The broken arm

It's been a week since Lilah broke her arm climbing up the short slide on the swingset behind the house (as seen behind the snowboots in this picture).

We've been trying to downplay it, and so far it's actually sort of worked. Of course the first few days were rough, but since then she has figured out how to do pretty much everything without the use of her left hand. She's been milking it a bit ("how can I pick up my toys with one hand?"), but that's fine. Here's the splint and sling before the cast was put on:

It doesn't hurt her, and she's been great about keeping it dry and not complaining about not being able to run around outside, play on playgrounds, etc. Sadly, the cast is old-fashioned white with a grim bandage on top. Only 4 or 5 more weeks to go.

Luckily, it hasn't impeded her gardening abilities. Here's a shot of the herbs. The basil is amazing! When we get back from Maryland the garden is going to be insane, I'm sure.

And summer hasn't officially begun yet, right?

tucson friends

It's always sad to visit friends who are afar and then have to leave them. Lilah pines for friends in Israel and Maryland already; now we add Tucson and Alabaster to the list.

It's a bit bizarre to see your kids playing with fellow grad students' kids. I really never thought this would be our reality circa 10 years ago, but here we are. Alex and Lilah met 3 years ago during our previous visit, when Alex was a crazy shark.

Lilah, a new walker, toddled away and out of the frame.

Here is a random weird atmospheric shot from that trip.

Anyway, Alex and Lilah hung out together a few times during this trip, and it was very cute.

She also played at Mason and Chase's house; here she is at a sensitive moment (I think we were about to leave) with Mason and Kerry.

The tortoises were also a hit; here is Cleopatra, I think:

And here are Cleo and Isis' humans, and our patient hosts and great friends, Beth and Farzad.

We'll have to get back soon, somehow.

A day at the Desert Museum

The desert is beautiful in late May. These pictures make it look like we were roughing it in the middle of the desert or something (we weren't).

Nice saguaro.

Actually we had multiple strollers, bags, water bottles, sunscreen, hats, snacks and other equipment, along with friends Kate, Leo and Alex.

We spotted the promised javelina in a particularly hot and sunny part of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Lilah also enjoyed posing with the blazing hot (don't touch!) metal javelina statues before we left.

Here's Lilah running from a coyote or maybe a wolf.

a cuteness interlude

I am truly trying to get more Tucson pictures posted (way too long after the fact), but am stalled. This will hopefully tide you over.

In the comfy chair

Just hanging out in the big, comfy chair in Beth and Farzad's living room with my toys. I'm all smiles. And then the big sister joined me ...

and tried the pacifier again (don't like it).

Botanical Garden

I had never been to the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and it was a good place to have a relatively l0w-impact day in a desert setting to break us in. It's really beautiful there, and we enjoyed observing cacti and other desert plants as well as the wildlife. Well, M and I enjoyed it. I don't think Aviva really cared either way, and Lilah was sometimes camera-shy and often lizard-shy.

On University

I don't know where we "belong," but I don't think it's here. We were discussing this last night, after feasting at Charlie's Mongolian Barbecue in honor of our 8th anniversary (with Aviva; you get the picture). Tucson seems like a better fit for us in many ways, although I'm afraid that I am merely waxing melancholy about the relatively carefree days of grad school whenever I think about Tucson.

But it is great to visit, even with a four-month-old. Our first day there was interesting, as it was in the 60s and raining when we arrived! Bizarre.

We went to University to check out the sites and find Kerry for lunch. Here she approaches:

The area west of campus has changed a lot since I first arrived in August 1995. This little courtyard area is surrounded by restaurants and offices; I had Hebrew class in the space that is now a Starbucks.

Before we went to Frog and Firkin to eat (couldn't stomach the idea of green fries, Alysia), Lilah got hold of the camera and took a lovely picture of the rest of us in front of Sinbads. Another headless Abba shot.

The cool weather didn't hold, of course. Next up: sweating in the desert.