I got a new cell phone today...we've been wanting an MP3 player and so we got a good deal and got a phone that has all that and more. Now if only I can figure out how to use all the features, or find the time anyway.

Justin is in that super cute 4 month old stage. He has a really funny outgoing personality; has total control of his head so he can really look around and check things out; and is making all kinds of vocalizations including an overjoyed shriek.

Merritt acts like a two year old in all his glory but he is also making wonderous achievements each day, like learning colors and numbers and letters. I love to do watercolors with him. Now I know why my artist friend Lia started showing a lot of watercolors after she had children.

This was one of Merritt's first:

Things that have happened lately...

The boys caught hand-foot-and-mouth disease, a nasty virus which causes fever and a rash. I think Merritt got it at the indoor playground we have been going to and that I loved until I realized it was an absolute germfarm. I thought he just had diaper rash and/or an allergic reaction to something but then Justin came down with the same thing a week later. It hit him harder, poor baby. Also it seems Merritt passed it on to at least one of his playmates at his birthday party.

We took a long weekend trip to the Lake Murray area of South Carolina. Andy's parents are most likely moving there when his dad finally retires for good. It's a beautiful place and close to metropolitan Columbia. And it's only a five hour drive for us from here so we're really happy with their choice. The trip would have been more fun if Justin were not feeling so awful but it was nice to go somewhere anyway. Both boys are great on long car drives now.

The last of my family has left Maryland for good: my sister and her daughter will be traveling around the USA for the next two months then permanently relocating to Costa Rica. It's really amazing to think after sixty plus years no member of my immediate family lives in the Land of Mary anymore. Fresh starts for everyone. My kids will be Florida kids and my niece will spend at least part of her formative years in a foreign country.

I've sold a painting...



I did The Peach in 1994 as I was preparing to vacate the loft I was living in. I was trying to scale back on stuff and used all of the paint I had at the time to make three small abstracts, very thick and textured. Two of them went to my neighbors at the time, Keith and Erin, who incidentally introduced me to Andy. The last one I have had with me until now. It was inspired by the incredibly delicious peaches I had in France that long ago summer. Their taste was like heaven on earth. Rick, who also bought African Daisies a while back, purchased this one so I think that qualifies him as an official collector of my work.

It's a rollercoaster with these two kids. Merritt's second birthday was wild and fun and he had very minimal meltdowns considering how overstimulating it all was. He blew out both of the candles on his cupcake and that seemed very grown up to me. Justin is a big doll, seventeen pounds of adorable. Holding him is toning muscles in my arms that I didn't even know I had.

I have figured out that watercolors are the perfect medium for me to do with Merritt. We both really enjoy it and I am getting to put brush to paper which feels really good. He loves all arts and crafts at this point though and it's nice to explore childish art again through him.

Andy and I have picked the most beautiful color for our bedroom, a dark red color called Cranberry Zing. At night it looks black.

Justin had his second night (not in a row) of sleeping almost 12 hours and I am starting to feel human again.

And then there are weirdly funny animated boobs.

I was reading Pamela Anderson's blog tonight. She has always seemed very likeable to me. I saw her in the flesh once, at an Internet World appearance put on by one of the dot coms, and it was kind of freaky how different she looks in person. Let's just say her gift is how photogenic she is, not how beautiful.



I put another short clip on YouTube. This one is a bit fuzzy and the sound is a little out of sync. I used the compact setting on the camera so it would be quicker to download to the site but I think I liked the previous results better. Still cute as hell though.



It's time for Project Runway, my favorite show on television. I want to see Jeffrey get kicked off so bad. He's obviously disturbed but I just can't excuse someone who could be so mean to someone's mother. Off with his head! And nothing he has designed has impressed me much. Michael is my favorite and I suspect he will win; I absolutely loved those white pants he did last week and I would wear them in a heartbeat--don't care if they are menswear!

Merritt loves his new Barney CD: