Guess Who?

After this weekend, Trent is now signing "please," "thank you," "all done," and "more."  Despite his stoic appearance with strangers, I think we might have another verbal little boy on our hands!

Potpourri

I have taken five photos so far in February.  Not five hundred.  Five.  Grant's life was chronicled with keen detail... but poor Trent doesn't stand a chance: "oh, you're walking, good for you."  

But, I thought I would post the five pictures I did take, followed by a few at the hands of Grace just today.

Trent David

Trent has flourished in the last month.  He's taken up crawling and pulling up, drinking from a sippy cup and a straw, and signing "please."  He, in classic Trent fashion, does none of this on command--it's all on his terms, but hey, we're making progress with the grouchy boy.  He has mastered "da da," and he has words for Grace, Grant, Grandma and his birth bear (stuffed toy).  But, he has no verbal love for him mommy.  But, in the end, that's okay because he loves him mama most of all in the world... and so we have an understanding!  

Snow Fun
Earlier in the month, we were able to meet up with some family for the day to "hit the slopes."  I stood by taking these four pictures and drinking hot chocolate, but Bret, the kids, Kate, Clint and Mary all hit the tubing hill!  The kids had a blast!  A definite repeat is necessary!

Random
Grace has managed to snap a few shots of Trent just today.  She has been putting that yellow plastic dive ring on his head for a few days now, and finally, she told me it was because I always call him "my angel" and that was his halo... too cute!

Hopefully, we'll make better progress in March...

Punches

Look who gave himself a black eye with one of his own toys!

My New Nemesis

As many of you may be aware, my job requires that I travel a great deal.  During busy months, I'm gone 75% of the time.  But on the whole, I enjoy travel.  I love seeing new places, eating local food, and observing the (other) crazy people that inhabit our fine country.

But over the past few weeks of travel, I've found a new nemesis.  Several times each week I board a different airplane, waiting to be whisked away to lovely places like Oxford, Mississippi or Harrisonburg, Virginia.  But there's one part of the journey that is always the same -- the jet bridge.  The jet bridge is the gerbil tube that leads travelers from the relative discomfort of the airport gate to the complete discomfort of the airplane itself.  And it has become my new nemesis.  Let me explain.

I discovered a while back that occasionally I would feel the jet bridge lurch beneath my feet as I moved closer to the airplane.  I figured it was the airport crew making a minor adjustment to insure that people didn't fall between the door of the airplane and the end of the jet bridge.  (I've often wondered how frequently airport employees walk off the end of an empty jet bridge, falling to the tarmac below.  That would be one of those stories that would require you to preface the story forevermore with, "Well, I'd had a few drinks and then..." even if it weren't true.)

Anyway, after feeling these lurches in the jet bridge for a while, I noticed a button and a light on the control panel for the jet bridge that said "Auto Leveler."  And then it all became clear.  The reason I always feel the jet bridge lurch as I board is that it is compensating for my additional weight and has to crank itself up a few notches to insure that the guy behind me doesn't have to climb into the airplane like he's saddling a horse.

How embarrassing.  I keep telling myself that I'm sure I just notice it coincidentally...sometimes.  But the data from my five flights this week suggest otherwise.  Grr.

Look Who Is Coming To Dinner...

 If you have a six-year-old little boy, you might have a shot!

One sad boy

Teething for the first time, constant cough, and first real cold... Poor boy!  Needless to say, nap time on mommy's lap!