mugs before bed

Tonight before bed, Tua discovered how to have even more fun in front of a mirror.

Visit

The daffodils have not sprung yet here, so we're content to do our visiting indoors. Tua and Bug took a drive to Pomfret today to see Tua's pal, Addison. They're a few days apart. They always play well together and they seem to remember each other, even after a few months of absence.

Other news you have missed out on because we've been too lazy to post:

Tua walks unassisted...

She sleeps through the night...

The principle reason for her new sleeping habits I'm convinced has everything to do with the fact that we bought a food mill and are able to make up all sorts of tasty concoctions that she loves.

A few of her mill favorites are:

-stewed apples, pears, and cabbage

-steamed carrots and curried rice

-chili and chocolate cake

-pasta with raisins and potatoes

-spinach and portobello mushrooms

Having tried the above combinations, I don't really recommend any of them. Tua, on the other hand, would cross any street just for a spoonful of the above.

Yes, Virginia

We're in Williamsburg this week with Bugs family. It is warm for Virginia with temperatures in the 70's and we haven't minded the warm spell either. Our days have been spent on our feet wandering around the sites of historic importance and soaking up our share of colonial America. Cydil (sister of Bug) has taken some very fine photos of the events so far and you can see them here>>>>>http://www.waggoner.blogspot.com

saddling up

Tonight, I celebrated my 31st birthday tonight with a dessert feast of chocolate cake and peanut butter pie. We had a house full of friends and family, including a guest appearance by the ellusive Kingston who, despite being three months behind Tua in age has more teeth and a better gait than she. Below is a shot of Tua with Kingston and Pascal. Tua is doing a lion impression, or perhaps a kangaroo.....

We also got a good shot of the two cousins sharing a real page turner.

By the way, I received a very fine outdoor thermometer for a present (thanks, mom and dad) and have just returned from taking a reading of the outdoor air temperature. At 11:15 pm, we have a brisk -10.

Happy Birthday Tua

Tua's Birthday Party was very much in her character: small, but full of life. We decided to not risk getting stranded in the city with the pending blizzard so we stayed here. As always happens when a party is thrown together at the last minute, our guest list was rather short and we had to bring in a few reserves, like the fellow on the right below in the photo of Tua and her Nona opening a birthday treat.






Below is a scene from the days events: Seth and his brother salvaging the plow from a snowbank.

Parties (Two and Counting)

Tua's first birthday is causing quite a stir here. There has been no lack of fanfare here in the days leading up to the 31st (which as of today, has not arrived yet).



Saturday night, Tua and I baked a cake with the title of "Death by Chocolate". She picked it out and insisted that I substitute the 16 oz of semi sweet for the same amount in a 90% special dark Ghirardelli. That was a sure sign that she has inherited another of her mothers tastes. Here we are sampling the batter.








We the took the finished product to my parents for an evening of very good food and company.
At the end of the evening, we served cake and Tua (though indifferent to the candle and the attention) was very much taken with the outcome of her first birthday dessert.




Today, we all went to the Sunday brunch at the Woodstock Inn. This brunch has a capacity to render one useless for several hours following. The food is delicious and plentiful.


Here, Tua waits ( in the arms of my dad) for the buffet line to open up.

Tua, waiting for the rest of the slow eaters to finish.

And waiting...............

and...........

Tomorrow is the big event. If the weather cooperates , we might try for first night in Boston. However, we're thinking of perhaps not setting the bar too high. Fireworks on her first birthday might set a exciting yet regrettable precedent.

Christmas Day

The following pictures are from today. They begin with Tua primping for her first Christmas. The last one is of her first gift, which turned out to be a lovely doll named Nelly.

Merry Christmas. God bless us, every one.