Long overdue update

I've been at work since 7:45 a.m. -- so it's time for a coffee break already. It's amazing how much one gets done, and so early, after rising at 5:30. I can't complain, though: For the first time in what seems like weeks, Roo slept through the night without a peep. Maybe the recent spate of teething has eased. He did get one more tooth, on the bottom left, about a week ago.

We've had much more babbling lately -- "Dadada" being a favorite. And I swear he tries to say "Bob" when he sees his doggie :-) It's such a love affair between the two of them. Bob can almost always cheer him up. Bob or my boobs. Works every time.

Yesterday afternoon after work, Roo was cruising along the edge of the coffee table and playing with his copy of "Moo, Baa, La La La," which we had just read. Board books have that nice shiny wax coating on the pages (before it gets chewed/drooled off, that is), and I enjoyed watching him notice, and then actually manipulate, a shiny reflection from the book that was projected on the ceiling/wall of the living room. I love those little moments of epiphany that he has. He's getting more of an attention span, and will actually interact with books, bubbles, and other babies. This morning we had time to read a book after nursing: "Touch and Feel Puppy." I petted the puppy's soft fur, and then Andrew did. This morning when I left daycare his teacher was blowing bubbles, and Roo was actively trying to pop them, and then find out where they "went" when they disappeared. A couple of mornings ago, when I dropped him off, he was chasing one of the little girl babies around the room (and pulling at her skirt -- uh oh...)

Heard a segment on NPR this morning about a mother whose college-aged daughter was killed on 9/11 on the plane that crashed in PA. I simply cannot imagine the unbelievable pain of losing a child. I cherish every day with Andrew, and with all of my loved ones.

I also can't understand the purpose of "false outrage" (Barack Obama's words when responding to the Republicans' outrage at his lipstick-on-a-pig comment). There seems to be a lot of overreaction going on these days. It seems to happen when people know, deep-down, that they don't actually have much of a valid case against those whom they decry. Or that they're just upset in general and need a whipping boy. Frankly, I just don't see the point. How utterly sad and counterproductive.