Dutton family Blog

Smell the Spring

2009-02-26T06:50:00.001-08:00

I know it is still winter but I can smell the spring coming. The day is lasting a little longer and the sun is warming me up more often. Since the Dutton family loves the outdoors, Wendy and I are ready to take Maya on a few adventures. We have already taken a hike or two. Next on the list is biking the trail (Maya has a trailer), picnics and camping! It’s nice to have so many friends near by with kids Maya’s age and into the same stuff we enjoy. Roman and Jenny Live in B-more but are looking around A-town so that would be perfect. Maya and Preston smell spring in the air as well. Will they be more like bro and sis or little lovebugs? Hard to tell…

Anyways, I know I have been slacking on the blog lately but I have some good footage to upload. We have some great videos of Maya getting into trouble, singing and dancing...so stay tuned!

Fun's the goal for sled-hockey kids

2009-02-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

Fun's the goal for sled-hockey kids
Gabriella Boston (Contact)Sunday, February 1, 2009 Washington Times

Photos by (Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times)

They love to go fast and bang into the boards just like any ice-hockey player.
Their favorite player? The Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, the No. 1 goal-scorer in the NHL. Duh.
But unlike other hockey players their age — 4 to 15 years old — they don't actually strap skates on their feet or use a stick. In fact, they use two, one for each hand.
That's right. This is not just any ordinary team. This is the D.C. Sled Sharks, a sled-hockey team in Arlington for children with lower-limb paralysis.
Most of them were born with spinal bifida, a congenital condition that results in an incompletely formed spinal cord. This, in turn, often results in decreased mobility in the lower limbs.
Photo Gallery: Sled hockey click image to view gallery
They love to go fast and bang into the boards just like any ice-hockey player. Their favorite player? The Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, the No. 1 goal-scorer in the NHL. Duh. But unlike other hockey players their age 4 to 15 years old they don't actually strap skates on their feet or use a stick. In fact, they use two, one for each hand. That's right. This is not just any ordinary team. This is the D.C. Sled Sharks, a sled-hockey team in Arlington for children with lower-limb paralysis.
Like Sean Thomason, 7, who can't walk without braces. At home, he just crawls and when he plays basketball, he uses a wheelchair. When he plays hockey, he sits in a, well, sled.
"He does a lot of sports, but this is by far his favorite," says his mom, Amy Thomason, while watching her son on the ice from the bleachers at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington on a recent Sunday.
"In his mind, he's playing sled hockey for the Capitals when he grows up."
Louie Schaab, 13, also doesn't lack ambition. He wants to be an NHL coach.
"Or a green biologist," says Louie after the one-hour-plus practice. His hair is wet from sweat and effort. He's waiting to be lifted to his wheelchair from his sled, which has a low backrest. Other sleds have taller backrests. Or, as in the case of Nick White, 6, includes a handle in the back that his dad, Lee White, can push while skating behind his son. Nick has Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, caused by a congenital enzyme deficiency. Among the physical effects of the disorder is a lack of mobility.
"The sleds are basically all made to fit the kids," says Joan Joyce, a recreation therapist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, which helps organize, sponsor and raise funds for the team. Rink time, which normally runs about $450 an hour, is donated by the Capitals. The total cost for participating in the D.C. Sled Sharks to parents so far: $0.
"The parents have enough expenses already. We don't want this to be an extra burden," Ms. Joyce says.
Sled hockey, which was started in Sweden in the early 1960s, became an official Paralympic sport at the 1994 Winter Games in Norway. The sled has a bucket seat and two hockey blades mounted on the frame.
The dual sticks are about 3 feet long and have two metal picks at one end. These are used to help propel the player forward on the ice. The other end of the stick is for hitting the puck.
That's where tailoring to the disability ends.
They use regulation-size nets, pucks and rinks, and coach Brian Dutton believes in tough love and teaching independence as much as possible.
"I don't want to coddle them," he says. "I want them to figure it out on their own as much as possible."
This means giving the children time to try to get up on their own when their sleds tip over. This take a takes a lot of arm and core strength, and patience.
"It's about life skills as much as it's about hockey," says Mr. Dutton, who is not disabled but is an avid hockey player himself with the Goons, a masters league team in Fairfax. Sean's mom couldn't agree more.
"Sometimes, you just have to let them sink or swim," Ms. Thomason says. "We're preparing them for a life of independence."
Sean seems to be adopting that motto already. He's already informed his mother that when she ages, he'll be too busy to stick around and help her.
He says: "I'm going to be busy traveling the world. I won't be able to take care of you."
Well, that might be the appeal for the parents. But for the kids it's about hockey and only about hockey: feeling the cold air on your face, the smoothness of the newly cut ice and scoring goals, goals, goals.
Which Vitaly Ricci, 15, knows all about. He was the team's No. 1 scorer and the player of the month, for which Mr. Dutton awarded him a Capitals practice puck.
"What's not to like?" Vitaly says. "You can go really fast, and you can bang into the boards."
He also likes lifting weights and playing tennis and basketball, which he does using a wheelchair.
His mom, Sandy Ricci, calls him a superb athlete and says, "He's hell on wheels in basketball."
He does this despite having arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a congenital condition that results in crooked joints and leads to decreased mobility in all limbs. His arms and hands bow inward — as do his legs and feet — as if he had severe arthritis.
On Monday, he will have back surgery to correct scoliosis, but only after he's played a game in Philadelphia on Sunday. He's an athlete with big dreams.
"He's learning Finnish right now," says Ms. Ricci. "Because his dream is to play hockey with a Finnish team when he grows up."

Head coach Brian Dutton teaches independence to the D.C. Sled Sharks, a hockey club for children with lower-limb paralysis. "I don't want to coddle them," he says. "I want them to figure it out on their own as much as possible." (Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times)

Sled-hockey player Mark Hoppmann, 13, looks at hockey sleds after practice with Joan Joyce, a recreation therapist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, which helps organize, sponsor and raise funds for the team. “The parents have enough expenses already. We don't want this to be an extra burden,” she says. (Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times)

Sean takes off his hockey padding after practice. The sled-hockey team uses the same rink as the Washington Capitals; the team donates rink-time costs, which run about $450 an hour. (Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times)

Parents of children on the D.C. Sled Sharks team help out with gear before a recent practice. Beyond some tailoring of equipment, including dual sticks and bucket seats, the players use regulation-size hockey nets, pucks and rinks. (Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times)

Sean Thomason, 7, a member of the D.C. Sled Sharks, goes in for a shot last month during practice at the Kettler Capital Iceplex in Arlington. He also plays basketball, in a wheelchair, but hockey is his favorite sport.

Inauguration Party!

2009-01-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

It was an exciting time for the Dutton family. We are located minutes away from all the inauguration hoopla and we were invited to a very fancy ball. So, Maya Wendy and I dressed in our Sunday best. Well, not really. We were however going to the Mehnert Inauguration Party a few blocks away. Their daughter is a month or so older than Maya. So, we packed up the family and drove over to the party site. There was food, drink and even a chocolate capital building! Wendy and I were planning to head over to Costco that very morning and buy one to bring to the party but we ran out of time. Good thing too because one chocolate capital is enough to feed a crowd. Anyways, I am on a drinking freeze so Wendy was able to enjoy a few glasses of pundit punch. Maya was showing her support with her "My Mama's for Obama" shirt. It was a hit at the party. I think Maya will enjoy seeing these pictures when she is older. We have a fun family story to tell about this historic moment in our lives.

First Kiss

2009-01-18T18:20:00.000-08:00

I imagine 2009 will bring us a lot of things. So far it has brought us an emergency room visit for mama on Jan 1st, then a doctor visit on the 5th and then a surgery to finish it off on the 6th. For me it brought the flu on a business trip after a night of boozing with some clients last Monday. Luckily (not so lucky for Bruce) I was sharing a room so I had my ol' pal taking care of me. picking me up off the bathroom floor and 4:00am ginger ale run, thanks buddy. Then the fever hit on the train ride home, ugg. When I slugged through my front door after the night of living hell, 2 presentations, 5 hours on a train and a long drive back through DC during rush hour...I found a note on the kitchen table. I had been banished to the basement to wallow in my sickness. Lucky for me my loving wife prepared the area with chicken soup, vitamin water, Popsicles and a few netflix movies. I spent 2 nights in the hole. No kisses from the wife, no touching of the baby. Anyways, Wendy's story is much crazier than mine but she will have to tell you herself. So, 2009 came at us like a kick in the groin but Maya once again saved the day. Along with her loving smiles and crazy cute giggles, she learned how to crawl! Yes we are mobile. Last weekend, Roman Jenny and Preston came over to celebrate and visit. Maya and P-Sids are the best of buds. I really look forward to watching them grow up together and take care of one another. I plan to have many man to mans with P-Sids. Another funny thing we noticed was Maya's new trick. One evening, Wendy was trying to make Maya do her cute little sniff and the strangest thing happened...

The Washington Times Headlines Maya Dutton

2009-01-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

The article below is cut and pasted from the following URL... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/28/babies-comforted-through-massage/

Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times (Maya's foot, Wendy's hands) Wendy Dutton of Arlington massages her 8-month-old daughter, Maya, earlier this month during an infant massage class at Hela Spa ... Massage therapist Mary Szegda (middle) uses a doll to teach infant massage during a class at Hela Spa in Georgetown. ... Massage therapist Mary Szegda demonstrates infant back massage techniques. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times) Sunday, December 28, 2008 Babies comforted through massage Gabri ella Boston (Contact) Maya Dutton has that trancelike look in her eyes that only a massage can elicit - utter relaxation. But Maya is not your typical massage client. She's wearing pink bloomers and is only 8 months old. And her masseuse is her own mother, Wendy Dutton. The two are enrolled in an infant massage class at Hela Spa in Georgetown where they're learning to give and receive massage. "It's comforting and restful for both of us. And it allows for focused attention," says Ms. Dutton, adding that infant massage is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the big city, perfectly illustrated by M Street, the District's premier retail corridor, just outside the spa window. Inside, however, warm natural light dances through the window along with New Age music flowing from hidden speakers. Seated on the floor on a white, fluffy comforter is class instructor Mary Szegda and three mother-infant pairs. "Breathe deeply and place your hand on your baby's tummy," Ms. Szegda says in a calming voice while illustrating on a baby doll. The real babies are lying on their backs, stripped to their diapers and bloomers. As Ms. Szegda shows the mothers how to do the "Indian milking stroke" - moms gently but firmly grab and embrace one ankle and move up baby's leg - it is perfectly quiet, harmonious and peaceful. "It's a kind of hug-and-glide stroke," Ms. Szegda says. And then one of the little ones - ages range from 8 weeks to 8 months; the class is geared toward pre-mobile babies - starts whimpering. The tenuous silence is broken. Ms. Szegda reassures and says babies and mothers are welcome to take a cuddle break whenever it's needed. "One of the most important things we can do in this class is to listen to the baby's cues," Ms. Szegda says. Infant massage is not about replicating adult massage, she says. It's true that it's partly about improving blood circulation and relaxation, which can lead to improved sleep and digestion, but it's primarily about creating a strong bond between child and parent. Suzanne Reese, author of "Baby Massage - Soothing Strokes for Healthy Growth," echoes the sentiment. "The key is that infant massage is baby-led," Ms. Reese says on the phone from San Diego. "It's not a doing 'to' the baby. It's a doing 'with' the baby." In other words, when Maya rolls over or whimpers or protests in some way, her mother has to back off and try another approach. "We have to step out of the task-oriented role that we're so used to," Ms. Reese says. "Let the baby tell you what he or she wants." Throughout the class, Ms. Szegda follows the ebbs and flows of the babies' moods and activity levels. She shows on her doll how different strokes can be done whether the baby is lying down or sitting up. "Just massage in the direction of their body," she says. "Not against their natural inclination." As she moves from massaging baby's legs to massaging baby's back - using two fingers to make little circles on either side of the spine - she says dads can feel free to use this technique on moms. "This feels good on adults, too," she says, seemingly intending the words for Philip Wright, who's watching while wife, Natalya Scimeca, and their 8-week-old son, Simon, participate in the class. Mr. Wright is planning to participate in infant massage classes in the early spring. "It's something I can do with him that's not at 3 a.m.," Mr. Wright says and smiles. After about 60 minutes - although only about 10 minutes have been devoted to actual massage as the babies have been busy nursing, cuddling, sleeping and squirming - the class winds down. But no one's upset that every single second wasn't used to learn massage techniques. On the contrary. "Mary's great about giving guidance while making everyone feel relaxed and comfortable," Ms. Dutton says. "We're all in the same boat, and the last thing we need is to feel stressed out about our baby crying in infant massage class." In the end, comfort is what it's all about. Comfort with oneself and others, Ms. Reese says. If the infant feels that his or her needs - even at a pre-verbal level - are recognized and respected by the parent, it helps build lifelong trust and comfort. "It's basic human virtues in action," Ms. Reese says. "My needs are being recognized. I'm important." For more information, visit www.helaspa.com or call 202/333-4445.

Christmas at the Duttons

2008-12-31T10:14:00.000-08:00

HoHoHo readers.

This year was one to remember. Maya's first Christmas was filled with a lot of love and more importantly - a lot of presents! Kidding of course...but there were some good ones this year including a new front tooth. Another gift we received was the classic picture of Maya on Santa's lap. People, I will cherish this picture for the rest of my life. Some of you out there say my little Maya pup looks just like me. Some call her man baby - others Brian Jr - Brianna -so on so forth. When I saw this classic Dutton look on Santa's lap, it was like looking in a mirror. (Thanks Bileks for capturing that moment and for supplying a somewhat sober Santa).

The next great gift was not the tootsie rolled thumb drive but the visit from Grandma and Grandpa Dutton. Unfortunately, Wendy and I had to spend last year away from family on Christmas. Poor us. (We were stuck in St. Marteen for a week). SO, it was great to have them with us to enjoy Maya on her 1st Christmas.

Maya enjoyed spending time with family and playing with some new fun toys. Luckily for Maya, daddy believes in the more the better theory. Mommy is a minimalist who believes a box and a spoon are enough. Another joke...kidding hun...love ya. (She gets it from you John Wilson). Many thanks go to the grandparents, siblings and friends that made our day so special.

Another shout out to the Bileks for the bitching hand me downs. Seriously, she loves the toys and Wendy digs the style choices of the clothes you gave us. You have earned your self a wine/cheese/dinner and more wine party at our pad in 2009.

To finish off my list of great gifts, you need to check out this painting my Brother did for my Pops. This cat has talent. He also has 3 kids so it's not quite finished but it will be soon, right bro?

Now there is another Dutton who has been neglected a bit in 2008 but not forgotten. Ol' Sedona pup. She is unstuffing her Christmas duck below. It was a new Sedona record as she unstuffed that duck in about 7 seconds.

Here is a factoid for my readers:

Sedona always unstuffs her toys by biting a hole in the butt region and the proceeds to pull every piece of cotton out of a quarter sized hole. What a weird-o!

Another thing that I found quite weird was that I am now the assembler of one pink pony. It the first toy I have put together for my child and I look forward to many more! So, all in all it was a great Christmas and looking forward to another wonderful year. Love and hugs to all.

MI SOL MI TODO

2008-12-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

MY LIFE

MY ANGEL

MY HAPPINESS

MY MEDICINE

MY LOVE

MY HEART

MY MONSTER

MY DAUGHTER MAYA ANNE DUTTON

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-08T07:36:00.001-08:00

It has been a long time coming but it has taken me awhile to get the pictures I needed for my thanksgiving masterpiece. So many stories to tell but I will try to keep it brief. It all started with a 6 hour flight from Dulles to Portland. Maya was ticked and didn’t want to sleep on the plane, I think her feet were sore...don't know why. Once we landed, it was another 1 ½ to Cannon Beach from the airport. Dr. Dad and Val picked us up in the rental and we arrived home ready for bed! Since Maya didn’t feel like adjusting to the time change…4:00am came early for me. Luckily, I had a fresh pot of coffee next door thanks to my sis. This brings us to Thanksgiving Day. The family was cooking in 3 different houses…turkey in one, sides in the other and pies at my house. Since I was on baby duty and football was on…I didn’t make a thing. I was used more for carrying stuff and washing dishes. No worries here since I plan to do all the cooking for Christmas. On one of our visits to the stuffing house, we ran into some friendly bunnies! Anyways, the feast was grand. Cousins were passed out on the couch, uncle Mike was pouring wine and all was merry. The next morning came (at around 5:00am for Wendy and Maya) and it was time to look around. On our journey to the Ocean, which was our backyard) we spotted a herd of Elk running in the water. Wendy saw 2 crazies following the heard and stated that it was pretty nuts to get that close to a bunch of wild animals. Little did we know we were related to those crazies…oops. I also got some footage of my ma-in law trying to creep up on some pelicans. Too bad a helicopter decided to fly by at the same time. There was poop everywhere but I think Val was safe…luckily. On the final day, we took a walk to Haystack rock, the famous backdrop in one of the best movies of all time; The Goonies made in 1985. On the way home we did a little shopping. We purchased a painting for Maya's room, which is still a surprise for Wendy, since she let me pick it out. It will be our 3rd print from William Steidel and I am pretty psyched about it. It was a great holiday with lots of wine, art shops and family.

Day at the Park...(well 10 minutes anyways).

2008-11-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a typical fall adventure with sub freezing temperatures and massive leaf clean up. Wendy and I had her sister’s kids on Saturday so we had to plan carefully. The yard needed to be cleaned up since the oak leaves have been plaguing the neighbor’s property for weeks. So, I bought a leaf blower and hit the ground running during Mayas nap. We promised the kids that we would take them to the park after lunch so I had to put the leave bags to rest until Sunday. We had hoped that the sun would come out and warm us up but that was not the case. We wrapped up the kids with some winter gear and pulled the bike out of the shed. I attached the trailer, loaded up the kids and we headed out to the park down the road. Sedona ran around and the kids played on the slide. Maya wanted to check things out so I decided to play along as well. Normally, I am the type of guy who sits on the bench and watches…yeah right. This is one of the greatest things about being a dad. I get to play all the time and I dig it. Anyways, my hands were freezing and none of us had gloves (except Maya since hers were built in) so I imagine the kids were ready to go too. We loaded up, scurried home and put in a movie while we all got cozy. The fireplace was lit, the coco was warm and the kids were happy.

Need More Cowbell!

2008-11-20T06:02:00.000-08:00

This one is dedicated to my good friend and teammate: Mick

Last night Maya and I decided it was time to check out some household items and wreak havoc while mommy was out running errands. We started with a pot and spoon. She loved it. I put the pot between her legs and banged it 3 times. She looked at me...looked at the spoon and her eyes lit up. After she banged away for 5-10 minutes, it was time to find some more stuff to beat on. I looked around the house and found Wendy's favorite instrument...the cowbell.

Grandma and Grandpops weekend visit

2008-11-17T07:21:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful weekend in DC and we were able to spend it with family. My father was ramping up for a work trip and was able to fly in for 2 days. Since my mother couldn’t stand the thought of missing all the fun…she decided to drive up! So on Friday night, Pops flew in around 4:00pm. We stopped by the Capitals practice rink and grabbed a new hat since we were going to the game. Pops and I braved DC rush hour traffic and finally found parking at about 6:15. We hurried to will call and I unloaded my 2 extra tickets (I scored box seats from Marco as a surprise for dad). Little did Pops know, I had another surprise for us but we needed to be at section 111 by 6:30pm. We entered through the gates at 6:25 and grabbed our Bruce Boudreau coach of the year bobble heads but nature called and we both ran to the water closet. We washed up and ran out the door toward 111. Once we got there I saw my old pal Marco in the penalty box with a group of boy scouts. He waved us down and Pops and I found ourselves sitting in the SIN BIN! After warm ups were over Marco walked us to the elevator and we headed up to the Caps box. As we walked through the door, the smell of hotdogs and fried chicken hit the air. We shook a few hands and we were told to treat the box like it was our own living room. So, we did. I opened the fridge and grabbed 2 Heineken lights. We filled our plates with veggies and hotdogs and went to our seats. The caps won the game and we had a blast. Mom made it home after a long day of driving but everyone was asleep when we got in. The next day, mom and pops got to play with Maya all day. We went to Lost Dog for lunch, we all took naps when Maya went down and of course, there was plenty of playing, reading and even bath time. It was a quick 48 hour trip but we made the best of it and we all had a blast!

Goodbye Gummies

2008-11-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

*Stewie’s first tooth comes out*

Incisor: Aha! I am free! I hereby claim this mouth in the name of Incisor!

*Second tooth pops out*

Bicuspid: Not so fast!

Incisor: Ah Bicuspid, so we meet again!

Bicuspid: Have at you!

Incisor: En Guarde!

*both wriggle trying to move*

*they can't*

Bicuspid: Shall we bite the tongue then?

Incisor: On three... one.. two.. three!

Stewie: Ah!

For over a month now, Wendy and I have chuckled at the thought of Maya’s first tooth popping out thanks to Stewie. The scene laid out above is a classic moment in Family Guy history and now a memory for Team Dutton. The time has finally come! Maya has sprouted her first long awaited tooth. After many nights of fussing, orajel and shots of Whisky (for Wendy and I of course), Maya’s front lower tooth is starting to show. We imagine the rest are soon to follow and just like Stewie, Maya has a second tooth ready to fight! As this moment is exciting for the family, let’s have a moment of silence for the ol’ gummies. Maya displayed the gummy smile like a true champion. The masses always cracked a return smile when confronted with Maya’s gumbos. From Target to Reagan National Airport, no one could resist. Although a tragic loss, we look forward to the new and improved mouth. Look out cheerio’s…here we come!

Until the next great Dutton moment, as the great roman Hardgrave would say, NASTRAVIA!

Night out with Ted and the Washington Capitals

2008-11-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Theodore "Ted" J. Leonsis is a long-time AOL executive and owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals.

About 2 years ago I started working for DS3 DataVaulting. I was able to talk Stacy Hayes, COO, into giving me a gateway job as a telemarketer. After 3 months of banging out 100-150 calls a day, Stacy decided to give me a shot. Instead of handing off my leads to qualified sales guys, I was able to pursue them on my own. With a little luck and a lot of determination, I cold called the Washington Capitals and set a meeting with their IT director. A long story short, I made the sale and began a marketing relationship as well. Marco Gentile, the Assistant Marketing Director for the Caps, became a great connection and a good friend. So, one day, I asked Marco to introduce me to Ted. About a year later, Stacy received an email:

Dear Mr. Hayes,

As majority owner of the Washington Capitals, Ted Leonsis would like to invite you and a guest to join him in the Owners Suite for an upcoming Caps game.

Attached is the Caps home game schedule. Except for those highlighted in red, please let me know your top 3 preferences and I'll FedEx you tickets to one of the games. Please include an address with phone number to where you'd like the tickets sent.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

GO CAPS ! ! !

Kind regards,

Wendy Hogan Personal Assistant, Leonsis Family

SCORE!!

So, last night was the game we decided to meet Ted. We got to Suite 103 about an hour early. We were met by security, they checked our tickets, I took a deep breath and they opened the doorway to hockey heaven. Upon entering the Owners box we were greeted by Joe Dupriest, Caps Marketing Director, and waiter with a tasty Jack and Coke. As I slurped down the familiar burning sensation and pieces of ice kissed my upper lip, Ted stepped out of his elevator. We talked business for a bit and he seemed very interested in what we had to say. (I got to tell you, it fells pretty good being able to talk business with a legend like Ted Leonsis). He asked about our technology, how we got our financing and then we chatted about my sled hockey team. As soon as the light dimmed in the rink Ted was in his seat ready to watch the game. We sat down and he mentioned that he changed things up and to expect an all Russian line (Alex Ovechkin, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Semin). Seriously, I was in Hockey Heaven! As the game went on the drinks went down and life was great.

We met the Washington Mystics General Manager Angela Taylor, Julie Plank the team’s Head Coach, and COO Greg Bibb. Bibb asked Stacy and me if we had kids. He told me to bring Maya to a game next season and he would get us all tickets. We also got to talk with Donald Graham, the owner of the Washington Post. He had a brace on his foot and walked with a cane due to a recent tennis injury. This whole thing was starting to get a little weird. Stacy was loving it. He told me it was our new mission to make enough dough to get our own box. We were mingling with people that have excelled in life and it was contagious. Anyways, earlier in the evening Ted mentioned that if the Caps won, he would take us to the locker room. Unfortunately, the Caps went down early and were losing in the 3rd. Things looked pretty grim until the final minutes of the game. There was another group of three dads and their young sons. They were all flipping out when Semin scored the game tying goal with less than two minutes left. Then from out of nowhere…BAM! With 10 second left Semin cracks another one and the place went nuts. I was high fiving Ted and Donald. I turned around and hit Stacy and Angela. Ted grabbed a few security guys and some black markers for the kids and we all hopped in the elevator. The reporters were rushing by the doors as they opened. Ted let the kids off first as DS3 and the dads trailed. When we got to the locker room all the players were already out of their gear and talking to reporters. The kids were running around getting their jerseys signed by the Caps and the adults felt like kids again too!

I made a joke about how excited I was that I wanted to get my suit signed…Mike Green laughed. I wanted to get my picture taken with him and Ovechkin but the damn reporters wouldn’t leave them alone and Ted told us it was time to go. We went out in the hallway and got our picture with him and he wished us well. Thanks Ted, it was a great night.

Maya's first Halloween

2008-11-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

It was October 31, 2008 at 3:30pm and I had to rush home to make the Arlington Forest family Halloween parade by 4:30pm. Unfortunately for me, every other working parent that commutes 30 miles outside the beltway decided to do the same thing! After dodging a few mini vans and similar Forrester's (not Gold like mine :0) I made it just in time. I ran in the house and asked Virginia (our wonderful nanny) where she put the costumes. As usual, she had put them aside perfectly folded and ready to rock. I plugged Maya into her pink butterfly suit and started calling for Sedona. Her tail immediately tucked between her legs as she recognized the ol' shark costume from the previous nights dress rehearsal! We got her dressed, packed up the kiddo in the BOB and headed down the street. We meet the Claffey's along the way and rallied together to the meeting site. I had no idea how many freaking kids lived in our neighborhood. As Wendy spit out the same words I was thinking a friendly neighbor responded with "they are all eating supper when you guys usually take your walk". That was kind-of weird but nice to know neighbors are paying attention to what's going on in the hood. As the time slowly passed it was decided that Wendy take Virginia to the metro and I would stay with Maya, Sedona and the BOB. Lucky for me, Maya was cozy in her stroller and Sedona was so embarrassed she stayed close by my side.