I have often said that I wish he could just tell us what is bothering him, though without words, he has done an excellent job of communicating. People often comment how alert Owen is and how expressive. He is such a joy, and is happy and full of giggles all day long. Since getting the reflux diagnosed he is such a snuggler and a good sleeper. Owen loves to give kisses, especially right after he wakes up, as if to say that he missed us. Everything goes into his mouth, even his little cousin Landon and his best girls- Elizabeth and Jane. He is such a lover!

Little man in Daddy's chair!

kissing cousins

He’s healthy and so is mommy.  We’re so glad he’s finally here.

The Avett Brothers have been making music for more than ten years, but this album, released in the fall of last year, was the first I had ever heard.  Their sound is a little folk, a little country, a little rock and a little pop.  They blend these genres extraordinarily well, creating a unique but very accessible sound.  The album kicks off with a slow and thoughtful “I and Love and You,” perhaps the highlight of the album, but most of the other twelve songs are high-energy and a fun listen.  This will be a good record for warm weather.  Check out “January Wedding,” “Kick Drum Heart” and “Tin Man.”  Enjoy.

This album was released in August of last year, though I just discovered it last month.  It immediately became one of my favorites of 2009.  It’s not catchy but is very listenable, and as you might guess from the title and album cover, it tells a story.  According to Wikipedia, the album tells the story of a man meeting a depressed and abusive bone cancer patient in the Sloan Kettering Cancer Ward where he is working, falling in love, and eventually watching her die while he is beside her.  The album opens with an instrumental track (“Prologue”), followed by the album’s highlight, “Kettering,” which sets the dark and mournful tone of the whole album.  This is a great record for a gray, wintry day, and it’s the kind of album that needs to be listened to all the way through.  Don’t shuffle it, and don’t skip songs.  It’s really a phenomenal record.  ”Kettering” may be my favorite song of 2009.  Other great songs are “Silvia,” “Atrophy” and “Bear.”  Enjoy.

Paul Banks is the lead singer of the indie rock band Interpol.  He released his first solo effort in August of last year under the pseudonym Julian Plenti.  If you’re familiar with Interpol, you’ll find that Banks doesn’t deviate much from their sound, but Skyscraper is a little more experimental and not quite as rock-driven.  His sound has a droning quality which, at its best, can build into some great musical climaxes.  From start to finish it’s a really enjoyable record.  Some standouts are “Only if You Run,” “Games for Days” and “On the Esplanade.” Enjoy.

The position that causes the most trouble for her is sitting upright.  If she stays in the same sitting position for an extended period of time (say, while driving), she will begin to feel hot, woozy, and could faint.  The doctor says fainting while driving is bad.

So, for the remainder of the pregnancy, Kristen won’t be driving.  We’re getting creative now to figure out how to manage her 40-mile commute, which is a little tricky as you can imagine.  More than anything else, this is a huge inconvenience for Kristen.

The best news of all is that Kristen and the baby are in perfect health and there’s nothing to be concerned about.  Kristen just needs a few dedicated chauffeurs for the next several weeks.

I received this album, which was released in the fall of 2009, as a Christmas present (thanks, Erin!).  This is Fanfarlo’s first full-length album, and it’s one of my favorites of last year.  It has a very upbeat sound tinged with just the right amount of darkness.  The vocals at first sound almost lazy.  The lead singer tends not to articulate consonants clearly, and in doing so he creates a really unique sound that goes incredibly well with the band’s music.  Check out “I’m a Pilot,” “Ghosts” and “The Walls are Coming Down.”  Enjoy.

• Kristen is now 30 weeks pregnant, which means she’s counting down the weeks now and not the months.  Her maternity leave begins in just five weeks and she can’t wait to be done with the commute.  The baby is kicking and moving around all the time and it is still amazing to feel and watch.  It’s hard to believe this is real, but it is so exciting.
• The nursery…isn’t done yet.  We painted it blue (surprise!), but there’s still work to be done on it and our furniture hasn’t arrived yet (though we expect it any day now).  It’s probably good that our nursery is taking its time coming together—it would make the waiting even harder.
• In December our Youth Director left.  When I came back from Christmas break I suddenly had a lot more responsibility.  I helped organize and run our annual weekend winter retreat, which was really a blast.  I’m enjoying the youth, but it has not been easy to juggle the added responsibilities.
• Yesterday was the first day above 30 degrees in almost a week—what is this, winter?

No promises…but maybe some pictures soon.