The Pappy

This picture was taken on November 23, 2010--my father-in-law's 82nd birthday.  While Gerald Wiener is known in Brooklyn, Baltimore, Florida, New Orleans and La Jolla as a smart, funny, interesting man, with influence, mentoring insight, a history of accomplishment in psychology, great sailing skills, and a keen political mind, in our house he is simply Pappy.  If you ask Abigail "where's the Pappy" she will either point at him or point at his house, which is situated directly behind ours.  Every time they meet, Jerry asks for a "noogie" from Abigail--we lean in and as their foreheads meet they both rub heads together lovingly.  My little 15 month-old has never refused to grant Pappy this request.  They understand one another.  He adores her completely, always asks how she is before talking about any other thing, laughs heartily when she does something new, and proclaims that seeing her is the highlight of each day.  She is extremely patient whenever we are helping Pappy do something or go somewhere, much more so than if she were doing the same task with me alone.

As of late Jerry has not been well, and our family faces the challenge of taking care of two completely dependent individuals, young and old.  The parallels are abundant, though the nature of care may vary, and I find myself wondering if they are so good together because they know how much they have in common.  His face lights up when he sees her and she giggles when he laughs out loud.  With his birthday and Thanksgiving fast approaching I am grateful for my relationship with Jerry, in addition to the one he shares with my child.  He considers me his daughter, takes comfort in my presence, and values me as an individual.  He never talks to Jake without asking about me, which is saying a lot since they usually speak at least three times a day.

Happy Thanksgiving, Jerry.  I hope you feel the love surrounding you and bask in its warmth.

Where did October go?

Since it's been over a month since I last posted I decided to tell a few stories in pictures, with a promise to be better about writing in the future, since there's so much to say.  One little story that wasn't pictured:  Yesterday it rained all day, so we were cooped up in the house, with Abigail standing at the back doors pointing at her new play house outside.  At one point she was eating blueberries out of the plastic box while sitting in a high chair.  I was making cookie dough.  When I turned the mixer on she starting pointing and talking excitedly, since she wanted to see the mixing.  I asked her if she wanted to come up and see the creaming of the butter and sugar.  She nodded her big nod, with her head all the way back and then chin to chest, as she closed the box of blueberries and put it under her arm.  She wasn't done eating just yet, but wasn't about to miss the action.  Funny baby.

Mondays are VERY exciting--trash day!  Both the driver and the trash can mover wave to Abigail every time.

Abigail loves her babies and animals, though she never wants any of them to wear clothes.

Weather permitting we head down to the beach every day around 4 pm , usually with a baby doll for company and a snack on the way

We just bring one bucket or shovel--she doesn't need anything but the sand  to entertain her.

Here she is pouring an entire bucket of sand on her face, which is what she does with sand or water any time she gets the chance--right onto her face.

Always exploring

We went to a pumpkin patch in Redlands with my family.  Here's Abigail with Grandma, Grandpa and Vinny

She touched this goat's tail and it flicked back and forth.  Otherwise, she was mostly interested in the straw.

More Abigail and Vinny--three weeks apart

My little pumpkin.  Last year I laid her down on the ground and surrounded her with pumpkins and she laughed and giggled.  This year she barely stopped long enough for me to get a shot with a pumpkin in the same frame.

Peanut butter and blueberry jam look good on her.

Jerry (aka Pappy) and Abigail do a little head rub (he says noogie, noogie, noogie).  This occurs about three times a day.  She's his little sunshine.

Going down the slide with her friend!

Kissing daddy through the glass of the french doors.

Then kissing him around the edge.  They did this for about 5 minutes.  Jake was giddy over it and probably would have continued for hours on end.

Halloween kid party through a mommy group that I joined

She looks like she's going for the candy, but she actually hugged the neighbor....

and kissed the neighbor down the street.

Reacting to Halloween decorations at a particularly cool house

Making the same faces

Still making the same faces...so funny.

Thinking about handing out candy

She was throwing candy all over the floor

Then she started trying to eat it through the wrapper

She was visited by her friend Niko who was a homemade fish for Halloween

He wanted to vacuum, but she was trying to convince him to read a book

Spooning with her baby doll--monitor view

Loves her slide in the front yard

First time walking into her new house

Checking out the tool bench with her bed hair.  It was like Christmas morning!

Don't you know that tools go through the mailbox?

Pointing at Grandpa in the family photo

Trying to take the eye off a very old friend of mine.  I think Abigail can sense the love in old toys, because she certainly doesn't care how they look!