happy birthday America, you sure know how to party

Lucy's first taste of fireworks yesterday was more than I'd hoped for. She was beyond delighted: while the fireworks squealed and popped she shrieked along, tongue out, clapping and jumping in a fervor; between fireworks she chanted "more, more!", "go dad go!", "happy birthday! [to America, Papa said]" and the wildly specific, "we like IT! we like IT!"

She ran back and forth between Nana and Papa's laps, "protecting" them from the fireworks, and despite being up way past her bedtime there was no hint of a meltdown.

Charlie and Shaggy had a great time in that ultimate boyish activity of setting things on fire; little brother napped in his sling and Scarlett was more enamored of Mr. Potato Head than the fireworks. But she only covered her ears once.

giving thanks

Tonight we will be on a plane, flying back to Portland after spending the last ten days with family in Virginia.

Things to be thankful for:

• The sun! (The first morning we woke up in Virginia the first words out of Lucy's mouth were "Lets go outside and read books in the sun!")
• Finally feeling Figgy moving around in there with some regularity.
• Turkeys, injected with marinade and beer butter and covered with rubs, deep fried and smoked.
• Grandparents who take Lucy for a 2-night adventure while we sneak in a getaway to the mountains.
• Parents who faithfully flip my home-cured bacon daily while we're out of the state.
• Cousins.
• Fresh coffee, made to order, whenever the mood strikes.
• Giant piles of leaves and the people who rake them. 
• Dogs that like to snuggle. 
• Backyard tree swings.
• Backyards.
• Brocoletti cooked with olive oil and lots of garlic.
• Brand new, hard-won box springs.
• A walk through the woods that ends by the river, and nice arms to rest in when you get tired. ("That is the tallest tree ever, that I ever saw!")
• Kisses that don't have to be wiped off.

not a cat, or a rat. not a mouse, or a grouse. but a BIG BAD WOLF!

Halloween weekend adventures:

• Farmer's market for pumpkin carving. We ended up skipping the pumpkin carving in favor of a breakfast burrito and balancing on a wall.
• Luca's second birthday party.
• Birthing class Halloween reunion with costumes, pinatas, and dead finger cupcakes. Fully half (!) of the birthing class is pregnant again, all due in a 2-month window in Spring.  I think we are going to make it a baby relay, where we hand off onesies and race the finish line.
• A second annual neighborhood trick-or-treating pre-party, complete with crack chile and costumes.
• Lucy's first real trick-or-treating with neighbor Luca. She wanted her daddy to say 'Trick or Treat' and thought it was pretty weird that strangers were trying to talk to her and give her candy. But she loved the chocolate result.