Howlin' wolf

The audio's a little rough, so turn the speakers up on your computer before you download this. It's worth it.

I haven't blogged in a while; luckily, Meaghan has been here to pick up the slack. Instead, I've been learning the tough lessons of parenthood. Here's what I've picked up lately:

• It doesn't matter how many times you say it, there's nothing that will make zucchini "yummy yummy yum." Conversely, there's nothing that can't be made "yummy yum yum" by dipping it in applesauce.


• To a baby, the noise made by the velcro tabs being pulled off a dirty diaper sounds like a starter's pistol.


• You can have five, you can have ten, or you can have 50, and you'll still find yourself standing by their crib at 1 a.m. saying, "Where the hell is that pacifier?"


• You can dress your little boy in the latest trucker chic, and the clueless, childless checkout guy at the grocery store will still tell you "she's so cute."


• Trashcans and toy baskets look a lot alike, except the stuff in the trashcan is way more fun to play with. And tastier.

Gotta go. Kasper just up from his morning nap, so I've got a diaper to change. Should I be worried that he's wearing track shoes?

One apartment, two nights, six Woodfords

We just wrapped up a wonderful visit from Patrick's brother, Adam, his wife Michelle and their beautiful baby girl, Shylah. She had taken over Kasper's position as youngest grandchild and is handling the role with ease. At six weeks old, she has already been through every state on the Eastern seaboard from Maine to Virginia with a sidetrip to a wedding in Pennslyvania. It was a great treat to have everyone together - I'm sure Patrick will have more to say about it, but I knew getting a photo up for Grammie Woodford was the first order of business!
(Yes, that's my arm Kasper is chewing on - he was very interested in his baby cousin but still hasn't learned the meaning of "gentle". I tried telling him that babies were only for looking at, not for touching but he wasn't buying that either...)

Couch potatos by the bushel

Kasper continues to attract friends from far and wide. My friend (and ex-roomie) Jason came to visit this weekend from Maine. Kasper pulled out all of his best tricks: diving off the couch, waking up at 11pm and not wanting to go back to sleep, drooling like a St. Bernard, using the restaurant bread basket as a hat. They became fast friends. (Kasper is busy making a new friend today - his cousin Shylah is here with her parents, Adam and Michelle. Photos to come...)

Pass the corn on the cob

It took more than 50 photos and I still need two separate frames to document Fang's five teeth. As you can see, he's got two bottom teeth and three top teeth - with a fourth that's been trying to come in for weeks. There are only a few faces he makes where you can really see them but woe is the fool who encounters them (fingers, shoulders, knees, feet, he's not choosy on spots). He also applies them to non-parent items, like the laundry rack. Just call him the "non-traditional uses for traditional items" guy.

Who, me?

This is Kasper's newest face. He makes it for all sorts of reasons, most often because he hears a sound that interests him - the food processor, the shower, the coffee grinder. He loves the sound of the coffee grinder, he's going to be the youngest person on record to get a Starbucks card.
Everyday he gets more interested in the world around him. Unfortunately, he also gets less interested in taking naps...

I learned it from watching you, Dad!

I knew he would be a coffee drinker like his father (plus sharing his name with my grandfather's coffee company), but I had no idea it would start so soon.

Homeward bound

Kasper is getting some Daddy time this week since Pat has some extra days off from work. We have learned our lesson from the trips of the last two months - we are hanging out around the house. Not. Going. Anywhere. (Well, I'm going to work but that doesn't really count.)