Updates Mid-April

We've just survived a fairly exciting few weeks:

• Emily's narrowing in on her dissertation topic.
• I've done much of my mid-year grading.
• We've attended a conference, seen old friends, hosted family, done some local trips.
• We've finalized plans for the next few years.
• Some of the lowlights have been a flu and computer issues.
• Taxes are done (yeah Em!)

Sam updates:

• Sam's still at eight teeth.
• He likes to dance lately. I'll try to post a video or two of the time with Reina. He sort of bounces, walks, and giggles at the same time—fun!
• He has one dvd he watches regularly. It's a wiggles video, which is pretty fun. He's especially fond of Dentist Jane and smiles whenever she comes on. He also likes the part with four colored flowers and with the librarian (who is cool and plays the guitar).
• I've moved Sam onto my back for walks. We haven't taken walks much this winter, so it's fun to be doing this.
• He can look at a book for a while by himself (he actually did this this morning, buying us a few hours of time).
• He still refuses a sippy cup, which drives Emily crazy
• He is pretty good at eating things with his hands, and eats dinner with us. He doesn't even mind spicy food and hasn't shown any clear dislikes.
• He plays with a ball, and can kind of “throw” and even catch. (This is a big plastic ball.)
• He likes to “clap,” something he practiced with Grandma Barb.
• He's very playful and pretty good natured. He really has a sunny personality.
• But he's also developing a will. This is good because he is becoming his own little self, but it is hard as a parent. He throws a little tiny fit if you take away something he likes; so far the fit usually just lasts a minute or two.
• He's gotten through his first flu. It was very strange. I'd had it. Both he and Emily woke up at the same time and began throwing up. Even when he was sick, he still had some moments of playfulness.
• He loved his Easter Sunday at Westminster (this was before he got sick). It's so fun to be at a church where children don't cause much disturbance. He also went to Maunday Thursday with us nearby.

That's our news. We'll try to update more soon. I'm trying out a linux system now (Ubuntu). I think it will be good for internet stuff and is a bit cleaner than my windows (which was buggy, and is in Chinese, and acts a little funky). That's our news! I'll try to be a better correspondent.