Fall Classic Indeed...

Now that it is finally starting to feel like fall (is anyone else besides us and Al Gore worried about this global warming thing???), we decided to introduce Lucia to all sorts of autumnal delights. Thus far she has discovered apples (which she clearly loves), pumpkins (she wasn't so sure about those) and the joy and agony of watching the Red Sox in October. Of course, Luce doesn't see what all the fuss is about since all she knows are undefeated Pats and the Sox in the series... but she's young, she'll learn.

Sisters, Sisters - Never Were There Such Devoted Sisters...

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue and Fran made a big splash too! That was the inscription on my 4th grade birthday cake... no joke. So yes, for my birthday this year I did not receive a poetic piece of confection, but got something just as sweet in the form of a visit from my sisters. Maria and Johanna (née Jodie) came to Boston to take me out to dinner and fawn over Lucia. It was a great weekend and Lucia is clearly smitten with both of them, as you can see (yes, in background of the video you can hear Aunt Jo Jo requesting eggrolls from Syl). In other cute video news, check out our daughter's reaction to the stern disciplinary stylings of Mama Mer. We're in trouble aren't we??

We're Back BABY!

So sorry for the prolonged Lucia-out (like a brown out, but cuter). Our computer is back at home and we have a lot of ground to cover. Starting with the mysterious Ellen videos and why they aren't posting correctly. I don't have the answer yet, but I can give you some cute Lucia pics like this one taken during a recent trip to the Children's Museum. Note the massive drool puddle on her shirt -- she's up to about 9 teeth now and we think we see molars poking through! Also, since you've gone so long without a video - here's what happens when Mama Fran gets creative in choosing toys for Luce to play with (who says it's not a toy?!?!).

Life at Ellen's House...

So while our computer is being fixed (new power source installed, hopefully no data lost) I'm attempting to upload some videos from Lucia's daycare, a.k.a. Ellen's house. Thus far, things are going pretty well. Luce still has a tough time saying goodbye to moms in the morning, but she usually doesn't cry for long before she's off having a blast. We cannot say enough good things about Ellen and her house. She sends us video clips, pictures and detailed write-ups at the end of each day. Because Lucia is the youngest child, and consequently the most needy, she gets a disproportionate amount of copy... and Ellen is nothing if not honest. For example, one day's summary began with: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" and then proceeded to outline how tough Luce had it that day. Even though it's hard to read those, Mer and I know that once she settles into a routine, Lucia will love Ellen's house. Oh, and they're not just confined to the house... Ellen takes them to the zoo, to the park, out for walks, etc. Again, she's awesome and we are so very lucky. The video clip you see here was taken in Ellen's backyard (yes, she has a giant, spinning teacup back there) and the kids had just come from playing in buckets of water - which explains Lucia's unfortunate hairdo.

That's the Night That the Lights Went Out in JP

So this was a tough weekend in the Leary Infantine household. Lucia came down with a cold (it's amazing how much snot the little creature can produce)so she didn't sleep very well. Mama Fran pulled her calf muscle during Sunday's game (yes, we won), Sadie threw up in a laundry basket full of clean clothes and our computer died. Like dead dead - won't turn on dead. Not good. Once we figure out the computer mess, we'll return to our regularly scheduled posts. Thank you for your patience, your readership is very important to us.

Are You Ready For Some Football????

Lucia sure is! Today marked the first day of football season (both for the Patriots as well as Mama Fran's flag football league). It was a good day since both of Lucia's teams won! After the Violent Femmes (yes, that's the name of my team) tidy victory, we headed over to Cathy, Kelby and Owen's house to watch the Pats. Lucia and Tom Brady were both in fine form. Owen wasn't sure about Lucia's enthusiasm, but he's only 6 months... he'll learn. This weekend also brought another milestone for Lucia - her first quasi haircut. As you may know, Luce has been rockin' an awesome tail/mullet for the past 9 months and when Mama Mer got her haircut on Saturday, so did Lucia. It was quick and painless with almost no tears (I got a little misty). Mama Mer wanted Luce to look her best for the first day of daycare and I have to say, she's never looked cuter... just see for yourself!

Who's The Pretty Girl in the Mirror There?

What mirror where? (let me know if that is now stuck in your head too). As the dog days of summer came to a close, Lucia spent her Labor Day weekend back at the Children's Museum with her buddy Owen. She loved admiring herself in the mirror and exploring the crawling room. Lucia's moms and Owen's folks (Cathy and Kelby) took advantage of the nice weather and dined al fresco while the little ones slept in their strollers. A few bloody Mary's later, and with the tots more or less rested we were ready to report to DSS... I mean, head home. Sorry I've been off the update wagon with the blog - August just seemed to slip away. I'll get better I promise. Lucia heads into the great day care experiement next week, so I'll be sure to keep you posted on her progress. One final note... ever wonder what the Leary Infantines would look like in Simpson form? Well wonder no more! (I know, I have waaaaay too much free time today).