1st Halloween

we started the day with opening nana's halloween cards.  elijah thought it was great, and ate the card. 

next we rocked a consignment sale where we bought elijah his new command center with the money from nana.  he loved it!

of course we had to dress him up...  he was going to be a cannoli...

until he received his tiger costume from his grandparents.

surveying his kingdom... the salt marshes of the north shore.

mural

I am really enjoying my new position of Art and Bible teacher at my elementary school.  I am linking the two classes, so that our art is inspired by what we study in Bible class.  I am basing the lessons off of a book Hank recommended, that is a sweep-through summary of the entire Bible, showing how Jesus is the center of God's love for us.  I have had the most fascinating discussions with my students.  David and I led an Alpha course (an open discussion of Christianity to anyone interested)  a couple of years ago, and my elementary students are asking just as insightful questions as the adults attending the Alpha course did!  I love how children are not afraid of the implications of the questions they ask, and seek hard after truth.  I'm loving the challenge they give me, looking for a clear answer to real questions. Here's a picture of a mural we made. (I overheard one 2nd grader say to another... "I can't believe she's letting us PAINT!") 

resemblance part II

David snapped this picture of us at a party this weekend.  I was amazed at our resemblance.

clever little fingers

Elijah discovered how to undo the tabs on his diaper, cooing happily on the floor, while I got ready this morning. He looked pleased as punch to be found diaperless.

Wobblin' Goblin Parade

On Saturday we went to the "Wobblin' Goblin" parade for the little ones of Manchester-by-the-Sea, with Elijah wearing his new tiger costume his "Oma" and "Poppi" bought him.  Today was the first day he sat up in his stroller and not his carseat.  He loved watching all the kids in costume.  We met a lot of people from the community, and had a great time.

frog at 5 months: suspecting the Teething Fairy

We suspect that the Teething Fairy is contemplating an early visit to our house.  Our poor little boy is having trouble sleeping and is exhibiting some classic signs.  On Mom and Dad's last night here, he woke up frantically screaming.  We were so thankful to have them here as they figured out the problem and provided Eli with an icy washcloth.  A few minutes of icing and he was smiling at us through tearful eyes.  So we're spending a lot of time rocking the little guy... treasuring even these "teething" moments when he just wants to snuggle near us... and wishing we lived closer to family.

great visit with the grandparents

We had a wonderful visit with the Ottens.  "Oma" and "Poppi" enjoyed spoiling Elijah and treating us at every occasion! 

We went on a date while they watched Elijah, cooked up a fabulous lobster meal (thanks to our lobsterman neighbor,)

walked around our neighborhood taking in the fall color,

and checked out the beaches as the weather grows colder. 

Elijah loved the attention, smiling and showing off his new vocalizations to the amusement of his grandparents.  They taught him to play cards.

Here he is modeling his smart new cap like his great-Grandpa Larry wore.

guest blogger

I, Poppi, guest, and first time blogger was invited by Jamie and David to recount our Columbus day adventures. Oma and I are here in Manchester to catch up on Elijah's progress -- and of course to visit with Jamie and David. We started our big day with a walk down toward the beach, and had a wonderful and leisurely breakfast at the Beach Street Cafe. Oma and I enjoyed sharing Elijah, who is intrigued with Poppi's kisses -- especially the feel of his beard, and had fun tugging on it!

Fortified by a good breakfast, we had fun on the beach. Lots of dogs with their humans were there -- fetching sticks, tennis balls and the like. We watched one in particular diving into the water to bring back a very soggy tennis ball. Elijah isn't real interested in doggies yet. He's into more athletic pursuits, like running on the beach and rock climbing with Daddy. The Baby Bjorn carrier is just the thing for sports minded little guys like Elijah -- at least until his little legs are a little less wobbly. (He is, after all, only 5 mo. old.)

We're next off to see fall colors. Thinking to pick some apples, we find that picking season is long gone. We boys had fun watching the apple culls relegated to ammunition for two air-powered apple cannons. Gunners of all ages were fascinated, training the artillery on cutout targets. Elijah, on the other hand, got down in the pumpkin patch, tasting and feeling for the perfect pumpkin. Our little man exibited a great deal of patience with his doting audience, who kept trying to take that perfect picture of him being cute.

Elijah finally chose the perfect pumpkin, climbed into his carrier (well not quite), and we're off to the Cheesecake Factory -- Daddy's favorite eatery. We're there to celebrate his 30th birthday and his PhD. All of us are very proud of Daddy, his hard work, and how he managed to do it all and still make time for his little family -- quite a balancing act.

We get home tired, but full, and content. It was the perfect fall day -- crisp, clear -- a day well spent.

I passed!!!!!

I'm sorry to not have posted this sooner, but I had an unconditional pass on my defense. The plan went perfectly to offer wonderful cinnamen rolls to the professors prior to my talk to help take the edge off. Unfortunatelly, I got my once a year cold a couple days before the presentation resulting in a rough "radio voice" for the presentation. The Lord answered prayers though as the two days before the presentation all I could do was croak out a wisper as I had lost my voice, but it came back enough to talk.

My talk lasted about 45 minutes, followed by an hour of grilling (asking questions), and another half an hour of deliberating. At the end though it was handshakes all around and time to celebrate.

We had a great time celebrating afterwards at the BU Pub (where Elijah was carded and not allowed to enter), and then went out to the Border Cafe in Harvard Square for dinner.

To cap this wonderful week off we had two friends from Taylor staying with us for a couple days, Jamie's pastor and wife from Japan visited us on Wednesday, I turned 30 on Friday, and Dad and Mom Otten arrived on Saturday. Kind of busy, but a blast.

cinnamon rolls for the defense

David defends his dissertation on Wednesday.  That's right, if anyone calls "Is there a doctor in the house?" we can finally respond, "Yes, but not one that helps people!" (a joke we shamelessly stole from "The Last Lecture.") 

Seven years ago I received a valuable wedding present-- an afternoon's cooking lesson on baking cinnamon rolls, yeast breads, and pie crusts with good family friend and excellent cook, Mrs. White.  The first few years, we simply thought it was a tasty treat, but we have come to see the strategic value of a really good cinnamon roll.

Instead of buying the traditional donuts for his Master's defense, David asked me to make cinnamon rolls, which he paired with Starbucks coffee.  David watched his professors melt into warm, cinnamony contentment, hardly listening to his presentation, and escaped the grilling he was expecting.

We decided to work the same strategy for his dissertation defense, though this year I called in for reinforcements with my Little Sous Chef.

Note Elijah's intense longing for the day he, too, can enjoy a bite of cinnamon goodness.

4 month doctor's appointment

Yesterday Elijah had his 4 month appointment to get shots and checkup on his height and weight. We've been looking forward to this because he looked long to us and we wanted to see if it was just us imagining things. Sure enough, our little man is a long little man. He measured 27 inches which places him in the 95% in length, and he weighed 16lb 1.9oz placing him in the 50% for weight. Both of these percents are based off of other kids his age.

In addition to getting measurements, Eli had to get two shots. I was shocked at the size of the needle they have to use to get down into the muscle. The thing must have gone halfway into his leg. He was a brave trooper, though, and only cried for a couple minutes after the injection. Our doctor said she couldn't imagine a healthier baby. Here I am holding Elijah in his infant-sized hospital johnny, which we thought was so funny!

tiny pumpkin pies

I baked this morning while Elijah and David slept in. I made these tiny pumpkin pies for my MOPS (mothers) group. Cute, huh?