Fritzwinkle Reborn

It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since the last post on ye old fritzwinkle. Well, having two kids to chase around definitely creates some challenges. Plus, for awhile it seemed like everything I did involved a website. So I guess I simply needed a break.

Then again, I ran into some serious technical problems that seriously hampered efforts to make the necessary improvements needed to reduce the time needed to maintain the site. Considering how long the site had been online, it is amazing that it worked as long as it did. To think I hand-coded the thing from scratch in the beginning. This time around, I have systematized things a whole lot more and hopefully that will make all of the difference. So, I am back again with a brand new look and feel and future improvements on the horizon.

Thanksgiving Spread

It seems almost fitting that it has been a year since the last post. It was last year when we had our first Thanksgiving in our own home. This year was no different and equally wonderful. Ali, with a little help from Keri, whipped up a feast for all of us. The Patriots played and won. The kids enjoyed the spread.

Family Thanksgiving

They were both ready, adorned with headdress. Now that Hadley has begun school, she is returning home with holiday crafts. She is a particular lover of pumpkin pie. Even little Fritz could partake in some of the grub. He seems to like turkey quite a bit, in spite of this fantastic look.

Turkeyhead One Turkeyhead Two Mmmm, Turkey

Another Summer Ends, Another Autumn Begins

As if the last day of summer rang a bell for the seasons, New England is already beginning to show its fall colors. The leaves are just now visibly changing, speckling the green with red, yellow, and orange. We have had a couple of sharp, biting cool nights which usually helps make for a beautiful autumn.

Of course autumn signals the start of football season, and the indoctrination process has long since begun. Of course soccer has started across Europe too. Plus, more games than ever are now on ESPN. I am loving it.

Go Pats! Cutest Pats Fans

School has gotten off to a good start this year, at least more noticeably than the typical first month. The only real trouble is that our computer network has rendered the internet almost unusable, which significantly impacts the day. Yet, I have been able to work round this for the most part. It is just mighty inconvenient, especially now that three out of the five classes I am teaching rely heavily on regular internet components, one is exclusively online, one is half online, and the other will spend half this term involved in a project that is almost exclusively online. Despite all of this, I am very much enjoying the classes and it looks to be a good year.

In His Grill

On the soccer front, my team of freshmen girls look like they are about to start really making progress and getting results. It is still a bit early to tell for sure, but the early indications are good. Their last game was the best they’ve played yet.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377

Ali continues to be a remarkable mother of our beautiful children. Fritz is really starting to reveal his personality now that he is smiling and cooing. He definitely has quite the expressive little face, in spite of his Chuchillesque cheeks. His expressiveness seems to be focused in the brow and mouth, as opposed to the eyes like his sister. Sadly, the photographs don’t quite capture this as well as video. As for Hadley, she continues to talk away with enthusiasm. If only she would do more of it when prompted by the phone. Then everyone could hear her little chipmunk voice cuteness.

http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377

Hopefully, the videos reveal a bit more about each of them that a simple photograph can’t quite capture.

Becoming Hadley’s History

As Ali pointed out, it seems like an eternity since the last posting here at ye olde fritzwinkle, which may well have to change Hadley’s History. My personal site has become a virtual photo album of my daughter’s increasing cuteness.

Second Haircut - before Second Haircut - after

Keeping with the theme, Hadley has recently cut her first tooth! It is not quite visible without great effort yet, however the sharp little razor can definitely be felt. Shortly after her eight month birthday and only a single night of waking with some pain, I was the first to notice the invading incisor. Everyday it seems to be poking a little further above her gumline. I even got to brush it recently, using a special little tooth brush, which was kind of fun. She doesn’t seem to mind much either, making it even more fun.

8 month birthday

Also, since the last post, we celebrated our first Mother’s Day. Ali seemed to enjoy the day, which began with my anticipating both her and the baby with pancakes. Then she got to open her modest presents, a commemoratively inscribed picture frame and earrings with Hadley’s birthstone, two square-cut blue sapphires. Overall, it was a pleasant day. The weather was cooperative and later in the afternoon, we headed to the in-laws for a nice dinner.

Practicing Standing Mother's Day

A few weeks ago, Hadley attended her inaugural Boston Marathon on another day of wonderful weather, at least for the spectators. It may have got a bit warm for the runners. Still we retook seating at the base of Heartbreak Hill in Newton, near the two Johnny Kelly statues, after opting to miss last year’s event, as a result of monsoon-like conditions. Hadley is such a good sport it still astonishes me regularly. She is happy and relatively peaceful everywhere, so easygoing neither Ali nor I can hardly believe it. The marathon was no different. She ate lunch through the sirens of the police lead cars without a hitch and later took a nap during the applause for the tens of thousands of runners that passed.

At the Boston Marathon

Marathon Girls

Recently, Hadley finally got her first Red Sox cap, a veritable birthright for New Englanders everywhere. Thanks to Aunt Keri, Hadley is now sporting the essential local fashion accessory. We are feeling pretty good about it, considering how much charm she seemed to bring the Patriots, one game withstanding, wearing their garb. Plus, she will fit right in for our planned trip to see AAA farm team Pawtucket. She doesn’t seem to have quite the same interest in baseball that she had for football, but I blame late-night games.

Red Sox Cap

Lastly, we have begun taking Hadley to church, where she is all the rage. We figured if we were going to get her baptized, it made sense to find a church that appealed to both of us. Plus, Hadley needed a place to wear all those fancy dresses and the like that her Grandma keeps sending. We seem to have found one, although we garner a lot more attention than we expected in such a small congregation, especially with the cutest baby ever in our arms. Despite my strategically sitting on the aisle, ready to make a quick escape should Hadley begin to cry or get uncomfortable, she has yet to assist me. Having already mentioned her sweet nature, she rarely makes a peep and usually takes a nap in my arms. At least Ali lets me go to Dunkin’ Donuts after the service. We haven’t gotten comfortable enough to hang out for coffee hour and snacks just yet.

Showing off her dress

Here are even more photos from this month.