Whew

ok, so it's been a busy month ... I've failed to update the blog mostly because of my new job demands which, while much more complex and, um, demanding than my old job, are also much more enjoyable and rewarding.

i've also been victim of a nasty stomach flu virus and a relentless chest cold (both of which inflicted all 3 of us to varying degrees). excuses, excuses, i know - but let's just say that much of this month has been an untimely blur.

the good news is we're all back on the mend and enjoying the holiday break. our nanny has 2 weeks off, as of last friday, as do we (me from work, calvin from school). we're spending a lot of time (cynics beware) cuddling, tickling and laughing on the bed - just a big pile of a little family.

who knew this would happen?? just a year ago, we were behind in submitting our adoption paperwork. and now, we have a gorgeous girl who will turn 7 months old on christmas day.

i must say this child of ours is so lovable, so scrumptious, so intensely funny and unpredictable - i fall deeper and deeper in love with her, and with being a dad. and (cynics, you're probably all gone by now, but again beware) frankly, my falling in love with calvin over and over, more and more, reaches whole new complex (yet profoundly simple) levels. i wish i was more capable of articulating the feeling. but seeing him as a father is as close to bliss as i've known.

last night, our daughter was cracking herself up, in a true laughing fit that reached operatic proportions. it started out small, as i was making silly faces and playing peek-a-boo. then she started making sounds never heard before and just LOST IT. i was crying, i was laughing so hard. i'm going to try to recreate the whole episode, just to make calvin laugh.

i turned 35 recently and couldn't feel more content on where my immediate family life is and where it's going. of course, i am far from having my dream job and we're still struggling in a lot of ways (and my extended family always seems to attract drama) but overall i am just colossally grateful and enjoying it. even the routine of it all.

sadly, we haven't been able to see too many movies since volver. we had a chance one afternoon and escaped to see the departed, which we both thoroughly enjoyed but it's violence is certainly disturbing to the core. still hoping to fit the christopher guest flick in sometime soon.

watching lots of daily shows and ugly bettys (the best new show on TV!). oh, how i love justin, the young nephew of betty who is already a fashionista extraordinaire. i was never that schooled in fashion at that age but i was extremely similar and can relate eerily well to the character. i was more of a musical-theatre-ista when i was a kid. probably the only kid in my junior high school who knew all the lyrics to both duran duran and west side story.

i'm having fun putting together CDs for our baby girl. lots of marvin gaye, stevie wonder, B-52s, blondie, goldfrapp, david bowie, james brown, madonna, keane, gwen stefani, chaka khan ... fun stuff. and then there's the naptime CDs: k.d. lang, willie nelson, blossom dearie, death cab for cutie, roberta flack, rufus wainwright ...

she's starting eating apples, carrots, pears - you know, the mushed up stuff in jars. she loves her food. i bet she'll start crawling any day now.