New picture

Ok, I realize Christmas is over and also that we spawned, so, after being called out for the obsolete header picture by numerous sources, I decided to update.

Of course I have been meaning to do this, but the reason I had not done so is severalfold. First, I have no pictures of Gavin, myself, the shorty, and the fur, all together. It is just too challenging to get everyone looking at the camera, and if I can't get a good shot, I don't want one. So, just like in our Christmas card picture this year, the fur got the boot. See below.

As a side note, it was funny to watch the dogs observe us taking our Christmas card picture without them. As you may or may not know, they hate clothes, and therefore super hate the Christmas card picture-taking process. But I super love dogs in clothes, and animals in clothes in general, so I would win this battle, year after year. In fact, Maddie has been in every Christmas card picture with me, sporting a sweater, since 2002. The first two cards were of just the two of us. Then in 2004 we added Gavin and Sugarbear. I should do a retrospective.... blog for another time.

Anyway, this year, as we took multiple pictures without even attempting to get them in, I could almost see the thought process play out in Maddie's tiny little terrier mind. It went something like this.

"What the frak? We're not in the Christmas card picture! Yayyyyy..... Wait a tic..... we're not in the Christmas card picture.... hmmm." I think this was the moment she ultimately realized things had changed around here. Sugarbear is still oblivious. To everything.

So anyway, I guess in the near future I'll try to get a pic with the whole fam. I will probably need help with this.

Second, Elise is always changing. The above picture is several weeks old and she looks different already. So I'll have to stay on top of this.

Meanwhile, here are some pics of the fur, just to keep them on the page. Happy Friday everyone!

Back in the Saddle

So I've been back at work for almost three weeks now! Everything is going very well. Elise loves "school" and I have really enjoyed being back amongst society, where I can litigate with reckless abandon and spread my good cheer to all those around me. You're welcome, world!

Parenthood continues to fascinate. I generally think I'm a good parent. After all, my shorty is a little chunkster, so she is obviously well fed. She's also very healthy (knock on wood) and usually in a pretty good mood. But every so often I get a whiff that I might not be supermom after all.

For example, observe the following transcript of a recent conversation with my sister Nikki, who is a supermom. Note that this conversation took place while I was still on maternity leave. Ahem.

Nikki: So how are things going with Elise?

Me: Great - she is such a fun little buddy.

Nikki: Are you playing all those baby Einstein and Baby Can Read dvd's for her nonstop?

Me: Oooh... no...

Nikki: Why not?

Me: She likes CNBC.

Nikki: Hmm. Well are you playing all those stimulating baby music cd's in your car for her?

Me: No...

Nikki: What does she like to listen to?

Me: Whatever is shuffling on my Ipod.

Nikki: *crickets*

Ok, so maybe I'm not the greatest at remembering to stimulate her mind with the latest and greatest baby stimulating inventions, but I think that early exposure to stock market and commodity analysis as well as all different types of music could be equally beneficial, and that's my theory.

What else. Oh yes. I had to complete some paperwork for Elise's school. It was clear that some of the questions were probably more geared towards parents of older children, but I did the best I could. For example, see the following questions, and my answers.

What are your child's special interests? Breastfeeding, exersaucering, sucking on her hands, looking at her hands, batting things with her hands.

Is she enrolled in a special group? We used to go to a breastfeeding support group once a week.

Favorite toys? Hands.

Favorite TV programs? CNBC.

Favorite foods? Breast milk (body temperature), whatever is on her hands.

How does she play with other children? She sits near them and sucks on her hands.

Do you see where I'm going with this? Elise is 15 weeks old, should she be doing a lot more than the above listed activities? She does other things of course. She smiles and laughs all the time. She sits in her bumbo and/or exersaucer, reaches for toys attached to her exersaucer, and she loves anything that makes noise, but I have to admit, other than that she's still pretty limited. I've read some books, and developmentally we seem to be on track, but still. Things like this make me wonder.

Well, anyway, here's a pic of us last weekend, as we headed out to an equestrian event here in town. Elise had fun looking at the horsies, and Gavin had fun being the kangaroo. Don't send me hate mail, please, I promise we had a jacket for her, which we put on her once we got into the shade. Enjoy!