Jack-o-lantern

Dalia carved (well not really) her first pumpkin this weekend. She also got to try pumpkin seeds, which she loved eating, but didn't particularly enjoy digesting. . . Can't wait for Halloween. She's excited, too.

Fall Leaves

We had a beautiful day before the rains came to rake up the leaves in the yard (primarily to prevent slipping in the driveway - you know how falling is around here...). The other day I showed Dalia how to throw up the leaves and let them rain down on us. When Mark finished raking under our tree in the front she couldn't wait to get out there. Besides throwing them, she was also really good at carrying them over to the walkway, systematically disassembling Mark's raking job. When we explained what she was doing she carried some of them back over to the pile, but when Mark wasn't looking she did it again. Little rascal!

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Archer

A very Happy Birthday wish for our (other) favorite two year old. Dalia recently told me that Archer was her best friend. Amy and I couldn't have staged this friendship better. We are so grateful to have them in our lives. Mommy doesn't know what I'd do without the grounded and loving friendship of Amy (and Jonas). Dalia doesn't know what she would do if she couldn't pretend call "AmyArcher" about 18 times a day. It's so fun to see them playing together, singing and laughing together now. Here's to many years ahead. We love you, Archer!

playoffs

I guess the Giants don't have to be in the World Series to instill the love of baseball. It's really the only other TV she sees besides PBS. She calls it "Daddy's Baseball". The Player is certainly living up to her name. Poor Mommy is outnumbered.

Autumn is here

In a tribute to Dalia finding her ground and not falling (much) over the past couple of months, I've decided to call this season Autumn from now on. And boy is it a beautiful one. Maybe I have always been too distracted to notice, but this one seems particularly amazing. The leaves are thinning, changing, falling. The air is turning crisp and whispy. It's quiet, so quiet somedays it seems like Dalia and I have the whole world to ourselves. We've really taken advantage of the flu season madness by staying away from other people :). Not that we want to stay away from you, our friends (you know who you are), but it's been really great to have this time with Dalia. She's really turning into a child, with so much curiosity, fear, joy, abundance. Here are some photos from our recent "hike" to Oaks Bottom, an awesome spot literally just a few blocks from our house. Also, today being Columbus Day, Mark got the day off and we went to the zoo to take advantage of our last bit o' sun. We dragged out the old winter jackets and hats and hit the road. The zoo was empty. And so beautiful. Dalia, who's been saying she was scared of the big animals for days now, was thrilled!

So, happy Autumn everyone. I'll sign off now as she runs naked to me screaming from her bath!