Elliot updates

1) "Up Daddy.  Up Mommy."   These expressions are used constantly.  We'll be sitting eating dinner and we shall be commanded by Himself to rise.  We ask him why, but Himself just repeats the inviolate command.

(Yeah, I'm poking fun, but who has the last laugh? Himself.  Because after five or six rounds of unshakeable Up Daddy, what always happens?  I get up and see what he wants me to do.)

2)  Hannah.  He's started using her name.  We don't know how he figured it out, but I guess it's not that tricky.  There's something so hilarious about hearing him babble "Hah-nah, hah-nah," over and over (as he inevitably does, because once he sees how the words make us laugh, he keeps repeating them).

3) Couches are fun right now.  We went over to Brady's place for Baconfest 2012, and Elliot was drawn immediately to the couch.  He's the size that he can run up and smash his chest and belly against the front of it, and then flop face down onto the couch seat, with his feet still on the ground.  Then he likes to roll over on his back, again with the feet on the ground, which puts him in a very weird, uncomfortable- and unhealthy-seeming position.  Often it exposes his stark white tummy too --- which is hard to resist tickling.

Hurricane Sandy

We are all well.  There are some tales to tell, but none involving getting soaked or hit with a branch or made homeless.

Here's a video I took on Monday night, at the height of the storm:

At the time, the decision to go outside seemed pretty innocuous.  But after reading this article about a young couple killed during  the hurricane, I feel the need to give thanks.  That couple lived just a mile from us, and they were only outside for a few minutes to walk to the dog.  It's easy to forget how quickly it can all be snatched away from you.... (more about the tragedy here)

Head over to Nostrand South for a more complete story (and photos) of my hurricane experience.

Halloween!

Our block is an official Lefferts trick-or-treat block --- meaning it's closed to traffic and there are crossing guards at all the intersections.

As a result, we expect to give away several hundred dollars worth of candy.  It will be awesome.

Photos of the evening will be forthcoming --- for now, check out our pumpkin-carving fiesta from last weekend.

swimming

Hurricane Sandy!

I'm at work, Hannah is home with Elliot.  I fear for my green beans in the backyard (latest photo of them is here, but they are much higher now, nearly three feet --- I suspect they will be bright green mulch by the time I get home).

The storm is supposed to hit South Jersey this evening, but will probably miss most of New York.

As far as I can tell, the only effect of this storm is that it allowed me to drive to work this morning (7 miles) in 12 minutes.

Well okay, I guess it did drown Red Hook:

Halloween Day at Wyckoff Farmhouse

We heard about a fun Halloween festival for kids, on the grounds of the oldest house in New York.  So we jumped in the car and drove down Clarendon Road into East Flatbush.

Turns out the oldest house in New York is now squeezed between an auto body shop and a car wash.  Who woulda thunk?

But they have a nice few acres.  Elliot plucked some cherry tomatoes and ate them, so that was fun.

The highlight of the afternoon was face painting.  He was remarkably cooperative; I think it was because he had a dry hot dog bun in his lap to eat.

 

Trees and Saplings Class at BBG

Happy Birthday Hannah!

I love you sweetheart. I'm so happy about the adventure we're on.

Happy Birthday Elliot!

Dear Elliot:  Two years ago you came into my life and changed it forever.  I'm so grateful for everything you've given us.  It's no exaggeration to say that I learn from you every day.  God, I feel like a Hallmark card.

Trip to Maine --- Rocky Coastline

Here's Great Diamond Island.  We were the only people to get off the ferry here.

Then we drove to Two Lights and had lobster on the coast:

Elliot and the Slide

It's never been Elliot's strong suit.  He'll go down a slide occasionally, but never really love it.  Today, though, he figured out a way to take a slide that he really likes.

Here's the standard slide descent:

Here's the fun way (he did it so many times, I had the chance to capture every stage of the descent):