2/16

Best of the Week
James: Valentine's Day Date (2 latest episodes of Sherlock)
Kjerstin: We went to a marriage seminar and part of it was saying nice things to each other. It was really nice to reconnect. (Also: successful paella!)
Isaac: Walked! Loves being outside (and the weather lets him!)

You read right: we have a walker! He won't do it while we're filming, and almost won't if we're watching. The first big jag was out by the pool carrying a fire poker from the fire pit. Like 8 steps! He's been so close for so long I'm not surprised that he's pretty comfortable. But our little guy! Sherry and I both dreamed that he started running as soon as he started walking, and we're halfway there.

This week has been *gorgeous.* I went on a hike Wednesday in the sun. And today was lovely and lakey and beautiful. I am all for sudden springs--it was 30 on Monday and 70+ today and I love it.

Also, Valentines Day was a big success: I got out of Costco with 1 item (miracle) and out of Central Market (which is wonderful--Whole Foods with better produce and less pretension somehow) under $20 and paella, though complicated, is wonderful and forgiving and delicious. We had a super low-key night: Paella, grapefruit smoothies, Sherlock on Scott and Sherry's bed, hazelnut gelato. Mellow, lovely.

I also had big plans to give these lovelies to my in-laws for V-day:

 They didn't turn out quite as beautifully as I'd hoped, but were super tastey, and the orange-gorgonzola cream cheese that accompanied them is otherworldly. My friend Amy at Club Narwhal wrote about them and man that girl know how to pair flavors.

James worked a *ton* this week. He spent a big chunk of time painting one of the offices, but also is really upping clinical hours. Busy and awesome. He learned about this couple's seminar that we did Saturday. It focused on communication--lots of active listening stuff--and was full of good reminders. It was nice to spend the day together and was a nice entree into talking about all sorts of stuff.

Finally, James' mom turned *75* today. We're sending her to Chichin Itza (and it's the end of winter) so we did big tissue paper flowers and streamers, Brazilian lemonade, salmon, asparagus. Lynette made tiramisu (thank you very much). And the Ballards, of course, know how to have a good time. There was singing and lots of laughing and so much delicious food.

We're all entirely exhausted and excited for a new week.

Woot!

Feb 2.

Best of the Week
Isaac: Getting a huge cheer every time he stands up from sitting.
Kjerstin: Friday I worked on my thesis for a couple of hours. Successfully!
James: Miter saw!

Cold this week. Texas isn't alone of course, but has been such a ridiculous winter. For the grownups, of course, the cold doesn't count for much (except bad attitudes maybe), and Isaac actually seems unfazed. He wears his adorable hoodies and sits contentedly when I walk him across parking lots and mostly contentedly when I buckle him into his carseat (which has recently become his least favorite place in the universe).

Also, Isaac started sleeping in his own bed again! It's actually appropriately timed--those teething and sleeping problems from my last post pushed him into our bed in the first place. We didn't want to just pop him in his crib and let him cry it out, so we're gradually getting less involved--sitting farther away from his crib, giving him more time to work things out, etc. Last night was much much better than last Sunday night which I spent in large part on the floor and Isaac spent screaming his guts out and pointing at our bedroom door (poor kiddo) but we're all still a little grouchier than we'd like.

We're on walk alert. Isaac has taken a couple of shuffly steps, but seems pretty determined to keep crawling for the moment. We try and stand him up away from furniture, but he's a pretty savvy and also stubborn little guy. I'm a little worried (we're coming up on 14 months here), but, also, he walks when he walks. Other adorable things: he's more and more vocal. These last couple of days he's been exploring the shriekier registers. Mostly charming. He's discovered our bathroom drawers--loves lotion. When we raised our right hands to sustain the newly called folks at church today, he raised his right hand too. And this morning when we were cuddling he starting running his fingers through my hair (I do this all the time lately because he has the best hair). Melt.

Karen (James' mom) took me to Rusalka at the movie theater on Saturday. It's a Dvorak opera that reads like The Little Mermaid. Except sad. Renee Fleming was the lead and gorgeous. And the costumes were weird and beautiful. It was lovely to get out of the house and a lovely opera.

James has been working like crazy. He's getting new clients all the time and also doing some housekeeping stuff around the office (painting, organizing) which he loves. He made a bad-a trebuchet with/for our cute nephew yesterday with the miter saw he bought himself with Christmas money.

No pics this week (but next for sure).
Toodles,
keb