Recent Visitors- October 2011

James enjoying Sunday football with the boys (24 weeks + 4 days)


He's not too focused on the football yet though


Sarah and Lukas over for brunch and football (25 weeks + 4 days)


Michele, here to visit her man (26 weeks + 5 days)

Megan, Ed, and Janice Visit 2011

Last weekend, Megan and Ed came to visit Christina and Dan and Manhattan and Ash and I invited ourselves to have dinner with everyone. Janice didn't want to be left out of the fun either, so she came too, and stayed with me. A lovely bonus for me and James (see last post).  It was great to see our friends from D.C. (really Maryland and Virginia), plus I got my first look and rub of Christina's belly.  It's a boy!  I thought it was a boy, but I didn't make my guess clear in writing anywhere.  I think mainly I was hoping James would have a little buddy close to his age to play with in New York.

Ed, Megan, me, Janice, Dan, Christina, and Ash at Henry's, Wall Street


Just the GW ladies

Mis amigas son amigas de James 2011

Just a little shout-out to some of my friends that have been amazing with James.  Ash has visited James at least four times already, but I've actually lost count and she's starting to give the grandmothers a run for their money. Recently, Ash volunteered herself to come over and watch James so that Kevin and I could go for date night. Just volunteered.  I didn't ask or even hint. She is just that awesome.

An old photo, because the last two times she saw James was close to his bedtime

Janice, who lives all the way in Virginia, recently came and visited James a third time.  Points for distance travelled and effort made.  She also helped me take care of him all day on Saturday before we went out for Girls' Night.  A full day of baby care is GOLD around here.

October 8th, James at 24 weeks + 3 days, Janice at 3 decades plus

Also, I got pregnant the same month we found out my father was sick, so the first few months of my pregnancy were the hardest.  I'm not even sure how many times Janice and Ash came to see me while my dad was sick, but I know it was when I most needed it. A lot of people expressed their sympathy of course, but there were few people who showed up and made it their problem too, and that's the sort of thing you can never repay.  One time they came armed with early Thanksgiving dinner which was perfect, because my mother and I were just eating at the hospital every day and night and had no real food at home. Ash even drove me back and forth to the hospital when my mother started staying overnight.  I never expected to have such wonderful friends. I like to think that inside my belly, baby James was also an early recipient of their love and kindness.

Honorable mentions to a whole bunch of other baby-loving people. Michele, who visits James every chance she gets and might be up to four visits herself.  We call her the "baby whisperer," because her coos make James squeal with delight and giggle. I'm pretty sure he has a crush on her.  If he could, James would say, "Age is just a number, mom."  Sarah T., who might have a crush on James. (Watch out, Lukas, James is a charmer.) Rachel, who visited and babysat James, and then claimed he was a perfect angel.  Jon and Briggs, who probably have seen James more than any of my girlfriends have by virtue of coming over to watch baseball or football. And obviously, everyone who has met the baby.  He's really speeding up now-- he's trying to crawl and stand, he expresses interest in favorite music and food. Pretty soon he'll be an official toddler.

Allison and Dan's Wedding 2011

This pretty much captures Allison and Dan

I just got back from a lovely wedding in Maine. The Poteet's welcome dinner the night before the wedding was nicer than many weddings I've been to, with a beautiful view of the water in Bar Harbor, local beer and good wine, delicious appetizers, surf and turf for dinner, and two desserts, including some of the best brownies I have ever had.

Wendy, Clark, Dan, Allison, Jason, Chrissy, me, and Kevin at the Welcome Party

Welcome Party dinner

The ceremony location was beautiful, with perfect blue water and mountains in the background. They wrote their own vows, which I usually love because it gives you a rare chance to peek into the hearts of the bride and groom in a way that the standard religious vows do not. Allison expressed her love in a particularly eloquent and touching way. Dan's vows were not only lovely but he also responded (impromptu!) to her vows to wonderful comic effect.

Allison's mother and brother

Allison and her dad- someone looks happy!

More vows-related hilarity!

I love that she's looking at us to enjoy the moment with her.

Allison and Dan exchanging rings

Big kiss!

Mr. and Mrs.! 

I can hardly pick one photo from the cocktail hour because it was similarly beautiful and fun on a dock outside. And they served a blueberry mojito that was even more delicious than I imagined it would be. I might have to learn to make it myself because now that I've had one, I can't face a future without any more. Seriously.

The dock is awesome, right?


Me, experiencing blueberry mojito joy


Walking on the dock with our friends

The reception was inside a tent with trees near the support beams and herb garden center pieces, which were lovely and brought the outside location of the wedding inside the tent. In my opinion, good dancing music is one of the most important parts of a reception because, at least for me, it divides the weddings I really have fun at, from those I enjoy more passively. These days, with little baby James to keep me busy, weddings are my super fun night outs, so it was great to have such a good DJ. Also, my friends at the wedding were really fun to party with all night.

First dance near the inside trees

Cutting the very pretty cake

There was something else about this wedding. It felt like fate. To explain, I have to go back to the beginning. Allison and I went to high school together in New Jersey but she was in the grade above me and I knew her through friends that were in band with her: Chrissy, Cate, and Wednesday. I only really started spending more time with her when she would come home from college and then later when I would come home from college. In 1999, her junior year of college and my sophomore year, she studied in DC for a semester, and that's when we became close. She's a great listener, she leans in when you speak, laughs big wonderful laughs when you're only a little funny, and touches your arm to stress a point. She has a political wikipedia tucked in her brain, and her idealism is surpassed by very few people. She is easy to love.

Here's where it gets a bit odd. In 2001, before we knew either of them, my now-husband Kevin, and Allison's now-husband Dan, left the east coast and went across the country to go to school at the University of Iowa. Kevin was at the Iowa Writer's Workshop, and Dan was in law school, but somehow they ended up playing basketball together regularly.

In 2005, shortly after she met Dan, Allison told me she had met a great guy on Friendster. She told me about their first date in Boston and how she was excited for his next email. Later that day, I took a picture in Miami in front of a palm tree, which later I put on my Friendster. When I moved to Charlottesville for law school, Kevin saw the picture of me in front of a palm tree and thought I was cute. The first time Kevin and I went to visit Allison and Dan in Boston together, Kevin realized that he knew Dan from Iowa.

Did you follow all that? Ramsey, New Jersey; Iowa City; Boston; Miami; and Charlottesville. And then there we all were. I had known the bride for 15 years, Kevin had known the groom for 10 years. If it's one of those it's-a-small-world coincidences, it's a good one for sure. Or maybe it's meant to be.

Baby Cort 2011!

Trey and Sunny had their first baby, a boy, about a week ago!  They named him after the baby's great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, all "Frank Joseph."  Since the little guy is IV, or "the fourth" they are calling him "Cort" in much the way his father goes by Trey as a nickname for III. His nickname is also after a close friend named Courtney that they lost.

At 9 pounds 11 ounces, Cort was just one ounce less than James!  Cort looks slender though, whereas James looked like a little Eskimo marshmallow. Congratulations, happy family!

Girls' Nights- August 2011

Group photos of two recent nights out with the girls. For the record, Kevin goes out regularly with his guy friends but he doesn't document everything he does with photography.  Go figure.

Getting Cuban food at Copellia in Chelsea- Michele, Christina, me, Rachel, Sarah T

 
Mexican food at Cancun with the ladies from work- Adrienne, Christie, Akua, and me

North Fork with Jon and Becky 2011

Perhaps in an effort to convince me that Long Island is not a developing country Kevin whisked me off to North Fork on Thursday, where our good friends Jon and Becky had rented a vacation house for the week. Kevin has been visiting them there for the last two years, but this was the first year I didn't have to work so I could join them. The plan was to relax and make lobsters for dinner and enjoy the beach the next day.  The first plan was a success. We enjoyed some wine and beer in the backyard while Jon grilled up some corn, and then went inside while Becky boiled the lobsters. It's only the third time I've ever had lobster right out of the shell, and the first time was when I was a kid, so I struggled quite a bit with my attack strategy. The delicious reward was well worth it though.

Enjoying a walk along the bay

Jon watching Kevin and James enjoy the hammock

Wine, check, pacifier, check

Sorry, lobster buddy, we have special plates for you and everything

The next day it rained so we had to rethink our beachy plans. We decided on a two vineyard, one brewery tour. I haven't gotten out of the house s much as I used to so I was super excited. We were a little concerned about taking James to adult places even though Becky assured us they were family-friendly, but James was surprisingly well-behaved, for James. Kevin did kindly take him outside for a little while at Lenz Winery while I hit the wine tasting, but he did get to try most of the wines first. I really liked the wine there and enjoyed my time chatting with Becky while Kevin and Jon fed and bounced the baby outside.

James then had a total meltdown in the car, but since it was in private, we were pretty psyched. He rallied for the Greenpoint Brewery, possibly because he was so stimulated by all the new sights and sounds. (Stimulated = freaked out.) By the time we got to Paumanok Winery, James fell asleep for his big afternoon nap so we were able to relax, enjoy the view of the vineyard, and ask Jon and Becky about their trip to Paris from a few years ago.

Three Clous at Lenz Winery

Becky and Jon at Lenz Winery

Greenport Harbor Company

The boys at Greenport Harbor Company

Becks and Jon at Paumanok Winery

Us at Paumanok Winery

What other baby can say he celebrated his 100-day mark with a winery-brewery "crawl?" Not very many, I'm sure. He had a semi-traumatic doctor's appointment the previous day before we left for North Fork, so we know he's now 15 pounds 7 ounces, and measuring 25.5 inches long. Though when I measure him, I get 26 inches... but somewhere around there.  Our mothers insisted we ask the pediatrician about introducing cereal or other solids to get James to sleep through the night. The pediatrician said that he shouldn't have any, and that it definitely wouldn't get him to sleep through the night. In fact, he suggested NOT feeding the baby at night, but just going in to comfort him. I'm not too confident about that idea just yet. I feel like James is stubborn and strong enough to cry for hours in protest. But we will eventually try if his sleep doesn't keep getting longer on its own. Right now he's up to four hours at a time, and some nights he only gets up once.

At the pediatrician's with his super intense finger bandage for his anemia test

Visits from Friends- July 2011

In the first ten days of July, we've visited with friends six of those days.  With the baby in the mix-- I'm impressed with us but also exhausted!

First, Ash and Michele L slept over the night before Ash and I left for the Corbman wedding. We ordered sushi and stayed up way too late having philosophical conversation and feeding the baby (at 1 a.m.). That might not have been the best idea for me.

A second attempt at a group picture (10 weeks + 2 days)

Then, Brady came over to provide moral support to Kevin while I was away at the wedding, and he stayed for three days until the Fourth of July cookout with Briggs, Nick G and Emily.

Brady and James enjoying some True Blood together (Just kidding! Maybe?)

On Thursday, Kevin's friend from high school Nick C and his girlfriend Michelle R (yes, we saw two different Nicks and two Michele/Michelles in 10 days!) came to meet James and visit us before they head to their next adventure. They only recently got back from a year traveling South America, and their next destination is still unknown.  We had good conversation and two intense rounds of Connect Four. And Nick stayed up with Kevin through the 1-3 a.m. feeding. Bad idea for Kevin.

Nick and Michelle meet James (11 weeks + 1 day)


So much more REAL than tic tac toe

James also picked this day to start pushing out of his bouncy seat with his legs! His legs are so strong, and he seems to insist on bouncing on his legs now.  You're supposed to crawl before you walk, buddy. Oh well, Grandma Kathy tells us that Kevin skipped crawling and went straight to walking at about a year old. I crawled first, but was walking by 9 months. Is James trying to outdo us both? Personally, I think he should focus on tummy time skills, like lifting his head or rolling over, but James only screams when I put him down.

Finally, on Sunday, we ventured out of the house with James to have brunch with Lukas and Sarah. This is always a very tricky situation since James hates the car (and everything), but Luke and Sarah only live 30 minutes away so we thought we would risk it. Sarah generously offered to make brunch so we could stay in since we assume other brunch-goers do not want to hear James screaming. And oh my, what a delicious brunch she made with grits casserole, shrimp, bacon, and berry salad. We even had Bloody Marys and mimosas. Fancy.

Playing with James while he SQUEALS with delight!


Check out the spread!


Bonus baby photo from the same day (11 weeks+ 4 days)

Fourth of July 2011

Fourth of July! (James at 10 weeks + 5 days.)

With a little fussy baby, we had to keep things low-key. Our friends Brady, Briggs, Nick, and Emily came over for a cookout in the back yard. It was the first time we'd seen Nick and Emily since they got married in May in Charlottesville, and the first time they met James. We weren't able to make the drive to their wedding when James was only a month old., so they filled us in on all the fun details.

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Emily and Nick meeting James


Irish men relaxing in the shade


Wedded bliss

It's been a while since a post was a pure James update, but here are some tidbits. He started pushing around his crib with his legs in the 9th week which is a little scary since I know he can accidentally roll onto his belly but might not be able to lift his head away from the mattress. At his June 30 appointment (10 weeks + 1 day) he measured 24.5 inches, and weighed 13 pounds 10 ounces.  Relatedly, the 4th of July was the last time I squeezed him into a 3-month outfit. Now he's rocking the 6-month onesies. The day after the 4th, James finally started holding a toy. It's the little stuffed bear that came with the flowers Janice sent me at the hospital when I had him. He enjoys the bear mainly because he likes sucking on his ear.  He can manipulate the bear into his mouth, as opposed to the pacifier, which if he drops, he can't get to himself.

James at 11 weeks

Jamie and Emily's Wedding 2011

Fourth of July weekend my friend Jamie married his love of four years, Emily, in the beautiful town of Narragansett, Rhode Island. The weather was perfect for the outside ceremony with a view of the water. The ceremony was light-hearted and short, full of funny commentary by Jamie, and touching tears of love from Emily. The cocktail hour was also outside and featured delicious little lobster rolls and light lavender lemonade vodka drinks. The reception was also lovely with the tables in two parallel lines and a walk way to the dance floor. Not to go on about the food too much, but a raw bar-- awesome.

Jamie's brother's speech really captured what a lot of us see when we look at Jamie and Emily, the world's most energetic match. To see them dance together is to know that they're soulmates. And the music at their wedding was perfect for dancing. I'm actually very picky about wedding music because I find that it is so often difficult to dance to, but the DJ was on top of his game, and more importantly, Jamie and Emily's friends can really throw down. Especially my best friends from college that were there to celebrate.

Here's to a wonderful life for them filled with love, happy energy, and much dancing!

You can see the love here


Holding a hug post-kiss, how adorable


Our college group in front of the Towers in Narragansett


With the bride and groom and my friend Christina


This is how you get the party started


Dancing with the groom


More dancing plus tambourine