A post not by Ben

I don't know how I'm supposed to follow up a post by Ben. He's just too funny, or at least he thinks he is. And his beard is getting a little too long now, though this article in Time has only served to encourage him. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1711112,00.html

Luckily for me though, he's just started a busy call month so he won't have nearly as much time to compose blog entries or to brag about his facial hair. The downside is not as much help at home with the girls, especially when I need to go out for my run. I think I can live with that...

Our blog has been very wordy lately and pictures have been scarce so I thought I'd liven things up a little bit with some cute pictures. We went up to DC/Baltimore last weekend to see my brother Josh and visit our friends the Preeces. Josh just got a new camera and wanted to take some pictures and get more used to it. There is no greater test of cameras or photographers than Elise, but I think he got some pretty good ones. Of course, she's not looking at the camera in any of them. They're what we call, "action" shots.

Oh wait. She's looking at the camera in this one. Elise thought her Uncle Josh's snowshoes were a sled.


In Baltimore, Elise and her friend Ashley are only 6 weeks apart and they were so excited to see each other again! Activities included going to the science center.
Lots of jumping on the bed.Playing at the playground.

And having to pose for lots of pictures.

We had a fun little trip, but it is always nice to be home!

Random Facts. By Ben.

How Chloe looks when she sees her daddy, confused but scared

1. I have two beautiful daughters. Unfortunately, they don't really like me. Elise does this thing where if she's reading a book on the bed with her mom all cuddly and cute, and I come over and try and participate, she throws a fit. She will physically roll/push me off the side of the bed. (Sometimes she'll let me lie there inert if I don't touch her, the book, or try and read).

I take it in stride. Besides, unbeknownst to Elise, I have another daughter in my back pocket! An ace up my sleeve, if you will (and you will). I dumped all my daddy-daughter dreams onto little Chloe (Juli, please insert cute Chloe picture).

Fig. 1 Cute Chloe pic

So, in order to realize these dreams I've been spending a lot of time with Chloe. Unfortunately, time with Daddy has a remarkably swift rate of diminishing returns--probably minutes and quite possibly seconds (Note to self: insert graph here). Chloe now has stranger anxiety to her dad (How did that happen? I'm literally home almost all the time.) She will really cry if not being held by her mom, or at least if her mom isn't within eyesight (like if she leaves the room and Daddy plays with Chloe for just a couple of seconds).

I've decided to just buy their love when they are older, it will be easier.

2. I am growing a beard (Juli, please insert picture here).

Figure 3. It is majestic!

There is one good thing and one bad thing about my beard. Good: I have a remarkable clearance from the top of my chest hair to the bottom of my beard line. There's about 3-4 inches of pure smooth neck. And, my beard line is very straight. It looks like it's trimmed, and it just grows that way. Even Juli said it looks good. I figure I have a few "golden years" of full, lush, beard coverage without the appearance of gray hairs that I should take advantage of (and boy am I!).

Bad: I can't grow a handlebar mustache, which would be pretty cool. I have this hairless part between the right side of my mustache-end and the rest of the beard (insert close up).