Today I drove to Riverside to visit my dad, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and niece. But also my Mom who was visiting as well. It takes me about an hour and forty-five minutes to get there. Once I was there Dad, Mom, Kenobi (nephew) were off to Cici's for some lunch. Cici's is a pizza buffet place with games. The food isn't that great but it's $5 for all you can eat and Kenobi had a great time playing games and spending $5 in quarters buying a ton of useless toys from those quarter machines. So it was the perfect place for us to go.
Today Kenobi was all about his uncle (formally known as unk). He held my hand when walking through the parking lot of the pizza place, I played games with him and helped him spend those quarters. We played in the water when we got home. He showed me his new two wheel (with training wheel) bike. Wanted me to play in his extremely hot plastic castle. He wanted me to push him on his swing and he's getting to that stage of everything is a question.. what's that.. what does that say.. why is this... why is that. I'm thinking another six months or so and he'll be ready to come stay with his uncle once in a while. I'm so looking forward to that.
Now Molly on the other hand I haven't really bonded with. She's very stand offish. For the first few months of her life she would see me and cry bloody murder. She at least has stopped doing that. I actually got to pick her up and made her laugh so she is slowly coming around.
It was great seeing my Dad and sister-in-law, my brother didn't get home until a half hour before I left but it was nice seeing him as well. It was really great seeing my Mom. I haven't seen her since before Christmas. She got to check out my new car and take it for a ride.. she really liked it and is considering getting herself one. We got to spend a good five hours together and for us that's a long time.
It was a pretty great visit with family.
Around 5:30pm I said my goodbyes and headed to Mar Vista as it was Buffy night with me buddy Robert. It took about an hour and a half to get to his place with all the traffic. I got to Robert's a little after 7pm. We walked to Taco Bell to grab some dinner. When we got back we started our Buffy rewatch/1st time viewing. We watched 3 episodes tonight "Doomed", "A New Man" and "The I In Team"
"Doomed" was a fun episode because when they find out that it's the end of the world again, the gang is so over it. Spike trying to stake himself was pretty funny and Xander and Willow talking him down. Spike also finds out he can beat on demons which makes him very happy. Riley's secret gets out to Willow and Xander. Lot's of story movement in this episode. I also like how the episode literally picks up right where the last episode Hush left off.
"A New Man" was another fun episode, very Giles centric. He's feeling left out of things and pretty useless. We see the return of his "friend" Ethan and of course he's up to no good and turns Giles into a demon and hilarity ensues. Buffy and Riley hook up, Willow feels left out, Buffy meet Professor Walsh and learns more about the initiative. Spike is also very good in this episode as he helps Giles escape from being captured, well for a certain price of $300. We see more Willow and Tara's blossoming relationship and we find out that there is something more to Professor Walsh and the number 314.
"The I In Team" Buffy joins The Initiative and her friends/scoobie gang feel alienated. It's fun to watch Buffy interact with the initiative as they work as a team and Buffy has always done things her way. Spike seeks help from Giles and the gang when the Initiative tag him and are on the hunt. We find out that Professor Walsh is creating some sort of Frankenstein monster / ultimate solider in room 314. She decided that Buffy is a risk and tries to kill her and fails, of course. Riley finds out what she did and walks out of the initiative. Professor Walsh goes in to room 314 and is planning Buffy's demise when a large spike burst out of her chest and you see Adam standing there as he says Mommy. And so the big bad of this season is born.
For some reason the way I remembered it season 4 was my least favorite season of Buffy... but man we are 13 episodes in and though I haven't loved all of them it's been a great season so far. Maybe the final 10 or so will remind me why I have this season so low on my list.. if not I'll have to reevaluate my least favorite Buffy seasons.
Got home around 11pm, played LOTRO for an hour before calling it a night. It was a fun fill day of family and spending time with one of my favorite bros watching one of my favorite shows.