Pretty houses, Maria!

Oh, and to prove I can tell cute Annabel stories:

1. The other day she was having a snack in her highchair while I worked on dinner and checked on her every so often. I kept hearing her make this sort of "oooEEEooo" sound, starting low-pitched, going high, and dropping back down. I looked over and she was making her Teddy Grahams sort of fly up in the air before dropping them back down, to accompanying sound effects.

2. I keep several sweatshirts around the house to put on when it's chilly or to wear over my pajamas first thing in the morning. Most of them have some kind of lettering on them--a sports team, one of our alma maters, etc. Annabel LOVES the big letters. If you pick her up while wearing one, she'll point to them one by one (not in any particular order necessarily), with great happiness and enthusiasm. Naturally I oblige by pointing to each letter in turn and naming them for her, then saying what it spells, making it entirely possible that her early vocabulary, once she gets one, will feature M-A-R-I-N-E-R-S, P-E-N-N, and C-O-L-O-R-A-D-O.

making it entirely possible that her early vocabulary, once she gets one, will feature M-A-R-I-N-E-R-S, P-E-N-N, and C-O-L-O-R-A-D-O.

Awwwww...How perfect that will be.

In more boring survey updates. It looks like about 300 of those respondents actually finished the survey. This also makes me quite pleased.

vw, I'm glad you got drugs.

My mother has been worrying about me for half a century. I don't think that ever stops. I was a very early talker and a spontaneous reader, but I walked very late. Some people would argue that I have yet to get the hang of that walking thing. I also just walked, with no preliminaries. My mother contends that I wanted to get somewhere and there was no one to carry me, so I had to reveal my secret walking skills.

Both houses look great, Maria.

OK, on Shangaan, I always thought that was there language. Turns out they speak Tsoga.

So, Annabel is expected to learn Xhosa instead. Nelson Mandela's native language, after all.

And homeowning! Wheeee!

Don't you mean "eeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiii?" This has got to be the single most frightening thing I've done.

Oh, Maria! They're quite lovely. How exciting!

I just wish we could find something that's a bit more unique that also doesn't require a boatload of work. This area seems to revel in the cookie-cutter sameness of housing.

Survey count is at 451.

Oh, thanks for reminding me! One more headed your way sometime this evening.

Maria, a new home with your new hubby would be very exciting, despite the commute!

My hubby, speaking of them, is starting his Winter League ultimate frisbee tomorrow night. This year, the teams are all named after infomercial products and I'll be damned if I know what some of them are from the abbreviations:

A.E. Plastic, E. Stripper, F. Rock, S.B. Stuff, M. Blade, W. Thrasher, B. Buns, J. Man, L.M.G. Machine, S. Buggy.

My husband is on The Clapper.

One more headed your way sometime this evening.

Yay!

Is that the one with the clicks, Dylan?

I FREAKED my parents out last night

Dude, you freak us out like once a month.

David, what are you doing posting when you should be on a plane to Boston? To SFO with you! Toot sweet!

I'd better get moving, huh?

Is that the one with the clicks, Dylan?

One of several southern African languages with clicks, but the only one I know the clicks for.