I'm "working on my paper" right this very moment!

Janna captured the most elusive of smiles here; it's the "I'm posing because you are holding that flashing thing in my face again" squinty smile. Can't you just see her using this same smile in a job interview, right after they ask her what her five year plan is?

Spooky soulful Chickpea


Reading Thanksgiving card from Gramma Jean. Glitter remains on her face hours later.

If Scott walks into the room while I am editing this post, I will claim to be writing my paper as I insisted earlier I really had to do this evening, and then he will check the blog from his super-powered computer phone, and my cover will be blown. I would make a terrible undercover agent.

Da-Yah, we miss you

If you input the words "Auntie Janna" into that magical mix-master language cuisinart of the Chickpea baby brain, the output you get is "Da-Yah." As in, "Want to go see if Auntie Janna is awake?" Reply: "Yeah! Da-Yah!"

Other charming tricks she picked up during the week of Da-Yah's visit were throwing her arms up over her head in response to "Hooray!" and playing Peekaboo by covering her eyes and looking around wildly, then revealing herself in triumph.

Scott also believes she said something approximating "Thank you" when he handed her a cracker tonight, but I think I'll have to hear that one myself before I can vouch for its authenticity.

The Thanksgiving table, before we ate it all.

Difficult to get nine people (well, eight and a half pint) into the frame of the photo, but Elaine did it, and I was glad she thought to take the picture at the beginning of our meal when everything was laid out in perfect order.

There was a tiny little bit of drama about the turkey, earlier in the day when it didn't thaw exactly as fast as the package directions indicated it would. After a little bit of screaming, hair pulling and moaning, Scott was able to calm me down, get the turkey breast into a turkey bag, and save the day. Nothing else went spectacularly wrong, except that Audrey didn't take a nap all day. She was so excited by all the guests that she actually behaved fine and went to bed on time. We all gave thanks.

Janna, Kris and Audrey (in a dress, first time ever!)

Now that Audrey can walk she can wear dresses (which she almost never will, except for greeting house guests and black-tie dinners) and not get herself completely tangled in them.

Her sixth tooth appeared this morning, explaining why she's been gnawing on her fingers so hard for the past several days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

...from everyone at Hacienda Willcox.

The above is our short, cold trip to the playground yesterday with Audrey suited up like a cosmonaut against the cold. Janna is here for the week and Audrey appreciates having a fresh interpretation on Goodnight Moon, Olivia Counts, and other favorites. Little Pig Wake Up Service is a popular amenity at our inn.

Cookies

Happy monkey

Our neighbor Jennie took this today down at the playground by the Rez. Her son Liam is three weeks older than Audrey. The kids can now actually play at the playground. Seems that Audrey is finally starting to outgrow the put-everything-in-your-mouth phase: no handfuls of sand or bark were consumed. She did eat apple peelings out of the kitchen garbage can the other day, while I was not paying close enough attention, but that's a food item so I'm not counting it.

My friend Elizabeth has told me that I am a "mommy blogger," a charge which I tried to dodge, and then I immediately logged on to blog about the experience and post more pictures of my kid.

Demon Child with Fig Leaf

We have a new editorial policy at Chickpea Central, now that she's a year old. We're going to artfully edit some of the more, shall we say, candid shots. Scott thinks this picture is kind of disturbing but I think it captures something of the particular moment we're in right now. She is fast, confident and thrilled with all the prospects for mischief.

Anyone seen my car keys?

Early Morning

I always think the best time to stop and take pictures is when we're already running late, the babysitter's about to arrive, and no one has showered, dressed or eaten breakfast. She was just so sweet running around in her P.J.'s and asking for stories that I spent my time taking pictures instead of putting together a smarter looking outfit for the day. And I am unrepentant.

Toilet Training is Easy!

Now that Audey has figured out how the flush mechanism works, it will be just a few short weeks until she has mastered the rest of the process. Right?

Gramma Jean's Chickpea Fix

My mom says she needs more pictures, stat. Here you go, mom. I don't have any video clips short enough to upload today; when I try to upload longer clips, Chapman (my laptop) breaks out in hives.

Yeah, I called the help-desk for that diagnosis. Anyway, here are the pictures.

Cleaning out cupboards while Mom cooks. Makes that tries to cook. Is there a school of cooking where you prepare the food in 20-30 second bursts and then let the food "rest" while you pull your toddler out of the crisper bin?

Spats! Audrey got new shoes this week to fit her growing, walking feet. The other pair are chickens and even your tough, unsentimental correspondent thinks they are unbearably cute.

Trying on winter gear. We tried to go for a short hike in the Fells after I wrestled her into this, and she basically cried the entire time. A woman who was walking her dogs on the trail came up to see what was wrong-- said (kindly) that her dogs were very worried by the sounds of human wailing.

And a monkey hat.

Pa Skip and Cousin It read books together

We've been saying for weeks that she needs a haircut, really got to get her a haircut, boy now we really really need to get her a haircut... She won't stand for any hair clips or headbands (she gets that from me, I never could stand tight socks). So what's the hold up on the haircut? Dunno. Laziness. We don't want to drive up to the mall to the kiddie hair-cut place. But today she was tipping her head back so she could see through the hair that falls down over her eyes, like a person wearing bi-focals trying to read a newspaper and I thought, all right-- this is starting to look like bad parenting. Mark my words: Audrey will have a haircut by the end of the week.

She had a grand time with her Pa Skip this week. They read all the books in the living room and she went from a few hesitant steps at a time to full-fledged walking. Scott calls her style "Frankenstein is off the table."

Good habits at table

In this house it's not a question of whether you read at the table, it's a question of which board book will pare best with tonight's courses. We like a little Mother Goose with the amuse bouch followed by Seuss with soup.

Audrey with her pal Brady in Milton

This weekend we visited with friends Heather and Brian, and their son Brady. Great fall day for crawling in the leaves. Brady and Audrey are both learning to walk. Like drunken sailors.

Babies for Obama

Dad and Audrey kept each other entertained while I went to vote on Tuesday. We are still celebrating!!! You'll notice a small teddy bear in the pack with Audrey... that's Lemon Bear, so named because she recently squeezed some lemon slices all over him, giving him a fresh, citrusy scent.

Pumpkin atop pumpkins

Had to add this one of Audrey with her friends Ruth and Bethiah on top of one huge pumpkin.

At Wilson Farm on a busy pre-Halloween Saturday. For our porch we picked one largish pumpkin to carve, and two small sugar pumpkins, which we will make some spicy pumpkin soup with, if we are industrious and get to it before the pumpkins start to get squidgy. I'd give that about a 10% chance.

Waiting on the front porch for trick-or-treaters

Audrey and Scott waited together for the early set of trick-or-treaters. Audrey did not actually eat that Milky Way bar, she just smashed it. Luckily, our neighbor was handing out boxes of raisins which we did let her have. Next year I can see my way to giving her a candy bar-- this year, I just wanted her to go to bed at the usual time.

Safety Bear is pleased to report that no one tripped on their costume this year and fell headlong down our steep front stairs, maiming themselves and driving up our homeowners insurance. But there's always next year! I may be installing a safety net.