Rather than mess around with the embedding and HTML code here within the blog, below you’ll find a link to our Vimeo account (thank you to Lisa Patterson for telling me about it)!

To see which videos aren’t listed right there on the homepage of the account, click on the big letters that say 9 VIDEOS which is right above the thumbnails of the most recently added ones.

Enjoy!          http://www.vimeo.com/user244377

**no haileys were harmed in the filming of these videos, including the one entitled “wipeout”**

-Evan.

Hailey, mommy, and I watched the whole game together today.  That’s family entertainment.  There were plenty of parts (like in the 4th quarter) where Hailey was actually paying attention to the game…, she knows.  Heck, the first thing she ever saw on a television when she was a week old was a Pats game.  She was happy that Peyton lost.

Haven’t done too well updating the picture scene here lately.  I can’t find the cable to transfer pics to the computer.  Boo!!  Still gotta post the pics of Ella, Hailey and Lucy.  The pics of Hailey’s pumpkin that I carved (Gary grew it for her).  There will be a big picture post when we find that darn cable.  Hailey was soooooo freakin cute in her Haileybug costume that Andrea made for Halloween!  Here’s a couple pics from Halloween that our friend Shannon took (she’s the wife of my co-worker, Kevin, with a 3 yr. old daughter (Lupe) and a 1 yr. old son (Jack).

Our top correspondent from Salem St. in Boston’s North End is on the scene…, in her bedroom.

For a while now, we’ve seen toy recall after toy recall.  Toxic this, lead paint that, made in China.  Fortunately for Andrea and I, Hailey doesn’t have a taste [yet] for the ‘marketed-to-kids-junk’ that toddlers and kids see on tv and elsewhere. (for the record, we plan to do our best to not have her be an advertisement sponge).

Reading Strollerderby this morning (a parenting blog by multiple bloggers), there was a post about the fact that “our media-exposed kids are hip to what’s being marketed to them, which just adds to the hype, and intensifies the pressure to buy the latest, greatest new thing, which is actually just more cheap crap.”

Exactly. Hits the nail right on the head.  On the news last night, while they ran the segment on Mattel, et al recalling millions of toys, there were analysts talking about how to keep kids safe with their toys, go ahead and buy our toys, we promise they’ll be ok, etc…  Nobody on the news said: “Stop buying cheap crap and get your kids a building block set, or just the box it came in so they can make a fort.”

No, they tell you that all is ok, and “we assure you our toys are safe and you should still purchase these wonderful items for your children.” Which translates to “Puh-lease don’t stop buying our junk that we get manufactured in China for slave wages so we can turn a 250% profit.” 

So go get some plain old building blocks and watercolor paints and let ‘em go to town.  Get them a coloring book and don’t freak out when the purple one disappears and reappears later on in the diaper (true story from co-worker).  I’ll do the same when Hailey gets older…, for now she can chew on her cardboard “Yummy, Yucky” book and tear up my Sports Illustrated before I get to read it.

Jeez, it’s been a month since the last post.  I / we seriously need to post more often.  Hailey’s changing so quickly!  She’s getting taller longer, gaining weight (thus the “fat-pants”) nickname I call her.  Lately, she’s pulling herself up and cruising around her excer-saucer and the coffee table.  And wow, she is quick.  Bella has to stay quite alert around her or Hailey will pounce and aggresively adore her.

This is one of my favorite pictures of her so far.  And we’ve taken quite a few.  It’s from Whitehorse Beach in Plymouth, MA.

“September!?  Summer can’t be over!  I’m having fun!”

Hailey and Andrea are having a great time in Plymouth, MA this week.  Robin and Kevin (Andrea’s parents) rented a house right by the beach for the week.  Andrea’s been sending me photos and videos all week.  So many that it’s used up all the memory on my phone.

In order to solve this problem (who am I kidding, I just want more videos of Hailey!) I dumped a bunch of the videos and pics onto my computer.  Here’s a couple of them.  The resolution stinks, but hey, it’s from a phone.

Hailey’s Beach Bath

Raspberries

Andrea went into Hailey’s room to get her from her afternoon nap the other day, and this is what she saw:

Over the past couple weeks, she’s gotten a lot stronger.  We could prop her up and she’d stand there, holding your fingers and wobbling like the town drunk.  Now, however, she’s gotten strong enough to pull herself up in her crib, and anywhere else.

I attribute her mobility and strength at 6-7 months on being so damn skinny.  She’s perfectly healthy, eats a ton of food and milk everyday, but doesn’t have any fat to weigh her down (or keep her warm in the winter, a la Daddy).  She’s a lean mobile baby.  Watch out Bella!

~evan.

Mike and Karen’s daughter, Alice May, was born on Friday July 27th at 2:59 am.  She’s 6 lbs 9 oz, and 19 inches.  By the way, Alice, you and Hailey both decided to arrive at about 3am.  We are hoping this is not the trend you’ll continue in your teens.

Karen had a c-section, and is doing great!  Oh, and so is Mike.

We had a very fun mini-vacation and I will be posting pictures as soon as I have time. 

In other news, congrats to Mike and Karen!  Alice May was born very early this morning, a few weeks early!  They are all doing well.   

In the mean time, I have to post this- such a cute idea!  I found it on See Katie Sew

““PAY IT FORWARD. The first three people that leave a comment and pledge to pay it forward to three others on their blog will receive a handmade gift from me within one year (July 27, 2008) of this posting. I will read your blog and get the essence of who you are to come up with an idea.”

If you don’t have a blog, maybe you can start one.  If you don’t have time to start a blog, maybe we can modify this into an email thing!  Anyway, leave me some love.