Harvest time

Fall, as rich as fall in Texas can be, is in full swing. The high is only in the low 80s; we don’t have to throw on the air conditioning at noon; the leaves have a light yellow hue to them; the underbrush along the Greenbelt is turning brown; the night is quietly stealing a few more minutes of light each day. Someone at work made the first reference, in jest, to “Tis’ the season.” Everyone groaned. We know what’s coming…

Julian has four teeth on the top and a third cutting through on the bottom! He little face has been swallowed up by these teeth. Remember when you were a kid and your adult front teeth grew in? Because he’s so small, these wee baby teeth take up his whole mouth. Oh, and he’s rocking a Madonna gap already. He’s a little entertainer already.

With the teeth, Julian really seems more boyish lately. He loves to play games with you. We’re teaching him how to chase us around and roll the ball back and forth. He loves peek-a-boo and tickle games. And he’ll do anything, anything, to eat paper. Nothing is safe: posters on the wall, receipts in your purse, Blockbuster dvd mailer slips, books on the bookshelf. Oh and the toilet paper. Lest we forget his love for the TP. Not that he knows how to use it, of course.

Ian has been recording like a madman lately. He’s got five songs on the go, most of which he’s has strumming along in his head for years. Some of which end up getting stuck in my head they are so catchy. “Tell me are you ready, ready?” In the next months, I’ll let ya’ll know when and how you can get your hands on these limited edition, soon-to-sell-out, collector’s copies of “Death of a Rock Star,” which you can brag to your friends is a modern-day, honest-to-God concept album. It’s pretty cool. I’m proud of him.

Julian is involved in the recording process. Ian will sit Julian in his high chair next to the recording unit and mic and let him watch as he plays and records. Julian will wave his hands up and down, not quite dancing or clapping his hands yet, but his own babyfied version of musical expression. I can’t wait to have kid dance parties over here. Ruby, who’s long been walking, is testing out the different ways she can move on two feet. She’s a go-getter, I tell you. Damn near running already. Julian, on the other hand, seems pretty happy with crawling like a silverback gorilla, butt up in the hair and legs straight. But don’t let him fool you. He’s a fast little sucker. You turn your back for one second and he’s eating toilet paper again.

Erin, who’s no longer from Portland OR New York, came down for a visit this week. She’s loving her Dallas apartment and the anticipation of starting her totally awesome job this week at a very prominent ad agency in Dallas. (You know those Chick-fil-a ads with the cows telling you to eat more “chikn,” yup that’s her new employer.) It’s so wonderful to have her so close. I mean, Dallas to Austin is probably the worst drive in the country, but it’s better than 3 days’ driving to Oregon or NYC. Now if only we could get those Soesiedelmantaerts to move down here…