Still Waiting

Much to Ali’s chagrin our newest member is still in utero. Of course, it is now about as active as it might be on the outside, which leaves my poor wife feeling as though the baby is trying to make break for it out the side of her abdomen or perhaps through her belly button. Still, not even the hint of a contraction, though I suspect that labor will begin within a week or so.

Here are some updated pics of the little nugget though. You can see part of the face in this close-up, a nose and mouth.

Nugget's mouth 35 weeks

We have been trying to prepare Hadley for the arrival of her new sibling, but we are pretty sure she doesn’t get it completely just yet. She is, however, very fond of patting Ali’s belly and saying, “Baby Nunnet.”

Hugging Nugget Rainy Golfer

In the interim, summer has finally arrived in Massachusetts. The days of rain for the most part have given way to a string of lovely sunny days. Hadley and Ali have had multiple chances to head to the local beach and enjoy the sand and lake. Additionally, we all walked downtown for Hadley’s first foray into the children’s wading pool, which Hadley eventually began to enjoy.

Staying Cool Adidas Outfit

New Shades Uck Hands

I have been working way too much, especially in Ali’s eyes. Yet, with a new class to plan and a revamping of another, in addition to all the sideline projects, I have been logging a lot of computer time. Only recently have I been earnestly getting some of the household projects going. However, I am beginning to make some progress on all fronts, which is good all around.

Building Sand Castles

More news to come for sure

Preparing for the Summer

Finally, the summer is almost near. School will be complete within the week and my reprieve from students begins. Of course, it is yet another jammed season for me. This having the summers off bit of the teaching gig has never really been much of a vacation. Every summer has included a preparation for a pretty big change and this one is no different with the arrival of our new baby. By the time I repair and paint the house exterior and the new baby arrives, it already feels like the summer will be finished and I’ll be back at school.

Still, I am looking forward to getting some things done around the house, since it is so difficult to simply do on the weekends. Also, I am excited to begin doing more presentations to other teachers. I will be spending some time with the Boston Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute, as well as a local education collaborative ACCEPT. Of course, I have some other professional projects to try and manage, like planning a new course for the fall and revising another. Apart from that I will be enjoying being around my girls, especially when the younger one awakes. Fetching Hadley from her crib in the morning is one of the things I rather liked about last summer. Hopefully, we will make some more videos and there will, of course be a whole lot more photos too.

Kickstarting the Summer in High Gear

I kept thinking that the summer would arrive and I would get a chance to breath, a little. That notion was quickly dispatched, partially of my own accord and partially of plain circumstance. Upon finishing off the school year, I was under the gun to make some serious progress on the housing front. Ali’s mom was to be arriving the following Sunday. Apart from the heavy-duty cleaning that our place needed, there were things like babyproofing and making our half bath more than simply functional. So most of the week was spent either watching Hadley so Ali could get something done or trying to finish off a short list of tasks to make the house more presentable. Then it was off to entertaining. Oh, and along the way, Hadley got to go to her first birthday party. Congratulations, Sid!

Getting her Dress Dirty

Still Standing Lounging

Playing Flirting

While the in-laws were here we covered a lot of ground. What’s most amazing is how easygoing Hadley was for the whole trip. I mean we went on a Duck Tour and walked the entire Freedom Trail in a single day. Not a peep from our sweet child. She was as good as one could hope, really quite stunning. From there it was trips to places like Salem, Gloucester, Rockport, even Manchester (by the sea) so Ali’s mom could take in some more family and spend the afternoon with her brother. It was a busy week to be sure.

Grandparents' Visit

Out for a Walk in the Sun End of the Freedom Trail

Enjoying the Duck Tour Lobstah!

Visiting Rockport

No sooner did they leave and I was set to begin my month long stay with the Boston Writing Project, which just wrapped its first week. Part of the National Writing Project, it is a professional development program that is dedicated to improving student writing K-16. That’s right, kindergarten through university with teachers from across the spectrum. It is pretty awesome actually, but makes for a full day. I am on the 6:53 train into Boston and work my way to UMass-Boston on the harbor, in Dorchester, not usually getting home until 5 or 6 PM. It’s like being at work still. Needless to say it has delayed some of the other tasks around the house. However, I am still hoping to make some progress with the exterior of things.

Boston Harbor & Dorchester Tank Campus Center Lobby - Long

Of course, this coming week will mark Hadley’s baptism, so even more family will be arriving any day now to help celebrate. That should be great fun. My family has not visited since right after Hadley was born, surprisingly enough. However, my brother David will be making his second trip out and this time it won’t be shortened by any work related rubbish. Plus, he is bringing his significant other, whom we’ve yet to meet. Unfortunately, she was out of town when we made our last trip west. So there’s even more looking forward.

Splendor in the Grass

Apart from all that rot, have a look at the rest of the pictures. Some of them are great.