America Tropical

As part of a class she is taking, Sara and I spent the day at Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles.  While we were there, a Tour Guide mentioned that a new Viewing Platform for an historic mural had opened earlier that week and suggested we take a look.  The mural was painted in 1932 by the Mexican artist David Siqueiros, and is entitled "America Tropical".

To say the mural has a controversial history would be an understatement.  In 1932, Siqueiros was commissioned to create a mural on a wall overlooking the touristy Olvera Street.  At the time, the City of Los Angeles was attempting to foster an identify as a destination for art lovers and was hopeful this new mural would further that cause.  However, instead of a tranquil Mexican scene, Siqueiros created a bold political statement against American imperialism.  The central figure serves as the mural's most striking element, with an indigenous Mexican bound to a double-cross while an eagle (American eagle?) descends poised to strike.

Within a few months, some portions of the mural were mysteriously painted over.  After a few years, the whole mural was entirely whitewashed and abandoned.

Today, the mural is being conserved as a joint effort between the City of Los Angeles and the Getty Conservation Institute.  Because of the experimental way the mural was created, a deliberate choice was made to preserve the mural rather than restore and repaint it.  As such, the mural is just a ghostly version of its previous self.  However, it is still a striking image and fascinating part of Los Angeles art and political history.

The new Visitor's Center and Mural Viewing Platform is free and open to the public.  A visit is highly recommended.

Face Forward

Today was the first day I had Clark facing forward in his car seat.  I think he got a kick out of finally being able to see me while we are driving.

Car Seat

Hi everyone!  Long time, no see.

Yeah, with Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, this Blog has basically become a Ghost Town.  But I did want to pop in and say that Clark turned 2 a week ago and Sara and I are very happy about it.

Today, we turned Clark's car seat around so that he is facing forward.  The recommendation is to keep children facing towards the rear of the car as long as possible.  However, Clark's legs are getting longer and it was becoming more and more uncomfortable for him to face backwards.  Now, he's facing the front, has plenty of legroom, and is a happy camper.  Hooray!

Turn Over

Sorry I've been neglecting this blog lately. I'll try to post more in the future.

Clark turned over by himself for the first time today. WooHooo!

Sleep

Clark slept through the night for the first time! Midnight to 6am!!!! WooHooo!

A milestone that is very much appreciated by both parents.

Music Selection

Now that I get to bottle feed the baby, I also get to choose the music we listen to during the feeding. Tonight's selection: George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; Leonard Bernstein conducting.

The Hat

Baby's first trip to The Hat.
Originally uploaded by brassplayer

Clark made is first visit to that San Gabriel Valley institution, The Hat. Yummy!!!

The Bottle

I got to feed Clark for the first time today (mother's milk, of course). Sara and I want him to get used to to taking milk from a bottle so that she is not the only one who can feed him. And he did a great job!

The Clark and Tim Show-003

On Episode 3 of The Clark and Tim Show, we ring the bells!

Scare

We started noticing some other problems with Clark during the day. He was having labored breathing, and was generally lethargic and not eating much. So we called the Kaiser Advice Nurse in the evening. After describing the systems, she recommended that we take him into Pediatric Urgent Care. I'm trying hard not to be one of those parents who takes their kid in for any little thing. But with all the Whooping Care scare going around, Sara and I were both pretty concerned. However, the Doctor checked him out and said that his lungs sounded fine. She said that he probably just picked up a mild virus and it should work itself out. Hooray!

Clark seems a little better this morning. We're also taking him in for a regularly scheduled Pediatric appointment.

Cold?

Wondering if Clark caught his first cold. His breathing has been a little erratic.

Crib

Finished building the Pottery Barn crib. Clark won't be using it for awhile (He sleeps in a bassinet in our room), but we've checked off another task!

Growth Spurt?

I'm wondering if Clark is going through a growth spurt since he seems to be wanting to nurse more often than he did a few days ago. It's pretty tough on Sara.

50% Time

My boss has graciously allowed me to work half-time for a few weeks so that I can be at home helping Sara with the baby.

Wow! You can get SO MUCH accomplished around the house when you're not working full time!!!

Pictures

DSC01543
Originally uploaded by brassplayer

I posted a few pictures of Clark up on my Flickr site. Click here for the full set.

Rough Night

Clark had a rough night and was up several times. We had been doing pretty well the last several days with him not getting up as much as before. Oh well. Two steps forward, one step back, I suppose.

Umbilical Cord

Clark's umbilical cord fell off yesterday. And yet another milestone reached.

I'm Back!

Hi everyone! It's been forever since I've posted regularly at this location. Now that my son Clark has arrived, I was thinking that I would use this blog to relay some of my experiences on being a new dad. Mind you, I'm never really the type to write huge essays, but I'm hoping to put out a quick tidbit here and there.

So, for those of you still out there, I hope you enjoy the ride.

The Clark and Tim Show-002

Episode 2 of The Clark and Tim Show is now online. Enjoy!

The Clark and Tim Show-001

Episode 1 of The Clark and Tim Show is now up. Enjoy!