korean baby!

sometimes when i get elliot ready for the day, she’s so cute that I am practically bound by the laws of the universe/fatherhood to take an unnecessarily gaudy amount of photos of her. I’ll glady give 15 minutes of tardiness to work for these pictures. what i think is especially fun about these is that her 1/4 korean really shows up… where it typically does not at all.

clyde

Two weeks ago, we all flew back to NC to be there for the unveiling of the latest edition of the Cook clan, Clyde Wesley Lambe. These pictures were taken when he was still pretty warm from the oven—maybe three hours or so after arrival…? He’s a good lookin’ kid, huh? And, while Elliot’s got a good several pounds on him (at least, right?), I really think he may already be challenging her for the tallest grand-baby.
So, Lacey is Suzie’s oldest sister and she’s married to Wes and they are about the most insanely talented, creative, and awesome couple I’ve ever met. Wes builds, repairs, and plays guitars. He’s famous for his 8-string, fanned-neck electric. Kinda have to see it to believe it, so check it out. I play a little guitar, right? But when I pick that thing up, I may as well be playing the tuba… I’m completely lost. He is, of course, a virtuoso. It’s really incredible. And then Lacey paints and illustrates the most strangely adorable, intriguing, delicate works of art. Little monsters and bears and centipedes and other creatures make up this amazing world she depicts. I really wish I could show you (the anonymous “you” out there, whoever “you” may be), but the only way you can see it is by a personal invitation into Clyde’s nursery. Unfortunately… Take my word for it in the meantime.
Anyways… just wanted to introduce the new cousin. And, don’t you love the way all the sisters are crowded around in that last picture in ecstatic awe? Even Elliot’s getting in on the action… Cook through and through…

driving

three months.

Elliot turned 3 months yesterday and as a sort of surprise birthday present, Leo brought over a stack of photos that he shot the day we brought her home (like actually a stack of tangible photos just like in the old days—it was great). it’s so weird to see how much she’s grown. being with her every day, we don’t notice how much she’s changed, but looking at these it’s obvious to see those chubby sausage link legs did indeed used to be scrawny chicken legs.
thanks leo. happy birthday, etsy. and… happy birthday to suzie, too, this coming Monday. (also, my brother, Chris: happy birthday to you, too.) so much celebration!

chatting

chapter two.

this year we:
1. got a real job (cole)
2. got accepted and—as of 6/22/09—started to grad school (suzie)
3. had a baby (technically suzie, but i had a little something to do with that)
4. moved into a bigger house (cole, suzie, elliot)

for two months i’ve been wanting to write about this “dramatic new shift” in our life—turning the page from chapter one to two, but in reality, the shift has been less than dramatic. it’s just been life: it’s been busy and fun and stressful and more busy (it’s taken me four weeks and change to watch the first half of Slumdog Millionaire…).
so, it makes me wonder: are big events supposed to feel big? or are we just supposed to roll with the punches and keep on keeping on? my hunch is that life is too busy to properly celebrate change. and that makes me a bit sad…

vacuuming…

for a chapter 2 of life present, my parents gave us this slick grown-up person vacuum machine. it’s high-tech enough that i figured i should read (skim, whatever) the instruction manual and as i was doing so i learned about this fancy red/green light on the front of the machine that tells you if you need to keep vacuuming (read: picking up lots of dirt)—red light—or if you’re good to go—green light.
so today i finally busted it out and started on our front room. now, i figured it would be dirty just because that’s life, things get dirty, and we haven’t had time to vacuum since we’ve moved in, but i had no idea the extent………………
in twenty minutes (i don’t think i’m exaggerating) i vacuumed about 1/3 of our living room to the point where the green light came one. i spent like five minutes alone one one strip right by the door where the red light would NOT go off. couldn’t believe it…
chapter two: maintaining a clean house, not just illusion of one. :(

contrasting emotions.