melted smoosh

dear George, how did you get so big? you're already starting to grow out of your 0-3 month clothes and you've been wearing size 1 diapers for a few weeks now. I'm inordinately proud of the tiny rolls on your wrists and thighs, even though your arms and legs are still spindly. and your cheeks grow more kissable each day! you still drink four ounce bottles, but sometimes you want an extra ounce and you certainly let me know about it! you still hate pausing your feeding for a burp halfway through, and whenever I start feeding you again, you gulp down the first few sips and dart your eyes around on guard for anyone who might try to take the bottle away from you again.   you stare deep into my eyes when I'm feeding you :) and you also hold tight to my finger to make sure I don't get any ideas about taking the bottle away you love to grab my hair whenever it's within your reach, and cling on to fistfuls while I try to extricate myself (not so much because it hurts me,...

  1) the opera! I've only been to the opera a few times previously -- if I'm going to see a show, I prefer it to be a Broadway musical! but when my friend Susan invited me to see a matinee performance of Falstaff at the Pittsburgh Opera with free childcare provided, of course I said yes. Falstaff is a comedy written by Verdi, and I enjoyed trying to translate the Italian as much as I could (while being very grateful for the English subtitles displayed above the stage). the costuming and set design were fun, although understandably not as elaborate as the Broadway national tour productions. and we felt very cultured indeed!  the curtain call the childcare was a hit -- they were set up in a beautiful large room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking downtown, with lots of toys and games for the kids. Elizabeth and Victoria might have been more nervous about me leaving if it weren't for their friends joining them, so that worked out well all around.  I really hope they di...