Cupboards & Pulling Up

Atticus loves this one cupboard in our family room. He found this dog-poncho Brad had brought from Guatemala for Victor. It fit Atticus very stylishly.


Two days ago Atticus pulled himself up to standing in his crib. Right afterwards Brad and I lowered the platform. I am so excited to have him take a few steps on his own every time we "practice" walking. My dad and brother Jon are coming to visit in another week and will bring two big area rugs they found at Wal-Mart for $10 apiece! I'm hoping this will help Atticus to reach that "Catalytic Point" and be able to walk and crawl like a pro. Well, we've had a happy afternoon together and Atticus had a nice long nap where I was able to repair a couch cushion, paint the grate in his room, and work on laundry. This morning he had a good nap too -- so I got my work-out & dishes done, the laundry started and re-caulked the bathtub. Now it is time to play some more. Pizza night tonight with just our little family -- a festal event!!

Aunt Bekah Visits

My sister Bekah came up "on the fly" for two nights and a day. I appreciated her so much -- helping me do errands -- pick out a vacuum cleaner [Bekah: "Get this one: It's shiny yellow."] -- play with Atticus -- and listening to new music. She turns 21 in just 11 days so I had fun watching her open her birthday present a bit early. And Brad loaded her up with a new playlist on her i-pod for her long drive back this morning. Thank you for giving yourself and time to us -- we love being with you. That goes for all you guys out there: Visitors are always welcome, the guest room is always ready!

Quiet Afternoon...

Atticus Eats Chocolate-Frosted Cake

Last week we celebrated the first birthday of our friend Ron-Jenna. Her momma and I met on my walking route and began taking walks and then later meeting for coffee at her "Mama's Cafe" she opens for a couple hours every Monday morning. This was Atticus' first time eating a real dessert. It was fantastic.

Ron-Jenna's Daddy cutting the cake and all the kids waiting expectantly.

Atticus reaching for Ron-Jenna's piece...

First taste...

He likes it...

Atticus & I Travel to St.Louis to Visit Lilly

Atticus and I left my folks and rode down to St.Louis with Aaron, Lindsey & Lilly. We had a great time relaxing and taking walks and getting to know Lindsey and Lilly and Cable TV so much better. Atticus did pretty good a week away from home and his Daddy.



Atticus' new fake upset face -- used liberally to get Mommy to pick him up, play with him, give him more more more attention...




Atticus took his first flight ever to get back home. We had a lay-over/plane-change in Chicago. Atticus was cheerful and gregarious the entire trip. I never had a less relaxing airplane trip but was very thankful to gracious fellow passengers and my congenial boy. Coming home Brad picked us up from the airport all snazzed-up in dress clothes, clean and shaven as can be. He had done a number of house projects while I was gone and had even washed and put the sheets back on our bed (Victor gets bed-rights when "Mommy" is away.) Our reunion weekend was the sweetest we've ever had -- Brad ordered out Italian from our favorite restaurant and gave me wine-picking rights from my week's reading of my wine introduction book (B. gave me for Christmas). Atticus about squigged his Dad out by walking four steps toward him with flawless balance and then just standing there unaided as if he would take off trotting across the room. Then he fell over and hasn't wanted to walk on his own since. I think a few falls have given him wisdom and fear. I miss his un-fettered cavaliering boldness -- but he'll get it.

Man, I missed Brad. And I missed my music!! and my house!! and Atticus' johhny jump-up and crib!! Atticus is now sleeping through the night (almost) and has dropped a couple nursings during the day. I am so excited that he is eating more and more grown-up food and can go down for naps on his own -- without any laborious ritual on our part. We've been enjoying his new toys and books. We've jumped back into our full life here in Minneapolis -- a fantastic city that I am appreciating anew. We've gotten my studio put back together (after moving it from Atticus' room) and I feel pretty much settled back in. I love managing my home and having my best friend come home to me at the end of the day. A lovely lovely holiday and return to my "regular" life which is now so sweet and REAL. I wish that there were new words to say how gracious God is to us. Even if the words are old, the reality of this goodness really does seem to be to me like daily food. New every morning (although it might take later in the day after a nap for me to feel it fully). It is good -- down to my toes good.

Lindsey & Lilly's Shower in Illinois

"The most wonderful Grand-Daughter in the World" -- my enthusiastic mother exclaims...


My cousin Carolyn Ackland graciously opened her home to us for Lindsey & Lilly's shower. Thank you Carolyn and Lloyd for your cleaning and preparing and hospitality. I was so sorry to find I didn't get a photo of Carolyn with Lilly or my dear Lisa who came out (sick, even) from Chicago to celebrate with us. This was a difficult time to make a party (the day before New Years right after Christmas) and I am so thankful for the friends and family who made it out.

My lovely Great-Aunt Inez ( Atticus' Great-Great Aunt), in her mid-nineties, still lives on her own in Kewanee, IL and has driven up for every one of the family showers and even came all the way out to Brad and my wedding in Dubuque. She is as cheerful and sharp as ever -- always encourages me with her plain and simple joy rooted in her hope in God in a way that is never fake or forced. She again turned up with one of her original famous hand-made baby quilts.

Lindsey, ever-stylish and relaxed after a very long trip up from St.Louis...

Great-Aunt Margo...

Aunt Margo who cheerfully organized games and Cousin Jessica Levi -- our food maven (obviously very expectant with her 4th child)....

The lovely food that my cousins Jessica Levi and Heather Brown prepared and displayed for us.

Cousin Hattie Levi who was very well-behaved and much happier than at Atticus' shower back in June of 2006...

Cousins Jessica Zhe, Kortney Ackland, and Marie Ackland with Aunt Margo in the background...

Lilly!