Winding Down Our Wonderful Search

Baby Barack's last post-inauguration party stop at the home of Team Baby Barack members Audrey and Andrew. That's Andrew and fellow Team member Ellie in the picture.


The inauguration of president Barack Obama was AWESOMELY awesome!! My Auntie J.T. and my Uncle Kendall gave us an Obama box. In the Obama box there were pins, magazines, newspapers, a bobble head, hot sauce, paper dolls, blue and red flashing glasses (literally flashy), a pink baseball cap, and a blue winter hat. Everything in the Obama box was Obama. I love everything in the Obama box! Thank you J.T., Kendall and...OBAMA!!!
-Lucy


Riley, Lucy, and Helen with our tired hosts, JT and Kendall on the first full day of the Obama era. Kendall looks dead and Hel's hairstyle is...interesting.


Yesterday, unquestionably, lived up to its promise to be the best day of my life. I witnessed history when I heard the 44th president sworn in to the presidency, I got to wave goodbye to Bush as he and his wife flew overhead in their helicopter, and I discovered Bacon Chocolate (which is as disgustingly delicious as it sounds.) The day started off in a blur of excitement and sleepiness as we left at 8 to go the Mall which disappointingly enough is not even a real mall! We luckily caught the first metro bus we saw. Unfortunately there were so many people on the bus that no more people could get on after us. When we got off the bus and started walking we discovered that the reason for the lack of metro buses was that along with the Humvee's city busses were being used to block off all the roads. Later we would learn that this plan, while inventive, would make exiting the non-shopping mall nearly impossible. When we finally got to our seats (that being figurative as we actually had no seats) we were cold, squished and absolutely euphoric as were the rest of the nearly 2 million spectators. As we anxiously awaited the arrival of the star of the show, we watched the entrances of Beyonce and JZ, John Cusack, Will.i.am (whose name is actually pronounced Will I Am) and many other celebrities. After the man of the hour finally arrived, people would applaud loudly every time he was shown on the Jumbotron. The atmosphere of the whole event was so positive and excited that following the swearing in, strangers and family alike were screaming and hugging each other. I hugged a man from Australia who was standing beside us. He smelled like ham. When Obama began his speech the crowed lulled in awe for the most part other than the occasional bouts of cheering and JT ringing her notorious/lifesaving cowbell. As I listened to the words flow over the crowd like a breath of fresh air I realized that with his power and intelligence and gorgeous little girls this man really was going to change the path of America and all of our futures. After our new president's speech drew to a close everyone, all 1.6 million of us, began to exit the non-shopping mall. We made it about 20 feet before I realized the dilemma that we were in for. Those seemingly ingeniously placed buses now gave us (and our million or so new friends) a gap of about 3 feet to exit onto the street. We stood in a mass for about an hour just trying to get out of non-shopping mall. Once we got through the first chain link fence and past the first bus, everything was a blur of tour buses, thankfully unneeded ambulances, people and PETA mascots. This is when JTs bell came in very useful. She would ring it whe ever we weren't sure where one of our group members where or whenever she got bored or felt it was too quiet. I can not even convey to you how crowded those streets were. People were walking shoulder to shoulder throughout the entire street, sidewalk to sidewalk, as far as one could see in both directions. Never in my life will I see as many people nor will I witness such a momentous occasion. Now I am at home, in the snow, missing my bacon chocolate and thoroughly grateful for both JT and Kendalls (and Mei Mei & Danger's -the cats) hospitality and for our and everyone elses safety in what could have been a national disaster but ended up an amazing experience. And of course it was an effective way to avoid reading Jane Eyre.
-Riley

Baby Barack at Heller's Bakery in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of DC. He likes these Obama cookies. So do the rest of us!


WOW! What a wonderful experience the past few days have provided and it has been so amazing to get to share it with Tony, Ri, Lu, JT, Kendall and millions of new friends. First of all to go to the concert on the Mall, stand by the frozen reflecting pool and look up at Barack on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was just unbelievable-something I never in my lifetime thought I would experience. I was too young to celebrate with MLK but I have mourned his death as long as I can remember. I do think Martin was smiling on this extraordinary birthday weekend! While the stage was in the distance we were all breathing the same air and celebrating the beginning of a new chapter.

Monday's crowd was not just overwhelming in number but also in an electric energy that was simply contagious. I know I have never seen so many happy people in one place. I think many of us saw a spark a few years back BUT who would have thought Obama could ignite this country and the world the way he has. I know it gives me so much hope for the future and really makes me ask myself, what can I do personally to help our country and our world be a better place for everyone?
-Helen


The ride home was long but uneventful. Baby Barack is perched atop Riley's head as she naps in the back seat. Actually, we think she was just faking to avoid having to read Jane Eyre.


It's good to be home. While it may sound trite, I think our little family has been changed by the incredible experience we shared this weekend. We truly witnesses to history. I've often reflected on the sacrifices that my ancestors made so that I my life would be better than theirs, and to the extent that I can do the same for my children and their children, I have tried. But as much as I might have told young people of color, Riley and Lucy included, that they could and should aspire to the highest heights, I'm not sure I really believed that what I saw yesterday was possible. At least I didn't believe that the US was there yet. And the fact that Obama and I share so much in common in terms of age and race and the we were seen by the world is simply surreal...for me, that is. I'm pretty sure he's over it.

Anyway, we went, we saw, and now we're home. Thank you for following our two little adventures - to DC and into the world of blogging. And a special thanks to JT and Kendall for hosting us in DC and to their friends for welcoming us and playing along with the whole Baby Barack thing.

Our original idea was to share our trip with friends and family, but the blog took on a life of it's own for us and it really added to the overall experience. That said, Baby Barack and the rest of the family is ready to get back to normal.
-Tony


Home at last! Home at last! Thank God almighty we are home at last! (Apologies to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the poor paraphrasing)

Winding Down

After returning home Baby Barack still had onemore commitment. We drove - ok, I drove, not Baby Barack - friends Scott and Doug to the BET Inaugural Ball at the Mayflower Hotel. As a bonus, I got to drive Scott's cute, new BMW - I do love a test drive. Sadly, it was too dark to get a decent picture of Baby Barack with the car. You know I would if I could.


One final story about our adventure today. As we left the house this morning JT grabbed an orange cow bell to bring along. None of us knew how important that silly cow bell would be. It turns out that keeping 14 people together in the midst of a crowd of perhaps 2 million is tricky. That cow bell was a godsend, enabling us to have a rallying point even as we moved along with and through the crowd. And those of us who know and love JT know that she loves both being loud and being the center of attention. The cow bell was perfect! She also wore a matching orange hat, so all we did was listen for the cow bell and look for that hat and we were able to keep together.

Time to shut down the blog for the night. We'll be up at 6am for the 8 hour drive back home to Buffalo. Between traffic gridlock and being exhausted, we decided to stay over Tuesday night. All in all, this was a pretty incredible day. As many have expressed more eloquently than I ever could, we truly witnessed history today. And it was great to share the day as a family, representing many who couldn't be here. I'm sure that the enormity of what we witnessed will sink in slowly.

Stay tuned for more Baby Barack adventures on the road back to Buffalo and some final thoughts about our little road trip.

Lulu's Frozen Feet

While I stood in front of the Washington memorial watching history happening, we shouted, "Obama! Obama! Obama!" and "Mama my toes froze" It was one of the best things and coldest thing I have ever done. On the way home from the inauguration my dad bought me an Obama hat (with 'Obama' written all over it) and so when I just started writing this I asked my mother and Uncle Kendall, "How do you spell Obama?"

A Long, Great Day

A well-earned post-inauguration lunch for Baby Barack at Lauriol Plaza, one of our favorites in DC.

We walked approximately 4 miles from the Mall to our DC home. The first mile took more than an hour due to the crowds and the streets were packed like this for more than a mile. None of us had ever seen so many people, nor are we likely to ever again.


The mass of humanity looking back up the hill as we were leaving. This picture could have been taken looking in any direction.

More Pictures

Helen, JT, and Riley huddle together for warmth. You may have heard that it was cold. BELIEVE IT!



Lucy needed a hand to be able to see anything. We joked that her lasting memory of the event would be of the backs of coats of all the tall people. Actually, there were fewer children that I would have thought. Here she being held up by her uncle Kendall and a new friend, Tom.



People just kept streaming in until we could barely move. We arrived at the Mall just before 9am. It took us a little while to find our spot, but once we did, we settled in for the long wait with new friends from as far away as Australia. We were directly north of the Washington Monument. While we couldn't see the Capitol, we had a great view of one of the Jumbotron screen.



Baby Barack pointing to his new house. Don't worry, it's much bigger in person!

What A Day!

This group dubbed itself Team Baby Barack. We traveled to the Mall by bus and on foot and watched the inauguration ceremony from just north of the Washington Monument.

You may have heard about the number of port-a-potties. Here's the evidence.


The sign reads, "MLK is smiling today, 1-20-09!!! Indeed.


There were simply people as far as the eye could see. As busy as it seems in this picture, on the way in, the way out was even more crowded.

Taking the Oath of Office

Baby Barack taking the oath with his big brother.

The Big Day

The day many of us believed would not happen in our lifetime is here. Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States today. We are gathering with a group of others to head down to the Mall. The plan is to try to catch a bus down 16th Street and then enter the Mall near the Washington Monument. That way we do not need to cross the parade route and through a tighter security zone. As I watch the news at 6:30am, it appears that we are not the only people in town for this little party. It already looks like the Mall is packed with people, so I'm not at all confident that we'll get to see anything. It appears that anyone who is not already in the city isn't going to get here by public transportation. No doubt there will be some disappointed folks. We're happy to just be part of the party. If we get a spot on the Mall, that will be a bonus.

Inauguration Eve

Baby Barack is getting tired. The last pre-inauguration party was a loud one. Baby Barack said, "Although the crowd was raucous, it was difficult to focus with such a big day coming up tomorrow. As you can tell from my facial expression, I was a little annoyed at how long it took our host to answer the doorbell. You think I'd command more respect."


Traffic on Monday night was crazy with gridlock in many places due to road closures. We were worried that a cab might be hard to find, but Baby Barack has more pull than most, so we let him hail the cab. Worked like a charm.

Barack Visits JFK

Baby Barack posing with a sculpture of JFK at the Kennedy Center.

Our Quest to See Aretha

The Kennedy Center was a busy place today. First, Oprah shot her show there, and second, Aretha was giving a free concert. No last names needed for either one.

The tickets were being going to be distributed at 4pm, so we thought that rather than waiting for hours we would show up later and maybe get lucky. We took the Metro to Foggy Bottom and walked from there. Imagine Baby Barack's surprise to see his picture on a commemorative fare card. You can see he was all smiles. The ride was a little rough, so he was sure to hang on tight - with a little help from Helen.

We arrived at the Kennedy Center only to find that the tickets had been distributed at 10am! I guess we weren't the only ones who wanted to see the Queen of Soul. Our friend Scott, we now call him Front Row Scottie, was determined and tried to bribe every security person he could find, but no go. Oh well, it was worth the effort, even if it came to nothing.

I thought the city was packed with people yesterday, but if anything, today was even crazier. The subway was packed, the sidewalks were packed, and it was almost impossible to find a cab. Tuesday is likely to be totally nuts. I guess we'll find out.

What's been incredible this weekend is the positive energy that has been in evidence everywhere we've gone. People are just happy, even giddy. Naturally, there were a few protesters at the concert yesterday displaying huge, hateful signs decrying homosexuality. Although doing so in the name of God they didn't look or act terribly Godly. It was disturbing but I suppose it's inevitable that hate and intolerance will show its face even at a celebration like this. Let's hope the ceremony and parade continue the positive vibe.

I think it's safe to say that this weekend has more than lived up to our expectations. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Riley Reflects On the Concert

Yesterday was one of the most amazing days of my life. I got to breath the same air as people such as Beyonce, Tiger Woods, Tom Hanks, Jack Black not to mention the star of this whole show, Obama himself. As soon as we arrived near the mall and saw the 7000 port-a-potties I knew we were in trouble. The line just to pass security stretched for at least 3 blocks so of course we cut that (I am over my guilt).

At first I was really nervous about security because it was so easy to get in (all you had to do was open your coat) but I felt better once I saw all of the ninja-like security guards posted around the borders and even on top of the Lincoln memorial. The only potentially scary thing about the whole event was the lowflying planes that seemed to fly over every couple minutes. Papa said that the airport was nearby so that must be why there were so many of them. At first all of the people would look at them nervously but eventually we got used to it.

The acts and speaches were all so amazing. It was really weird however to see Jack Black and George Lopez talking so seriously. Thats all I can blog about now because we have to go get tickets to see Aretha Franklin sing.

Reenergizing, Regrouping, Relaxing

All this inauguration celebrating can take a lot out of you. Here, Baby Barack is diving into a bag of M&Ms for energy.

Monday is pretty quiet so far. We've been hanging out at our inauguration headquarters watching TV, watching clips of yesterday's concert, and eating, always eating. The current plan is to go to the Kennedy Center to see if we can get tickets to see Aretha. It probably won't happen, but it's worth a try. Then there's another party tonight.

In the morning we've got a big group meeting at JT and Kendall's for the walk down to the Mall for the ceremony. We'll leave at about 8am and it will take about an hour to walk. It is also supposed to be chilly, in the 20s, tomorrow morning. Security will be tight. There will be two choke points, one getting through security and then crossing the parade route. Because those points are limited and they're expecting huge crowds, we may never make it in. Maybe Baby Barack will pull some strings and get us special treatment. JT and Kendall's neighbor, Scott, has received front row tickets for the swearing in. Scott's friend Doug is in town from California and he knows Diane Feinstein. We'll all be living vicariously through them and looking for them on the Jumbotrons that will line the Mall for us regular folks to see what's happening on the Capitol steps.

Inaurgation Parties

"These inauguration parties are tough duty, but I think I'm up to the job," says Baby Barack. Here he is picking out a drink at yet another party, this one in swanky Georgetown on Sunday night. Of course, Barack knows his limit. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for these two (That's JT in the fashionable hat and Hel in the flashy glasses).

Why Didn't I Think of That?

Obama-themed souvenirs are plentiful. Of course, many go for the tried and true t-shirt, hat, poster, or button. We decided to go for something a little more creative and definitely tastier.

I'm All Ears

Baby Barack watching the real Barack's speech on the Jumbotron at Sunday's concert.

The Concert on the Mall

Here we are - Tony, Helen, Lucy, Riley, and Kendall - waiting for the start of the big concert. You can see the Lincoln Memorial over my right soldier.

Tthe musical acts - Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, James Taylor, Beyonce, and many more - were amazing, each was separated by a brief speech from aHollywood star, including Denzell Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hanks, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx (who did a spot-on imitation of Obama, election night speech), and even Tiger Woods. Believe it or not, Garth Brooks was one of the big hits of the day, singing American Pie and Shout. Naturally, the crowd sang and danced along.

The real highlight was the appearance at the beginning by Vice President-elect Joe Biden and the Obama family. The President-elect delivered a short, stirring speech just before the musical finale. All in all, it was a pretty amazing day.

In order to get to the concert we walked more than two miles down from DuPont Circle - and then back again after the concert. Lucy did really well with all the walking and waiting, sometimes sitting on my shoulders so she could see her favorite musical acts and eating M&Ms for sustenance. In this picture, we're not sure if she's resting or keeping Kendall's feet warm.

I took lots of pics, but we were too far to make them worth posting. Hopefully, you were able to watch the concert on TV. Look for any number of picture galleries on line for great close-ups (I'm not sure how to put links on this blog. Sorry.)

Monday is going to be a quieter day, although we may venture to the Kennedy Center to wait in line for free tickets to see the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Of course, I just heard that DC is expecting its first snow of the season, so that may put a crimp in any outdoor plans for Monday.

Just a Few of Our Friends

We were not the only ones who thought a concert on the Mall sounded like a good idea. Although we haven't heard any official crowd estimates, we all agreed that it was the biggest we had ever been part of. This picture was taken from from the WWII Memorial looking east toward the Washington Monument - you can see it behind the pole to the right of the Jumbotron. I think mass of humanity is an apt description. We were inside the security barriers about a 1/4 mile from the stage.

A Winter Warm-Up for Barack

Barack stopped into Starbucks before the big concert for a little warmth. Of course, this necessitated a stop later at one of the 7000 available port-a-potties. Luckily, today was warmer than yesterday, so standing outside for a few hours was entirely bearable.

A Bad Omen?

Apparently the name of our blog was prescient. Baby Barack, our mascot, is missing! So now we're searching for two Baracks. This picture is the last spot where he was seen. Maybe we need a couple of CSI fans to come down here and investigate the disappearance, although there's not likely to be much forensic evidence.

JT and Kendall's party last night was a raving success, but as we were cleaning up we realized that Baby Barack was gone. Among the many theories that have been floated, we're hoping that someone thought he was JT's and just hid him as a joke. But it's possible that he was kidnapped or stolen. Our plan of taking pictures of Baby Barack in various location...

Wait, Helen found him! Tragedy averted. Apparently, he was upstairs reading, perhaps preparing for his speech.

Lucy Getting Excited

Although she's prepared for bed here, Lucy is also getting ready for the big weekend. Check out these flashy glasses. She has some thoughts about our big adventure.

Lucy writes, "I'm excited that we are going to witness history and be in Washington DC because I love it there. Even though we will be excited for Obama we'll still be sad for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all the unfortunate people who died at that time. Obama will be adding to the dream of Dr. King because America chose Obama."

We Made It!

About 9 hours after leaving Buffalo we finally arrived at our destination. Our gracious hosts, JT and Kendall, were so happy to see us that they decided to throw a party. JT is all about the theme, and this party's theme is "Chowder for Change." There are several fabulous home-made soups and lots of other goodies.

Everyone in DC is complaining about the weather, but we enjoyed watching the thermometer readings in the car climb as we made our way south and east. It was in the 20s by the time we arrived here. That's cold for DC but compared to the frigid weather we had in Buffalo this morning it felt almost tropical. They're predicting temps in the mid-30s for inauguration day.

Tomorrow's itinerary is still up in the air. The big event at the Lincoln Memorial starts at 2:30pm. The gates open at 8 and I can assure you that there will be no Featherstons or Roys fighting for the front row. We'll head down there at some point and see what we can see. As it's the first big event of the weekend it promises to be packed and lots of fun. Beyonce, U2, Springsteen, and others are set to perform and the future first family is also slated to make an appearance. I promise, whatever we see, we'll record for posterity.

Almost There

Helen, Lucy, and Barack do a little shopping at Trader Joe's in Gaithersburg, MD.

Followers

We've never had followers before. It's very exciting! We're especially excited to have our first international follower, my cousin Brigit from the Netherlands.

Off to See the Wizard

We're on the road! As you can see from the picture, it was a little chilly in Buffalo this morning. Anyone who has traveled with Helen or me knows we had to make our first bathroom stop after just 90 minutes - it was -2 in Erie, PA, almost too cold to go to the bathroom.

In true 21st century fashion, the kids are listening to their iPods. Of course, that doesn't stop Lucy from talking to us. She's also keeping track of all the different license plates we're seeing. No one else agreed with my assumption that the Black couple we passed from Michigan were also going to the inauguration, but I'm sticking to my guns. Hel is doing work, and I've been listening to Bob Woodward's book The War Within. So far we're making good time, but who knows what sort of traffic we'll encounter around DC.

We've stopped at a Ruby Tuesday's in Somerset, PA for lunch and I'm hoping to find a car wash. Can't show up to the big event with salt stains all over the car. Everyone ordered burgers because our hosts in DC are veggies. Who knows the next time we'll get meat!

More later.

Our Mission

This is the story of a family - Lucy, Riley, Helen, and yours truly- and a trip to DC for Barack Obama's inauguration. We each have our own reasons for wanting to be there to witness history. Helen was an early believer, never accepting that Obama couldn't get elected, and she worked hard in the Buffalo campaign office. I supported candidate Obama largely because of the novelty of being a fellow 47 year-old "hafro" - yes, I have heard that we look alike (maybe the Prez will agree to pose for a picture with me so that myth can be dispelled once and for all). Of course,
since parenting is largely about brainwashing, Riley and Lucy were strong Obama supporters, and besides, it's cheaper to bring them along than find a babysitter. Actually, Lucy made a couple of calls to voters in Ohio on behalf of the campaign, so she earned the trip more than Riley or me.

Here's the plan:

• Head to DC on Saturday, January 17 (hoping for good weather and light traffic)
• Stay with Hel's sister and brother-in-law, JT and Kendall
• Park the car and cover the city on foot
  
• Soak in the excitement and see what we can see
• Make it home without sitting in too much traffic or missing too much work

The idea of the blog is to keep our friends and family up-to-date on all the goings-on during our little adventure. Please understand, we're total novices when it comes to blogging. We don't read them, let alone write them. So I learned how to blog just for this occasion, and the four of us plan to make entries and attach pictures when we can. Who knows, there may even be a link to a YouTube video or two. We're hoping for a fun and memorable weekend - it's going to be a great story to tell - and to give our readers just a little taste of the experience.

Tony