Two years ago I was filled with a dull anxiety and anticipation.  Now, I am filled with unadulterated excitement.  I spent two hours putting together and setting up Isaac Anthony's train set, the table portion of which P-Pa and I built in FEBRUARY (seriously, that about killed me).  The end result is an awesome triple loop track with SEVEN elements (roundhouse, roundtable, suspension bridge, regular bridge, signal station, loading depot, and tunnel).  I will post pictures tomorrow.

At the same time Bianca is working feverishly on a Choo Choo cake.  We assembled the candy pieces over the past two weeks and Bianca got a cake mold of lots of train cars.  As I type this she is making the tracks from black licorice.

I am beyond excited for our TWO YEAR OLD to wake up tomorrow and see the wonderland of train stuff for his second birthday.

And he still has Napolitano presents to open and enjoy including perhaps the nicests trike known to man (Kettler, we love you).   

Isaac's Auntie Monica is going through a bunch of big changes.  First, Uncle Rob took a job in corporate with Microsoft.  Next he moved out to Redmond.   Next Auntie Monica is going to make the move, once things are tidied up with her job and the house.  Lots of change.

Recognizing the need for a pick me up, Isaac recorded this message and sent it out to his Auntie:



Hang in there Auntie Monica. 

One the headline attractions at the Franklin Park Zoo is their indoor gorilla habitat.  It is a huge multi-acre facility and the gorillas are in a giant tiered area.  At the bottom tier are a series of glass windows letting you look into their home.  Most of the time they are far away or just sitting around and even then, the viewing windows are packed.

We went in expecting to see the normal gorilla zoo fare--poop flinging or inappropriate for kids sexual chenanigans--but what we got was entirely different.  Each of the viewing windows was packed with sticky, sweaty people until we rounded a corner and found one without a single person in front of it.  At the time we got there the reason why was obvious: there was not a gorilla to be seen.  But Isaac, with his big blue eyes, peered in and looked around.  As if on cue, a large teenage male gorilla came over.  He was carrying a blanket in his left foot and walking aggressively.  He clearly saw Isaac through the glass and though I knew that the glass was plenty thick I still got a bit nervous.  I expected Isaac to back up into me as the gorilla kept getting closer and closer, but he didn't.  He just stared at the gorilla.  Finally, it stopped only two or three inches from the glass.  It stood still for a second and then looked down at Isaac.  Isaac froze--he took a tiny deep breath and looked back.  The gorilla then made a relaxed facial gesture, what seemed like a smile or an expression of relief and then bent its head down to look Isaac directly in the eyes.  Isaac and the gorilla looked at each other for a few seconds and then gorilla sauntered away.

It was really amazing seeing a gorilla that close up.  It makes me sad to think that people hunt these animals.  They seem so human and so close to us that hunting them is nothing short of brutal violence.  I have a good relationship with gorillas now.  After all, they like the same person I do quite a bit.

What a treat for Isaac and his Mom and Dad.  It was worth twice the price of admission just for that one moment.  I wish I would have got it on film, but there are some things that you just have to experience.