great

The cruel gate of separation

When I was a kid, my great-grandmother was the maker of afghans and the best pancakes I've ever had. She had a crush on the pope, a very soft lap, and taught me to crochet. Though I can't remember it, she took care of me while I was an infant so that my mom could go back to work.

Liam, in the throes of yet another tooth, takes comfort in a lap and a chew toy

Yesterday my grandmother made the long flight out here so that she could meet her great-grandsons. She cannot crochet or make pancakes, but she has held babies and tickled their bellies until they laughed like crazy. While I slept, she helped Charlie feed them this morning. When Dash was crying she asked him quite pointedly what the problem was, and he stopped and started laughing instead.

Dash with his perennial sassy tongue

She has never been to Seattle, never read the newspaper on an iPad, never had polenta. And in 24 hours she has done all of these things with an inquisitive grace I can only hope to possess when I am 86 years old.

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In other baby news...

Liam is still obsessed with Charlie's cookbooks

no really, give me the cookbook.

Dash strikes hilarious playboy poses on the floor