book 1

Ok, so I just figured out what will get me to post here more often.  Every time I finish reading a book, I’ll write about it here, along with a family update.  Sound good?

I know, it’s only Jan. 2, and I’ve finished a book already?  Don’t worry, it was a v. quick and easy read.  Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies (she plays Det. Stabler’s wife on L&O: SVU) is the memoir of her marriage’s dissolve, due to her husband’s affair with a colleague.  It was pretty good but seriously depressing for the most part.  It made me grateful for Timon, for my only guess at his reaction if a co-worker tried to entice him would be that he would be extremely embarrassed and speechless.  (Not to mention that this would be also highly, highly unlikely, since he has mostly straight male co-workers.)

Today we went to the zoo for the first time in a very long time – it was wonderful!  The baby siamang gibbon has turned into the most adorable toddler of all time.  Maria really liked the budgies (Australian birds) and nearly had one in her hot little hand before it flew away.  Henry’s favorite of the day was the white tiger.  I love our zoo – and I especially love having a membership (thanks, Mimi & Papa!!!) because we don’t feel like we have to spend a very long time there to justify the ticket price.  And next week, they’re no longer going to charge for the rides, which is SO nice.  Maria can ride the carousel and Henry can go on the flying bananas to their hearts’ content.

sweet babies

We went to the zoo when the girls were here… we’d seen a photo in the paper of my favorite primates and their new teensy baby and I was so excited to see what the mama would be doing with baby (the zoo hasn’t announced the gender yet) – would she still do her swinging display during their song? Turns out, she DOES! With the baby clutching onto her! Can you STAND IT?!?

Mama was very nurturing and hands on with the baby after they finished their song. It was so sweet. If that’s not rotting-your-teeth-out sweet enough, we saw this little girl, just 14 months old, nursing on her mama right in front of everyone! LOVE IT!

She is so cute and mischievous… after she finished her meal she was wandering away from her mother and climbing all over the place.

The old dude seemed less than thrilled with our presence.

There were other little ones hanging around, and others possibly being created (those turtles are “enjoying each other’s company” nearly EVERY time we go there). And the best part is we got to take the four cutest ones home.

aquarium

Well, like they’ve already posted, Maria and I went to the aquarium with Farah, MT, and Armadillo (currently in-utero); Jen and Elizabeth, and Barb with her yet-to-be-born son last Friday. Of course we were going just to have fun, but we also decided to have a mini-shower (a sprinkle, if you will) for Farah & Armadillo, due Dec. 3. Jen made this hilarious onesie for them:

We saw these gorgeous, deadly jellies:

The kids made some kind of club pact, signified by their hand slaps:

Maria walked all over the place:

We found Nemo:

And we saw some super cool sea dragons (the one on the left is one inch long!):

A lovely, lovely day, with lovely, lovely ladies and our children…

Jesus, save me (or, keepin' it real) *updated*

I just saw an article titled "Officials Fear Python Invasion" and subtitled "20 Foot Long Snakes Travel 1.6 Miles Per Day."

If you're looking for me, I'll be sitting on my roof.

*update: I have approximately 187 days before they get here at that rate of travel. I have now resumed breathing normally.

chad, this is for you

Oh, the siamang gibbons... I'm only one month removed from having a baby, and yet I almost ran (okay, so I walked really fast) clear across the zoo when I heard the beginning of their love song so I wouldn't miss seeing it. I could literally stand there all day and watch them when they are singing to each other. Anyway, Chad, I know it's been a while since you've been to our zoo, and so I thought you'd enjoy seeing them.



{and seriously, would it kill you to call us? :o) ***hugs***}

light show

After a lovely meal Friday night with some friends we braved the downtown traffic, heading up to the top floor of a parking garage near the movie theatre to catch the fireworks. Since the last time any of us have done this very thing, a new condo was built up, partially obstructing the best views - but we still managed to enjoy the show. I played with the fireworks setting on the little point&shoot I use at work, and even without a tripod (which I'd use another time) we got some decent shots.

The other thing occupying our time this past weekend was house-and-pet-sitting for some friends of ours. They have 3 cats, 2 dogs, a turtle and a fish - and Henry is quite enamored of one of the dogs and the turtle, particularly. He and Molly the dog are becoming fast friends.

Henry's also enjoying their pool - and yesterday he and his good buddy G started swimming lessons. Apparently Henry has become a fish since last year's swim lesson incident. I blame this (quite happily) on the fact that all last week we got to watch the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials on tv - the races made quite an impression on him. Now when he jumps in the water he puts his head and hands down, makes a beeping noise, and jumps in for the belly flop. Next up: flip turns. Who'd have EVER thought I'd pass any kind of athletic passion on to my son? Certainly not my high school swim coaches.

crossings

This morning while out on an errand, I saw some cars stopping in front of me. They swerved into the right lane, continuing on their way, and then I saw the source of the delay: a woman was trying to coax a turtle into a cardboard box. I'm sure she was trying to save it from the inevitable collision with the tires of whatever car was too late to avoid it. It was quite a big one - he (or she, I suppose) had a shell 12 inches across and probably 15 inches long. Obviously, the turtle did not want to be put into the box. All of the sudden, a man appeared and picked up the turtle by the shell, and deposited into the small pond about 20 yards off the road from which I presume the turtle was trying to escape in the first place. While he was carrying the poor thing, it's neck was out about 10 inches, swinging it's open mouth around and around trying to bite the man. Bizarre, no?

I went to the OB yesterday - and, I'm (sort of) sad to announce that the streak has ended: I gained back the 3 pounds I'd lost. My BP was good, baby's heartbeat was great, I am measuring right on target. Uneventful - just how I like my OB appointments to be.

One thing I may not have mentioned here before is that we are strongly considering using (mostly) cloth diapers with this baby. Tomorrow we're driving to the north end of our county to do some further investigation at a cloth diaper distributor who has a store here. It's hard to even wade through the mountain of options for cloth diapering these days - when I showed my mom some websites last weekend during my parents' visit, she was astounded at how things have changed since the prefold/rubber pants days of the 70s. So even though there are plenty of product reviews and testimonials available on all sorts of blogs and websites, I'm sure we'll have a much better idea of things after seeing them in person. While we're up there we are going to hit up the Babies 'R Us too, to check out some more stuff: a new car seat, breast pump, and bottle options (ALL of ours from Henry are chock full of BPA - a big no-no so we're now learning). Not buying, just looking for now. Then we'll hopefully have a relaxing Sunday and Monday, ending in a picnic with some friends Monday afternoon. If it rains, there's always the Law & Order marathon on TNT!

derby

First, let me say HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to Andrea & Frank-a-ma-doo. It seems like just three years ago I was keeping the crazies away from Andrea as she tried to get dressed in her gorgeous gown on their big day. As you can see, I was partially sucessful, and the bride looked completely perfect, as usual (I've been jealous of that hair for 12 years now).

Once when Andrea and I were still in school (and I was over 21, really), we watched as our friend Brian attempted to make his own mint julep without the proper bartending supplies. Needless to say, it was utterly disgusting and quickly went down the drain of Brian's Parker Hall sink. Speaking of mint juleps, I was happy to watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday - horses are "pretty much my favorite animal, bred for their skills and magic," (name that movie) and I love love love to watch them run. If I were an animal, I'd be a dark, dark brown/gray filly racehorse. Basically, I'd look like her:

That gorgeous girl up there is Eight Belles. I think that horse racing is generally an amazing sport. It's pure speed, coordination, and athleticism on the part of horse and rider. We watched Saturday as Big Brown coasted to victory and then saw Eight Belles come in second. As they followed Big Brown with the cameras, interviewing his jockey, it was quickly clear that something was wrong with the filly. And then they pulled the veterinary trucks in front of the sight of Eight Belles laying down on the track. I started crying when they said that they had to euthanize her right there because of her two broken front ankles - an impossible injury for an animal that large to recover from. I'm not sure what I think about horse racing now. It was the saddest thing I've seen in a long, long time. What a waste of an amazing animal.