Rockin' lizard at the Green House in Hartford.

Notes

Bernadette really wants to move on her own. Latest efforts involve pitching forward from a sitting position (although sometimes one of the legs remains trapped; amazing contortionists, these babies). Still not quite going, but she is getting tummy clear of the floor.

 Isaiah has really gained balance and physical confidence since last fall. We visited Rockwell Park on Sunday. He climbed the fake rock (lots of convenient holds and steps built in) whose top is about chin level for me. He asked for help, but I guided his feet and hands, instead. He needed some help getting down, but I wasn't scared while he was on top, like I was a few months ago. He also went down the two-story twisty slide that I wouldn't let him use before.

 

What's Isaiah doing in the kitchen? Eggs-ellent question! He's counting his eggs before they hatch. Marian can fill in the details.

We [Heart] Weddings

We recently saw Rick and Eleanor, who had some pictures from their wedding last fall to share.

Daddy waits in the background, all ready to go to the car, while Isaiah boogies with the bride.
He was the first one on the dance floor and never even stopped for dessert.
This one is going in the slide show I plan to present at the rehearsal dinner for Isaiah's wedding.

 A couple of closeups of Bernadette.

Who's the Patron Saint of the NCAA?

Yesterday....

M: Please, St. Anthony, help Mama find her glasses.

I: Go defense!

Don't Tell Isaiah

A 6-year-old hears about an opening at a railway museum and applies for the job. 

26 July

Dear Mr. Tucker

Application for director

I am writing to apply to be the new Director of the National Railway Museum. I am only 6 but I think I can do this job.

I have an electrick train track. I am good on my train track. I can control 2 trains at once.

[PHOTO]

I have been on lots of trains including Eurostar and some trains in France. I have visited the museum before. I loved watching the trains go round on the turntable.

On the other side is a picture of me.

Hopefully I can come and meet you for an interview.

From

Sam Pointon

 Bernadette has been practicing with the wooden spoon and metal bowl so she'll pass all of Grandpa's tests in Kansas City.

What happens when you meet Grandma at the mall.

Bernadette shares a moment with Uncle Pete.

Wednesday Afternoon

Isaiah has a Richard Scarry book propped on the couch. As he flips through it, he sings "Bad to the Bone" softly to himself.

Despite the disappointing loss on Sunday, we're still Jayhawks fans (picture is from Saturday night).

 One amigo and three amigas walking to dinner Saturday night in Yonkers (colder than expected despite the sun).

A story read by Clare makes waiting for dinner the opposite of tedious.

And now a few words from Isaiah

"One, two, three, four, five, six, s...eleven, eight, nine, ten ..."

 "Apartment 305. Man overboard!"

"Nobody keeps me informed." (channeling Eeyore)

 Digits ...

 Bernadette is sitting up comfortably and reaching for anything interesting in sight. She occasionally topples over, but is good at yelling to let us know the situation is not to her liking. Here, she manipulates the hammer (mostly to chew on, although she also is starting to bang objects against whatever is at hand).

 Among the items stashed away in the closet are a pair of swimming goggles. Isaiah tried them on. I think he may be on the vanguard of fashion.

Going up in the elevator? Going down? Here's a tip of the hat to you.

Milk and Cookies

Yesterday I baked cookies for Bible Study. Isaiah got to eat one, and I told him we needed to save the rest. He seemed OK with that, and we went into the living room. He nursed for a bit, and a few minutes after he was done, told me, "I had better go back in the kitchen and have another cookie because that milk made me hungry."

p.s. Bernadette has changed overnight from a lump-in-the-sling baby to a sit-on-the-floor-and-play baby. She is holding herself well, and yesterday she actually sat with her little basket of toys (which Isaiah had fetched for her :) ) and pulled things out of it on her own! Her favorite game, however, was to rock the basket back and forth and hear the toys crash into each other. (And right now she's back in the sling for her nap. :) )

Ready for summer vacation? Break out the Adirondack chairs.

Mary, one of the friends we see at the Green House in Hartford, holds Bernadette. At one point or another Saturday, both Isaiah and Bernadette had disappeared into other rooms or the backyard without us. I started looking for Isaiah, and he was out swinging, so I was able to continue an adult conversation with Chris. What fun.

Notes

A snippet of Isaiah's morning narrative: ... so dad could see the tractor plowing in the field where the trucks were growing ...

Isaiah got his hair cut yesterday. I got my hair cut this morning. Marian got hers cut this afternoon. Now I feel like Bernadette is being left out.

Riding in the car.

Isaiah and the rainy day.

Someday when we have a house, I might have to make a bedroom like this for Isaiah and then spend hours playing in it myself: Pirate ship bedroom.

The siblings. Isaiah asked to hold Bernadette. The arrangement remains precarious, but the bed is soft.

A is for aquarium, which we visited with Marilyn on Friday. B is for Bernadette.

Bernadette is sure trying hard to move. It's only a matter of time before she starts following Isaiah everywhere he goes. Other things she's good at now: manipulating things with her hands. She'll hold an object in one or both hands, move it to her mouth, switch hands, put it back in her mouth. She also picks up things she drops. 

This weekend, there was the beginning of stranger anxiety. When Marilyn arrived on Thursday, she looked at Bernadette, who burst into tears upon eye contact and eyed her suspiciously for the next 24 hours or so (she was also suspicious of some people at the CWH party Friday night). 

More From the Young Poet

Outside our window is a little cemetery overshadowed by a large tree. This morning, brown leaves unearthed by recent melting lay scattered across the remaining snow. Kneeling beside the window this morning, with his elbows on the sill, here is what Isaiah had to say about the view: "The snow is covered with leaves the way daisies cover the hill."

( And in case you're curious, there is no hill covered with daisies near us; he got that image from Tootle, the Little Golden Book about the young engine that leaves the tracks to play in a field of daisies.)

Waking up and playing on the bed.

Sunday morning, church door open, sunlight through window on exterior wall.

 Playing on the couch

Fun with the flashlight  

Moving

Travel

One of my friends recently asked me to talk her and her husband into taking a trip. Here was my short response:

The great thing about travel is you can pack your camera, and a couple of books you've been planning to read.

Then you open the map and look at the mysterious expanses you'll explore and wonder what pictures and stories live there inside those lines drawn on paper.

You ask people what odd sights and interesting food you should check out on your route, pack and head out.

It's an adventure. It's a chance to read without worrying about the dishes. It's a chance to have talks you forget to have at home because you're used to the surroundings.

You'll have fun.

Valentine

Reaction was totally worth the work. A couple of times during construction I just about gave up, though. Probably should have not waited until the afternoon/night before to assemble some of the parts.

Big Doings

Isaiah and I went walking on top of the snow. Sometimes we were 2 feet above the ground, sometimes 10-15. He didn't want to climb the mountain of snow. Then he didn't want to climb down.

Sunday supper. We visited some bookstores and had promised a treat. Isaiah picked out a cupcake. It was getting late, so we ordered food, too, but for some reason he was completely happy with this (to make ourselves feel better, Marian and I ate some, too, so he didn't have it all).

Instrument form

Mom in action

Marian's description of trying to herd Isaiah yesterday: Like trying to pick up a puddle.

.

Our Anglophile

After finishing his breakfast of (by request) bread and honey, Isaiah stood up in his high chair and asked, "Where's the parlor?" I showed him into the back bedroom.

Sporting News

 

 Bernadette works on her basketball handling.

Isaiah and Marian take in a minor-league hockey game.

So happy together

Matt and Isaiah at the Catholic Worker "Green House" in Hartford.