"DAHHH!" The Light Upstairs Is On!

Listen up everyone, Hannah has something to say!!! Yep, she's yapping away, and more and more her "words" are real, or at least her attempt at real words! Here is a list of words she likes to say: "Mama", "Mommie", "Meemee", "Meema", "Boppa", "Dada", "yummmmmm", "Hi!". She loves to say "Bye bye!" and waves whenever we say the word regardless of it's context ("Would you buy some milk?" wave wave...). She has even started saying her own name (although it's more like "Anna"), in front of the mirror or when she sees a picture of herself... She says "Jaji" (her big monkey George). But her favorite lately seems to be..."Nah," which she'll say shaking her head back and forth...

Not surprisingly, she has a few other words that she loves to repeat: "Babey", which means either baby OR yogurt (because there is a picture of a smiling baby on the yogurt containers we buy); "Dah!" which means light, or "I am so excited because the light just turned on!!!" My favorite word so far though is "backlah!" which means backwards (of course). Hannah knows she has to turn around and crawl down the stairs backwards, and she loves to say it, then look around to make sure she can't get away with a sneak attempt at trying to walk down forwards, and then say it again after meeting my stern disapproving gaze... She lets me know she's testing me on her way down with her cheery mantra "backleh, BACKLAH, BAAAAACKLEH!"

A couple of her most recent words: last night she tried to say "Jack" and "Kate" (both of which sound are simply "Kuh") as she was looking at her picture book of her cousins. This afternoon she just repeated me when I said "We're home" - she started saying "Humm." Once or twice she has attempted to say "peek-a-boo" after we say it, and she will peer around the corner and say "Bakeebo" or "Bokeeba" and then stop trying and move on to something else.

Hannah is also adept at making animal noises! Click on the most recent video (see right-hand column) to watch a little sample the litle "Hannimal." Today she panted when she got to pet a dog, and she also likes to moo, baaaaaa, oink (the cutest crinkle-faced sniff-sniff-snark), whinney, becaw, balk balk, ooh-ooh-ooh, eee-ee-eee (she knows Curious George talks like this) and my favorite - her lion RAAAAR!.... So, I have to say, she is catching on, and she understands many more words than she can repeat or memorize. At this pace, by next week she'll be scoring higher on her SATs than her father ever did (the bar is set low).... RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!

Inauguration Poem for President Barack Obama

Praise song for the day.

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

-- Elizabeth Alexander

Let Loose Footloose!

Hannah loves going for walks! This afternoon, Hannah and I walked from 5th Avenue down Lake Street towards Mountain Lake Park. She held her daddy's finger when crossing the street, but was quick to show her independence and walk by herself the rest of the time. Hannah walked three long blocks... more than that if you include all the circles, back-steps, "check-out-that-cool-thing"-sidesteps and such... She made it all the way to the 8th Avenue stairs and then literally shot herself up the stairs! I have a video of the ascent.. hilarious.... she conquered the stairs and stood up at the top just like Rocky "Rivercat" Balboa and gave me a big "two-teeth" grin before meandering over to check out a strange looking moving bush (which turned out to be a dog). Hannah walked down the pathways with huge eyes and an even bigger smile.... she's movin' for sure!! I had to take her finger on a steep part because she wanted to keep going quicker than her feet would allow, but she got the hang of the decline in a matter of a yard and again shrugged away my assistance. What a BLAST, man!!! She met more than a few friendly dogs, some other babies, stopped and pointed out some flying bugs highlighted in the rays on sunlight, touched a flower, looked up at the trees and birds, and had an all around good time! Walks are the BEST!!!

"Da Mayor" of San Francisco Visits Hannah

Hannah's first cousin once removed, Will Brown, (same name as our famous ex-Mayor) came to visit his San Francisco friends during his time between senior semesters at University of New Hampshire. He took time out from his friends to have a couple long visits with Hannah, and here he is donating his cell phone to the slobber-gods... Thanks for making the trip, Will! Hannah sends you a hug and an excited shriek! Much love!

Happy 1st Birthday Kayla!

Kayla -
We can't believe it's been a year since you came into our lives January 16th, 2008! Hannah is so happy and grateful to have a friend like you. Thanks for all the good times already - we are really looking forward to more of the same in 2009. Especially as you take on your soon-to-be new role as Big Sister..!
Happy First Birthday, Kayla Sue!
Your BFF,
Hannah

Fun with the new Lenses

1-Year Check-up

Hannah had her one-year Dr's appt last Monday where she weighed in at 22 lbs 5 oz, which was actually much less than we anticipated (are we that weak??), and was 30 inches tall - still hanging around the 75th percentile in both measures. Thankfully, she did much better at her appt than in appts past, which involved varying levels of hysteria over shots, and even some booting (as Dr. Piel noted, she does seem to go from zero to 60 in a snap...yikes). Her vaccinations were administered in the arms, so while I was holding her, which I think helped contain her hysteria to some degree. Also, not having given her any food/drink within several hours of the appt helped prevent another regurgitation fest at the Dr's office (we're learning as we go..!). All in all, everything went well and she seems to be developing right on "schedule" - whatever that is. Walking and "talking" up a storm, and while she definitely has her own language, she is certainly trying to repeat back many of her favorite words -- button of course, truck, duck, anything with "ck"...(yeah, we really need to start editing our OWN speaking habits now!), backwards (as in, how to go down the stairs), it's pretty darn cute. And she definitely hasn't forgotten Boppa, which she says all the time - I think she misses you, dad!

Lucky for me, I got a couple new camera lenses for Christmas - so I've been having a bit of fun with that...Thanks Jon/Dada!

Hair!

Hannah, all of a sudden, you have lots of HAIR! Here you are on New Year's Day after a nice mid-morning nap, still in the process of waking up. I especially like these photos for capturing you in a peaceful moment where you are taking your time soaking in all your surroundings and enjoying some "me" time.