No. 1 songs on your birthdays

Have you wondered what was the No. 1 song when you were born? How about on each of your birthdays? Well here's the list!

>>2007 - "Irreplacable" (Beyonce)
>>2008 - "Low" (Flo Rida)
>>2009 - "Crack a Bottle" (Eminem)
>>2010 - "Tik Tok" (Kesha)
>>2011 - "Black and Yellow" (Wiz Khalifa)
>>2012 - "Stronger" (Kelly Clarkson)
>>2013 - "Thrift Shop" (Macklemore)

The No. 1 song when I was born was "Turn, Turn, Turn" (Byrds) and the No. 1 album was "Rubber Soul" (Beatles).

The list comes from the Billboard Top 100.

Recall your space shuttle plush toy?

Do you remember your space shuttle plush toy? I got it for you when you were an infant, and it ended up in your tote of space toys, so you still played with it when a preschooler.

When pressed, it made the sound of an engine starting up, as if the space shuttle were revving up to take off. I don't remember exactly where I got it, but I believe it was at an airport.

I always liked getting you space toys because as a kid I loved all things that had to to do with space (In fact, I still do!). I hoped to share that love with you via some of the toys I purchased.

Believe it or not, I think I still have that plush toy in a tote!

Collecting Topps pro football cards

One of my favorite things to collect when I was in first grade were football cards!

That year, the Miami Dolphins were the best team in the NFL, and along with the Packers my favorite team. So I always wanted to get Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers players whenever I bought football cards. My favorite football card was of Dolphins player Nick Buoniconti!

I started buying football cards for you the year before you went into first grade. They were the Topps cards with New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez on the package.

The current football cards I'm purchasing for you also are from Topps but have Adrian Peterson on the package. You told me Saturday that you wanted to collect cards from California teams! I hope you get lots of them in your packages!

Recall Johnny Rockets in Santa Clarita?

Johnny Rockets in Santa Clarita, Calif.

After enjoying Johnny Rockets with you on Saturday at the Mall of America, I began to think about all of the times we've been to one. I think the one you probably remember most is in Santa Clarita, Calif., though we've both been to the one in Rancho Mirage, Calif., too.

The Santa Clarita restaurant was near the Borders bookstore in the Valencia Town Center. We'd go there every couple of months to enjoy a hamburger, fries and a malt.

You always liked that they made a smiling face with the ketchup in a little cardboard container. Sometimes the staff also would break out into song and a small dance when certain songs came on; the one that I remember that the Santa Clarita staff did that to was Donna Summer's "Last Dance."

Hiking Rainbow Basin in 2009

Four years ago today we hiked through Rainbow National Natural Landmark near Barstow, Calif.

I remember the trip being a long drive for you - we probably spent an hour and 15 minutes in the Jeep before arriving. But arrive we did - and what an impressive site!

Wind and rain over a virtually plant-less terrain carved Rainbow Basin's mudstone and other sediment layers into a variety of odd and fantastic shapes. It's a little known national park unit.

I also remember that you brought your little yellow sand shovels along. Perhaps because I had brought a geological hammer, you felt like you should have some tools as well!

Here are a collection of pictures from our adventure!

Our Saturday outing to the aquarium

Getting our picture taken at the Sea Life Aquarium

Grandma Bignell and I had so much fun with you Saturday at the aquarium and Mall of America!

Here is what we did:
>>Lunch at Rain Forest Cafe (where we played Go Fish and you had a cheeseburger)
>>Sea Life Aquarium (follow the link to photos!)
>>Snack at Johnny Rockets (Oreo ice cream malt and French fries)
>>Lego store (where you made three figures)

Leaving was very difficult. I wanted to stay and keep having fun with you!

Today, I am planning our next outing - hopefully the weather will be good for Como Park Zoo!

Great news for us, Kieran!

I am very excited today, Kieran! We now will get to spend more time with one another and go places other than the family center.

Our expanded time togther begins today! I will see you at 11 a.m. I have a fun day planned for us at an aquarium and also lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe.

We also will get to talk to one another by telephone each Tuesday night. Your mother will place the call to me between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The telephone calls will replace the emails that I send each Saturday.

I also soon will be speaking with your teacher and attending your school activities.

Do not worry, I will continue to write a daily blog post here until we finally are allowed to speak to one another each and every day unhindered. I also will continue to fight for your right to see and talk with me. The right will be slow in coming, I fear, but it will come.

I will see you at 11 a.m. later this morning! I love you!