Monday, October 31, 2005

GPoD: Halloween 2005


It's the Great Pumpkin, Graham Fink! Posted by Picasa

I don't know what the big deal about this Halloween thing is--I don't get to eat any candy. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Saturday, October 29, 2005

GPoD: 10.29.2005


Graham and his folks with Great Grandma and Auntie Kate at the Duke Gardens. Posted by Picasa

Friday, October 28, 2005

GPoD: 10.28.2005


Graham with his Great Grandmother Shaw. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

GPoD: 10.26.2005


But I don't want to be a pumpkin! Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Monday, October 24, 2005

Sunday, October 23, 2005

GPoD: 10.23.2005


Gram and Gramps are fine, but . . . I MISS MY DADDY!!! Posted by Picasa

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Friday, October 21, 2005

GPoD: 10.21.2005


Graham discovered his tongue today. Hey--this thing is pretty cool. In and out, in and out . . . . Posted by Picasa

Thursday, October 20, 2005

GPoD: 10.20.2005


Here is Graham reacting, with some credulity it must be admitted, to one of his Grandma's more fantastic tales. We're going to have to work on Graham's critical listening skills. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

GPoD: 10.19.2005


Here is Graham reading from one of his favorite books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. He's a pretty hungry little bug himself. Posted by Picasa
Tomorrow I leave for Atlanta to attend the Sixteenth Century Studies Conference--high times! I'm roadtripping with two of my fellow students, and I'll be back on Sunday. Atlanta is nothing to get all that excited about, but there's a good crop of interesting papers on the program, and lots of opportunity for meeting other folks in my field. And, there is the distinct possibility that I may experience my first eight-hour(-plus?) stretch of uninterrupted sleep since . . . oh, let me see . . . August 3rd, 2005, I believe it was. That alone should be worth the trek. Of course, I'm sure I'll be missing my little buddy before I even hit the interstate, but I've given him permission to call as much as he likes. And his grandma and grandpa Slinger are in town to help ease the separation anxiety, so hopefully all will be well.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

GPoD: 10.18.2005


Graham is rather sullen this morning. This despite a vigorous romp around the Duluth Room in his new rugby suit (one of mummy's great finds garage saleing this weekend). Frankly, I think he's beginning to regard his parents as paparazzi--when he's not being fed. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, October 16, 2005

A Walk in the Park


















Today we took Graham for a hike at the Eno State Park. It was a beautiful fall day--the sort of day that makes one almost forget one isn't in Minnesota any more--and we were intrepid hikers. We packed water and granola (cruchy folk that we are) and hit the trail for a brisk hike of several miles along the river. Unfortunately, we didn't reckon on Graham's bladder. I was carrying him in his Snuggly, when all of a sudden I felt a warm, moist sensation spreading spreading slowly across my torso. This at the furtherst point in our trek from the car. Needless to say, the return hike was a good deal more vigorous than the first leg. Graham slept through the entire adventure, an impish grin fixed on his little face. Gotcha, dad.

The GrahamCam: Bobblehead Baby

Here is some fun footage of Graham sitting up and looking around. He still needs some help in maintaining an upright posture and his neck control needs some work, but we're making great strides.

On Soccer and Jihad

I've never been a great fan of soccer--at least not since I was cut from the team in the eighth grade--but the fatwa against the sport recently delivered by an excitable Saudi cleric seems a bit over the top to me. No boundary lines, no shorts or numbered jerseys, no crossbars on the goal posts, no spectators--all these are to be shunned as the corrupt practices of Jews, Christians, and polytheists. Still, I found the recommendation against excessive celebration after scoring to be of some merit: "You should spit in the face of whoever puts the ball between the posts or uprights and then runs in order to get his friends to follow him and hug him like players in America or France do, and you should punish and reprimand him, for what is the relationship between celebrating, hugging and kissing and the sports that you are practicing?" Good question. One can only presume that American football games are not broadcast in Saudi Arabia; what would this fellow make of the NFL's endzone dances? Maybe a dose of such puritanical rigor would be good thing for our professional athletes. I, for one, think that the sight of a swarm of angry mujahideen storming the field to experctorate on those grand-standing thugs would be a wholly edifying spectacle. (A translation of the complete text of the fatwa is printed in the New York Times)

Here you see a photo of our new secret weapon in the war against infant insomnia. This was a great find--on eBay, nonetheless--the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium. It has little plastic fish that swim around in a tank of water with lights and quiet, gentle music. Very mesmerizing, apparently. It keeps him quiet for about five minutes; then we have to go back into the room as quietly as ever can be and turn it back on. The photo is a little blurry here because the room is almost pitch-black and the camera is set to the slowest possible shutter speed. Ssshhh... Posted by Picasa

Saturday, October 15, 2005

A Poem

A poem for your enjoyment:

"Disobedience" by A. A. Milne

James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he;
"You must never go down
to the end of the town,
if you don't go down with me."

James James
Morrison's Mother
Put on a golden gown.
James James Morrison's Mother
Drove to the end of the town.
James James Morrison's Mother
Said to herself, said she:
"I can get right down
to the end of the town
and be back in time for tea."

King John
Put up a notice,
"L
OST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
J
AMES JAMES MORRISON'S MOTHER
S
EEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
L
AST SEEN
W
ANDERING VAGUELY:
Q
UITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
S
HE TRIED TO GET DOWN
T
O THE END OF THE TOWN -
FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!"




James James
Morrison Morrison
(Commonly known as Jim)
Told his
Other relations
Not to go blaming him.
James James
Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he:
"You must never go down to the end of the town
without consulting me."

James James
Morrison's mother
Hasn't been heard of since.
King John said he was sorry,
So did the Queen and Prince.
King John
(Somebody told me)
Said to a man he knew:
If people go down to the end of the town, well,
what can anyone do?"

(Now then, very softly)
J.J.
M.M.
W.G.Du P.
Took great
C/0 his M*****
Though he was only 3.
J.J. said to his M*****
"M*****," he said, said he:
"You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-
if-you-don't-go-down-with-ME!"

GPoD: 10.15.2005


Now that's a happy baby. Posted by Picasa

Friday, October 14, 2005

GPoD: 10.14.2005


Graham is usually most cheerful first thing in the morning. We know who that came from.... Posted by Picasa

This is a picture of the scarlet maple tree I planted in our front yard this spring. I post it here lest any of my Yankee readers suppose that North Carolina is completely devoid of the splendors of autumn (now where would you get that idea?). As you see, it's quite lovely. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, October 13, 2005

GPoD: 10.13.2005


Irony (i're-ni), n. [Fr. ironie; L. ironia; Gr. eironeia], 1. a combination of circumstances whereby the literal reality (a onesie saying "happy laughs") is opposite the actual reality (cries of misery).
Does anyone know where we can find baby clothes with the words "Crabby Colic" printed on the front? Posted by Picasa

The Two-Month Checkup

Graham had his two-month visit to the pediatrician today and received three shots. He was not pleased. But he weighed in at a thumping great 13 pounds, 8 ounces--in the 90th percentile, the little glutton. And he's tall, too: 24 inches in length--again in the 90th percentile. So at least he's well-proportioned. His head measurement was only in the 75th percentile, which suggests that even though he's a big boy, he isn't getting a big head about it.
Things are going very well on the sleep front, as well. He slept for twelve hours last night with only two feedings--including one six-hour stretch--a remarkable accomplishment for so small a person. The next step is getting him to put himself to sleep. The pediatrician suggested today that we start putting him to bed before he's actually asleep; this so that he'll not become dependent on his mummy or dad to go down for the night. A nice thought, but we're still cherishing our precious hours of sleep, so this may have to wait for a while....

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

GPoD: 10.12.2005


Hurrah for new blue jeans! Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

GPoD: 10.11.2005


We are sleepy bunch these days. Posted by Picasa

The First Fire of the Season

Fall has finally arrived in North Carolina. Sort of. It's mid-October, and the outside temperature has finally dipped below 70 degrees. Is this really cold enough to justify a trip to the woodpile? Not in Minnesota, it isn't. But we're not in Minnesota any more. It's October in the South, and even though there isn't even a hint of color in the foliage, we're enjoying carmelled apples and the crackle of the fire.
As Garrison Keillor puts it, "There are no simple changes in this life. You divorce Minnesota for the California coast [or the North Carolina Piedmont!], a rational move, and all is well for a while, but then October rolls around . . . and suddenly you miss fall. Terribly. You miss the delicious sadness of a fall day, the blazing yellow birches and aspen, the red and orange and yellow maples, the red sumac, the oaks turning orange, the air smelling of old horses and potaoes and wood smoke and rotting logs. The great monument of trees, the sweet air, the keys to memory, to your story. You've become an occupant of a house, a credit-card holder, an insuree, a face on driver's license. October is the connection to when you were eight years old and the splendor in the woods, the pageantry of trees, red and gold and ochre, and the sweetness of the chill air. You long for it." (In Search of Lake Wobegon, 116)
Yes, we do. But at least we've got the wood smoke. Better go open the flew a tad more...

Monday, October 10, 2005

GPoD: 10.10.2005


The complacency of a clean diaper. Posted by Picasa