11 months

Look at this crazy girl. Is it just me or did she fly through her babyhood?

Little Miss Miriam is walking! She realized a few days ago she could walk unassisted and since then she's been tottering all over the place.

Here are a few more things she enjoys.

Drawing. She gets very angry if you get in the way of her scribbling or try to switch her color of crayon. Look at that serious face

Swinging. Balls. Swinging with balls.

She really loves balls.

Eating. But watch out because she's dangerously generous. If she sees you watching her she will insist you take a bite of whatever she has at hand.

Why hello there. Half chewed apple?

No, really I insist.

Another big favorite she learned thanks to her brother, drinking bath water.

Climbing. She got herself up on this stroller. I've found her all kinds of perilously high places. The tops of stairs, up book cases, on the bed, up stacks of moving boxes. The child is fearless.

She's also an enthusiastic animal lover. On our daily walk she keeps a look out for any and all non-human creatures. She seems to get especially excited about dogs, exclaiming Dahc! Dahc! and signing dog emphatically.

Only one more month til she turns one. I'm trying to decide if she or my birthday celebration is going to get the nudge. I really don't think it's fair for either of us to share.

Touche

We are in the belly of the beast, the beast being moving. Hopefully it will all be over soon. We reserved the moving truck for Saturday morning. While Aaron and I work and pack and work some more, the kids keep life fun.

Maybe it's just me but when Reuben eats carrots I think he looks like he's smoking a cigarette, Cruella Deville style. He keeps holding it with his pointer and middle finger.

We had a conversation on taste at dinner tonight.

Reuben: Lettuce is yucky.

Me: (in rebuttal voice) Reuben, Mama eats lots of lettuce. Look, I'm eating lettuce right now.

Reuben: (gives me an appraising look) Hm. Mama, likes yucky food.

Touche

Sound logic going on there. But ouch, did I just get snubbed by my two year old?

We've been happy that the weather has cooled this week. We've spent most of our time, at Miriam's insistence, outside. When we don't get out quick enough she walks to the door and bangs on it with both hands, then looks at me then looks at the doorknob then looks at me.

A family that draws together, stays together right?

Strawberry Eating

We went to the strawberry fields on Friday. I picked. The kids ate. A good time was had by all.

Look at these thieves. I kept filling my bucket but whenever I set it down I would find it empty again.

I told Reuben to pick his own and stop eating mine. He tried to say something back but his mouth was too full. The only thing that came out was bright red strawberry juice.

Miriam had fun. She kept pointing out strawberries and laughing.

You can watch her all white onsie get progressively pinker. Oh, the strawberry carnage!

Miriam even figured out how to crawl along the rows, picking as she went. She's a smart girl. Reuben remained content to sit next to me and eat out of my basket.

The Beach

We had a fun time at the beach Memorial weekend. Both kids were eager to get into the water. Here's Reuben marching towards the water.

Miriam did NOT want to be left in the stroller. See her leaning towards the waves.

Miriam helping Aaron enjoy the waves

Reuben playing tag with the surf

This is my sentimental moment. It's Miriam and my footprints together. She won't need my help to walk for very much longer.

Happy Miriam!

We were sad because we had to cut our beach trip short because of some housing issues. Thankfully we are hopeful that we found ourselves a new home this weekend and should be able to move within the month.

Miriam is 10 months

Miriam turned ten months old. She's a pretty happy kid. But she's only truly happy when in motion.

Sort of happy sitting on the couch.

Happier now that she's wiggled herself off the couch.

Happiest walking along. Note that she is moving so quickly that the picture blurs.

Here she is at the zoo.

From here to there in no time.

She took her first steps probably two weeks ago. She's figured out some talking too. She says Dada, Mama, a kind of Uuu for Reuben, No no, this, eyes, and eoow for meow when she sees Battle. She crawls all over but is especially determined to move if she's chasing down a ball. She loves to hide things inside shoes which has given everyone a surprise in the morning.

Any guesses on what her hair color will be? If you remember it was BLACK when she was born, then it lightened to brown. Now the bottom layer is coming in white blond and red.

Reuben saw me taking pictures of Miriam and demanded I take his picture too. So here you go. His shirt says "Big Brother." I really want to write "is watching" underneath it.

Today Reuben found a spider. He proudly told me it was his pet then spent around an hour watching it suck the innards out of crane flies trapped in its web. Life is fascinating.

Company

We got some great company this weekend. My family came up to visit. About ten minutes after they arrived, Robby Reuben and Abby heard the siren's song of the ice cream truck. Robby immediately picked up Reuben who only had socks on and ran out the door. About five minutes later I got a call from him at the park about a third a mile away, asking for back up. When I met them they looked like this. No shoes. Staining blue ice cream all over. And that's why uncles are so much fun.

From there, the food just got better.

We went into the city and tried out Founding Farmers which was delicious.

When we got home we played games and ate even more. Nothing says love like a chocolate cupcake ...

and a lychee shake.

Thanks for coming family! I miss you already.

Where Is Everybody?

I don't know about everyone else but during thunderstorms we like to sit outside on a hill, under a giant tree, eating lunch with an angry bald eagle with a broken wing.

We spent a good part of our day at the Raptor Rehab center. Along with the bald eagle, I enjoyed seeing the barred owl, cooper's hawk, and red tail hawk. Though it made me sad to see each so badly injured. Most had been hit by cars. I was reminded of the poem Hurt Hawk by Robinson Jeffers.

Miriam waving to the eagle. I'm fairly certain the eagle

was trying to figure out if he could eat her.

I had to laugh a little when Reuben looked up from his sandwich, wiped the water streaming off his head out of his eyes and asked nonchalantly "Where is everybody?" I told him we were all here, Mama, Reuben and baby. Reuben furrowed his brow and said, "No. Where are all the other people?" I told him I didn't know. Maybe they were inside.

HURT HAWK

I The broken pillar of the wing jags from the clotted shoulder, The wing trails like a banner in defeat, No more to use the sky forever but live with famine And pain a few days: cat nor coyote Will shorten the week of waiting for death, there is game without talons. He stands under the oak-bush and waits The lame feet of salvation; at night he remembers freedom And flies in a dream, the dawns ruin it. He is strong and pain is worse to the strong, incapacity is worse. The curs of the day come and torment him At distance, no one but death the redeemer will humble that head, The intrepid readiness, the terrible eyes. The wild God of the world is sometimes merciful to those That ask mercy, not often to the arrogant. You do not know him, you communal people, or you have forgotten him; Intemperate and savage, the hawk remembers him; Beautiful and wild, the hawks, and men that are dying, remember him.