Almost Empty Nest?

It has been many years since we’ve posted on this blog (so long that I haven't been able to figure out how to log back in as an editor so Dana has offered to post for me).  It was a treasure to visit it again and recall the memories it cataloged!  When they are old enough to talk back, borrow the car, and tell you how to operate the IT equipment in your house, it is easy to forget that our children were once clinging to us 24/7. 

We didn’t keep this blog updated like we had planned, but then many things we had planned didn’t quite turn out the way we envisioned!   We were even lucky enough to add additional parental support and mentors in Felix’s stepparents, Rob (Renae’s husband) and Kendra (Dana’s wife).    I’m hopeful that Felix felt the love and support of many caring adults over the years, including his two big sisters, many aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

Cedar River Montessori School was a great place to offer stability until Felix was in 7^th grade and the transition to middle school could have been as tragic as most of us remember middle school being, except that he quickly made a solid group of great friends (they are all still actively involved in each other’s lives today).  The family of one set of friends made all the difference and I’ll forever be grateful to them for providing a safe, supportive, caring hangout.  When the pandemic hit it was hard on everyone, but my kiddo enjoyed the reduced socialization and I feared he might never come out of his room again!  Luckily, this family friend started up the garage band or D&D sessions.

Another consistent contribution over the years has been School of Rock in West Seattle.  Felix has been playing guitar with them almost every week for 11 years!  Although he quickly decided he wasn’t a fan of performing on stage, which is a big part of their curriculum, they continued lessons that advanced his skill and challenged him. 

Felix has so many interests and although he might seem shy at first, just get him started on a STEM topic or politics, and he’ll talk your ear off!  Before the pandemic, he was so fascinated with viruses, prions, and germs that the school librarian said, “this kid is either going to cure cancer or create germ warfare, time will tell”! I trust whatever contribution he brings to society; it will be a positive one as he’s smarter than I’ll ever be and more emotionally intelligent and capable than most adults I know. 

Felix is not a fan of portraits and at least 5 years ago asked me to stop taking or sharing any photos.  I respect that boundary and ask that you do the same.  Make a memory in your mind and hold onto that image rather than sharing it on social media.

Felix is off to my alma mater, Western Washington University in Bellingham next year.  It will be weird to be an empty nester after 28 years of raising kids, but he promises he’ll keep in touch. I am proud of Felix and look forward to whatever path he follows in life.  If you’ve read this far, you are part of our ever-growing framily circle, friends and family who have contributed to Felix’s life directly or indirectly over the years and we sincerely thank you for everything.  It takes a village and I’m glad you are in it! 

Love, 

Renae

Felix Fund

Many people have asked how to support Felix in his next adventure and while we prepare for his move to Bellingham in September to start Freshman year at Western Washington University, the best support might be hitting the easy button and send funds directly to Felix's Venmo account at https://account.venmo.com/u/Felix-Howard-3 If you want to send gifts of other sorts, our addresses are below.

Renae Howard & Rob Jones - 4706 S Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98118 

Dana & Kendra Howard - 3831 33rd Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126

 

Dad's Handing Off...

 

At long last, and for the last time, I am back to update the blog Renae and I started of Felix just over eighteen years ago.

Felix is set to graduate with honors from West Seattle High School and begin his collegiate studies in Bellingham, WA at Western Washington University. He plans to pursue engineering though what specifically, he has not decided. He has expressed interest in nuclear, mechanical, and most recently computer engineering. It will be interesting to come back here in ten years, as he is establishing himself, and reflect on what was going to be.

Even at his young age, Felix is one of the most considerate, critical thinkers I’ve known. I can’t recall an instance in my adult life where a teenager has caused me to reevaluate and change the way I think about something. He has developed this pure gift for reason that I’ve always admired.

Personally, and probably obviously, I’m both excited and sad at this time. It strikes me that in a few months he will be living elsewhere; I will see him only in visits. Of course, this was always the way it was going to be; this kid who has always awed me with his cleverness will become the person his decisions make him. I think his future will be very bright, but it is all his now.

And to you, Felix, some future day I suspect you will come across this. I hope I’ve been able to convey how proud I am of you and how dearly I love you.

- Dana

Growing Up Too Fast

I've become aware of dramatic changes in Felix. Over one weekend there was a marked difference as several milestones were met. One was the removal of his training wheels (see Dana's post). Another was this subtle difference in the selection of a book at the library. Prior, all the books were suggested by one of us or similar to something he already read. This time, as Dana tells it, he pulled a book off the shelf, read it to himself and decided to bring it home! The third and most painful moment for me, was during a game of Uno. For most of Felix's 6 years I have enjoyed a special status. It isn't that he was a Momma's Boy or anything, he just adored me, as I do him. However, during this particular game it became apparent that everything had changed. Repeatedly hit with draw twos and fours, skips and such, I began to notice a trend. Felix wouldn't play a bad card against his dad so I was taking the full brunt of his hand. Dad is cool. Dad drums, dad wrestles, dad excels at legos and has that deep voice that commands respect. Mom can be climbed on, clinged to, and played like a fool with a tilt of the head or a slight whimper to elicit sympathy. The shift in status was temporary but I am keenly aware that my days are numbered. There is not an infinite amount of snuggles left. Some day, way too soon for me, he will not want me to hug him in public, he won't share wishes and secrets with me, he will grow up. Way too fast. - Renae

Felix Learns to Ride a Bike

Felix and I had some time so we decided to take a bike ride up to the local park. The park's basketball court offers a wide smooth surface that Felix enjoys riding on. While he's cruising around he's attempting to balance his bike so that the training wheels on either side don't touch the ground. After about twenty minutes or so Felix says to me, "Dad, I want to go home."
"You want to go now?" I confirm.
"Yeah, I want you to take the training wheels off. I want to try riding without them"
"Alright" I say "Let's go"
"Yeah, and if I don't like it we can just put them back on" Felix says, matter-of-factly.
We get home and remove the training wheels. I hold Felix up as he learns to push off with one foot while pressing the pedal with the other foot. When he begins his ride, I'm running right behind with my hands hovering over his shoulders. After a few rides I begin to give him more space. Very soon he has it and he wants to try turns. I move the car from the driveway and grab the camera. Above is his first ride with a turn.

T-Ball

Our friend Kelly signed up her son, Charlie, for T-Ball and asked if Felix would like to join his team.  Knowing the answer, Renae and I didn't ask Felix and signed him up without his consent.  When we did eventually tell him, he sulked and moped around a bit.  We told him the name of his team would be the ultra-cool "TimberRattlers".  Not even that cheered him up (and it could have been worse, one of the teams was named 'Hooks' and had a picture of a fishhook with menacing eyes and a sinister smile on their shirts.  I'm not making that up).
Eventually came the day for the TimberRattlers' first practice- Felix wanted no part of it.  While the rest of the team participated, he stood next to Renae and me, telling us he just wanted to watch.  Not even his best friend, Charlie, could get him to join.  About halfway through the practice the coaches were having the boys pair up and throw a ball back forth to each other.  I took this opportunity to throw a ball away from him and ask him to retrieve it- we were still away from the rest of the team.  Felix got and threw it back, and then I lobbed him another ball which he returned.  Even before then, we could tell that Felix wanted to join the team, as they appeared to be having a lot of fun, but was too shy.  Eventually, I angled us around to where Felix and I were playing catch in line with the rest of the team.  Soon after, one of the coaches called the team to huddle up, I started to walk that way and then stepped back once Felix reached the huddle.  When he first noticed I wasn't there he leaned out of the huddle towards Renae and me, but then turned back to the huddle.  After that he had a great time.  Our friend Kelly had mentioned that if Renae wasn't there, Felix would have jumped right in.  Felix has always been a little shy and will often take a few moments of observation before participating, but I have found that if Renae is present, Felix is much more apprehensive about participating, and I don't know why.  He does love his momma, maybe he can't bear to leave her.
The subsequent practices went great, and he especially liked the games.  I've not played t-ball so I was surprised that they didn't keep score.  Also, an inning is one time through each team's lineup and all but the last batter advance one base at a time.  The last batter gets a "home run" and clears the bases.  That's all fine, I just didn't know that's how it would be.  I wonder if that is typical of t-ball.  While in the field, the players would stand next to one of about twelve flat cones scattered about the field.  This was to help them locate a position.  They were also supposed to stay near their cone unless the ball was hit near them.  Many of the kids ignored this rule, though Felix took it to heart and would not move from his cone for anything.
I got use of an IPod and would have had this great little clip of Felix hitting and running to first.  My lack of familiarity with the device foiled my efforts so I will try to explain- just know that I will not be able to convey the cuteness of the moment:  Felix is up to bat and I am kneeling along the first base line IPod at the ready.  The picture above is indicative of my position.  Felix smacks the ball out to the outfield and is hustling down to first.  Felix is all smiles as he passes me and then turns around, running backward to first, looks at me, waves, and says "I love you, dad", then turns forward again to first.  BAAAHHHHH!  I thought I had it recorded.  It turns out I was recording when he came up to bat and then stopped recording during his at bat.  It was a great moment regardless.

Cancun

Felix's Spring break was spent in the warm clime of Cancun, Mexico.  And for a Washington State native, Felix handled the weather very well.  Though, I suppose, the proximity of the beach and the pool didn't hurt.  We were joined by grandma Peggie and the Hoovers.
Our first full day we took a long van ride out to one of the world's wonders: Chichen Itza.  I suppose this was one time where the heat got to Felix, though no more than anyone else.  Around the Temple of Kukulkan (pictured), the observatory, and the ball court there was no shade.  Particularly fascinating to Felix was the serpent heads at the foot of the temple and the story of serpents snaking down the staircase, an illusion created during the equinox. 
The following day we spent familiarizing ourselves with the resort.  The pool and the beach held particular interest.  On the other hand he didn't care much for the food options; his diet for the week consisted mostly of hot dogs.  But it's vacation, right?
On Monday we took a trip to Xplor, an adventure park about an hour drive away.  Much of the park attractions were inside caves, I suppose that is why we had to were helmets the entire time.  Some of the activities Felix was too young for, such as the zip-lining, but those he could do he really enjoyed.  One such activity was a "river" swim where we donned life vests and swam through a cave.  Felix was very proud of himself for making the entire swim.
Tuesday was grandma's last day as she had to return to work.  We said our good byes and the rest of the time is a blur, kind of.  I don't remember the order in which we did certain things so I will just say that I suppose the order doesn't really matter.

Down at the beach Felix discovered the joy of body surfing.  At least he attempted to, so good for him.  For quite a while, he and I were having a great time together playing in the waves.  He was learning to time his jumps over the waves, to look for swells to float over, and to turn his back when the oncoming wave broke. Eventually the wind picked up and the waves got too rough for him.  Just behind the water line along the shore was a two foot drop that Felix accidentally found.  I was standing near him when he stepped off the sand bar trying to make it back to the beach.  The last words I heard before he went under were "Daddy help".  Of course I got to him a half second later and no physical harm was done, but his plea really hit me viscerally.   I held him close as I carried him to our towels.
He was wary of the sea for a few days after that, electing to do most of his water activities in the pool.  He found a shallow area in the pool near the swim up bar where he practiced swimming. He became determined to swim on his own after watching a boy about his age that was very adept at swimming.
Another activity that Tru took a fancy to was painting ceramic figurines.  On certain days at the resort a man with scores of various ceramics would set up a little table with paints and you could paint your chosen figurine however you wanted.  The man would then "Mexicanify" it; meaning he would add details that gave it an indigenous look, and then cover it in some kind of protective shellac.  It really made a difference in the overall appearance.  In all, Felix painted three: a rabbit, a dolphin, and an iguana. 
One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Croco-Cun, a crocodile zoo.  One of the first things we got to do there was hold three foot crocodiles.  For whatever reason, Felix was apprehensive.  He did touch them, however, while Renae held them.  Later on we got to hold snakes.  I think Felix was more comfortable by this time and relished the chance to drape a snake over his neck. 
Okay, this is going to be third time I've written the following because of a forced computer restart, and a cut and paste error.  It really is frustrating and saps my enthusiasm.  Sorry, the following won't have as much heart as it could have.  In all honesty, you are being cheated.
Croco-Cun operates more like a reserve (I'm not sure if that is the right word) than a zoo.  You can not wander the park by yourself; you must be accompanied by a guide.  Which, it turns out, was really great.  Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained in detail the animals we came across.  Croco-Cun has free-roaming spider monkeys.  One by the name of Panchita took a fancy to me.  After following us around from the trees, she swooped down and sat upon my shoulders.  Felix was very amused.  After a few minutes our guide tried to get her off but she was determined to stay; she slapped at his hands when he approached.  Eventually he was able to apprehend her.  He flung Panchita into the trees, which she deftly negotiated and attempted to make her way back to us.  Our guides shooing seemed to discourage her from leaping down upon us again... for a moment.  I now know how prey feels.  As we walked, we could hear, but not see, her stealthily following us hidden in the foliage of the trees.  We would hear a little bit of rustling and then anxiously look around trying to locate her.  This went on for about fifteen minutes.  Eventually she found her chance and pounced down upon me and was again on my shoulders.  I thought it was pretty cool, Felix was buckling over in laughter.  The guide made some attempts to get her down without being too aggressive, but because I didn't seem to mind, he let her be for a little while.  It was interesting, though, to watch her.  She almost seemed like a defiant child; she would go limp (other than gripping my neck), slap at the guides hands, and cry out.  It was all very funny.
One of our last days, Felix, Renae, and I crossed the street to the Lagoon where we did a little kayaking.  The wind was strong that day so we stayed close to the shore.  In light of her self described canoeing fiasco, Renae did really well in a kayak.  I was impressed.
Okay, I know there is probably some very important things I've forgotten, perhaps Renae will remember more and add to this post.  Who knows?  We can't know the future.

Legos and Star Wars and Lego Star Wars

Okay, so maybe not Christmas or Thanksgiving.  Perhaps not even his birthday.  This next post is about Star Wars, of which Felix has become a fan. 
Before that, I suppose I should mention our Tru turning six a few weeks ago, so yes, his birthday.  Felix's passion is Legos, thus he had a Lego themed birthday party.  Renae, a true Master of Ceremonies, had come up with the idea of little Lego sets as party favors.  At a point during the party, all the kids got to put together their sets.  We're a little embarrassed because Renae had intended to request "no gifts" on the invitations, but forgot.  Also, she invited a lot of people thinking, as was the case the year prior, only half would attend.  It turned out that nearly everyone attended, including siblings in some cases.  Felix received so many Lego sets, it took him weeks to get to them all.  That's why we're embarrassed. 

Okay, on to Star Wars.  The Pacific Science Center, a favorite haunt of ours, hosted a very inclusive Star Wars exhibit.  Felix has really developed an affection for Star Wars, much of that cultivated through playing Lego Star Wars (video game) along with the movies.  So to see these vehicles, droids, and characters that he has come to know so well, he thought was pretty cool.  Here you see Felix unfazed by the Sith Lord, Darth Vader.  That guy was a real jerk. 
Anyway, for Felix, Legos and Star Wars had a reciprocating relationship; each adding to the allure of the other.  After playing Lego Star Wars he became more interested in Star Wars Lego sets.  After collecting several Star Wars Lego sets, he became more interested in the stories behind them, which led to wanting to build more characters and scenes.  For items he couldn't get, such as the droid, Droideka, he was able to build it from pieces he already had by studying the example in the Lego Star Wars video game.

Personally, I'm very happy that these are his interests.  I never had Legos growing up and they are just cool.  Felix and I will generally spend time most nights building objects we think up from his expanding stash of Legos.  Also, prior to Felix, I didn't really follow Star Wars and didn't understand much of it.  As a matter of fact, I don't think you can from just a casual viewing of the movies.  So together, Felix and I have helped each other learn more about this interesting saga.

In Stitches

 

I can't believe I haven't posted about this yet, this happened back on September 30, 2010.  Felix's first stitches!  Our good friend Kelly was watching Felix and had taken him and her two kids, Charlie and Clara, to our neighborhood park while waiting for Renae to get home.  As Felix explained it to me, he climbing the underside of a set of rounded bars.  He had his feet on a lower bar, his body leaning back at about a 45 degree angle, with his hands on and head just above a higher bar.  At some point he lost his grip and banged his chin on the upper bar.  As Kelly told me, Felix was fairly calm when walked over to tell her he had bumped his chin.  While she was examining him, he noticed the blood and Kelly noticed a sizable gash in his chin.  Upon sight of the blood, Felix began to cry.  Kelly was unable to get a hold of Renae so called me at work.  While rushing back home, I got a call from Renae (who had since picked up Felix) and told me to meet her at urgent care.  

I beat them there and began filling out the paper work.  It is really sobering to see your kid hurt, when they arrived at urgent care Renae and I switched off holding our dear boy.  He seemed pretty lethargic by then; he had since stopped crying and was just lying sleepily in our arms.  Eventually we got called in and the nurse took Felix's vitals and did a cursory exam.  Soon after that, a Physician's Assistant came in to inspect.  Felix has this way about him that I am very endeared to; initially he comes across as shy; and he is shy, but when he gets to discussing something with someone, he is very articulate and chatty, which is how he was when he was going to answer, instead of Renae or me, the PA's question of how it happened.  The PA then described to Felix what going to happen: a shot of anesthetic followed by stitches.  

Felix winced with the shot, but held it together.  Once Felix was numb (and we knew this because the PA poked at Felix's chin and asked if he could feel it, Felix responded, "Feel what?"), a sterile drape was placed over his face that left only his chin exposed.  I thought that might freak him out a bit, but he understood and it didn't faze him at all.  I held his hand while the PA put in three stitches.  

The picture above- Renae had the presence of mind to capture just before the bandage was applied.  As we went to leave, Felix's energy seemed to have returned.  I think he was pleased with how he handled the whole ordeal.  Something like this is a milestone in most people's lives, and I too was pleased with how he handled this milestone.  

Coincidentally, Grandma Peggie happened to be walking her dog past the urgent care as we were leaving.  She got to see Felix fresh out of surgery. 

On a side note, I intend to backdate at least one or two posts- Thanksgiving and Christmas probably, so look for those as they will appear before this one.

Halloween 2010

We were fortunate again this year in having a rain-free Halloween night.  Whether there will be rain or not is something that is always on your mind in the Pacific Northwest. 
This year was the first year we did not hand out candy or any other treat, which was a little weird to me.  We decided to go with friends up to cousin Rooney's neighborhood but neither Renae nor I wanted to stay home as Renae did last year.
When we got up to Aunt Susie's we had a little dinner and the kids prepped for the trick-or-treating.  The kids all got into a little huddle, put their arms up around each others shoulders kind of swaying back and forth, their heads lowered.  Rooney started in with a kind of low rhythmic humming to set the tempo, then Felix begins "alright, this our one night, we've waited all year for this.  This our night".  The kids answer back in unison "OUR NIGHT".  The humming and swaying continue, Felix continues, his voice increasing in intensity "We are going out to the these cold, wet streets and not coming back until our bags are full of candy!"  "Full of candy!" comes the response followed by deep rhythmic grunting.  They are all hopping up and down, whooping and grunting.  Charlie bellows "What are we going to DO?"  "Get Candy!" comes the reply.  "WHAT are we going to DO?"  "Get CANDY".  "I said, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!?".  "GET CANDY!!".  Now they are all fired up and eager to go.  In actuality, none of that happened- though we did eat dinner and the kids were pretty excited.
Above are some of Felix's closest friends, in order: April, Charlie, Batman, Rooney, and Clara.  As they are older they were able get around more this year and bring in a good haul.  Tragedy struck, however, for poor Felix who slipped and banged his knee hard on the concrete.  He tried to stick it out, he went to some more houses, but he was really hurt and just wanted to go home.  I felt so bad for him; his friends offered to go up for him, but the pain was too much so we headed back home.
I think his fall will probably stick with me for a while.  He had been anticipating this night for a month or so; he had picked out his costume, he was so proud of how the mask fit, and he was so excited to be out with his friends.  As a parent, it's emotionally painful to watch something your child was so excited end in such a way.  He's probably over it.  I hope so.

The Great-Grandparents

Early October is now etched in Felix's brain as a window of time in which he became reacquainted with his great-grandparents.  Felix is, after all, the son of his father's maternal grandparents' oldest grandson... what ever that might be worth.  Steve and Murn took the train from Chicago and stayed with Felix's paternal great-grandparents' (from his mother's side) eldest daughter. 
Apparently that rocking chair Felix is sitting in was also sat in by Tru's great-grandpa when he was about Felix's age.  We really enjoyed their visit and look forward to next October when, it is rumored, they shall return.

Day 4 - Home Via...

This was the last day of our trip.  I woke up early, as I always do, and read a little while Felix slept.  When he began to stir, he reached over and put his arm across my chest and slept a little more before waking up.  We laid in the tent for a while, listening to the unfamiliar sounds from the forest, quietly trying to find the source through the tent windows.  As the sound of other people waking began to blend in with the forest din, we had our cereal breakfast and proceeded to pack up our gear to avoid feeling pressured when it was time to go.
We took a last walk down to the lake and through some woodsy areas, and then got into the car for our drive home.
The drive let me reflect on our trip and how much fun it was for both of us.  It's really a special feeling when each night my son curls up with me, after a moment of consideration,  and says "Daddy, I really love you".  He said that and/or something very similar several times throughout our trip.  Because he is only five, I wasn't sure how he would like a trip like this; if he would get bored and ask to go home.  He never did.  He had moments of being moody, as did I, but we both really enjoyed the company of each other and we would have liked several more days like this.

When we left for our trip, Felix packed a small backpack for himself that included some elementary "survival" supplies: binoculars, compass, magnifying glass, and also his beloved stuffed hawk he named Parroty.  He took very good care of Parroty during our trip and Felix was cute as I watched him be nurturing.  There was one time when we were getting set to go down to the lake when, before leaving, Felix felt he needed to just go see Parroty in the tent, to touch her.  He picked her (Parroty, he tells me, is a boy, though Felix always refers to Parroty as her) up from under the sleeping bag and just moved her.  Just to reassure her that her well being and security have not been overlooked.

We made one last stop on our drive home: Gorge Creek Falls, which is part of the larger Ross Lake National Recreation Area.  Gorge Creek Falls is where Gorge Creek falls into Gorge Lake.  Hwy 20 passes over the gorge and as you can see in the picture to the right, there is a footbridge along the highway.  The footbridge is steel grating and Felix found it a little unnerving- he had me either carry him or he would traverse by clinging to the railing with his feet on the bottom rail.  The falls were beautiful and the pictures I took just could not capture it.  In fact the pictures were such a disappointment I'm not going to post them, which means you will have to take my word for how beautiful this area is.
We found a trail that went back into the woods a little and had a view overlooking Lake Gorge and its dam.  Not unlike the nearby falls, this too was beautiful, and this too you will see no posted pictures... sorry.  We did take a moment to set up the camera and get a picture together.  After I set the timer, I ran over to sit in front of Felix when he put his hands on my shoulders.  I found that very endearing.  After a little looking around, we set back on the road heading for home.  We took a scenic route by cutting through Darringtion via SR530, until we reached I5 above Everett.
I have to say, this was one of the best vacations I have taken.  This will be an annual trip for Felix and me, though we will take more time and visit other locales.  Perhaps finally getting down to Crater Lake.  We'll see.
We arrived home some time after noon.  I got a picture after we pulled into the driveway:

Day 3 - North Cascades

We set out early for the North Cascades.  In truth, I found the desert bleakness a little depressing, and those RV campers didn't help things.  Besides, with the trouble we had finding a camp site the day prior, Felix was anxious about having the same problem this time.  From SR97 we took SR153 to SR20 until we came to the town of Winthrop; a touristy, frontier themed town.  Until then, I had never been there, though Renae was there a few months prior and told me I should at least stop there.  When we arrived it was still pretty early, except for a handful of restaurants and a coffee shop, the town was still closed.
Felix was not happy with us stopping and didn't care that I hadn't yet had a coffee- but there are privileges that come with being the driver.  We sat outside the coffee shop with our coffee, chocolate milk, and cinnamon bun on a deck that overlooked a small miniature golf course.  Felix didn't care for the cinnamon bun so he went downstairs to check out the mini golf.  Soon he was done and he told me it was time to go.  Perhaps he just doesn't dig frontier themed towns, I thought.  The picture to the right captures probably the happiest face he made in Winthrop.  Eventually I heard him actually say "I don't want to not have a camping spot".  I explained that if we got there too early, the people who were going to leave that day would still be there.  He understood but I also learned that Felix just doesn't dig frontier themed towns.

Renae had told me several times over the years that highway 20 is a beautiful drive.  She wasn't lying, it was an amazing drive.  As I had seen myself, it is a fairly popular route for cyclists, and those are some pretty steep climbs up the Cascade Mountains- I was impressed.
But the views were truly stunning, several points along the way you overlook Ross Lake.  You come around a corner and see an awesome view of snowy peaks.  I took lots of blind pictures while I drove, the picture to the left is one such picture.
I was intent on camping in Newhalem but I too was a little anxious about getting a campsite.  At about 11am we came across Colonial Creek campgrounds, which is about 12 miles east of Newhalem and was not listed on my map.  At first I passed it, intent on Newhalem.  But I thought "I'm right here, why not", actually it was more like "If Newhalem is full I don't want to backtrack 12 miles to find out this one is full as well".  I drove through the campgrounds, which sat on Diablo Lake, and saw several empty sites.  But it was a really beautiful site, the whole site.  Initially I thought that if Newhalem is full, I'll have plenty of time to get back here, but after checking in with the ranger and finding out I don't need a reservation (more on that in a second) I realized that Colonial Creek is gorgeous- there really wasn't a reason to leave it.
Second's up.  In my limited experience, there appear to be a few differences between state parks and national parks.  One is that state parks allow motorized vehicles on the bodies of waters where national parks don't, another is that state parks are quite a bit more; $21 to $12 a night, and state parks take reservations.  Also, the national parks seem to be better staffed and maintained. 
The true highlight of our trip for Felix was when he was bestowed the title of Junior Park Ranger.  This experience illustrates another difference between state and national parks, and here's the story: initially the site we selected was right on the lake.  The site next to us had a boy that looked to be six or seven.  I thought this was perfect, and Felix really liked it too, but then we crossed the small access road to a secluded site surrounded by the forest.  Felix was in love and we set up there.  Anyway, while we were scoping out the lake front site, the father of the boy told me that the ranger station had some activity books for kids I should check out.  After we moved and were all set up, Felix and I went down to the ranger station to see what they had.  One of the rangers explained the Junior Ranger Program: the child was given an age appropriate activity book and had to complete, in the case of the age group Felix was in, five of the eight activities in the tree frog themed book.  We took it back to the campsite and over the next hour or so we completed seven of the eight tasks.  The last task was to interview a park ranger, which we would do when we returned to the ranger station.  Though we had discussed the questions he would ask the ranger when we returned, that task got lost in the excitement.

When we approached, one of the rangers was talking to two bikers and another was at the window listening in on the conversation.  There was another fellow with a large camera strapped around his neck I thought was camper as we were.  So Felix and I stood behind him for a few minutes figuring he was waiting to talk with the ranger at the window.  After a couple of minutes it became clear that he wasn't waiting, so Felix and I approached the window to tell the ranger we had completed the tasks.  And this why I love national parks: the ranger in the window interrupts the other ranger and announces, "Excuse me gentlemen for interrupting but we have a very important occasion here.  Felix here has fulfilled the requirements to become a Junior Park Ranger".  She then hands off the badge to the other ranger while he congratulates Felix and pins the badge on his chest.  The two bikers applauded and one of them showed Felix his retired police officer badge; it was all so cool.  As we turned to leave, the fellow I thought was another camper was, in fact, a photographer for the National Park Service.  He photographed Felix being honored and asked that I sign a waiver so that Felix's picture may appear in a brochure or any type of National Park literature.  We'll see.
Felix was so proud of his achievement, he wore it on his shirt for the next few days.  While at the campsite, later that evening Felix was standing on a large rock in our campsite that was close to the access road when a girl a couple of years older happened by.  They greeted each other and then Felix realized he didn't have his Junior Ranger badge on (the reason will be explained shortly).  He rushed back to me so that I could help him put it on, explaining "when the other kids come by, I want them to see my badge so they can ask me about it".
Early afternoon that day we decided to take the twelve mile drive to Newhalem, and am I glad we did.  When we got there we came across Old Number Six, now a monument to the glory days of Newhalem in the early part of the 20th century.  Here you see Felix sitting atop the old steam engine.  We then got a couple of ice cream sandwiches and walked around the very tiny, Seattle City Light owned town.
When we were about to leave I noticed a sign above what was a bridge I could not yet see, it read: Trail of the Cedars.  I had intended only to get close enough to take a picture until I saw that it was a suspension bridge.  We were both pretty awed at how cool the bridge was, and how beautiful the Skagit River was below us.  Well, I can't speak for Felix regarding the beauty thing.  Anyway, we crossed the bridge and found a trail down to the river.  We skipped some rocks and took the picture at the very beginning of this post.  I had noticed that the rocks at the river's edge were mossy and were pretty slick.  Felix noticed it too... when he fell in.  It wasn't that bad, he wasn't hurt and the camera he had in his pocket was fine.  Though all of his clothes were wet and stained with moss.  Luckily, I happened to have all of our clothes still in the car and he was able to change.  And that is why he didn't have his badge on when that girl passed by our campsite.
We drove back to our campsite and had a very pleasant evening just being with each other and talking.  In the car we listened to a Black Francis song called Dead Man's Curve (not Jan and Dean), back at the campsite Felix told me about a song he was thinking about that would eventually become a movie called Dead Man's Fear.  Dead Man's Fear, it turns out, is actually the main character and he is quite an interesting fellow- he's a skeleton with a multitude of abilities.  I asked Felix how the song would go and he told me he hadn't worked that out yet.
We also were able to start a campfire and I think Felix felt that that really completed the wonderful trip we took.  This was our last full day- tomorrow we would wrap up the North Cascades and begin the trek home.

Day 2 - Alta Lake

Leavenworth to Lake Chelan State Park would make the shortest drive on our trip as I had planned it, but things don't always work out the way you expect, so now I will say- Leavenworth to Lake Chelan State Park would have made for the shortest drive, but...
Upon leaving Leavenworth I didn't want us to feel rushed to get to our next destination. I thought we should take in a few sights on our way. Our first stop came at Wenatchee Confluence State Park, where the Wenatchee River meets the Columbia River. To get there we had to drive through an industrial park which made me question whether we were going the right way. Eventually we found it and, initially, we were going to just spend a little time at the playground and eat some sandwiches- until we saw the beach. We went back to the car, grabbed our swimsuits and beach gear, and headed for the water. The temperature outside was in the 90's though the water was pretty cold. Felix had his fun in the water and even dunked his head, but eventually the call of the sand was too much. Felix and I built a mountain range in the sand including a few volcanoes. We even played out a mock scenario where one of the volcanoes erupts and wipes out a town. It was fun, we had our sandwiches and hit the road. On to Lake Chelan State Park.
Sometimes on a road trip something catches your eye that you didn't notice on your map. Something right off the path that makes you say "why not, it's right here", and after you do, you are really thankful you did. That didn't happen to us. Yes it did, and that spot was the Rocky Reach Dam up SR97 on the Columbia River. When I saw the first sign I thought "cool, that might make an interesting picture as I drive by", the next sign indicated a visitor center and I thought "why not, it's right here". On the approach you come to a security booth were a very friendly guard asks why we are there (I'm not being sarcastic, he was very friendly), I explain that I'm on a little trip with my son, I saw their sign and thought "why not, it's right here". We park, walk through another security checkpoint, and enter the visitor center. Not only is Rocky Reach Dam a dam, it is also a fish ladder and hatchery.
We headed down to the hatchery and saw young Tiger Troutfish, and then the fish ladder viewing room and got to see several Chinook salmon pass by. I "know" they were Chinook salmon because a kindly fellow told me so, as he had been fishing this very river just the other day. Felix was fascinated and got very excited as a salmon passed by, following the fish through each corresponding window to the step in the ladder that we could see. After the fish ladder viewing room, we headed back upstairs and walked across the dam to a museum and a viewing area that allowed us to see the water coming out of the dam. We finished with, what has become our ice cream treat of choice, ice cream sandwiches, headed back to the car and hit the road.

By now it was past 3pm when we reached the Lake Chelan State Park and consequently all 100+ campsites were taken. I was a little shocked, I did not anticipate this. Felix was not happy, he wanted to camp, gawd dammit! With a little disgust in his voice he said, "I told you we shouldn't have stopped". A realization struck me, "what do I do if I can't get him camped?", I thought, "where do we go?". I checked my map and saw Lake Alta campground. We got to Lake Alta about an hour later, the fellow manning the booth was surprised that I was there without a reservation, though, he said, they had five empty sites as long as I'm staying just one night. He instructed that I drive to one of the sites, plop down some gear, and then come back and pay. Only the fifth site I checked was open, which meant I got the last available campsite. After a tense drive, Felix was now at ease because we had a spot to camp.
After unpacking our gear, pitching the tent, and playing on the two large boulders in our site, we headed down to the small beach area. The sand just beneath the waterline was more like gravel. My feet are kind of tender and standing in the water was very uncomfortable to me. Felix wasn't as affected, though without me to carry him around the deeper parts, he soon lost interest in the water and it was more volcano building in the coarse sand.
We decided it was dinner time and discovered that Eastern Washington was too dry and a ban on campfires was in effect. Luckily I brought our Coleman stove. We then took a little hike where we came across a couple of quail. This caught Felix's interest and he soon went from observer to predator, chasing them through the bushes. If you blow up the adjacent picture, you can see one of those quail on top of the table.  Later on, I drew a circle in the dirt and from our chairs we threw rocks, trying to make into that circle. We then just sat in our camping chairs while Felix asked me about all the earthquake stories I had. Yes, he wanted me to tell him about all the earthquakes I have experienced over the years. By then it was getting dark and he was getting tired. We went into the tent and kind of recapped the day. We looked through the pictures he had taken on his camera and then I read to him books that we brought.
We had the misfortune of being camped close to a couple of RV's who's occupants decided to drink quite a bit and be fairly loud, though it did not wake Felix. I thought they had passed out at around midnight, but it turns out they only went for a walk. I'm not sure how much later it was when they returned as I had fallen asleep, but it seems they picked up where they left off. I'm not one to ruin other people's fun, especially those on vacation who are just having a good time, but this was too much and I had to ask them to keep it down- which they did almost immediately, I think they all just went to bed at that point.
The next morning Felix and I were both up pretty early. We had breakfast and quickly packed up our gear. I felt a little guilty about allowing Felix to continue to be very loud, as some of those RVers slept in tents close to ours. I could see them stir when Felix would make a particularly loud shriek as he entertained himself jumping off the boulders in our campsite. I only felt a little guilty. But it was now time to say goodbye to the desert and up to SR20 in the North Cascades.

Day 1 - Leavenworth

With my two week vacation coming up and no definitive plans, I got this idea that Felix and I should take a camping trip.  My original plan was a 'tour' of the Washington peninsula: Lake Crescent, Lake Quinalt, and Ocean Shores.  But Washington weather had foiled my hopes so I looked at other locales.  I had strongly considered Washington's two prominent volcanoes: Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens.  But Felix, who has been very interested in volcanoes, was wary.  He didn't like the idea because he was afraid of an eruption.  I really thought that was going to be a winner.
It makes me question the books we read to him; I don't intend to scare him with nature books that describe the awesome destructive force, the leveling of towns, the obliteration of all living things in the path of an erupting volcano.  I will have to choose more wisely.
Anyway, I had also considered Crater Lake in Oregon, a place I've always wanted to visit, but the drive would be too long.  Then Renae gave me the idea of part of the Cascade loop into Eastern Washington.  I looked through my 2002 road atlas and we decided a night each camping in Newhalem, and Lake Chelan State Park, and a final night in the comfort of a hotel in Leavenworth.  But Washington weather again altered my plans- camping in the North Cascades (Newhalem) would be met with rain on day one.  We would have to reverse our loop and begin in Leavenworth.

We left at 10am on Tuesday, August 10th.  The drive through the pass was scenic enough and we arrived in Leavenworth sometime between noon and 1pm. I parked the car on the busy Front St, the main strip in this Bavarianesque town.  Felix seemed confused, "Are we going to camp here?", he asked.  I explained that because of the weather in the North Cascades on this day, we had to go to Leavenworth first.  He was bummed, he really wanted to camp the first night.  He didn't even want to get out of the car to look around.  Of course he soon did, but he was quiet and just kind of shuffling his feet.  It was about lunchtime now, so we found a restaurant (I've forgotten the name, something with 'bear' in it) and had very good pizza.  The food brought him around, and once we found a hotel (Obertal Inn), we walked down to the Wenatchee River. 
The river was pretty cold, but it was 90 degrees out and the cold water felt good.  We spent a couple of hours there.  Felix tried to catch the small fish with his bare hands, and then we dug a little channel ("Channels are on the TV, dad") from a small pool that splintered off from the river.  This was to "allow" the fish in the pool to rejoin their friends in the river.  We actually managed to push one small fish through. 
We then walked around town and came to rest at Front Street Park which had a good sized grassy hill.  This was a big hit with Felix.  His first run down the hill he managed a pretty spectacular tumble- once leaving his feet his next touch was the back of his head.  This picture is just a second before the fall.  He seemed a little stunned and then smiled broadly and ran back up the hill.  His subsequent descents were slightly more cautious.

In the park we found some large rocks that served as landscaping and a barrier between the upper sidewalk and the lower park.  The rocks surrounded a large pine tree.  Felix climbed upon the rocks below the tree and insisted I take some picture of him there- with both of our cameras.
We had dinner at Munchen Haus, I think it was called.  We took a walk along the river, bought Felix a Batman shirt, played some more at the park until dark. 
The next morning we were up early, before almost all other tourists and got to see a few of the shopkeepers preparing for the day, a lot of that was watering the flowers that decorate every building.  At 11am we checked out and headed up SR97 for Lake Chelan State Park.

Summer of the Water Park

Our friend Kelly cut a deal with the city of Renton and got season passes for her family to the Henry Moses Aquatic Center or... the water park.  Luckily, that deal included a pass for our Felix, as Felix spends a lot of time with his good friend, Charlie. 
This pass is very convenient in that even if they are full, pass holders can still get in.  Also, pass holders don't have to wait in line an hour before a session begins; a pass holder can walk on up at any.  A pass holder can even bring one non-pass holder with them.  So that is what Felix did for me a couple of times until I realized (I still had to pay for me) that as often as I envision us going, it would be cheaper if I just got a pass as well.

So Felix and I have been spending a lot of time there- on the weekends and when I get home from work.  As a matter of fact, if you look at Felix's wrists in the adjacent picture, you will see several colored bands.  The water park gives you those to wear each day you go.  Felix wears his like medals.  Eventually they become dilapidated enough that they will fall off.
In all the time we spend there, we have come up with some games: Rocket- where he places each foot in each one of my hands and pumps them as if he is building up momentum before he 'blasts off'.  Splash and Throw- this one is not my favorite because he comes up to me and splashes me in the face.  The consequence is that I toss him.  And his favorite, Crocodile- the crocodile stalks his prey while keeping as little of their body above water as possible.  The crocodile will try to hide behind the assortment of people playing in the pool until they can pounce on the prey and drag them under water.

Another benefit of the water park is that it offers before-hours swim classes, which Felix has participated in.  The change in his attitude about water is remarkable.  Prior to lessons, he was very hesitant to put his head under water.  Now, he is constantly diving under, lets me throw him and pull him under water.  It's been a really good thing for him.