- We got new windows. At first I thought I would feel nostalgic for the original-to-the-house fifties windows- nope! The new windows are much more cold and noise proof, and cleaner, and just wonderful. The fact that we have a big new window and declined to hang the old blinds in our bedroom not only means that we have to change our clothes in a strategic spot, but also that I have been admiring the moonlight especially the last week (when the moon was big), shining onto the beautiful white blossoming trees in our neighbors' back yard. Lovely! Blinds would also be lovely, but whatever, no rush. As long as no one is sitting on our next door neighbor's second story roof, we should be alright.
- Jim re-did the bathroom! I will definitely try to post some before and after shots, because the before color was so dismal, and the after, so much nicer. It is surprising how many varieties of white and off-white can be included in one (tiny!) room. No longer! Unless you refuse to overlook the tan shower stall, which we are just covering as much as we can with the new shower curtain.
- I had a "spa weekend" (my Christmas present from Jim) with my homegirl C., which involved no spa treatments whatsoever save the cheapie manicure we got on the way to our hotel downtown, where we worked out in the fitness room, gave up on the redonkulous modern bathtub in the super swank hotel room and just showered off, and then drank and snacked our way through a Seattle Saturday night. Better than a mud wrap or whatever. I won't say I felt 21 again, since I am unable to binge drink any longer without carefully balancing my food intake and rehydrating myself at every turn, and also because I had to pump a bunch of alcohol-tainted milk and pour it down the drain before I fell asleep (at, uh, like 11:45, sad). But I did feel 32 again. heh.
- Muriel started crawling...well, dragging herself is more like it. It's funny to watch, and she is totally into it. She's fast, too. And the sound she makes is a little like a horror movie if you don't know it's a cute baby coming. Dragggg, slap, draggggg, slap.
- Also, after watching Naomi grow, I decided that eight to nine months is when babies sort of come into their own- where they turn into the widely held cultural image we have of babies, who tilt their heads and flirt and smile and sit up on their own and cram cheerios into their mouths. So, Muriel has made it. Her cuteness factor, already reasonably high, is shooting through the roof, people.
- Naomi has mastered the potty, and I am extremely proud of her, and if you are training a child of your own and get very aggravated when people tell you that when the child is really ready, it will take two days to train him or her, well, just try to hear them. I didn't want to hear it, myself. But...it's true.
- Visitors! From Boise, Idaho, our friends E. and E., with young master C., who is angling to get himself betrothed to Muriel. He likes Naomi and all, but it's "Baby Murrel" who has really captured his heart. We had Easter with these friends, a really fun one, involving a swanky all-you-can-eat brunch at 8 a.m. (note to self, make reservations earlier in the year!), a lot of Easter basket goodies, and a speedy indoor egg hunt, thanks to the really wretched weather.
- Crazy weather! The spring has come, with blooming trees and camellias and forsythia. And then, the last few days? Snow! Which, I know, Midwesterners, whatever, but here it's weird.
- And now- more visitors! Namely, my in-laws, from Malaysia. They arrived Tuesday. I am having a little trouble balancing my genuine wish for them to feel happy and at home and welcome with my self-protecting instinct to not go to too much trouble, since they are not going to like my cooking or ever think my housekeeping standards are up to par. Insecure much? Oh well. It's nice to have them here, and the kids are in love, of course (the feeling is mutual). Except that it means...
- Monday (tomorrow) is back to work for me. Three months are up, and my lonely, quiet (relaxing) desk awaits. So, if you haven't had a call from me in a while, the commutes are starting back up. Talk to you soon.
Next time, some new pictures.
