How was the birthday, you all are dying to know. In a nutshell (make that a delicious frosted cupcake-like nutshell), it was fantastic. Lots of people came and wished the little one well and we all watched him dive face-first into a cupcake. I’ll have more on that and plenty of pictures later. Wouldn’t you know it, I didn’t take one picture the entire day, so I’m relying on the kindness of others to send me their pics. (Please?)

On Sunday, Robyn, Cory, Neil, and me headed out to Bridgton for the Mushers Bowl Winter Carnival. It’s like the Iditarod, only much much much much smaller. But just as cold.

Dash loved seeing the dogs but when I tell you it was cold I mean it was frigid. This photo pretty accurately sums up what Dash thought of that kind of nonsense.

And don’t let these nice pictures fool you, there was a lot of tomfoolery (does that word get used anymore?) going on.

This was right before Robyn clobbered Cory. Inspired by a couple of kids doing the same thing (only with real punches and real tears). This place was dangerous!

Things I’ve learned so far this morning:

1. Cooking lamb makes a surprisingly greasy mess in the oven. This is fun to find out the following morning. Yum.

2. Don’t turn the oven to self-clean without first opening windows and/or running the overhead fan. Otherwise, you might be sitting on your couch in your pj’s, minding your own business, and suddenly think your house might be on fire.

3. Open windows on a day when the temperature is resting right around 20 degrees? Smart. Wicked smart.

Ok, to the person who found me searching for “baby danger,” I sincerely hope you did not find what you were looking for on my site.

The new mom takes a deep breath.

Wow. I had no idea you all were so easily offended. I’ll try to avoid talking about poop in the future. Even if it’s hypothetical poop. Poop that never existed.

Poop that never was.

In other news, the sun just came out and it’s almost 50 degrees! Got to love that January thaw. I just came in from running a few errands to find Dash up early from his nap and Neil and Tim still rehearsing in the living room. I’m thinking the two are related.

I haven’t talked about it on this site yet, but Neil (thoroughly inspired by Dash) has been writing children’s music for the last few months. You can listen to some rough demos here to get an idea of what I’m talking about. Those are two of the early songs and in my opinion they’ve gotten steadily better since then (there’s another 10 or so being recorded, including this sweet rag-time-ish tune). We’re already planning the world tour (and complete world domination), so let me know if you want us to play your town or sublet our house in coastal Maine.
I’m mostly not kidding.

P.S. HappyDashery shop update in progress. Check it out!

As much as I love it, these quiet moments after Christmas are always so nice. The tree stands, proud and decorated, and there’s no pressure to make or buy lovely things to put beneath it. Josie loves these days best of all, as there’s finally room for her.

We spent a lovely Christmas eve and day with my parents (at what we call our “country house”). Dash, oblivious to all except mom & dad & grandparents lavishing attention on him, was spoiled with more gifts than he knows what to do with. Not too many really, but when you consider how much an almost-one-year-old really needs, a lot.

His favorite way to spend time? Standing at the old drum-turned-coffee-table playing with this little gift box that plays “We wish you a merry Christmas” every time the lid is lifted. Sounds fine, but that box is one of the more annoying things ever brought into my parent’s house. And I should know. I brought it home to them almost twenty years ago. You’re welcome, Dad!

Here’s a shot of the boy in action.

So now it’s all over for another year and the snow is falling yet again. Life goes on, and never was that more clear than on my to-do list.

Today’s To-Do:

Go to the post office
Return videos (Cube and Chalk)
Paint studio (who am i even kidding here? this is the longest project ever.)
Write thank you notes

And with that I’m off. Those thank you’s don’t write themselves.