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).

Maine: The Way Life Should Be

Ok, so I'm quoting a highway sign, but it is no less appropriate! The Mothers Goose have returned from a glorious 7 days at our Maine "camp." For those not in the know, camp is where we've rented a lakehouse for the past few years. Needless to say, it was a bit different this time having a 9 month old scurrying around the place but Lucia only enhanced the experience. We were lucky enough to have Aunt Alison and Uncle Brendan along for the ride, as well as a revolving door of family and friends. Lucia did very well for being in a new environment and sleeping in a closet (hey, camp is not that big). She didn't nap all that much, but I think she was too excited to sleep - and who can blame her? What with all the food, games and fun around it's a wonder any of us slept! Well, we didn't really either... but that's beside the point. We tried to take lots of pictures and videos, so feel free to take an hour out of your day and watch the slideshow. I know I sound like a broken record, but pictures don't do camp justice - there's something about being on Upper Range Pond (pronouced Rang - Maine, go figure) that just soothes the soul. God, I've turned into Chicken Noodle Soup for the Fran. Enough outta me, go look at my daughter.

Where It's Fun To Find Out...

Last Sunday Lucia had a big day out with Uncle Tony, Aunt Tammie and cousins Anthony and Brianna. The Maine Infantines came down and we all headed out to the Boston Children's Museum on the waterfront. It was our first visit to the newly remodled space and wow, what a place! Lucia was a little overwhelmed at first, but we soon found an area designated "for crawlers only" which she LOVED. Lots of padding, mirrors and new toys on which to slobber. We didn't even see the entire museum (have to save something for the next visit!) when we left for a walk down to the Aquarium. We watched the seals play outside (read: free!) and snapped a few pictures. This is my favorite because Anthony's hair is perfectly shapped like a seal's tail - how funny is that?!? So the Mothers Goose will be off on vacation next week and the packing has yet to start. Naturally, updating the blog was a top priority. Please keep your fingers crossed for nice Maine weather!!

Don't Think Me Unkind. Words Are Hard To Find...

It has now been 7 days since the concert of the century, and I feel like I'm finally in a good place to sit back, reflect and share the experience. In case you've been living under a rock (or just haven't spoken to me in awhile), I went to see The Police play at Fenway Park with a motley crew of friends and family. Chez Leary Infantine hosted a pre-concert BBQ which proved to be an excellent launching pad for all night revelry. With guests spanning the globe (Canada, LA, Maine, Rhode Island, etc.) we enjoyed a great afternoon of food, drink(sssss) and music. Portland High School was well represented with 6 graduates (Tony did graduate, right?) in attendance, ranging from the class of '84 to '91. It was just silly how much fun was had reliving our youth. Lucia certainly enjoyed herself as you can see in the pictures. Yes, that is an unopened can, and the cold felt good against her teeth - please don't report us. In fact, due to her early exposure to The Police, Lucia has starting saying "da da da da." I'm working on the "di do do do" part, but she hasn't quite gotten that yet. Perhaps Uncle Tony and his friend Mike can help her? Um, on second thought maybe not.