Industry

Sela. Favorite symbol? Beehive. Here we illustrate her industrous character as she takes the initiative to help load the dishwasher - without having to be asked.

Concession

Now that it is November, I have to concede that summer is definitely over. I know, some people may have come to this conclusion days ago, but I had a hard time with this admission because much of the summer was so cool and rainy, that I kept waiting for it to feel like summer, but maybe a summer here never does feel like summer in that sidewalk egg frying way. I am not yet ready to concede completely to that point, but other than my frustration about the weather, it was a good summer. Primarily because, in the absense the husband of to the Himalayan foothills, my mother came for five weeks, then Dad, then the Inlaws.


Some people may worry about their mother coming to stay for five weeks, but it was truly amazing to have her here. It was also truly amazing that she mowed the lawn. She said once that she was just trying to help me make my house "more functional" - and she helped in all the right ways without me really saying much of anything (with the assistance of one small one). Having her here and seeing her with Sela reminded me of some of the things that I wouldn't mind seeing in myself one day.
When Dad came, we had a really fun search for moose (akin to the search for snipe, good snacks, and classy hotel rooms), and the perfect pinochle game in the "northern country" as grandpa tried to break the girl of her broccoli habit. It's also nice to not worry about your inlaws coming to stay for weeks when you husband will supposedly be out of the country. I mean, when Janet can keep you informed about what you should know is happening in your own village from across the country, you can just imagine what you can learn when she is actually here. Elvoid has a good way solving problems, so that sometimes, things in the house would be fixed and improved that I didn't necessarily consider the possibility improving and there it would be - better than it had been before. It's also great to play with the little one with people who think that she is as wonderful as you do.

Curl

I never even thought to think about whether or not I was a natural at curling. Well, years of the balance beam may have been preparation for just this sport. Now, for those critics who question whether or not curling is truly a sport, would the Olympic committee really approve anything that didn't take upmost athletic skill? Anyone who has tried to sweep their kitchen floor in a very vigorous and very fast motion can attest to the sweat that can pour from one's brow and the careful coordination it would take to do that and walk quickly forward in a straight line at the same time. And, who knew that you are better off in curling if you can do the splits? Anyway, any sport that you march out on the ice in a line to start the game (even when it's your first game ever), banging your broomstick to the beat of a blaring bagpipe tune, is bound to make you feel grandios and athletic.

Chilling Darkness Encounters

I guess if you are not updating your blog, then nothing is happening in your life. Otherwise, you would be posting or twitting something. So, you can see that from the time that Sela turned one, we basically stopped doing things and she became uninteresting - until she became a bear.

Birthday Girl

I had no idea that we would start getting catalogs with nothing but paraphanalia for First Birthdays. Who knew that we needed a theme party complete with a nail polish bottle shaped pinata? Luckily, she wasn't interested in all that commercialism.

Instead, I made her a nice chocolate cake with chocolate frosting so it would show up well in pictures. I decorated with some of the prized blueberries and rasberries from our yard (and the neighbor's). There were bets on how she would approach having an entire cake placed on her tray - the full fisted dive versus dainty picking. I'm not surprised that she used her very precise pincer grasp to pull off the berries, but then she wouldn't eat the ones tarnished with chocolate frosting. Instead, she joyfully went back to the broccoli, chicken, and corn-on-the-cob from dinner. Granted, it was fresh sweet corn. For her second go around at a birthday celebration, she got darn right mad when I tried to feed her a cupcake. Good thing we salvaged the party with a dog book. On our recent vacation, she devoured steamed mussels and canned sardines. Maybe her grandfather is right to be worried...

Fly

We have a fruit fly problem revolving around our high chair. I seem to be losing the battle. I think it's a numbers thing. How long does it take a fruit fly to multiply? I fear, not long. Isn't that one of the reasons they are used in all the research studies? Easily multiplied, easily mutated?


Sometimes you just get tired - and sweaty.

I'm funny; I'm one

... for GAA

Happy big one. Kisses like this one for visitors.

Un-fried

Well, she ate her first whole worm. It was bound to happen.

Pick-me-up

In case you have a bad day of Indian cafeteria food, watch this.......

New Tricks for Indian Dad

For Dan

Here's a little of our ever-more-mobile girl to make you smile through your Delhi Belly abdominal cramping. Exciting probably only for a father (and maybe a grandparent).

Sometimes

Sometimes things don't really work out. For example, Dan is en route to India for a month and his luggage is in the back of my car.

Shadow Pincer

When Sela was born on 08.08.08, at almost 8am and 8 lbs almost 8 oz, it sealed our knowledge that she will have magical powers. My personal dream for a magical power has been flying for a very long time (refer to "Three" "Great" "Friends"), although I don't know if that would still be my choice. Lately, I have been watching Sela as she tries to pick up shadows with her small and precise pincer grasp and then put them in her mouth. For a couple of weeks now, I have been trying to figure out the benefit of this ability she is developing. It's sometimes hard to figure out how to best put these kind things to their best uses.

Backyard

Casa Blanca, Uh Huh! Uh Huh!

For Ryan, Jaime and Jerry.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2f8B9C41tk

Easter

I like GAA, but Zoe is my favorite.

Good times on the floor

Are you looking at my butt. Almost ready to crawl.

Easter calisthenics
colder than it looks

small spaces

One of those days...

I was thinking, on my way to work after first stopping by the emergency room to have them stitch me up subsequent to my graceful, baby-protecting fall on the ice, that it was the first time I had really used my professional connections. Then, I remembered when Ryan called in my prescription for scabies treatment (which I then called in for Dan a week or so later).

Blowfish

Dan is in Korea eating delicately prepared, potentially deadly blowfish, but this is what we serve around here..... to blowfish

Little Bear

Hibernation state.

Post hibernation.

Playing in the Snow

Our little girl puts up with a lot of crazy ideas. Today we took her snowshoeing. She had a lot of fun until her snot got frozen to her upper lip and her drool made icicles.

Sometimes it's hard to get that perfect shot. Love the sneeze.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Greetings from Hamilton, NY!
We hope that you are well and wish you the best for the New Year.
Main updates from our family:
1) Sela joined the team 08.08.08
2) Planted 800 daffodils/tulips around the house
3) Relearned that shoveling snow is like doing the laundry
4) Sunny survived work, pregnancy and a kitchen remodel
5) Dan discovered that his favorite color is still orange (it took all year)
6) Tried to give chocolate covered kimchi to everyone that visits
7) Visited a lot of friends and family as we accompanied Sela on her U.S. tour
8) We are still married (and like it)

Love,
Dan, Sunny & Sela