blossoms, teeth, birthdays and blocks

I have so much to say having not blogged properly in weeks. Ansel is in his crib currently supposedly taking a nap. I wish I could plug the baby monitor into the computer so you could hear what I am hearing right now -gentle moans followed by high pitched yips followed by the sound of him suckling his blanket, throaty gurgles, laughter, raspberries. A melodic sermon given to the ducky blanket and mobile.
There are tons of trees in bloom around town - cherry blossoms, acacia, magnolia, plum blossoms. Outside Ansel's room is a big plum tree that exploded in white blossoms this week.

Jeremy had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. I love to bake but am not very good at cakes. Cook's magazine had a yellow cake and chocolate frosting recipe (the exact kind of cake that Jeremy wanted) so I tried it. It came out well.



Jeremy and I spend a lot of time on the floor, with Ansel, playing with his toys. I was entertaining myself by spelling his name with alphabet blocks but he kept grabbing them before I could get a picture with his name intact. Look at those great fine motor skills!


My friend Deena sent this bit to me:

This is from the "Readers Write" section of one of my favorite magazines...people were asked to write in about the phrase "The Last Time."

"Parents usually mark their children's firsts--first food, first words, first steps--but lasts often slip by unnoticed. I don't remember the last time I carried my son up the stairs in the crook of my arm. Or the last time I read him a bedtime story, closing the cover of Goodnight Moon when I was done. Or the last time he and I kissed on the lips or crossed the street hand in hand. Or the last time he called me "Daddy." I don't remember because I didn't know it was the last time. Had I known, I would have cherished it more. I would have held on tighter."
--Edward Warner, Saxtons River, VT

Reading this makes me a little sad because in nine months Ansel has changed so much already. He doesn't lay, relaxed, in my arms anymore but instead wants to look around and get onto the floor to explore the world. There will be many more lasts to come but also many firsts that I am excited for. Because of this, I am glad I blog. I have a record of his day to day life and changes along with my thoughts on it all. The best part about this age is that I have no doubt that he loves me and wants to be with me all the time.
Ansel has his first tooth coming in. It is just breaking the surface of his gum on the bottom.