Fall can come now.

We've been wanting to get a gate for the fireplace so that we can use it. We've got that taken care of and I'm formally giving permission for the weather to turn cold. If it needs to. I'll take the warmth for as long as I can, but it's ok if the weather follows the lead of all of the leaves!

The view from a few weeks ago: The photo doesn't come close to doing those leaves justice.

"Does he always smile this much?"

Someone asked me today, "Is he always this smiley?" Much of the time. Yup. Now we'll get a fussy day for saying that, but I'll take it. We had a great walk in the "warm before the storm." Let's hope the prediction for lows in the teens this week is just fiction.

Rain, Glorious Rain!

Rain today! There was some mass in it at some points during the day, but it really did a number on the remaining snow. Around dusk, these pics were taken.

You can see that the north-facing hills behind the house definitely have a ways to go, but we're really close. More precipitation overnight means probable snow, but that's ok. We have a neat new camping stove (pics soon!) so we're ready for whatever spring weather needs to be thrown our way. The first rain of the spring this year somehow feels like validation that spring really is imminent. You know, being late APRIL and all.

Unpleasant topics: the duct blockage seems to be mostly cleared up. I will continue to be careful with it however, and get lots of rest and fluids to make sure. And Ian had a rather painful poop today. Ouch. He cried and cried. I don't know if it's just that this is the most solid movement he's had, or if maybe something in our diet lately has caused both of us to get a bit stopped up. It seems as if he'll need to do it again in the morning. He wasn't willing to tonight. We'll go heavy on the fiber for a bit, and more water and nursing for Ian, and hopefully it'll all right itself. I'll email a question to the doc just in case.

This is what's required when it's sunny outside!

And his hair must be getting a bit longer, because it's so poofy!