Miscellany

I had several pictures and random tidbits to post so I thought I'd just lump them all in one miscellaneous post. So here goes...*deep breath*...

* This is our first family dinner...in two photographs...because one of us had to be behind the camera. Frazier loves that swing! Many thanks to Merrisa for the chicken spaghetti. It was yummy! * This is my favorite Frazier picture so far:

...and the next two are close seconds:

* I'm amazed at his hands...not at how small they are, but at how big. My hands may be small, but compared to them his certainly don't seem tiny. I hold them sometimes and instead of marveling at his little fingers, I think about how long it will be before his hand is the same size as mine, how long before it's bigger? How long before he walks with his hand clasped in mine, and how long before it's no longer my hand he wants to hold?

*He's actually spending more time awake these days so I'm forever looking for activities to fill our time. I don't want to waste it. We sing a fair amount (more on that later), but we've been reading, too. He actually seems to enjoy it- you just can't begin too early. :) Reading is important to me and I'm determined to siphon as many books into his head as possible. I've been collecting books since we found out he was on the way so I've amassed plenty.
Here are some of MY favorites. One day he may prefer to read about bulldozers or frogs, but today it's up to me...so we're reading The Little Prince, and though I bought it for him in English, too...I think we'll read it in French. :)

"You may have tangible wealth untold;

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be--

I had a mother who read to me."

-Strickland Gillilan* So on the subject of activities, and speaking of singing, here is something that should have gone on my favorites list. I can't remember what exactly it's called, but it's made by Playskool
and it plays music. It comes preprogrammed with three categories filled with songs and sounds: Playtime (think "If You're Happy And You Know It" or "Skip to My Lou"), Soothing (think classical music- Fur Elise, Canon in D- and Lullaby, All The Pretty Little Horses, Hush Little Baby) and Sounds (think ocean waves and gulls, animal sounds, etc.). While it's playing the big play button lights up in different patterns of colors so it's fun to look at, but that's not the best part. The best part is that there's a removable mp3 player in the back and it comes with software for your computer (super easy to install and use) so you can add your own music to any category (or there's a fourth option that's SHUFFLE...it plays a little bit of everything). So I have a Frazier's Playlist of songs that I enjoy listening to, too (think anything from The Beatles- Yellow Submarine, Hey Jude, Strawberry Fields, Golden Slumbers, Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da; Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and Buddy Holley, to totally random Jambalaya- Hank Williams :) 'cause we're Louisiana people at heart, aren't we?, The McCoys- Hang on Sloopy, Danny Boy- Shane McGowan, Colors- Kira Willey; to contemporary folk rock, indie rock and alternative stuff (Little Boy Blue- Bonnie "Prince" Billy, First Day of My Life- Bright Eyes, Paper Boat- Belle and Sebastian, Coldplay, Blessed- Brett Dennen, Wake Up- Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, and Elliott Smith) even covers of favorites (many thanks to Corey for those...and like, over half the music I own!) like Everyday- Nada Surf, California Girls- Wakey! Wakey!, Me and Julio- Julie Doiron, Little Boxes- The Decembrists, Our House- Beirut); we even have a kids' hymn CD on there...with all the best old hymns. The list goes on and on...because I love music and so does Josh...and so, one day, will Frazier. ;)* And on the subject of favorites again- my Mom was over yesterday and said I should have mentioned my wipes warmer as a favorite thing. So I'm mentioning it. Because it is pretty cool...or warm, rather. While not at all necessary...it does seem like a nice gesture for little bums, doesn't it?

So that's about all the miscellaneous randomness I've got for today.

Happy Friday!

R&i