The Year In Review

Well, 2011 is slowly fading away into the rear view mirror and my-oh-my what a year it has been. And with the end of the year comes the time when everyone and their uncle creates their own list of superlatives to sum up the past 12 months - the best of, the worst of, the best dressed, the worst dressed, the top stories, the top stories you missed, and so on ... We here at LWL are not above that at all, in fact we've been making our own list, checking it twice, and here's our greatest hits from twenty-eleven. [NOTE: Criteria for selection was simple: things that happened this past year. The selection committee included me (at times Livi chimed in as well). We've tried to be as objective and inclusive as possible].

And the winners are.......... (Drum roll please).......

The best belly: Susan

Looking good and feeling good!

The best room painting job: Livi's room (painted by yours truly) 

This also got color of the year - sea breeze

The best newborn: Livi Jun-Slangen - born March 23, 2011 at 9:21pm, 7lbs 11oz, 20.5 in long/tall, at Kaiser Medical Center, Oakland, CA.

  Livi: "What the hell just happened?!"

Parents: "What the hell just happened?!"

The best Jedi: Livi

"The Force runs strong in you young Livi"

The best sucker: Livi

And she has the paper to prove it.

The best 'fro: Livi

Nothing to really sure what to say about this one. I'll leave it to your imaginations.

The best mustache: Livi

"Just wait until I can use an Iphone dad! I'll get you back someday."

The best dress: Livi

The best laugh for no apparent reason: Livi

The best drunken sailor impersonation: Livi

 The best pumpkin impersonation: Livi

The best photo with brussel sprouts: Livi

"This is a funny looking Christmas tree dad."

The best at keeping her parents up all night: Livi

Do not be fooled! When the sun goes down this seemingly cute, cuddly little angel turns into a little nocturnal demon whose mission is to keep mom and dad awake, sleep deprived, and cranky. 9 months in and she's still going strong :(

And last but not least.... the best driving photo: Livi

Keep you eyes on the road Livi!

 Overall, it's been a good year here at LWL, full of ups and downs (more ups than downs). And mom and dad still have no idea what they are doing..... but this is only the beginning! We have much to be thankful for and look forward to in the days, months, and years to come - hopefully sleep will find its way in there, sooner rather than later. We'll see what happens. Stay tuned... and happy 2012 all of you from all of us here at LWL.

Livi is looking forward to 2012. Here's her latest Pavlovian trick.

The Tao of Poo

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders

From The Tao Te Ching

 

Poo is certainly a topic that fascinates new parents (and something I've written about before on LWL). It's size, it's shape, it's color, it's frequency. The sheer joy when it comes, the utter sorrow when it doesn't. Regardless of your country, your culture, or your creed, kids certainly open the door (their bottom door, so to speak) to this bountiful world of wonder and mystery.

Livi the Jedi. "May the Force be with you Mommy."

With Livi's new Formula 1 diet however, she has been pooing way less frequently. Formula apparently clogs up the plumbing. But what we lost in poo, we gained in pee.  Pee though, is far less impressive. It's often clear, stinky, and let's face it... a bit boring. It doesn't have nearly as many subtle intricacies, nuances, or character even as it's darker cousin poo. But fear not! Like Yellowstone's spouting Old Faithful, Livi's poo builds and erupts with fury once a day, usually in the late evening. You can almost set your watch by it. And with it comes more timeless wonder and mystery: "OMG! How the ____ did you do that Livi?!"

Do not wake the sleeping dragon.