Arizona

Yesterday I returned from a week with my parents in Arizona. It was lovely. I grew up in a small planned community 25 miles west of phoenix. The town grew around a country club built for executives from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber company in the 1920s. It used to be surrounded by cotton fields but now there are houses where the farmland used to be. Litchfield Park, as it's called, is a strange little place. The streets are lined with orange trees that are inedible (this was done on purpose). While the weather is generally beautiful in the winter, you rarely see anyone out except on one of the country club's 3 golf courses. The politics are john wayne republican ( influenced by the air force base nearby) and almost everyone is white except the people tending to the inedible orange trees.

I cannot believe I grew up there and once my parents leave, I'll never return. However, I still really enjoy visiting. I can push aside my repulsion of the elitism of the country club for a week of laying in the sun, drinking by the pool, and getting spa treatments. Since this time I brought jack with me, my country club activities were limited but we still had fun.

My dad, stepmother, sister and brother had never met him and they were just thrilled. My mom helped me a lot, and she also had a great time with the monkey. I was able to go see my first movie in 4 months -- Breach. Normally, I would have thought the movie was ok but since I never see movies anymore (I haven't even watched one at home) this was a great time.

Jack is growing up. He is eating a lot more now. He spends a lot of time trying to get his hand to his mouth and when he succeeds, he can soothe himself but sucking on his hand or thumb. He holds his head up pretty well and he can sit up with only his back supported and not fall to one side. Big time stuff.

He does not enjoy posing for pictures. He will not smile just because you tell him to -- he was like this in utero too. Whenever people wanted to feel him kicking, I poked my abdomen to get him to perform. He never did. But his straight face is still darn cute.




My dad, Jack and me



My sister and Jack

My mom, Jack and me


little jackie