Liam update

I know it's silly to call this an update since I'm terrible at blogging regularly, but either way, Liam has his first tooth! It's not completely formed yet, but it has definitely poked through and is visible (or so I am told, haha). I'll try to post a picture of it if we ever get one. Other news:

- He can locate his pacifier and put if in his own mouth (totally amazing to watch, and makes long drives way less stressful)

- A favorite toy has emerged...oddly, it's his light blue silicone rubber bib, but no joke, if he's awake and playing with it, he cannot be separated from it without totally freaking out

- He has just enough hair to make a whispy little mohawk, a gift we take advantage of every chance we get

- He can handle sitting in a high chair in a restaurant for long enough spurts that allow visits to Newport Creamery (major win)

- His vocabulary has expanded to include gems like "ba ba bwa" and "grr," and actual words like "mama" and "mom" (don't get excited on my behalf, as far as we can tell, these are still just noises to him). He yells out gleefully when he's happy or excited and in the last few days has started blowing raspberries. Pretty cute :-)

No crawling or walking yet, and no real words, but we're both ok with those steps being held off. For now, it's nice to be able to put him down and trust he won't go hide anywhere, and I know I'll miss the baby talk once it's gone. The new developments are all fun and exciting and wonderful, but I'm glad they're coming only a little at a time!

My whole entire world, contained to one couch <3

This is literally what Liam has been doing every waking hour that is not consumed by eating for the last week and a half. It's true: we have the funniest baby ever.

Here's a baby picture of yours truly I just found in a drawer...it pops into my head now and then when I'm hanging out with Liam, I suppose there is a bit of a resemblance :-) ill have to get back to you with a baby picture of Kurt sometime soon, if I can ever find one!

The Liam face

Forgive the blurriness--this is the patented Liam Face: wide eyed, lips pressed together in a thin, flat line, inquisitive look...the blur factor is pretty common as well, as this guy only stops moving to take naps ;-)

Here is my first attempt at basically blind blogging from my phone...I'm sure if you're reading this you've already seen him but just for posterity's sake, enjoy the above picture of our little guy, Liam, in his awesome ninja onesie from his aunt Jenny and uncle Kyle (and cousins Abby, Sophie and Josie!).

Now for a little eye update: I have a cataract in my one working, good eye...this is actually fantastic news because my vision has been getting worse and this means it's because of something that can be easily fixed in a month or two. The doctor we saw said without the cataract, my corrected vision will probably be around 20/80, and could get as good as 20/40, which is a huge improvement since currently (with the cataract), my corrected vision is hovering between 20/100 and 20/400. Pretty terrible! The doctor also said he is sure that, in my lifetime, medicine should advance to the point of performing retina transplants, which means I may someday be able to see out of my left eye again. So, all around, pretty excellent news :)

Monday Morning Memories

Just a situation, with four walls and a floor
She stared at the ceiling, she longed for the door
Strange lands and separation, so far from home, and
So far, she’s holding her own

Power of the shadow, the wounding of the bright
The music stirs her deeply, she must not lose the light
Electric exploration, trying to come home, and
So far, she’s holding her own

A native dancer is running against the dark star
And so far, she’s holding her own

Just a stone’s throw away from home
She swore she’d do it
All alone, she’s got nerves of steel

The wheel, the fortune turns
The candle burns into the night
The unexpected blessing, the victory of light
Iceful isolation, she’s on her way back home, and
So far, she’s holding her own

A native dancer is running against the dark star
And so far, she’s holding her own

Just a stone’s throw away from home
She swore she’d do it
All alone, she’s got nerves of steel

Just a situation, with four walls and a floor
She stared at the ceiling, she longed for the door

Strange land and separation, so far from home, and

So far, she’s holding her
So far, she’s holding her
So far, she’s holding her own

bonus sean

me: you know what's funny? i found your brother's business card in a box of stuff i was going through this weekend

Sean: haha really?

me: yeah

i have no idea why i had it

you must have given it to me

Sean: why though?

me: why do you do anything that you do?

i have no idea

sean on relationships

me: so are you guys like, dating dating? or just hanging out, potentially on your way to dating?

Sean: um

we text a lot?

you know 2012 style

just hanging out

me: hahahaha

that is a great answer

Sean: yeah

not sure what, if anything will come of it. but having fun with it now

me: well that's good

it's been a while since you've told me about a girl

Sean: trust me, most aren't worth mentioning

me: actually, i don't know if you've ever told me about a girl

except that you got back together with your ex girlfriend, like, soph year of college

you have an interesting way of like, never ever giving anything away, though

i didn't know your GF's name for weeks because you just called her "my girlfriend"

Sean: if you picture my life as a plate of food, mine is the one with all the little dividers making sure my food doesn't touch.

Sunday morning brunch at Amy's :)

Sitting in Roger Williams Park just after sundown inarching...it got up to 83 today. Nutso!

My grandfather was in junior high during World War II, and to save money, the town he lived in--Mamaroneck, NY--shut down the junior high school and arranged it so that the high school kids went to school in the morning, until about 1 p.m., and then they would leave the building and the junior high kids would come in and go to school all afternoon and evening. He and his friends would meet at Walter's, a now famous hot dog stand, eat lunch, and then flip a coin to decide whether to go to school, or to go to New Rochelle to see a movie. When his father found out about this, he sent my grandfather, about 14 years old at the time, to military school.

He told me and Kurt (also in the picture) that story this past September; it was the best visit we ever had, and right after we left his house, we went to Walter's to give it a try. The hot dogs were fantastic, and it was so fun go there, knowing the story.

Two months later, my grandfather died. It's been 4 months and I still can't believe he's gone, and I am so, so glad to have this story.

Ah, brotherly love...I forget specifically what Kurt was doing, here, but whatever it was, Anne was horrified that Craig asked Kurt to do it.

Sunday morning :)

This car was in our driveway this morning...huh?

Girl cat :)

I don't know if I'll ever live anywhere again where the view of falling snow is so incredibly pretty <3

From...Probably back in November. Pleasant Street, Providence.

Weirdest conversation heart message ever?...