One year ago this week ...

I had been watching Ike approach the Texas coast. While we were hoping not much damage would occur, we were hopeful that Ike would help me, Kyle, and Sputnik along on our journey to meet each other. The due date was on a Friday, and one of the partners in the office told me that he had a feeling he would not be seeing me in at work the following Monday.
That evening we headed out to Mandola's for a celebratory dinner, although Sputnik had other plans. I remember one of the roads on the way to Mandola's seemingly filled with potholes, more than normal. And I remember that sort of shocked feeling when I stood up outside of our car (thank heavens the water didn't break in the car!), knowing that Sputnik's birth was imminent. The look on Kyle's face was priceless, and I think I will remember that for quite some time.
We were giddy on the way back home and once we got there, calling people, checking some thing we thought was important in our birthing binder, getting last minute items together, and trying to feed our hungry stomachs. Lola and Sophie seemed excited and confused.
The hospital was actually calm that evening. Our midwife was already there, and it was comforting to see a familiar face. After settling in to the hospital room, we both started napping around 10 pm or so, waiting for the contractions to start....

growing, growing, growing

Zoe is growing so fast these days. When we left for Maine some pj's fit her (well, at least you could fit her in them, not necessarily well, but it worked). By the time we got back her legs definitely gained an inch or so - only the feet were cut off, but the legs of the pj's were all the way up to her knees. And today, when she woke up, there were definitely some more brain connections than yesterday. Hard to explain the difference between one day and the next, but it seems like she's definitely understanding more of something. Also, the hard 'k' sound is now part of her vocal repertoire, making words like 'bark' possible and frequent around the house.
Lola and Sophie are a big part of her life, and she says Lola's name more frequently than either of ours (admittedly, some version of 'Mom' has yet to make an appearance). We've been teaching gentle touches, which Sophie is much more accommodating of than Lola. These days Zoe plays a version of chase with Lola: Zoe tries to give Lola a kiss or hug, and Lola runs 3 feet away.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat....

For the photo this week: Zoe trying on one of Kyle's t-shirts. She still has more growing before those will fit as some sort of clothing item (dress?), but right now they make for a good ghost, especially since she is so fond of scaring people.

vacation (with seafood)

Thanks to Mom & Dad (aka Grandma and Grandpa), Kyle and I were able to take a vacation up to Maine for an archi wedding in Kennebunkport. The whole trip was wonderful - we got to sleep in, eat lots and lots of seafood, and enjoy the company of friends, some of whom we haven't seen in several years. The wedding was on a Saturday, which happened to be the day that former tropical storm Danny was colliding with all sorts of other weather; the result:

(yes, Maine is under that big white thing)

Rain.
And cold weather.
And wind.

But, the wedding was wonderful. A few of us went out and got some wool socks and galoshes to go with our formal wear, wore long sleeve shirts under pretty sleeveless summer dresses, and just had fun with it. The wedding was moved into a house, with an excellent Rabbi encouraging everyone to get really close to the couple, a big hug of sorts. The ceremony was beautiful and personal, with plenty of smiles and happy tears. Afterwards we moved outside under a tent, with heaters brought in to warm us as we enjoyed excellent company, wine, and food.

By the time the evening came to a close, the clouds and rain had lifted, revealing a starry nite as we enjoyed our ice cream and s'mores by the fire. The next day was of course gorgeous and warm - we were able to see two completely different sides of some Maine weather!

A truly enjoyed weekend.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Zoe was able to celebrate (belatedly) her Grandpa's birthday, though she wasn't quite sure what to think of the cake and candle set-up. She did get to sample some of his cake in preparation for her big birthday just around the corner!

Tough Choices

An Amber Lager or an IPA ?