The temperatures are ticking downward this weekend, which is perfect because we'll be packing for Maui.

Henry has completed his sessions at Swim Like A Fish with a minimal amount of fussing. He's mastered the art of kicking, splashing, and tolerating periodic dips underwater. The goals was to take some of the mystery out of water and to that end we have success. He's completed his gym work and is now prepared for the main event -- Maui beaches and pools. We predict much happiness, smiling, and a head of nearly blond hair by the end of the week.

Shame on us for not identifying this sooner. Henry loves riding my back as I do pushups. He firmly grasps my shirt, pulls it tightly, and giggles away as he rises up and down. I wasn't aware that I needed an evening workout, but Coach Hank knows otherwise. He's getting us all prepped for the Maui beach.

There have been quite a few small earthquakes lately.

We experienced a small one during Grammy and Grandpa Turek's visit. Also, last Saturday at 3 am Becky felt a small one, but I slept through it. I believe I only woke up because Becky stirred and then eventually asked me if I had felt it. I missed out.

Saturday just after 7 am I found myself quietly reading on the couch while Becky and Henry snoozed away upstairs. The house wiggled a bit and I smirked at knowing I hadn't missed this one. Henry's monitor soon began broadcasting a rustling noise and then eventually some babbling. "Da da da da. Dadoo. Dadoo. Ma ma ma." It went on steadily and quietly for 20 minutes. I kept praying he'd fall back asleep -- he has 2 hours remaining on the clock -- and he did.

Becky felt the 3 am quake while Henry and I enjoyed the 7:15 am one.

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Henry's 18 month checkup went well and it confirmed what our arms have been telling us -- he's 27 lbs and growing. We've truly been fortunate at how healthy and straightforward his medical checkups have been.

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Pictures at Sears were probably easier when Henry could only crawl. The guy just will not sit still these days, particularly when he sets his sights on something interesting in a new room filled with new cameras, lights and cables. We ended up with some good pictures, but not without taking the long way around the barn.

We could not stop laughing at his incessant pointing. He quickly realized that a monitor was off to the side which displayed the just snapped photo. Therefore, Henry decided to point and stare at the monitor since that is where the operation ended. Just like Wayne Gretzky said, skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.

We are pretty quick to put shoes away in the closet soon after we take them off. Somebody loves to play with shoes -- the wetter and snowier the better. Last week I bought some slippers and am more than happy to let Henry have at them. He loves examining their texture and keeps trying to put them on, and he's usually successful.

When Henry and I were getting ready to head to Saturday's with Daddy he knew that putting your shoes on would be part of the process. He quickly placed each of his feet into my shoes and started walking around the house with a smile on his face. The guy is ready to go.




Every 2 seasons the UW Badgers are in Anchorage for a game against the UA Seawolves, and we usually attend. After having luck at a basketball game in the same venue, we felt confident Henry could handle the noise and stimulus of the Sullivan Arena. Henry loved it, kept yelling, "Go!" at the skaters on the ice, and didn't fuss one bit throughout the entire game. There will be more hockey in the future for sure!

Grammy and Grandpa Turek were able to join us for Christmas week and it drifted by in a blur. They arrived to below zero temperatures and left after a balmy high 30 degree day. If there were fears of visiting a bitter cold Alaska, they needn't have had them. As for the darkness, they were stuck with that.

• Our trip to Alaska Zoo to enjoy the zoo lights exhibit was perfect. At 28 degrees, no wind, and just under 2 hours of walking around, It was the perfect time for everyone involved. Henry seemed to love the tiger the most, though it might have been because I was roaring while pointing.
• Christmas Day at Randy and Kelly's was delicious as always. The wild card this year was the hilarious and invigorating Just Dance 4 on the wii. The game was worth every penny.
• Becky and I made a very good Alaskan effort at a Wigilia. Along with some delicious Indiana fresh polish sausage and cheese pierogi, we cooked up some cream of mushroom soup and macadamia crusted halibut. We were only missing Oplatek.
• Henry loved tearing around the Spenard Rec Center with Grammy and Grandpa in tow. Almost everyone needed a nap after all the fun.
• All pictures here.

Well, last week we finally received our much wished for snow. Across two days we poked into the 20's and about 11 inches of snow fell. The roads were pretty nasty but the warmth was wonderful.  Becky and Henry decided against running some non-pressing errands and instead suited up for a walk around the neighborhood.

Henry loves the snow. He loves watching it fall with his face pressed against the window and he loves tracing his mitten  through the drifts. Occasionally he'll face-plant into a drift and that will bring a slight fuss, but it passes fairly quickly.

Becky let him lead the way through our complex, and predictably he made right turns toward Baxter elementary school. Considering that school was in session, Becky and Henry couldn't check out the sledding hill, but they had plenty of fun climbing on the large hill of plowed snow.




After a little while Becky knew the chill and nap were approaching and that it was time to head home. Henry only knew that left turns took you home, and home is not where he wanted to be. As mommy directed him left, the fuss and tears broke out. He did finally get wrangled back home, was quickly unlayered, and descended into a nap minutes later. He's a fulfilled, snowy guy.

After snapping some 17 month photos of Henry and adding a few more fun pictures while sledding on Sunday, our camera decided to start complaining about a memory card error. We're still not sure whether the card died or if the camera has problems. We do hope we didn't lose that handful of new photos though. I'm sure it will sort itself out, but for now we have a "17 months + 4 days" picture of Henry. When Grammy and Grandpa Turek make it up here in a few weeks there will be plenty more sledding photos to take. All is well.

Saturdays With Daddy ended at noon as always with goodbyes, waves, and promises to come by next week. Henry always has a good time and it flows nicely into lunch when we get home. The temperature had made it to a few degrees above 0 and the sun was clearly shining across the Chugach range.

I turned off of UAA drive and onto Northern Lights and headed east. There were not too many cars on the dry and slightly glazy road. Across the road to my left I quickly noticed a large cow and bull moose trotting directly towards me. They were in the median when I marked them. I let off the gas, pushed the brake, and quickly noticed the moose calf sprinting ahead of the other two. I gave the brakes all I had and hoped for the best.

It was not to be.

The calf line up perfectly with the driver's side door and hit my 5mph traveling 4Runner. I yelped, "Dammit", as what sounded like some 2x4's clunked into my door. I slid ahead and began rolling again as I watched in my mirror the moose rise, place 4 legs on the ground, and then limp into the woods. Traffic resumed, all moose vanished, and Henry remained silent.  He's a tough guy.

I ended up denting Becky's door and chipping some plastic off the running board. The moose looked shaken up, but would be fine.We were fine and are stuck with only cosmetic repairs. It's annoying, but could have been worse in many different ways. Welcome to winter in Alaska.