Hello, dears. There have been some requests for photos, and I am, big surprise, a sucker for requests like that. So here are a whole lot of ’em.
Update since I started “writing” this post: we have survived our home study. The social worker was really very nice — not at all like the horrid psychologist from the last parental-fitness screening — and was from North Carolina, which does help. She wasn’t nosy about the house or anything like that, and she framed her personal questions as a way to build a document the Bean would one day read, which was much more welcome than thinking of it as proving ourselves to an authority. (If any of you in Brooklyn decide to hire someone, I’d recommend her.) Once she’s written her report and the lawyer has submitted it to the court (within the week), the only thing left is for us to get a court date. Phew.
March 2012 — 12 months old
For his actual birthday, I made a pound cake in a tiny loaf pan, cut it into three layers, and frosted accordingly. I cut a “G” (his first initial) and what was supposed to be a “1” out of parchment paper, put them on the frosting, dusted with powdered sugar, and peeled them up, like a delicious, delicious batik.
The Bean helped.
I had to work that night, so Sugar and I had his family celebration at lunch.
For his birthday party, my dad managed to come for a day — he lives far away, but he had a meeting in Boston. He gave the Bean some piano pointers. (My dad plays very well, but even he doesn’t have a piano in his bedroom.)
His party cake, a variation on on Swedish princess cake, as directed by the Dane. Mine turned out very awkward looking and very fantastic tasting. Or maybe everyone just thought so because of the French 75s. Either way.
He had a great time, especially when hanging out with the Danelette.
April 2012 — 13 months old
Petting grape hyacinths at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. They’re so bouncy.
Flying!
Poster for the action movie he’s planning with two friends.
Spring Break! Rode the train all the way to Charlottesville, to visit the magical starhillgirl. Plenty of time to practice with chopsticks. (NB, travelers: the sushi place in Penn Station is a hidden gem. And the ladies there love it if you come in with a baby on your back, “just how we do it in Korea!”)
He met his first chickens…
…was stalked by cats…
…did some cat stalking himself…
…sorted starhillgirl’s rocks and rubble…
…and checked them for freshness.
He enjoys his work.
He damn near climbed his first tree — immediately after this was taken, he started pulling up, and it was all I could do not to lose him.
He gave and got some quality snuggling.
He petted cats! In trees!
The Bean refused to pose among the dogwoods, but Trip here knows how to be a good Southern baby.
It is a good friend who will share her danish while you wait for the train home.
Easter! We hunted eggs at the playground…
…and in the bathtub.
Stacking blocks became the new thing. He’s looking smug here because he has stacked them on an unstable surface.
Had his first attempt at a big-kid swing. I suspect he will like those more than the baby kind, but they are sadly hard to find in this town.
May 2012 — 14 months
“Welcome to the Pajamatime Piano Bar, where it’s always time for pajamas.”
Hanging out with the cats. Orson (shown here) is getting less wary.
Trying miso soup at our Mothers’ Day brunch at the japanese restaurant.
…and it’s a hit.
We went to reunion.
The Bean and Sugar vogued around campus.
Brace yourself for schmaltz: it’s a family portrait on the site of our first kiss.
Back in the city, we have been exploring outdoor art…
…and attending birthday parties. The Bean tries really hard not to make a mess…
…but sometimes it’s hard. (I don’t usually get into pictures of my kid with food on his face. Probably my mind is going.)
Hanging out at the community garden. Where did I get a blond child?
June 3, 2012 at 1:13 am
Awww! He gets more and more adorable! Love the kid climbing on the “do not climb” sign. And the family picture from your college is so sweet. Okay, I’ll stop gushing now…
June 4, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Pity about the sign, wasn’t it? The thing is, he can’t read.
June 3, 2012 at 2:22 am
How does he look a million years older than when y’all were in C’Ville? Good lord.
June 4, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Because leaving you does age a person, it would seem. Sigh.
June 3, 2012 at 2:38 am
Your son is absolutely adorable!! I
June 4, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Aw, thank you!
June 3, 2012 at 5:34 am
You live in the wrong country for a playdate, damn you! My twins have just asked me if they could play with the little boy inside the PC and I had to let them down gently.
G
June 4, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Bah! And here the only thing I think he’d like better than playing with one of your charming take-aways is having both of their attention.
June 3, 2012 at 10:54 am
love him!
June 3, 2012 at 3:43 pm
He is so cute and getting so big!
I love the two pictures of him being stalked by and stalking the cat.
Hope you guys are enjoying these late spring days and looking forward to your summer.
June 4, 2012 at 7:46 pm
starhillgirl has some truly awesome cats. Trip came right upstairs to soothe the Bean when we first arrived, even though the Bean was overtired and crying. Manners, that’s what those cats have.
June 6, 2012 at 12:09 am
Sometimes. Sometimes they have manners.
June 3, 2012 at 5:55 pm
He is so adorable and looks like so much fun! Love the family pic. I am all about the schmaltz (geez, do I love me some Yiddish) too.
June 4, 2012 at 7:47 pm
You know where there’s lots and lots of Yiddish? Brooklyn. And, would you look at that, we are here too! Don’t you owe it to Juju to bring her here?
June 4, 2012 at 3:30 am
OMG, he is gorgeous and I LOVE the family pic.
June 4, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Thank you!
June 4, 2012 at 12:03 pm
So, such cuteness is hard to resist. Needless to say, I like voguing best!
June 4, 2012 at 7:48 pm
‘course you do. We will have to arrange some vogue-mentoring from you this fall.
June 4, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Love! He has gotten to be quite the grown up! What a wonderful collection of photos!
June 4, 2012 at 7:50 pm
I laughed at the slide picture. (In fact, I laughed so hard I woke the baby.)
June 5, 2012 at 6:13 pm
What a good-looking kid. I mean, he’s cute now, obviously… but he is going to break some hearts when he’s big! I love the shot of him climbing the art with the ‘do not climb’ sign 😀
June 6, 2012 at 12:04 am
SIGH! What a beautiful and picturesque family and LIFE you have. So lovely. I can’t imagine the insane state would deny your child’s other mother her parental rights, not when you are all so pretty and charming. Love your blocks, madam. I know your apartment is not large, but I still think you should get the baby versions. Moose calf is very cute…
June 9, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Tell Sugar that! She resists me! Says he has “enough blocks.” I told her those two words had no meaning in combination, and I AM the one with a graduate degree in WORDS, but she won’t believe me.
June 7, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Oh thank you. I have needed a Bean photo fix for some time. He is so handsome. I don’t know about you, but I find that little boys, as they become little boys and stop being babies, are just impossibly gorgeous.
Very much hoping everything is a rubber stamp on the adoption front.
T.
August 8, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Oh my FG, he’s gorgeous! How on earth can you get anything done with that face around?