Lately...

We've been gone two weekends in a row--once to New Jersey, once to Florida, coming home late yesterday. We have a multitude of photos to share, but our camera died in Boca. We've also been celebrating Will's birthday in Groundhog Day fashion, not to mention the birthdays of all his original playgroup besties. In other words, we are burning the candle at both ends and also melting the wax in the middle. I know, great metaphor.

Some quick notes, then, unfortunately without the accompanying illustrations:

• Bianica tells the story of Will and Connor's first meeting over here, and does a better job of it than I could anyway. You should know that we an absolute blast and also that Dave was clinically depressed upon leaving. (So was his son, but mostly because there was a pool AND the ratio of ceiling fans to rooms was 1:1, making it in every respect Will's earthly utopia.)
• Will got his one-year portraits taken today by Brittany Blando, my wedding photographer. Brittany and I hit it off instantaneously almost three years ago when we met, and she's been there not only for our wedding but also for a photo shoot when I was eight months pregnant with Will...and has now documented my first son's first birthday. I guess it's an understatement to say that she's a lasting part of our lives.
• My friend Nikki joined the fun to get portraits taken of her almost (tomorrow!) one-year-old, Kenley, and WOW. Can I just say that Kenley's pink and white dress--with a tulle skirt, mind you--sent me over the edge of cuteness? Please. Memo to all those with baby girls: STOP TAUNTING ME WITH YOUR ADORABLE GIRL CLOTHES. Yes, yes, blah blah, sharks and trucks are awesome, fine. But there is nothing like those girl clothes, and there's no convincing me otherwise.
• I am in that awkward phase of pregnancy where maternity clothes still make me look bigger than I actually am, but most of my regular clothes make me look like a stuffed sausage. This phase happens to correspond with the weird New England is-it-summer-or-fall-or-maybe-even-spring?!?!? transition, so my daily outfit consists of: one (1) pair of Gap jeans in my regular size, worn low enough to allow the belly some wiggle room, and one (1) supersoft maternity tee given to me by sis-in-law Jen that says "Full of Life" across the front. (Get it? Full of life? OK, you get it.) Oh, and some flip-flops or sneakers depending on the hourly season changes.
• Many of my wonderful mom friends have asked about our recent switch, albeit in stages, to cloth diapering. It has been really phenomenal for me, especially the "taking it piece by piece" approach--which is weird, because I'm usually a whole-hog kind of person, in case you hadn't noticed. Here's where I got my initial information: Lazy Mom's Guide to Cloth Diapering. We started with one six-pack of Bum Genius 3-in-One diapers, some All Free & Clear detergent, and...nothing else. Not even a cloth diaper pail and liner. As I said, we're taking things slow--we alternate using cloth one day and disposable the next--but our follow-up order came in the mail today and, yeah, there's just nothing interesting left to say. So, the end.
• Flu shots. Dentist appointments. Sign and sing classes. Playgroups. Birthdays. Grandparent time. Trips away. Visits from family and friends. Furniture and room rearrangement--in preparation for new baby. Suddenly, I have no time at all to do anything that isn't already On The Calendar, and it's making me feel like the remaining fifteen weeks of pregnancy are going to fly.