Nanna and G-Daddy came in over the weekend arriving on Thursday evening and leaving Sunday afternoon.  It was a quick visit but a good one.  On Friday they spent the entire day with their boy.  In the morning while Dad was at work and Mom was working on an exam at home (it is Fall Break for CHOC, pronounced "Chalk") they took Isaac to the surprisingly awesome indoor play area at the Whitney Place Mall.  It is funny, as an adult without children, these places are almost invisible.  You can pass them time and time again without even seeing them.  But with kids, you scout them out, and because I am me, I try to rank them.  Whitney Place is really, really well designed.  After that, Dad came home on a half day (let's see: perfect weather, parents in from Ohio, and little guy at home...no brainer).

When I got home we played obstacle course.  Isaac and Dad take a bunch of chairs and his playpen and block off a path through the dining room, into the living room, and sometimes out into the hallway and
through the kitchen.



We played all the way up until he had to go to bed.  All four adults and one kid had a great time.

On Saturday we went to the New England Aquarium, which was just amazing.  All of the zoos and aquariums in the past month or so have made Isaac, Dad, and Mom feel like naturalists.  Here is a shot of Isaac and one of his buddies watching fish go by:



 There was also a touch tank full of sharks and rays.  Isaac loved it, but not for the touching sharks part, more for the splashing in the water part.  All of the sharks and rays started swimming around in another direction to avoid Chubby Bubby.  Then we went outside to the seal enclosure and it was really nice (though smelly).  We discovered another Isaac:



Sleeping just over the rail was a HUGE 600 pound California Sea Lion named...Isaac.  Here he is in his turdy entirety:



Nonetheless Isaac was fascinated by his namesake.

We strolled down to Faneuil Hall for a bite to eat and we all ate outside on a beautiful fall day.  That afternoon we hung out in the workshop where Isaac took full advantage of the Pooping Policy (AGAIN):



Here he and G-Daddy are playing around with the routers and paint closet.

The next day, Sunday, was a sad day, but determined not to be mopey we went to the playground.  Here are Isaac and his Nanna at the railing to the playground (which, surprisingly, was more interesting to Isaac than the actual playground itself):



As the time to leave got nearer everyone, even Isaac, was a little sad.  We had a great time.  I think the grandparents did too. 

In 20 years I will still remember the day.  When I am old and senile, with thin skin, dandelion puff hair, and failing eyes, I will still remember the day.  If it is one of the last memories that flashes across my mind's eye before I die, the face the reaper will see will be that of a smile.  It may seem like hyperbole, but it is all true.  Spending last Monday, Columbus Day, with Isaac, at 16 months of age, was a spectacular treat.

I was quiet the entire day and just followed him around.  I wandered when he wandered.  I watched when he watched.  I tried, best as I could, to let him take the lead.  I wanted to see the world as he saw it.  And for a few hours I think I did.  He is a wonderful little boy.  A bundle of energy and curiosity.  He is demanding and intense, like both of his parents.  He is a scientist like is Mommy, watching things, looking for equal and opposite reactions.  He loves to play, like his Daddy.  But most of all, on this Columbus day I realized that for the first time really I was sharing a space with a new and fully developed personality.  He might not be able to talk but he sure can communicate.

We woke up and saw Mom off to Connecticut for her lecture at Wesleyan University.  Isaac played around a little with safety thermometers (i.e. no mercury).  Here is a shot of the pixie kid wielding them like short swords:

Then we went to a new playground.  It had tons of new play equipment and Isaac really loved it.  Here is a shot of the little guy:

After about an hour and half we went to Toys'R'Us and got a new creature for Isaac's zoo.  We also got a dino for Christmas, but shhhh, that is a secret.

When we got home Dad wanted to make SURE that Isaac ate is lunch (veggie mix) so we put on the TV and watched some Star Wars.  With Isaac hypontized, Dad crammed down the veggie mix.  It was a very brief TV watch, I promise.  And it is Star Wars after all.  Then Isaac took a nap.

During the nap Dad did some research on places to find cool rocks.  Isaac loves rocks of all sorts and sizes so I thought it would be nice to take him to an actual rockhound place instead of a drainage ditch at St. Bernard's (which he loves, but still...).  We found an old abandoned quarry about twenty five minutes away.  When Isaac woke up, we set out for the quarry.  Here is the sign welcoming us:

After some messed up directions we found the place.  Here is a video of us on our way to the quarry:



After some fast paced hiking (the light was going out of the sky), we found the quarry.  Here is a great shot:

Nothing to scale the picture, but the rock walls were about 30 feet high.  Here is a video from inside the giant gash in the rock:



Even though we got lost and Dad started to panic a little on the way back we made it out in time with about fifteen minutes of sunlight left (Dad, of course, has a flashlight in the Adventure Suit, a Surefire G2X Pro, if you must know).

We then went to Subway and Dad and Isaac had dinner.  Isaac even ate a little of the chicken from Dad's sub.  We made it home at 6:38 PM.  Mom arrived about fifteen minutes later.  It was a truly splendid day.

All of this could have been said with a single picture.  This picture (which is probably my new FAVORITE picture):

Saturday was a grandparent's dream for Nanny and Poppa Dom: all three grandkids, a day at the zoo, and pizza from Caserta's at home with most of the family.  The plan was set earlier in the week with a prediction of spectacular weather.  Southwick's was awesome, but they were lacking one MAJOR animal: an elephant.  Fortunately Roger Williams Zoo in Providence has the only remaining elephants in New England (Southwick's elephant died a few years ago).  So with an email to Domenic and a text to Poppa Dom the weekend plans were set.

First up, of course, were the elephants.  They had a SPECTACULAR enclosure and there were not one, not two, but three of them.  When we arrived one was on the ground rolling, probably getting a dust bath.  The other two came over and helped it up.  Then they came over and got friendly with all of us.  Here is one showing off his trunk:



Isaac was completely and totally enthralled with the elephants as were his cousins.  Here is a video of them all watching the big guys:



After that we went to the giraffe house and they were a great show as well here is a picture of one up close:



He is a baby, only 14 feet tall.

The kids then did all sorts of things: stared at the seals as they did circles in their tank, hooted at penguins (which all kids love), ran into a very real bat cave.  It was a very hot day for mid-October, around 80.  So Isaac and his cousins hung out at a really cool fountain.

Here is before:



and the after:


Yep, soaked.

We had such a great time at the Zoo.  It is a really great zoo.

After we went back to Bianca's parents house for dinner and it was the always delicious and kid-friendly PIZZA.  GG Janet came over and ate with us.  What a great day.  I think everyone had a great time.

Oh and one bonus picture of two best friends hanging out:


See? I told you: grandparent heaven.