Ned's new blackberry

Remember when I wrote about how Ned sent his cell phone off for repairs without backing up the pics of Jack's birth (the only pics we have inside the operating room)? And how, of course, we lost the pictures? And that, in an attempt to make it up to us for the loss of the pics, US Cellular was giving Ned a new blackberry (his first)? Well, he got his blackberry. And after watching him with it for a few days, I'm half convinced that he left the pics of Jack on his old cell phone on purpose so he could get a free blackberry. He treats it like a baby-- I've watched him gush over how much he loves it and doesn't know what he did before it came into his life (as you do when you have a new baby); cradle it ever so gently and take excellent care of it (like you would a baby); show off what it can do (as you would a baby); and reprimand Samantha for not being careful around it (just as you would do to protect a baby). Wouldn't you be suspicious? Heck, I would have bought him a blackberry if I knew it was that important to him. I haven't forgotten what that particular blackberry cost me; I hope he knows that.

We are coming off a couple of excellent days of having my Mom visit. We've had home-cooked meals the past two nights that she's been here; she has cleaned the house; been instrumental in cleaning out our storage room in the basement; and helped take care of the kids. It's like a mini-vacation except that we still have our day jobs. I'm wondering if this is what it's like to have a live-in nanny/housekeeper. If so, I sure wish we could afford to have one.

Jack is becoming increasingly frustrated about his inability to move forward (you remember that he can slither backwards). Daycare wrote a note home that he gets so mad that he can't crawl or walk when he watches other kids do so. He really is so close. But, you know what they say, close only counts in horseshoes.

Bear is just plain weird sometimes. She had a massive red ring around her lips because she is constantly licking above and below her lips; I have no idea why. I don't know if it's chapped or what but it looked bad. We told her it looked horrible and she seems to be doing it less. It's starting to look better. Also, my Mom wore one of those boa scarves when she came to stay with us. Bear fell in love with it and insisted on sleeping with it. Again, weird. What do you say to that?

Love,

Allie