And other news...

Ivan's first words, besides "mama" and "hi" are apparently "up/down." This is related to his favorite game, also called Up/down, which he still initiates playing everywhere he can. He used to pull himself up and just shriek as he fell, but now he says, "Up! Dowwwwn!" The other day we were playing in the pool, me lifting him up and then splashing into the water, and he looked at me and said it so clearly. Cutie!

Cannonball Run

My camera has a mind of its own. Sometimes when you press the button, there's like a three second delay before it takes the picture. Other times it's instantaneous. If there's any rhyme or reason to it, I haven't figured it out. This is what framed our challenge yesterday evening. I was trying to get a picture of Maxine doing a perfect cannonball into the baby pool. I took about thirty of these, and not once did I get it just right. But we came out with some good pictures, anyway.

Summer Reading

School has started up again, and my beautiful summer reading has turned into reading my Special Education textbook. But before that, I cranked out (almost) enough books to qualify for my free umbrella from the St. Louis Public Library reading club. Yay! And since I'm into lists that do the work of representing my life, here are the ten books on my little Pageturners form:

1. Sue Grafton, T is for Tresspass
2. Naomi Aldort, Raising Our Children
3. Alfie Kohn, Unconditional Parenting
4. Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter
5. Tom Robbins, Villa Incognito
6. Dworkin/ Wachs, Body Panic: Gender, Image, and the Selling of Fitness
7. Julia Alverez, Once Upon a Quinceniera
8. R. Crumb, The R. Crumb Handbook
9. Jeanne DuPrau, The City of Ember
10.

All right, I don't have 10 yet. I actually keep starting big, juicy epic novels and not continuing them. I just don't have the time and mental space to read like that right now. Non-fiction seems to work out better. I started James Baldwin, who I love, but again, not the right space. Cherry by Mary Karr might fare better. Or I might just go to the library today and find another graphic novel.
The City of Ember is one I'm reading to Maxine. It's a good read-aloud, I recommend it to anyone looking for a high-concept book for a kid. What else. R. Crumb? R. Crumb. I just can't hate him. In fact I just can't not love him. But I like his wife more.

Later: Yeah, hit the jackpot at the library, I am excited about my new stack o books! There's a librarian at Kingshighway branch who's clearly a graphic novel fiend, they have the best selection there. Also this book called Mississippi Solo looks like the perfect summer book. Ed Special can wait.

And...after!

One more.

testing... maxine took this movie on ivan's bday

ONE!

Happy Birthday Little Sir! Thanks for one of the most joyful years of my life!