Summertime Cooking

To be any kind of dad that your kids will respect, you just have to know how to cook something, even just one thing, that their friends will know you for. Sure, I'd like to believe it'd be a delicate savory souffle, but this might be more, shall we say, memorable.



Oh, you might laugh, but search your soul, and you know you want to try this.

Things I Never Thought I Would Hear

As most of you know, Walter is a, well, a quirky dog. While he has many endearing traits, he has a few issues. One of these issues is his love of poop. We have learned that there are many reasons why a dog might eat poop. We've heard it's a thing bassets do, we've heard it's a thing dogs who were taken too early from their mothers do, we've heard all sorts of reasons. None of them are really acceptable, and we're left with the fact that our dog has quite a nasty habit that we can't break.

Mia has come to learn about Walter's dirty little secret. When we walk in the Arboretum, she will tell him, "No, Walter. You should not eat poop."

Cut to today's lunch. I was eating stuffed grape leaves leftover from our Memorial Day picnic.

Mia says to me, "Mama, whatcha eatin? Dog poop?" With a straight face.

I nearly lost it.

Memorial Day Weekend

Even though all Mia wants to do each day is watch some Dora the Explorer...



We managed to drag the clan downtown to enjoy the fantastic spring weather.



Mia got to ride on the ducks...



And Nate got to ride on his mom...



And after a decent afternoon nap, it was back to the arboretum for a rousing game of kick the ball with Ian.

Weighing in

Nate had his six week visit to the pediatrician today. He weighed in at a whopping 12 lb 13 oz and he's 22.5 inches long. That's a whole lot of growing in such a short time. He's in the 95th percentile for weight. He's so much bigger than Mia was at this stage. The first thing people comment on when they see him is how big he is. He looks like a 4 month old baby--big chubby cheeks, wide alert eyes, a winning smile.

He's sound asleep, snoring away in his carseat while I sit and admire just how cute he is.

Ah, springtime...

When little girls run and play, and baby boys happily watch the world from their tiny seats.

You know it's spring...

...when Walter starts to shed.

Happy Mother's Day

Gorgeous day in Boston, and as happens each year, Mother's Day coincides with the annual Lilac festival in the arboretum. It's been a stressful few days lately with two demanding kids and an obstinant dog so a chance to spread fine cheeses on a fresh slice of baguette the one day the arboretum allows picnics was just what the Dr. ordered.

All Corrie wants for Mother's day was a break, but until Nate either learns to take the bottle or I start to lactate there's only so much we can do for her. Soon enough though I'll train the kids to serve her the traditional burnt pancakes and rancid coffee breakfast in bed, but for now, the best we can offer her is as many hands to help as are available. Forgiving weather and the overpowering smell of Lilacs certainly help.





(Nate slept through it all. His contribution to the day)

Crafty Folk

We've been lucky lately to have been surrounded by friends who knit. While there is still a nip in the Boston air, our boy has no shortage of handmade outfits, the latest sweater shown below.



Corrie has gotten into making hats as well



And this is on top of the dolls made for Nate




(and how could I not post a picture of Mia as well here?)

The second born' burden

The second kid always has fewer baby pictures. When Mia was two weeks old we took pictures of everything, not so much these days for poor Nate. Some of this is simple logistics, not having a free hand nearly as much as before, the house is a mess with our camera buried beneath a pile of laundry and stuffed animals somewhere, and the boy sleeps a good chunk of each day anyway. That being said, he needs his own time in the spotlight, and not just as half of a pair of cute kids. To that end, here are a few of Nate, wide awake.