeled grape.
Mango (unknown variety, 20+ were available) - amazing, condensed flavor

Dan still has several fruits on his wish list for the last two days of our trip: dragon fruit, mangosteen, rambutan, peanut butter fruit, black berry jam fruit, acerola, miracle fruit.

What a fantastic adventure!

Behind, behind

I can't believe that the last time I posted was February and that I was just still catching up on December. Too much to say about the last 6 months and no time to do it now. I'm busy applying for teaching jobs for next year and looking into the million and one child care options for Ian here in the Berkeley area.

And soon we leave for Hawaii for a trip with the Howard clan. It is going to be amazing and we will undoubtably have many pictures to share when we get back.

A total brain dump of where Ian is at right now:

He is starting to be really bossy, he'll tell Andrew and I where to sit and where to put our things and let us know if we aren't doing things "right". All basically with out saying any words besides mama and dada and grunting, pointing and shaking his head. He amuses us and himself to no end. He often sits in his car seat laughing to himself, leaving us wondering what is up. He loves cars and trains and just got about 20 at the Village yard sale. He has gotten to be very compliant about diaper changes, provided we line up at least two friends (stuffed leopard Leo and Cabbage Patch Cale are essential) next to him on the floor beforehand. He's also suddenly very compliant about tooth brushing. We lay him down on the couch and sing the ABC song while I brush. No complaints!! He loves to push Cale around in his stroller and he will stop occasionally, out of the blue, to kiss Cale or demand that Cale is cold and needs a sweater. He is an amazing kisser, he puckers his lips up like a little fish face and gives us kisses all day long. He likes to sit in small spaces like an empty shelf on the bookcase or a cardboard box or a toy box. He'll wedge himself into spaces and play there contentedly. He's transitioned to only having his pacifier while in the car, crib or stroller and willingly hands it over when it is time to get out. He announces when he has a poo and points to his diaper. Today I wasn't quick enough and he even brought me a pile of wipes and put them on my lap. Every night after his bath, Andrew brings him downstairs and sets him down at the bottom of the stairs and he runs towards me, naked, shrieking with joy, and jumps into my outstretched arms for a hug.

Words he says, unprompted, for now:

mama

dada

bird

kitty

uh huh

uh oh

down

up (but he says puh)

shoes

choo choo

poo poo (boo boo)

Like I said, brain dump, more organized thoughts and pictures later! Not sure why the pictures look so bad, first time uploading from my new camera. Will resolve with computer support guy (husband) later. :) [fixed!]

December 2009

Ian and I actually managed to stay off airplanes in December, but Andrew had another trip to China.

Sweet, sweet sleeping shot. I will so miss the butt in the air sleeping pose when its era has passed:

Post nap on a different occasion:

As mentioned in the January 2009 post, we saw Alexia and Jack in December:

We celebrated Christmas here in Albany with Grandma Julie and Grandpa Bill. Christmas morning:

Gratuitous adorable shot. We love how he always crosses his feet when he sits in his high chair:

Ian this month (16-17 mo): The only thing I wrote down for December was "likes to poke holes in his food"!

November 2009

Almost done with 2009 and it's only February 2010! Note to facebook viewers, these pictures show better on the blog (projecthoward.com) and if you click on the pictures on the blog you can see them even bigger.

Okay, Novemeber...Over Veteran's Day, Ian and Sarah flew to Southern Illinois to see Great Grandpa Irvin, Nancy, and my Pocklington relatives. Mom and Dad drove out from VA to meet us there.

With all of the Pocklington/Denby relatives, Uncle Bill's family (Robin, Wendy, Bonnie, and Kelly), Grandpa Irvin and Nancy, Mom and Dad, Aunt Susie, Cousin Ginny:

Four generations on the Pocklington side:

My mom, Ian and I get our warm smiles from Grandpa Irvin.

Snuggling with Grandma Martha, she held him for a whole nap (he won't do that for Andrew or me):

After Springfield, we drove up to the Farm in Plato Center to see Great Grandma Betty and Gordon and Jill. Julie and Bill drove out from Minnesota and met us there, as did Andrew, and we all spent the weekend together in Elgin. Jill made us early Thanksgiving with all of the fixins, it was delicious!

Um, do you think he's a Howard? Looks so much like Grandpa Bill:

But I can also see Grandma Julie in him:

Here is another 4 generations shot, this time on the Muirhead side. Great Grandma Betty, Grandpa Art, Mama, and Ian:

Here he is with both of his grandmas:

Stealing a sip from a willing Great Aunt Jill:

November he became obsessed with drinking out of non-sippy cups (aka adult sized water bottles that despite often almost drowning him, held so much appeal!). Here's a shot from early November from home, drinking out of daddy's water bottle:

Back in Plato Center, giving Aunt Jill a snuggle and Uncle Gordon a shy smile:

Sharing another smile with Uncle Gordon:

Yucking it up back at home for a few days:

For Thanksgiving we flew to Texas to celebrate with Weeze's family.

Grandma Julie holding Brycie for a nap, just like Grandma Martha did with Ian. So snuggly:

Cutest little nephew in the world! (who is now walking at only 10 months!):

Playing in Elena's play kitchen. Oh, how I wish we had the space for one right now. Wearing the shirt that I got for him and Andrew on Andrew's birthday on November 16th:

Playing at the park with Auntie Weezie:

Auntie Weezie is so sweet with Ian:

First time he ever ate a big boy sandwich (that wasn't cut up into little pieces for him):

Naked horsing around with Cousin Brycie:

And book time with Grandpa:

Ian this month (15-16 mo):

Ian took part in a study at UC Berkeley Infant Study Center about babies' reactions to other's emotions. I had to pretend to be hurt and scared. He couldn't have cared less when I went on for a full minute after "hitting" my hand with a plastic hammer, but didn't like being left alone with a koosh ball hanging from the ceiling that I had pretended to be afraid of. I wonder how his reactions would be now, 3 months later.

This was the month that Ian transitioned from mostly crawling to mostly walking, even though he took his first steps a month before. He loved pushing objects into openings in containers and pulling them out. He first hugged stuffed animals. He fed himself a dish of beans and rice with an adult teaspoon.

October 2009

October we were back in Minnesota for Howard family friend Matt Davies' wedding. Unfortunately Andrew did not have his camera battery charger so no photos. We need to get some from the official wedding photographer and Howard relatives, you hear that Weezie and Julie?

We also got a visit from Dena when we returned home. Yay, Dena, thanks for visiting so often. I know, it doesn't hurt that we live in such a great area. Come again soon and often. Oh, yeah, that's right, you already have another trip planned already!

We also had a big Halloween party with the Moms' Group. Ian was an adorable Tigger.

His friend Keely was a dj. He's not so sure what he thinks about that!

And just for contrast: here's Ian on Halloween last year (2008).

Here he is hanging out in his "fort" (bottom shelf of the changing table!):

Obviously you have to clear out some space before you can hang. Get outta here, diapers! Thanks, Ian...

Awesome shot of how insane Ian's hair had gotten by October. Extra special because it is post nap. Mind you, I was not able to let his hair be cut until January, more than 2 months after this picture was taken:

Ian this month (14-15 months old): Ian first walks on October 4th at 14.5 months old. Video on Facebook. He is overjoyed. I have since forgotten what it was like before he could walk. He's still not very fast at 18 months so I get the option of not carrying him without the worry of him running off. We'll see how much longer that lasts.

One of my favorite stories this month: Ian is playing with my phone and I hear Greer's voice, "Ian, where's your mommy?" He had accidentally speed dialed her and she figured it out when no one talked when she answered the call from me.

This month he also liked to hide things under the couch and then look for them, also video on Facebook. Really started pointing and grunting to ask for things. He did this cute thing where he would hold his arms out behind his back and flutter his hands behind himself. He started methodically moving piles of things like shoes from one side of himself to the other and back while seated or trying to stuff his hands full so he could pick up everything in a pile without having to put anything down.

September 2009

Back to 2009, the year in review. September 2009 ended up being the only month in 2009 that the Howards did not get on an airplane. Seriously. And in fact, after his first flight at the age of 3 months, Ian has flown at least once a month every month of his life not including Sept '09!

We don't have a ton of pictures from that month, I think because we forget to take out the camera and take shots of the everyday stuff. Also, Andrew was working and he's the main photographer.

Here are some cute ones from when he got wet and so we borrowed all of the extra clothes in Tycho's diaper bag to construct a makeshift outfit. (Jacket and baby leg warmers!)

What are you laughing at?

Hi, blue eyes. One of my favorite outfits of all time, the railroad engineer overalls:

A sweet sleeping picture and the confused, puffy face and rock star hair after being woken up:

And some fun dirty times at Totland in the sand:

Ian this month: First word, "ball" on Sept 22. Video on Facebook. When we talked to Elena later that week on Skype she said, "Ball! Ball! Ball! Who am I?" Priceless.

18 months

I interrupt the 2009 year in review to do a more current update.

18 months is such a great age. At least for Ian, it's been a really sweet, funny age. I'm not saying that he doesn't throw more temper tantrums that before too, but I wanted to share some of the notable novelties. One of my favorites is how snuggly he is. Now, every time I give him his paci and his lovey and pick him up he lays his head on my shoulder and keeps it there until I put him down. He is also very good about giving kisses and hugs on demand and will give you a running hug if you kneel down and put your arms out. He also loves to sit in your lap and read books. He runs and gets a book, hands it to you, and then turns around and backs into your lap or grabs your neck and crawls on. So sweet. Even if it is the 10th time you have read that book that day, you can't say no.

Some cute things he's learned to do recently are to turn in a circle and to sign "please". Best story ever for this mama: Andrew asked Ian, "Do you want to go upstairs and see mama?" and Ian responded by signing "please". He's also recently really gotten in to music and will point at the CD player and plead and bob his head enthusiastically once the music starts, or sway his head back and forth v-e-r-y slowly if it is a slow song.

A picture of Ian from mid January, during our recent trip to VA. Many more pictures and stories to follow.

I'm loving it.

August 2009 Brazil

August was the big trip to Brazil. Andrew was going to the IAU General Assembly and Sarah, Ian and Sarah's parents took the opportunity to tag along. Because the Muirheads lived in Brazil for a couple of years in the 70's (Martha and Art in the Peace Corps), 80's (all four Muirheads while Dad worked at the Embassy in Brasilia) and 90's (just Mom and Dad, again in Brasilia) it was time for a visit. We spent a few days in Rio, then a few days in Brasilia staying with dear friends the Fleischers and then back in Rio to finish up. Ian had his first trip to the beach and was spoiled for life by the delicious sand on Copacabana. We got to matar saudades eating all of the foods we miss so dearly, for me, pao de queijo, pao de batata, and pastel, but never managed to find the elusive, mouthwatering cuscuz.

Jardim Botanico in Rio:

Hotel room antics:

Copacabana beach:

Enjoying a bath at the Fleischer's. They bought a crib, high chair and baby bathtub/changing table just to make us comfortable, but they won't go to waste since they are expecting their first grandchildren (twins!) this year: