Yes, we can

"...To all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."

~from President-elect Obama's election night acceptance speech

And now, a word from Lucy...

Hot stuff

We have been a little sad this week -- Lucy got her second round of vaccinations on Monday and has had a fever every night since, making for a lot of discomfort and fussiness. She's also had a stuffy nose which led me to finally break down and get a humidifier (which I'd previously sworn we'd never need). There is undeniably something deeply maternal that flows through you as you rock a sick baby while holding her burning hot head in the middle of the night.

Even though I've come to work totally exhausted and overwhelmed every day this week, I am so very grateful that I've been trusted with the care of my sweet baby girl. She is getting big so fast and I find myself trying to purposefully remember how she feels cuddled up under my chin with her little feet cradled in my hands... I know she won't be small enough to hold her like this forever.

We got the shots during her 4-mo check-up, and according to our pediatrician Lucy is very healthy and "well proportioned." :) Here are her new stats:

• Head circumference: 16 1/2 in [75th percentile]


• Weight: 15 lbs, 10 oz [85-90th percentile]


• Length: 24 1/2 in [75th percentile]

Hopefully we'll be feeling better soon!

My ride

Lucy cruisin' the neighborhood in the nice fall weather -- it's gotten cool enough to actually need a blanket for our legs in the evenings now!

Inappropriate crush

We are both big fans of Michael Cera -- first from his days at George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development (in my opinion, one of the funniest TV shows ever created -- it's cancellation was ridiculous!) and then in movies like Juno. Love his sweet nerd appeal plus his droll delivery and spot-on comedic timing.

We got a babysitter (thanks Tara!) last Sunday night to go see Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and he hit another home run. Although the movie didn't quite live up to my expectations, it was a fun reminder of going out in high school where you never really had any plans and driving around with friends was half the fun. And Cera's character Nick was as hilarious and endearing as all his other roles. Loving him...

Sunday in the park

The weather here finally decided to resemble something close to fall, so we gathered up the gang for a Sunday stroll in nearby Highland Road Park. Lucy took a nice nap in the carrier while we walked the frisbee golf course and Evie was punch drunk with excitement over the chance to protect her baby from all those other fierce dogs at the park. We even got to watch the weekly Latino soccer league match from a blanket under a giant oak tree. Go Team Rojo!

Prematurely bald?

Lucy now has a growing bald spot on the back of her head -- I guess it's from the hair rubbing off when she sleeps and rides in the carseat. Andrew has a growing bald spot in the front of his head, presumably from genetics and... from generally getting to be an old fart. Here's a picture of some daddy-daughter bonding over this sensitive issue.