Welcome Baby Freddie!

Congratulations, Charlie and Erin on a healthy, beautiful baby boy.



We are eager to share in the next phase of your lives with him.

It's Time

9 months and one coconut costume later, Erin is ready for Freddie!
Doctor says tomorrow is the day.
I'll keep you posted. I can't wait!

Lassez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

Krewe du Vieux last night was the best "grown-up" time I've had in a long time, and a great way to kick off the carnival season...which will from this point on, consist of packing multiple snacks, hauling a ladder, to and from the cars, calculating best vantage points x bathroom locations, etc. So last night it was all about titillating floats, cold drinks, comical costumes, and banter with good friends. Here are the highlights (lowlights would be a picture of me, this morning, nursing an iced coffee with black mascara under my eyes, but hey- there's no one around to snap me!).

We started at the R Bar on Royal, and I couldn't pass up the chance to

photograph the barber chair that I associate with lots of fun (and trouble) in my

pre-married days...

A couple of brass bands...there were great costumes and rowdy floats too, but typical me...I got the back of everything; I'm never ready.

This was the coolest thing ever: A mobile drum circle with a cross-dressing cheerleader atop. And they were rollin'! This would've been one to follow, but we were off to Mimi's!

At Mimi's...we'd gone there to eat, and were a little disappointed at first because it's more club with tapas than sit-down meal. We put our forks in our pocket (note forks in pockets blaring speaker in the heat and tried to have the fun we really wanted to have. All we had to do was be patient (and drink more!)

Hey! That's my fork!

Ready? Set! Go!

Well, the tapas came out of the kitchen--little plates of manchego cheese with sauteed mushrooms on toast, calamari in cream sauce, cooked down stews in rich sauces, and we passed them around, along with more beers, forks out of pockets, and shared delicious morsels with friends and strangers to the pulse of loud music, through a smoky haze of liquor and dissipating inhibition... a uniquely New Orleans moment that I was happy to have.

And how could I not resist a pic of Denice and Dave getting a ride to their car in the back of Paulette's mini-van. At least last night I would've dubbed it The Party Wagon.

I am all about some more grown-up time with my friends, and more of these kinds of Mardi Gras moments...It's great to be in good company.

Lessons learned at Ladies' Night

1. Men with ferrets are to be avoided at all costs.
2. I can't believe we missed a performance of Mini-Kiss at Moan-et Voila! (a new sex club in town). Mini-Kiss is a Kiss cover-band comprised of "little people:" **



3. Do not do the fitness test on Wii after lots of melted cheese and wine.
4. Mom's night out is good for helping Dad gain perspective.
5. Frozen burritos can lead to love, if you play your cards right.
6. Time with friends is time well-spent.
**I found this "Mini-Kiss" clip on You-tube. We did not attend Club Moan-et. Although the stories are very entertaining...

Happy Birthday, Holly

Although I can't figure out how old you are with hex (?!?@#?), happy birthday Holly.


It's inspiring to know you.

After nearly two weeks with children during Holiday Break...

Overheard from Mom friends at Audubon Park

• I've been sitting on this prescription for xanax, and am wondering if I should just...(interrupted by therapist) Fill it! Fill it!
• I have mountains of cookie dough left over from the holidays and I have to do something to get rid of it, or I'll just eat it.
• When I found out that Great Mom XX had a bad moment and lost it on her kid and spanked him? That was my best moment.
• Open Dialogue about the risks of cooking chicken in its own marinade (discuss amongst yourselves).
• (Loudly, in front of several small children) Damn! I just stepped in a big pile of dog shit.
• As potty-trained daughter poops behind tree: S! Come out, right now!
• Open Dialogue about challenges of tooth implants (discuss amongst yourselves)
• Go play now honey.
• When are we gonna start having Happy Hour?

Unworthy

A friend surprised me today with the nicest gift I've ever received.

A pencil drawing of my son Oliver that captured his beauty and spirit in a way that overwhelmed me.

This person already amazes me with how much she gives (in the ways that count, like her time), and how much she does (she holds multiple degrees, is completing her Ph.D., dabbles in photography, blogging, baking, housebuilding, fundraising, child-raising, and consciousness-raising).

But this gift. Well, how do I say thank you?

Lunch with an old friend

Lunch with an old friend who has found herself in "the family way."

So funny to me tonight how she cupped her mouth to ask WHAT KIND OF breast pump I USED.

This, from the same friend, with whom I dined years ago, in the small dining room at Vincent's, that accommodates no more than 4 tables of 2, as we feasted on fried oysters with angel hair and too many glasses of wine to count, swapped titillating and candid tales of our exploits, oblivious to the poor other-diners in ear shot, until the last bit of mascapone was gone, and we were too drunk to care...our giggling glances at the others equal parts indifference, and accusation at them for listening on what was clearly a private conversation.

Ah, how times have changed. Welcome to the world where your body parts are no longer your own. Wondering what topics our next dinner at Vincent's will yield.

More good news

Yay for sweet bebe, mama, and daddy!

What a beautiful sight indeed.

Everyday Miracles

Congratulations, Erin and Charlie!

We're with you every step of the way!

Random Acts of Love

I'm so grateful for:

• porch bags of Hollywood zines, fresh herbs, and peppers grown with love,
• 2 bags of fresh, cute maternity wear left on the porch in the middle of the night,
• hand-me-downs from the mom of 3 boys under 5,
• bottles, lanisoh, massage oil (hint, hint), sippy cups dropped on my desk,
• Peruvian souveniers,
• postcards from Maine,
• Harding Street pool access,
• being cornered to make a lunch committment

These little bits of love just seem to come, and honest, I just feel swamped. The "thank you note" guilt lasts until I forget, then there's another act of kindness to remind me. I want to get better at Thank You, and also Reciprocate, but it seems like these tenderest moments come when I'm swamped, and give me such a lift- to know that I have a web of support around me that I don't often see...but it does indeed hold me up. Thank you, friends.

Day Off

No doubt I've been in need of a day off. Between feeling highly emotional and just depleted, I've been waiting for a moment to come up for air. With some work stuff stabilizing, I knew the time was coming.

And when my friend Rene called to let me know she was back from Guinea, and her hair had gone grey, and she had no car, I knew it was time to seize some much needed grown-up time with a good friend.

So Friday, could the weather have been more perfect? It's so good for the psyche to want to just sit outdoors. We didn't get much of that fresh air under the hot lamps of the salon, but I certainly enjoyed the girl talk and celebrity gossip that ensued as we flipped through the magazines.

I so wish I'd taken a BEFORE pic, because afterwards, Rene looked totally foxy. It was like seeing a tv makeover. Rebecca (my hairdresser whom I LOVE) insisted on blowing out my hair, so I didn't feel neglected. But truth be told, I didn't care to have anything done. I just wanted some time with my friend, with no demands on my time.

Afterwards, we went for salads at Zea's with a little shopping here and there (I'm terrible shopping company with my maternity wear and oversized feet, but I'm good moral support). Then it was off to the Bead Shop to make use of some old beads I've been holding on to for over a year. I made a great new necklace. Well. Georgia showed be what to do, I put some of the beads on the string, ok.

The time with Rene was such a gift for me. I miss my friends, and I miss myself. I've felt so weighed down lately, and I know that the sadness is a part of me, and it's ok. But I feel like I've been waiting for myself to show up.

Happy Birthday, Georgia!

Our good friend and neighbor, Georgia, turned 29 yesterday. We spent an evening of delicious food, libations, and music at her sweet Mama and Daddy's house. The home was full of people, each with their own "We love Georgia" sentiments and stories.

Our family's friendship with Georgia is relatively new--post-Katrina, but has proven to be a tremendous gift in our lives. Georgia is kind, thoughtful, and so incredibly funny. It's always a treat to see her and her lovely daughter strolling our way for an impromptu playdate, or having them over for dinner, or spending an evening out. It's definitely increased our property value to be so close to this natural resource(-;

Thanks Georgia for the light you bring everywhere you go. The children love you, and I'm so grateful for your friendship. Happy Birthday!

And don't forget to send me the pics from last night so I can post(-;

Drive-by Whoopie Pie

Delicious! Thank you, friend. For the company, sweets, and guidance.

Girlfriends

• Make you the beneficieries of their crafts, whether they be hand-knitted scarves or cement birdbaths
• Help plan your kids parties
• Pretend like that party is a potluck
• Kidnap your kids on demand
• Shop for shoes for you (more on the challenges of my enormous feet later)
• Complement your burgers on styrofoam plates like it's filet on china
• Let you know what you mean to them

Ana's been sad lately...her best friend has gone to another school, and she says she has no friends. I've tried reminding her that you only need one really good friend. If you're lucky, you'll have more.

If you're lucky, you'll have more.

Email from Rene in Guinea

Our good friends Rene and Jim find themselves now working in Guinea, Africa. Here's how my latest email from Rene reads:


Subject: Cross-cultural finding



This is by far my FAVORITE Nigerian "Film" title to date. I originally thought the title was "Ass of Fire," but found this epic equally wonderful. (We had to stop the car on the road, and turn around so that I could take a picture of it...enjoy.) Try to order it on Netflix.....R

I'm happy to hear she's not lacking good entertainment, among other things. Miss you Rene.