Year One

One year ago today Ashley and I stood together before our families, our friends and the universe, and declared through words and ritual that we are for each other. We are flooded with warmth all over again as we reexperience that day. Toward the end we stood holding Ezra as our families wrapped us in the tallis, our parents and siblings all draping us in love and optimism. I remember that moment as perhaps the best in my life. And then tonight Ash and I dusted off the wedding video, which we have not watched since the event. We cried all over again. At the end, as we on TV were preparing to stomp the glass, Ash grabbed my hand and placed it on her belly. Just as TV Us brought down our heels on the glass (several times!), the very real baby in Ashley's tummy delivered two swift kicks that nearly made my hand jump. Maybe that, then, is my best moment.

Anyway, I'll spare you more sap. Suffice to say we have a lot to be grateful for. Over the weekend Nonnie and Mickey visited and we all had great fun -- this despite Ezra being diagnosed with a double ear infection. His first! He's been characteristically joyful even though he's sick -- his fuse is just a little shorter than usual.
But he was pretty thrilled to have his grandparents around. We all went to the botanical gardens and saw model trains, and we brunched with our senior citizen friends Alex and Marion. The two of them, in their 90s and 80s respectively, kept up with Ezra remarkably well.

The weekend before that Ashley, Ezra and I took a little road trip to Starved Rock State Park. Entering that place is a little like leaving the Midwest and walking into Yosemite. Well, a tiny, puny Yosemite short on mountains and long on highway noise ... but with just enough grandeur to feel otherworldy. It's a glacial anomaly, full of sandstone gorges and lovely waterfalls. Anyway, we hiked all afternoon, which had exactly the desired effect on Ezra. I carried him in a backpack, so his mouth was about 3 inches from my ear, and he narrated the entire day with great gusto. "Tree! Green tree! Doggie! Waterfall! Dirt!"

He marveled at the inexhaustible supply of sticks and rocks, and seemed to really take to the outdoors. Not that it's surprising that a little boy should think the woods are cool, but it was gratifying to start instilling in him that reverence for the natural world.

And finally, we've been into a real Chicago heat spell, and as you can see in this video, we've drifted toward a clothing-option mode here. Also note both the new talent Ezra has developed, and the fraternal spirit with which he applies it.

This weekend Ezra's other grandparents will visit, and have kindly volunteered to hold down the fort while Ash and I split town for a couple of days, to celebrate our anniversary. It's wild to think that at our second anniversary, we'll be a family of four. I'm certain there are lots more best moments to come.

Much love,

Gabe, Ash and Ez

Mom, Enough with the Mococo Already

So long, "mococo." Now it's "moh-cycle." "Bihduh" is gone, replaced by "what's that?" My favorite, "dam mamas," has morphed into "pajamas." Sigh. And what's this? I (Ash) go away for one weekend and come back to find that a train engine is by no means a "locomomo" but a "locomotive" instead.

But, these linguistic leaps have an upside, too. Now Ezra says "I love you" completely spontaneously! Here's a recent conversation (I'm relaying secondhand) between Ezra and Gabe. Gabe's rocking Ezra before putting him down to sleep.

Gabe: "I love you, Ezra."

Ezra: "Soooooo much!"

Gabe: "Yes, so much!"

Ezra: "I love you."

Gabe: "Aw, I love you, Ezra."

Ezra: "I love Mommy."

I wish I had a recording of that conversation so I could play it over and over and over again.

He's also starting to learn the fine art of phone conversation. I was in the bathroom the other day when I overheard him saying, "Hahr you? I'm fine." I came out to discover him holding the computer mouse to his ear, having an imaginary conversation. Now he picks up any gadget with buttons on it (tonight it was a lock hanging from a neighbor's gate) and says, "Hahr you? I'm fine."

As I mentioned, Gabe took on 24/7 child care duty this past weekend so I could go to Toronto to visit my friends Yoko and Evan. It was my first time away from Ezra longer than one night. It was pretty awesome. Slept in till 9 am two days in a row, ate leisurely meals out, wandered around the city, saw a movie, hung out in a coffee shop reading (something I don't think I've done once since Ezra was born!) and got to catch up with good friends. Thanks, Gabe. It was a wonderful little pre-baby #2 break. I worried Ezra would have a hard time, but other than one early morning slight freak-out, apparently he was happy as could be. Ezra would look at Gabe quizzically and say, "Mommy's here? Mommy's here?" and Gabe would say, "Mommy's on vacation. She'll be back soon." So pretty soon Ezra would just say, "Mommy vacation. Back soon."

Anyway, I'm including some recent pictures, including some beautiful ones Katy took when she was visiting here in March.

Love,

Ash (and Gabe and Ezra)