Good Looks

Logging

We hiked up Knox Mountain yesterday into a vast expanse of undeveloped woods owned by some old guy named Bayard Henry. I didn't bring the camera, to my dismay as these were magical beautiful woods with brooks literally babbling and glistening in shattered bits of sunlight, moss covered rocks, tall pines and beech, maple and oak, birch and ash, a cathedral of trees. The place hold remnants of the past - the road formerly brought the traveler to some unused hunting cabins idyllically set alongside lime-green meadow-lined pond, where I'm sure the moose must congregate. The damn which formed it obviously old and allowing water to rush out, surrounded at the edge by unknown purple flowers. The bridges on the road appeared to be a continuation of the dirt road but here and there you could see wood planks poking through, only to notice the sign posted next to the strategically felled tree: "Bridge unsafe. Enter at your own risk. Bayard Henry, land owner."

Just past the cabins the road converged with another, more travelled road. Sandy with big ruts, this road was different. And soon we were aware we were on a logging road. Our walk ended in the loggers' yarding area where they bring the trees and cut them into logs for sale. It was horrible. A big mess that reminded me of images i've seen of genocide, carcasses piled up. A pile of beech logs scraped on the edges, a bigger pile of majestic oaks and finally a huge pile of "junk wood," huge trees with rotten sections or knots. I know I sound like a hippie but it really made me sad.

3 down 1 to go

This is my Kaffe Fassett inspired quilt, made with the the same striped fabric as the quilt posted a little while ago that i gave to my aunt. This was the first one I tried to make for her, but I didn't think it fit her as well as the one that I ultimately gave her. I like though.

E-bay is for chumps

Alright e-bay isn't for chumps. I like it too, but this weekend I learned what a real aucion is like, and I liked what I saw. We heard from a relative that the Franklin auction was a good place to buy rugs. Since we're buying a new house (more on that later), we thought we should see what we could find. Trouble. That is a good word to describe me and auctions. Too much fun. We did buy some rugs. Makili loved the commotion. Ann said he smelled like french fries when we got home. I will definitely go again. Maybe next time I'll bid on some of the other stuff hey were selling. This time they huge lots of hardwood floors and granite tile. No room in our new house for that stuff.

The labor of work

I'll be honest that when I imagined staying home with the baby, I didn't imagine that I wouldn't have a free minute all day. I thought I'd still be able to make quilts and dinner and all that. I can stil get a walk in no problem because Makili loves walks, but I really can't count on anything else. Ann and I have jointly been canning this week, something that I am now very excited. So far we've made blackberry jam, bruise jam (blackberries and blueberries), love peachother jam, grouch jelly (crab apple). (You should all be guessing what you're getting for Christmas at this point.) I know this sounds like a lot but actually it is quick and easy to can things and I've gotten a bit too into it. I want to can everything now.


I had to look up tomato canning recipes because Ann's garden is ridiculously productive. Look at all these tomatos and there are SO many more. Though yesterday we found hornworms in the garden - the evil enemy of tomatos. I should take a picture of one because that completely gross me out! Ann stepped on a big one yesterday and it shot icky goop from its innards like four feet away. Yuck.


This week I did a trial run of "real work." I substituted at Raph's school on Friday and Ann watched the baby. It was terribly painful. I cried halfway there. I will say it was the easiest money I've ever earned in my life though. I was so glad to see the baby at the end of the day. Almost as glad as my breasts. Luckily I don't have to do that again too soon. I might attempt to be a nanny, but that seems pretty tough as well.

He's been so smily lately. He spends so much energy trying to grab things, concentrating with furled brow. He sits quietly while we read him books. He wakes up and immediately wants to look around. "What is there for me to see? to touch?" And those smiles are too much!

Hip hip hooray for health insurance

Our insurance that comes with Raph's job kicked in in September 1st, which was welcome since we've spent the last month trying to treat that thrush (which is thankfully gone!) without insurance. So I made the first appointment I could and Makili saw his Sanbornton doctor. He got weighed (13 lb 1 oz.) and measured (23.5") and poked by those dreaded first shots. They actually weren't as bad as I had expected. Makili cried of course, but it was short-lived and about the same intensity as when the boob gets taken away from him before he's ready. Then he slept like a log all afternon, like he did when he was first born - heavy and sweet, so vulnerable.

Abram came up to discuss the bed he is building for us and I snapped these cute shots. Doesn't he look bigger?

Newest Quilt - Bamboo

Mount Cardigan

I have to hike a lot of mountains to keep up with Ann's cobbler. This one was pretty fantastic. Makili loves to hike and I have to admit that I feel pretty tough taking him out on such awesome hikes. I don't even carry him! I probably wouldn't have made it I had been carrying him. The weather lately has been so fantastic - a perfect prelude to fall. Crisp cool air. I've been lving it.

Too cute

I continue to be a giant sucker for this big smile. Raph is already teaching him to like things with motors.

The slow approach of fall

It's no accident that boys and toys rhyme.

Larry tells me that it is no accident that boys and toys rhyme. (This is really rationalization for buying cars and motorcycles and engines, etc.) Little Makili doesn't have too many toys, but he does love them. He lays under his infant gym and laughs and talks to the toys. Yesterday he talked to this little black and white cow my brother gave him for half an hour in the car. He was happy as a clam. We recently bought him this bumbo seat since he hates tummy time and we're worried he's going to damage his brain by flattening his head. He slouches a little in it still but sometimes he really likes sitting in it.

He's gotten so interactive suddenly. He'll play with me for half an hour or more sometimes. I'll move his legs around and jiggle him and he smiles and almost laughs. And when I lean over to talk to him he talks to me and watches my mouth move and talks back. So cute and so much better than crying.

grandparents

I know my mom will be sad to be missing out on such moments. Damn Pittsburgh and their tough job market. Nonetheless, Makili is getting grandparental love. A lucky boy. Lucky parents. We're fortunate to be able to share these months with them.

Two Months Old

Two months. Wow. It seems like forever ago that we were sitting in Hawaii waiting for a baby to come. It seems like he gets bigger all the time. I carried him around in the front carrier for a few hours today and boy did my shoulders hurt. I went back and read what I wrote at one month and I felt exactly the same way…like we’d had a baby forever already and that he was getting bigger constantly. Those things still hold but I am starting to feel like a real person again. The other night he fell asleep earlier than usual (and slept nine hours) and we put him in his bassinet. We were in the living room surfing the web, watching tv, and it was as though nothing had changed, though I did have the nagging desire to go make sure he was still breathing every half hour.


Makili is getting much more mature. He likes to try to stand, he tries to touch things with his hands occasionally, and he has really happy, smiley spells sometimes. He likes to lay on the floor and look the dangly toys in the gym that Debbie Ochs lent him. Boy does he love that. He gets all worked up and talks to those inanimate objects, laughing and cooing. It’s pretty funny actually. He’ll lay there like that for half and hour or more, happy as a clam. He has also just started to sit quietly on your lap, which is monumental. For a few minutes he’ll just sit there and soak it in. Larry constantly tells us that this is his learning time and that we should be singing the ABC’s to him every time he’s quiet like that. He’s probably right, but I don’t think it would hurt to let the kid learn to love silence too, especially since I’m not always up for singing.



Being a parent is exhausting I’ve learned. Today was Raph’s first day of work and so it was the first time I didn’t have him around, but I did have Ann so it wasn’t too bad, but I can totally imagine how incredibly draining it might be when you don’t get a break here and there throughout the day which is my near future. It might be easier if Makili would nap without being held, but so far he doesn’t go for that. You try to put him down and he wakes up and then is really pissed off that someone isn’t holding him, that he’s been duped in his sleep. Mostly though he’s turned into a pretty happy baby. He has his days where nothing is right and he’s pissed off at the world…but other days he really pleasant and fun, only squaking when there is something wrong. He LOVES to go for walks so when he’s squaking; that is our normal fix. He’ll stay asleep in that carrier forever!



I still think that there is nothing cuter than a sleeping baby. Smiling cooing baby is a close second. I can’t wait to see what comes this month. Maybe a new house? We’ll see. We've been looking but the 12 hour trips in the car are really too much for Makili (and me for that matter). We've found one we like, so we'll see...

yesterday's hike

Classic Poop Face

New Hampshire Sky

Sant Bani's alumni soccer game happened yesterday. Lots of people on what could conceivalby have THE most beautiful day in the history of the world. Crisp air, blue sky with lofty white clouds, new people for Makili to meet (had he been awake.) It was wonderful.

A great trade

Typing with one hand is difficult, though I'm getting pretty good at it. My Aunt Suzanne and I traded - my quilt for her knitted afghan. I'm pretty sure I made out! Makili and I have loved snuggling under it.