Merry, Merry...

We've been busy this week, readers. After an amazing Christmas Eve dinner with the Kuzmicks we had Christmas morning fun with the Uncles; then, we headed to Vermont for (another, excessive) dinner with Kiki and Grandad. Despite the weird (good! meaty!) eating and hyped-up social schedule, Graham has had nothing but fun this week. 

We'll be home soon. Anyone want to come over to play with an excessive amount of cool new toys? We're open for business starting Monday.

We send our happiest holiday wishes to all our family and friends. 

Being Thankful...

Wrong holiday, right? Well, the holidays are often an (especially) stressful time. My mother loved this time of year, so it's always been a struggle for me to really enjoy it without her. Then we had Graham and settled into our own little family and traditions, which has been really great. This year, Aimee died right before Thanksgiving, which has made the holidays again painful and poignant, as she was perhaps the only person I knew who loved this time of year as much as my mom did. Every morning, as I get ready to complain about the snow, the cold, the presents, the decorations, the Big Meal, I think about Aimee and my Mom. Then I suck it up and make some cookies, thinking that they both embraced the crazy AND the peaceful during the holidays.

So, here I am, being thankful:
I am thankful that I see my hilarious and bossy little son grow every day; I spend time with my brothers who live close to me; I get to show my love for my family by taking care of them. I have a partner who takes 50% of all the responsibility EVERY DAY. We have parents who love and support and accept us. I have stability in a world that is profoundly rocky. I have good friends who are like family. I had a great mom and a great friend, both of whom are gone, but whose influence positively affects my own decisions, every day.

How about you tell the people who make you nicer, happier, calmer, whatever that you are a better person for their impact? It would be an awesome holiday present.

The Taste


We are trying our best to stay busy today, as we wait for the first big snowstorm of the year to begin. We went for a ride on the train, and, most excitingly, made sugar cookie dough to frost with friends this afternoon (if they can make it over here- though they are intrepid, and I don't doubt they will).

When we make a treat together, G helps me add ingredients and stir things. All this activity is just foreplay to his favorite moment, the taste. He'll start yelling and demanding it if I take too long: "I want TASTE! TASTE! Graham NEEDS taste!" etc.

We hope to have some fun snow time tomorrow, after weather has cleared out a bit (and I promise to take pictures). I hope everyone is safe and snug and well-nestled at home, if you're in the path of this one.

Graham's second birthday from Whitney Wilson on Vimeo.

Here's the film of G's birthday. It's long (12 minutes) but worth watching. Just settle in with a drink and some popcorn (or save it for when for your boss is in a meeting).  Make sure to wait for the musical montage at the end; it's my favorite part. 

We thank Marlon so much for documenting the big day for us. 

Birthday Pics!

Thanks again to Marlon for being such a marvelous (well-equipt) photog.

It's been such a weird fall. It's rained a ton and the temperature has swung from 60 to 30 within a few days. It reminds me a lot of the weather in Northern California (but colder) or England (more blue sky). We do our damndest to get out as much as possible, and we all went out to puddle stomp this morning (the side trip to the bakery was just a bonus). 

Jen is busy all weekend at a conference with her students at Harvard, so Graham and I will be making it work as a two person household; that is, unless any of you fine folk want to feed us. We both like pizza and beer. 

Graham's party was AMAZING- we had the best time. Thanks to all of our friends who were able to come. And to everyone too far away to make it: we missed you!

More pictures to come- this one just absolutely captures the spirit of the affair.

It's b-day here, readers. We're in a frenzy of preparation for the big part-ty (10 toddlers enter..) and will post pictures as soon as we recover. 

Thanks for the love and birthday wishes...

In case you had forgotten, or didn't know Graham from the beginning, here's what he looked like two years ago, tomorrow. (Here are more pictures, if you're interested.)

Two years ago today I was waddling to another OB appointment, where I would have an ultrasound that approximated my baby's weight at 9 1/2 lbs, at which point I demanded they take him out before he got any bigger. Of course, I was already almost 2 weeks overdue at that point- I was just looking for an excuse. 

This winter has started out much like that one: really warm, with no need for the maternity coat BA had lent me. Other than that fact, our lives are really nothing like the ones we led two years ago. Now, we have new friends (of the grown up and toddler variety), a home of our own, and a third partner on all our adventures. 

Birthdays

We're at T-minus 4 days to G's 2nd birthday here, and, as I begin to be unable to focus on anything else, I thought it might be useful to provide some background to our newer friends. Anyone who's been around for 10 plus years or more can probably just skip this post, as this particular personality quirk has certainly made itself known to you.

I love birthdays. 

I have many reasons for preferring birthdays to Halloween or Christmas or Easter, but it all probably boils down to the fact that my parents raised me to be a birthday fiend. (The religion didn't stick,  but the deep seated desire to make my own cakes sure did.) There's a long history here: My mom threw the BEST parties when I was a kid, and my dad was always involved. For example, one year I had a 50s themed party and BOTH my parents dressed up. Another year, the pink year, my mom made a sign for our door with my name on it- she cut out construction paper to make pink tulips; I wore pink overalls; I had the BEST pink flowers on my cake. 

Anyway, I was raised to think birthdays were special, and I plan on passing this on to my kids. And this year, since G is finally old enough to have preferences, I can do awesome things like buy a cake pan shaped like a guitar. My mom would have hand made invites, too, but my game is not quite to that level. Not yet.