Cold Spaghetti

We’ve been putting pictures up on ofoto.com so that we can print them for Will’s baby book and other assorted things. Here are all the current photo albums up on ofoto, old and new:

Will’s First Months:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.3lxzfl9d&x=1&y=-pwuavw



Will’s First Birthday and Fun in Early December:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.9bwd3q6p&x=1&y=-fatldn

First Haircut & Other Fun:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.8542yp0h&x=0&y=-l6zsn4

Trip to PA (with Grandma Betty)

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.3no34df5&x=0&y=4zeuo8

Honduras, July 2004

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.4pegr0zt&x=0&y=-5pjcd0

Honduras, Summer 2003

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.7npzw8ap&x=0&y=9pu3jt

Touched Up Photos:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.3x0s10mx&x=0&y=-7gp3b0

Late Aug/Early Sept:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.2w5vnvpl&x=0&y=4a3h9q

Stuff… Sept:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.6y31cqax&x=0&y=3miyf2

Will’s World (early photos):

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.bszjfzg1&x=0&y=4jmduh

As of 4pm yesterday, I am officially done with my first semester as a doctoral student! Yippie!

Today has been a “day of merriment” — no school work and lots of fun! We spent the morning and early afternoon: decorating the front of the house for the holidays, taking Will on a long walk through the “lower” portion of our beloved Hurstville neighborhood, swinging by the local hardware store for wreath hooks and by Whole Foods for dinner (soup) and ingredients for chili (for a mini-dinner party tomorrow with friends).

It is in the high 50s, sunny, blue sky and simply fantastic!

Holly

Will turned from his Leap Frog music table this morning and sort of shuffled his feet a few steps , falling into Paul’s arms. Not exactly full first steps, but just about the closest thing to the actual thing…

Yikes!

Drying off with Granna
Originally uploaded by hollyscheib.

Will tucked in under towels and tuckered out from fun in the pool!

Spa with PapPap
Originally uploaded by hollyscheib.

Swimming with PapPap in the Spa Tub!

Need advice for what to get a one-year old for Christmas? Here is a list of Will’s favorite “toys”:

1. the telephone

2. remote control(s)

3. plastic water bottles

4. cardboard centers from paper towels

5. utensils (particularly spoons)

6. plastic cups

7. the thermometer in the spa tub

New milestone for Will!

I say, “Will, come give Mommy a kiss!” And pucker out my lips.

Will scoots over and slams his little face/mouth against mine (a potential hazard when not fully prepared.)

And we both make the “mmmmmmm…mou!” sound.

It is seriously darling.

Will’s new preferred mode of waking up from a nap:

First step: Moving at once from a peaceful lie-down to suddenly sitting straight up on his knees.

Then: Letting out a primal call to let the world know he is awake (single fist raised to the air, optional).

Third: Leaping forward in a full-throttle crawl toward Mom or Granna, even if they are in another room.

And finally: Shaking head back and forth while grunting, laughing, and yelling.

That’s my baby!

I’m back at my Mom and Dad’s for a few days. Will and I have been here more in the past 2 weeks than we have been in our own home. Why? FREE CHILDCARE.

And so I rant.

The situation for childcare is disgraceful, ridiculous, and disappointing. As if women have any other choice BUT to stay home with their children! We have no options. (Heaven forbid we act like a civilized society and offer flexible work schedules, a reasonable work week, fair pay, good vacation, and have universal health care that doesn’t depend on a privileged type of employment.)

All we want is 20-25 hours a week. Not full-time. And it doesn’t exist!! The $10/hour we pay Margarita (our spanish-speaking Salvadorean grandmother), even if she does make us tortillas and clean while Will naps, is too much for us to use more than a few hours a week. What is a family to do? We need HELP.

I wish my parents lived next door!

New photos from Will’s birthday, the zoo, and other fun stuff:

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=8wsl6ap.9bwd3q6p&x=1&y=-fatldn