Another one of the blips we call weekends

As a quick update/hello... immediatly upon return from a work night away we spent Friday evening with some new parent friends at dinner and then went out to check out galleries downtown for 'First Friday'. This was all fun. Alder managed to reach for everything in sight throughout the meal and make the entire restaurant aware of our presence tucked back by the kitchen with his happy squealing. We remembered the quieter days our friends are experiencing with thier 6-week-old baby boy and watched how calmly they sat across the table. All fun, changes and all. After dinner, Alder remained easy-to-please with a fire juggler and visual art. This and walking around anywhere outside remain two of the most certain ways to stimulate and entertain him.

Saturday, first and foremost, we kinda finished working on our new bookcase. Looking at boxes of books on the floor in our 'living room' since we moved in (10 months ago), we've long awaited the day when they would again be accessible, and when we could use this room for something other than storage and a walkway to other places. Dad came up a couple of Thursday's ago and built it for us while we were at work, understanding that we have very little time to do something like this right now. He spent the night and finished it the following morning. Since, we have been sanding, prepping, priming and painting, in spare evening moments. Ultimately this allowed us to make space in other places around the house too, and to put a rug down and basically make this room more inviting and useful. Thank you again Dad.

Lesley brought back memories of her late pregnancy nestiness once that paint dried. I just remember screwing in the last shelf underneath, then blurs of movement, a vaccuum running, tools disappearring from the floor, random breezes, bumps and flashes of color and when I came to, in a ball in the corner by the door... WHAM. We had a living room. Maybe we will post another pic when trim is re-attached and the job is official. Oh yeah and the doors arent on the cabinet yet...

Being able to throw the rug out was great too. We have already started using it as a play place. I forgot how much I even like to wallow around on an open rug on the floor. I have missed this since Knoxville. Some pics.

Alder in awe of one thing or another.

And still in awe of the little LED on the camera.

Recalling that this is just the little LED on the camera.

And it has been so fun to see how Alder is now not just noticing Tsuga, but reaching for him, lunging at him when he walks by for any chance to grab a handful of fur and pull. Tsuga doesnt mind at all. He just eases that sweet spot around to Alder thinking that maybe he can train the new one to scratch him where he wants as he thinks he has trained us.

And lastly, this face... this is the face that nowadays sends forth what might be best described as the mimicked roars of small boys when playing with dinosaur toys. And this particular one, he actually does while INHALING! (??) Alder has become fond of testing/exercising the larynx with plenty of other wild growls and squeals too. We are often amazed at his volume and at how long he can go without breathing.

And this morning, we went out to the River to do some birding, something we haven't lately given nearly the attention we used too. It was very nice - a nice chance to review some gulls and waterfowl and just learn a little more about the place where we now live. We are trying to make a point to do this more now, if for no other reason, than for Les to scout spots to take her Ornithology class next semester. No photos though - it was enough to have baby, stroller, dog and a crick in my neck that has me virtually tied to an ironing board right now. I am headed to the heating pad again to call out for Les and cross my fingers that she will bring her healing hands ...

We hope you all had a beautiful weekend.

namaste