The Zog Blog

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday, dear Jacob,

Happy birthday to you!

It’s impossible, but there it is. Friday, Jacob turned two, and we celebrated with our dear friends the Laughlins and Gayle. There was cake, fingerpainting, presents, wily antics on the part of the little ones, and a lot of laughter. It was so [...]

I’m flying back to Maine for the funeral this weekend, alone. I haven’t got anything more public to say, really, just some private leave-takings of my own and a need for time with my family.
It will be the first time I’ve been away from Jacob overnight since his birth almost two years ago. He’s changed [...]

Life with a grandfather continues to be quite a lot of fun for Jacob. (And quite a lot of exercise for my dad, I think. Me, I’m just happy to get the break. :) Yesterday, we drove a few miles down PCH 1 to Big Sur and hiked our favorite hike, to Pfeiffer Falls. Dad [...]

This has been a banner week for Jacob. First, his friend Asher came to visit overnight and helped him move the chair:

Then, the babysitter let him into the magic closet and he found a tricycle.

Then, Mommy let him help her take some pictures of her new sweater:

And today, Pop-pop arrived. Seriously, what [...]

Summer has arrived on the Monterey Peninsula, which is really too bad, because “summer” here apparently means “cold and foggy”. We’ve had to use the heat more this weekend than any other time since moving here, and today I wore a thick sweater. Jacob seems impervious to cold.

Jon and I have spent most of the [...]

I’m no Martha Stewart, I’m no June Cleaver. But some days, I come closer than others.

Challah. Jacob and I make it together every week. I get all teary whenever I think about how his childhood will be anchored and woven through with the smell of baking bread, the feel of flour and dough on [...]

Folks, it’s been a long week in a long month in a long year. Both Jon and I came down with the stomach flu this week, one of us more spectacularly than the other. Thankfully, Jacob seemed to dodge that bullet. And that’s all I want to say (or remember) about that.
When Jacob asks [...]

We sure got a lot of weather, in Maine.

In the course of the 12 days we were there, we saw bitter cold (4.1 degrees, baby!), relative warmth with accompanying rain, and a blizzard. Fun times! Jacob loved the snow, and on the whole loved the trip. Even the airplane rides weren’t so bad.
One of the [...]

One day, not long ago, it was warm enough outside for Jacob to run around wearing only a diaper.

Another day, not long after that, Jon decided to get his outdoor herb garden started for the year.

Today, the high in Pebble Beach is 65 degrees. It’s already 50, and sunny, and beautiful.
Today, the [...]

You know, I really do think of something to post about almost every day. I get the post composed in my head, and then Jacob either smears mayonnaise on something or attempts something life-threatening and I run off to deal with it, the words of the post scattering through the air like dust.
And then, [...]

I don’t let Jacob watch much television, but lately he has been requesting Sesame Street. Watching it is a really neat trip down memory lane. They still use some of the little shorts from when I was a kid! (Although the ones I recognize are invariably pocked with film-marks and scratchy.) Cookie monster liking carrots [...]

That is all.

And not returning until January 2nd! Traveling this long with a toddler presents a packing challenge. Wish us luck with that. I don’t yet know whether I’ll be taking the laptop and blogging from the road, but in either case, Happy Hannukkah to those of you who celebrate it.

Last weekend we attended a holiday [...]

First things first: I really, really enjoyed reading and hearing about what all of you are thankful for. This time of year always makes me sentimental and mushy, and I love knowing that you are all surrounded by beauty, joy, and good things. (Even through very, very rough times.)
Jacob is 15 months old.
(!!!)
When the [...]