quickie

J., as is visible in one of the previous set of pics, has grown a beard. It suits him very well. Sam isn't totally sure about it, though; when queried recently, he asked, "What's the word again? Oh yeah. It looks ridiculous. Daddy, your beard is ridiculous."

We're going to Montreal tomorrow for a conference (driving). Wish us luck! It's supposed to be cold and rainy the whole weekend, so I probably won't take pics (that, and that we'll mostly be in conference sessions).

ps2: Opa and dumplings

When Omi and Opa were here, Omi made the dumplings that Sam loves so much. She froze two big bagfuls (thank you Omi!!!) and we also ate some for dinner on Friday night, after Opa got here. Opa, exquisitely mannered, took for himself most of the few that had gotten a bit burnt at the edges, announcing over our protests that he likes them. Sam, of course, took this entirely literally, and spent the rest of dinner pointing out any dumplings with the littlest bit of burnt edge and insisting that Opa have them.

PS (oblivious)

Sam's word of the week: oblivious. Picked up when J. called a driver that, and used correctly multiple times in the car since (the first time taking me quite by surprise). "Why is that driver so oblivious?"

easter

Straw glasses were among the favors in the "pass the bowl" game at Sam's birthday party (in which a bowl filled with little presents is passed in a circle while music plays, and the kid holding the bowl when the music stops gets to choose one, then leave the circle. We did this in lieu of goody bags).

Sam also got an insect kit from my grandmother, complete with an ant farm. He brought home an ant in a little jar (packed for that purpose) from his long bike ride w/J. on Saturday, but alas we couldn't find any sand for the farm fast enough, and the ant died that night. In the meantime, he'd named it Pillow. It's a bug name, he explained quite seriously.

We tried naturally-dyed eggs this year. Grape juice worked the best (deep bluish-purple). Beets were ok, too. Less luck with red cabbage, turmeric, and paprika (the white designs are from dripped candle wax).



"Why on this night do we recline while eating?" (a line from the Passover Haggadah, for the Gentiles reading...):



After brunch and a short backyard hunt for Easter chocolates, we drove north to spend the afternoon at Wingaersheek Beach (the same one I'd gone to with the kids and two friends right after Thanksgiving). In contrast to last weekend's frigid weather, which Omi and Opa endured on a walk through Boston Common and the Public Garden, this past weekend was warm and lovely. Sorry... better luck next year? We'd expected to just walk on the beach and climb rocks again, but it was so warm that wading called. Sam promptly wet himself up to his hips while trying to hop between rocks. He was fine, if a bit itchy on the way home:





Frida hung out on a blanket for a bit, then consented to riding around in the ergo. She will NOT keep a hat on. Sunscreen for the feet and ankles, and an unending game of hat-on hat-off.



She has been determinedly working on independent mobility, these days. Also babbling. J's quite pleased with her selection of "dadadadadadadeedadadadadeee" to begin.