Newcott Blog

Check out the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages.  A couple of weekends ago, we stayed in one.  The “resort” is a collection of old Cottages built in the mid-century.  The cottages have been renovated by the California State Parks and they are now run like a resort.  It feels old timey.  There are pictures of the old Hollywood film crews that would come down there to film pirate and beach movies.  There are still many cottages that will be restored, so for now supply is pretty limited.  Each cottage has humble amenities, but each one overlooks the ocean.  The same view that we had for $75/night is worth $600/night at the Montage down the coast.

Silas is in full-blown toddler mode and he is hilarious.  He puts thoughts into sentences and points out things I do not notice.  If he hears a plane going overhead, we usually don’t notice, but he is lightning quick to yell “ah-pah,” which is how he says airplane.  He gets fixated on things he wants and can be demanding (and stubborn as a result) and he has a language that Bronwen and I are getting very good at translating.

Upon waking in the morning or middle of the night, he often yells instead of cries to get our attention.  He usually yells that he wants to go downstairs to play with his choo choo.  He prefers his mama be the first to hold him.  And he sings an excellent version of Do-Re-Mi and can count to 5, often starting with 3.

Just before Christmas, we had cupcakes in the house.  Silas calls them “cup-cups.”   Instead of eat, he says bite, which he pronounces as “bot.”  Upon walking into the kitchen one afternoon his eyes zeroed in on a cupcake on the counter.  He immediately pointed to it and yelled, “I wan bot dat cup-cup!”  Translation, “I want to bite that cupcake!”

2008 seems dangerously close to 2010. From the reference point of my childhood self, 2010 is the distant future. The distant future is where people fight with robots for jobs and computers and flashing lights coat our walls. Good news is, I was very wrong about what 2010 would look like. I’m very comfortable with the world from a technological point of view. Which brings me back to 2008. What will this year be all about? Bronwen will give birth to our second child in June. Silas will turn 2 and start potty training. I will grow more handsome and distinguished by the day. But beyond that, the year is pretty much an open book. I like this time of year. This is the time of looking ahead. The trick is to NOT become overwhelmed thinking about the options and possibilities. I do NOT want to play the year like a chess match, thinking 4, 5, or 6 moves out. There is no point to it. So, my resolution for 2008 is to take the year day by day and to not think too much about tomorrow. Be present — which is easier said than done. 2008, here I am.