Aching for Life

 Our little baby is not so little anymore (especially his head). Compare the above picture with this one of him at 2 months. When did he become such a giant next to Gund Bear? At 10 months, Zeke... is standing up on his own for up to a minute loves throwing things to the floor from his high chair and looking down for them doesn’t love bananas so much any more has 4 top teeth coming out in addition to the pair he already has on the bottom "waves" when he wants something (stretches out his hand first and then bends his fingers toward the palm) makes "motorcycle hands" when eating (curls his fingers and dips his fists forward and back) is trying to master clapping but his hands misses each other about 50% of the time so he looks like he's vaguely flapping and clapping his wrists turns around 180 degrees when we're eating out a restaurant to look at other people, and then sits that way for half the meal, unabashedly staring loves going “baba...

I continue to venture into unabashedly mushy mom-dom by making valentines on my son's behalf. And I seem to have a higher and higher tolerance for cheesiness. Hallmark has these ads on hulu encouraging people to "tell them" on Valentine's Day - they have people saying what they want to hear from their loved ones, like "You're beautiful," "Let's grow old together," and "In sickness and in health." And despite the contrived presentation, I was moved. Perhaps it's motherhood making my heart all soft and vulnerable, lurching at every sentimental stimulus. Mostly I think it's because this has been a year when we experienced some of these phrases more deeply. We've learned a little bit about being husband and wife in less-than-perfect health. We each had our turn attending to our (somewhat) bedridden spouse the first weeks after I gave birth and after Ryan got his ACL repaired.  And when Ryan told me that I was beau...

We bid farewell to Zeke's zodiac (the dragon) today! Since we sadly miles away from family and since I am not together enough to cook a new year's meal or gather friends together, we had a simple celebration last night with our neighbors in the courtyard - dinner and some performances. Zeke donned his new year's outfit (courtesy of Grandma from Hong Kong) for the festivities. Happy New Year, dear friends! Zeke did NOT want to put on his new outfit, but later on cheered up at the aikido demonstration.

I forgot the Ergo carrier, so Ryan carried a sleeping Zeke for most of the hike This past Thursday we had a chance to head to Santa Cruz for a morning and take a walk by the ocean and enjoy some delicious Italian food. It was so refreshing to get off campus and soak in God's creation for a morning. What a treat that we live so close to the coast and to such gorgeous sights! Cormorants riding the waves Early on in our hike along the coast, we spotted a pod of dolphins!   At another bay, sea lions frolicked in the crashing waves We had lunch at Lilian's, a little Italian restaurant with very warm service. Zeke was impressed by the pasta we had, I swear! (Probably the best gnocchi Ryan and I had ever had.) After lunch, we went to a Brazilian cafe for an acai bowl - acai smoothie topped with granola and fruit. Zeke was a fan, but more so of the waiters and waitresses! He swung around full circle to look at people. ...