sup

That’s kinda how I see my girl whenever I look at her. Transcendant. Ethereal. Angelic. Pure magic incarnate. A wonder to behold. No glowing adjective seems hyperbolic.

She’s nuts of course.

I don’t know why I find it odd that she’s so comfortable upside down. She’s really spent more time upside down than she has breathing at this point. You know, counting pregnancy.

Last time I wrote, she was just starting to grasp things on purpose. Now she’s confidently reaching for them. She yells at them if she can’t fit them whole in her mouth. True for most things, unfortunately. It’s a vocal household, now. Happy vocal, to be sure but… I think this is how kids came to be called little monkeys. Howler monkeys, anyway. It really poses a quandary – ease her off the soother, or invest in publicly traded ear plug companies?

She’s thinking, “If only I had one more arm, I would rock that teddy bear’s world.” She hasn’t quite negotiated being on her tummy yet. She’s happy enough for a few minutes, but soon enough she wants to engage with the world, and both arms are all tied up. She lets us know she’s done with tummy time with grace and subtlety. If grace and subtlety are 11 and 12 on the volume knob.

But oh so adorable.

Possibly the funnest hat ever. Suits her perfectly. The hat that gets our official stamp, however:

We’re so subversive. Sticking an American girl in a Canadian toque. That’s right, I said toque. And she’s about the cutest button you ever saw, so there.

A pair of cute buttons, no less.

Meanwhile, in BC, Premier Christy Clark is ignoring the cries of the film industry to restore tax incentives to production companies they see as leaving town for greener pastures. 90% unemployment aside, that means about a billion dollars a year not entering the provincial economy. Yes, you read correctly. About a billion dollars. No matter how you slice it, that makes Clark’s administration a bunch of idiots. There’s just no way to justify it. Offer incentives, productions come spend money and pay tax. Don’t offer incentives, productions do not come, so no tax revenue, a bludgeoned economy, and a mass exodus of an entire industry. Sharp move.

I find myself thinking, “What the hell, Canada? Harper and Christy. Seriously.”

What does that say, that, living as I do in Americaland, I look north and have to shake my head?

Adrian Dix, leader of the NDP, took a high profile jaunt to Hollywoodland to meet with studio execs, assuring them that if the NDP wins the next election, he will look favourably on reinstating the incentives. Probably they don’t care, as they will cheerfully go wherever they can get the best deal for a workable location, but you can be sure the BC film industry took note. A tidy way to wrap up a hundred thousand votes. Considering the billion dollars of annual revenue at stake, that should wrap up an entire election. But we have the business sector with which to contend (banks and such), who have been pretty content to watch their province rot away around them while they reap comparatively meager rewards. So it falls to you, BC resident, with your single vote. Vote Liberal and continue watching arts, health and education get slashed, or vote NDP and hope it’s not too late.

Should be an interesting election. Who will the Liberals hire to produce their propaganda?

My gorgeous and beloved wife had a birthday!  We had really great sushi and crispy beef from Shi.  And a cake that wouldn’t look out of place on the tailgate of a pickup truck at a barbecue featuring an entire pig.  See, because she had decided she wanted to make her own cake, decorations were a bit of a last minute thing I pulled together when she wasn’t looking.  That’s my excuse.  I also bought her a nice necklace, so it balances out.  Right?

The delicious red velvet cake Rita wrangled for a birthday dinner at Brio was an entirely more classy affair, giant flaming numerals notwithstanding.  Dinner was a treat!  And we presented Marjorie with our group gift – we’re going to send her somewhere tropical for a week in the sun to thaw out.  Avery and I get to go too.  Nice move, me.

Suz very thoughtfully made sure Avery didn’t feel left out of the love:

Those are some very big eyes.  If you are in a state of inebriation sufficient to see pink elephants, this one in particular might be reassuring.

And Avery had some big eyes for Chris:

Fascinating.  I do believe they like each other.

The next day was Avery’s 4 monthaversary.  Crazy!  We keep finding ourselves astonished by clothes she’s growing out of that seemed enormous a month ago.  All the outfits we bought for her – roomy, mind you – for Christmas are all too small now.  She’s wearing sleepers made for a six month old.  I’m telling you, volleyball or basketball, this girl’s all set.

The downside of milestones for babies is the trip to the pediatrician for the next inoculations.  The first time was a nasty shock for her, and a bit of a trial for me.  Possibly even more so than for her mum.  I’m a wimp, maybe.  We thought Little Pepper was a champ, though.  She cried for ten minutes or so that time.  Probably more in betrayal than actual pain.  This time, her third, was amazing!  She took her shot in the leg, uttered one squawk, and was done.  Sergeant Pepper!  That’s my girl!  And fifteen minutes later:

Sleeping like a baby.  Surprise.  Not that sleeping is her only trick.  She’s getting to know her feet very well.  She’ll suck on her big toe if she can coordinate it.  No luck with the thumb yet, but that big toe does just fine.  And now that she’s starting to get the hang of grabbing things, she can get a bit overwhelmed with the options:

Both feet, the dangling teddy flipper, and the crinkly butterfly.  Yes, all of them please.  All at the same time, thank you.

And so chatty!  If she’s got a story to tell, she will tell it at great length and in complete detail, no matter how long it takes.  An hour, easy.  And at ever increasing volume, so you understand the escalating drama of the narrative.

Riveting.  Possibly less so for the other guests at the cafe, but they should have known what they were getting into when they told her what a beautiful little girl she is.

Her crib arrived last week (thank you, Gramma and Grampa Taverner!), which means Avery is able to move into her own room.  When Mum’s ready, of course.  We started well enough with naps, but the first couple nights were a bit too much space for Avery and she ended up in bed with us after halftime.  The last couple nights, however, she’s been great.  It can take a while to get her down, but she loves all the room to stretch.  The move is happening just in time, too.  The bassinet was getting cramped.  She’s discovered she likes sleeping on her side (left side exclusively, so far), and that maneuver takes some real estate.

Soon enough will come the full roll (on purpose).  She loves being on her tummy for a few minutes at a time, but gets bored because all her limbs are occupied.  Soon she will figure out what magic can happen when she pulls a limb or two.

Six weeks ago we thought she might almost be there, but that lesson got pushed.  Possibly by the discovery of her feet.  Possibly by the discovery of a baby’s primary method of learning:

Everything goes in that mouth.  Mostly drool comes out.  And stories.  But seriously, gallons of drool.  No wonder she’s up to four ounce feedings.  Gotta replenish.

So there you have it.  Avery is four months old and a happy picture of blooming health, pushing 14 pounds and 26 inches.  And Marjorie seems just fine with 40 years old.  She says it’s no big deal when you’re content with everything in your life.  As a guy who is sensitive to the fact he lured her away from friends and family, that comes as sweet music to my ears.  A happy Marjorie is generally a happy Adrian, indeed.  Probably we should make more effort to remember that we’re a couple as much as we are a family, but that will come.  We’re both pretty fascinated with little Avery Peppermint, and she positively soaks up the time.  It’s unbelievable.  And I couldn’t explain it.  It doesn’t translate in print.  Good thing we like her so much.

Oh!  That reminds me.  We’ve got her giggling for real now.  Official new favourite sound in the universe.  Hands down.  No contest.  Her tiny little deep in the belly giggle makes me do the same.  Cannot be helped.

Meanwhile, work goes well.  I mixed Chris’ intro video for Redken’s Symposium in Vegas.  Fun stuff.  We should be able to post it on his site in a week or so, after the thousands of Redken faithful have seen it.  There are also a ton of videos on their way from L’Oréal Professionnel that will need mixing.  35 of them, I think, due February 1.  I can do that.  Of course, now that Avery is doing almost all of her sleeping in her room/my studio, I will be editing on the couch, and sneaking in final passes on the big rig while she’s awake.  I’m going to have to rethink this her room/ my studio thing.  I don’t think it’s going to work.  And Marjorie really wants a dining room table, so I’m not going to be allowed to move the big rig to that wall out here.  Tricky.  Maybe Chaos will sign a show and we’ll build a proper studio.  Inevitable, yes, but jumping the schedule a bit would be fine.  I’m about to lose my office!

So!  Tropical paradises.  Any ideas?

Oh she loves mornings just fine.  She’s bright eyes and big smiles as soon as she sees we’re awake.  She makes it very difficult to be my usual taciturn self.

And her left foot has joined the ranks of her favorite snacks.

Hope your Monday is as awesome as all that.