NY for Thanksgiving

at Grampa Allan and Grandma Ellie's cabin























aunt Lisa is a bad influence








cousins Owen and Anna





















in Central Park

Halloween -- pumpkin-hunting with Ben.

Happy First Birthday! (9/14/07)

A bunch of folks came into town to celebrate the first birthday on September 14, including Aunt Trudi, Matt and Jess, Grampa Bull, and the usual gangs from Modesto and Fresno. Charlotte got her first taste of sugar, but generally cranked through the festivities. There was a large haul of gifts and a wickedly fought game of croquet.

the grandpas

July

hanging out on the hammockWe took the kid out for her first swim at our friend's pool in Santa Monica -- it was a little rugged at first, but before long she clung to her octopus like a pro

Charlotte's best buds Doris, Stephanie and Katey moved to Houston, which was sad for us all, but we'll see them again.

GOOD LUCK IN TEXAS!

the new yorkers

a little after we got back to LA, my mom and Allan came for a visit -- Charlotte got some new outfits (de rigueur)

later, Mom read Big Red Barn to her, but she seemed distracted, while Allan tried to get her into Isaac Babel, whose individualistic voice raised high against the forces of tyranny and repression seemed to strike a chord in her ten-month old soul

modesto

on the way back from mendocino, we made a quick pitstop in Modesto (and Charlotte just happened to be wearing another of the outfits Rebecca made for Erin)

Mendocino - mid-July

It's been a long time since the last post -- we've been moving around a lot, paying and receiving visits. Here are some shots from Mendocino where we rented a cabin in July on a ridge over the ocean. Charlotte was not totally into the hiking scene, but she seemed to like the beach, the seagulls in particular. It was a nice break from the heat, we relaxed and Peter and Maria stayed at a nearby B and B for awhile so they could spell us and get some quality time with kid. She got to feed the goats there.

Not much to report -- she's got two teeth in, slightly cranky with teething pains. Sitting up, rolling over, but not much for crawling yet -- seems content to stay put for the moment. She's very into dogs, especially our mutt Nina. Other than that, she's still unemployed and single.

here she is with Jeanne when we were in Fresno in May for Cheyenne Henderson's wedding

Charlotte's wearing an outfit Rebecca made for Erin back when Gerald Ford was president

sheldon, bobbi, andy and rob came by on rob's graduation weekend

magician interruptus

sarah steals charlotte's spotlight

So -- we (and by we, I mean, I, as in David) have been urged (and by urged, I mean chastised) to write more text along with the photos on this blog. I will try to satisfy (and by satisfy, i mean... oh never mind).

Starting today, May 24, 2007 -- Charlotte is 8 months and 10 days old. Today she had her first illness -- very minor, a small chest cold to match her mom's. She threw up a little in the crib -- which we attribute either to not liking the new addition to her diet (apricots), or getting a bad egg. Maybe it's her way of saying -- "Apricots and eggs? You call that lunch?" Anyway, despite a wheezy chest and the one moment of sickness, she's pretty happy, normal and reactive. Making lots of sounds. Reaching out for stuff. We bought a little chandelier for her bedroom today -- not too girlie, but a little sparkly. The rest of the room is pretty cool -- green and yellow carpet, a Charlotte's Web book cover art poster on the wall, a little giraffe print Erin and I bought for her last summer in Florence before she was born. It's the only room in the whole house that we've really gotten done.

This weekend, we are having some people over for a barbecue, including two little girls, the children of friends, who are 6 and 18 months (and maybe another couple with three boys between the ages of 5 and 3). Trying to widen the social circle. Sunday Peter and Maria come to stay for the week while I go to Hawaii for a six-day writers' retreat. I hope to make an entry before then -- we'll see how this one plays.

attitude