Lowman, NY

This kid is 11 months old and already he's west coast, east coast, and midwest! We visited Aunt Pam over the Labor Day weekend and had a wonderful time. It was hot the first few days - I skeptically asked Pam over the phone when I was packing for the trip what her idea of hot is, but it was indeed hot. Mid 90's, but drier than the jungle that we live in. Great swimming weather. Roberto debuted his new swimming trunks (which are still down to his ankles)...

What may have been the highlight of the visit for me was our trip to Harrison Hill, a nearby town that had all kinds of summer activities to enjoy - kiddie rides, putt putt golf, a playground, an arcade, and glider rides for the more adventurous. Roberto was not in the mood for any of it, and was terrified of the carousel's moving horses. He reluctantly sat side saddle on one, clinging to me with both hands, as the horse went up and down. I couldn't wrench his grip free long enough to snap a picture of him on his first carousel ride. But he perked up on the playground, not long after I took the picture below. Being at Harrison Hill was a little like stepping back into your childhood, just for a few fleeting moments. The arcade, the concession stand, the store that had the feel of an ice cream parlor with cheap novelty gifts, giant suckers, cotton candy, and tons of gliders suspended from the ceiling, swinging in the breeze. We made sure we got one of those to hang in Roberto's room. It was a slice of Americana, the kind that is hard to come by here in the big city.

It turned gray and a bit chilly for the last few days of our visit. Which was awesome. We got a nice dose of cool weather. I relished the mornings on Pam's back deck, sipping coffee and letting Roberto explore. It was just one step down to a (soft) grassy hill, so he had free rein.