Well, by the time Mark arrived in far away Dayton (1 hour 10 min drive?) Yeah.

Liam had managed to discover that he could get a (soggy) cheerio up his (very snotty) nose. Lovely. And he found it amusing.

Then the tornado sirens went off. Yes, it is Wednesday. But not noon. Try 10 a. m.

Turns out, they were testing them at a random time. WHAT?! What is that about? Isn't the point of having standard testing times that if they go off at another time, IT AIN'T A TEST? Just asking.

However, I did find out, and I think this is fairly important to know: sirens are merely warnings for people outside to go indoors. Those of us already inside in bad weather are expected to listen to the radio.

And a Liam story I forgot yesterday:

If Liam hears a noise he doesn't recognize, he blames it on Mark thusly: "Daddy tooted." Even if it is Liam himself tooting.

And while he can whine and tantrum with the best of them, there is plenty to love about him, too.

Here's a taste:

1. Some of my favorite versions of words à la Liam:

'napeg' - napkin
'mugan' - music
'Mee-um' - Liam
'hijk Elmo' - h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o

2. Liam has picked up the word 'now'. Most of the time, it's pretty amusing, though I still try not to respond to him in a 'now' kind of way, as I don't want him to get in the habit. On the other hand, he's clear it's a demanding word.

3. He can also be super polite: he frequently will say "thank you, Liam" or "thank you, Daddy" to thank, oh, anyone for anything.

4. If he sees a car, truck or airplane, watch out for your ears. He's liable to tell you about it - with vigor.

5. If you want something to become his favorite, call it 'cozy'. Cozy slippers, cozy coat, cozy blanket ... whatever.

6. He loves rubbing his cheek against our cheeks.

7. He can count to two. He can say numbers higher than that, but he can actually identify two things and count them - one, two, two feet! I think that's cool.

8. He's got rhythm. Some who know me from workshop days may not believe my son capable, but his father was in show choir. This stuff is innate in him and it's really cool to watch him boogie - and keep time.

9. We've recently discovered that there is a whole host of songs that if we stop in the middle of them, he will quietly fill in the next word. Very cute.

10. He loves to sing. He sings all the time - totally random stuff. I know it's a normal phase or whatever, but it is so much fun to watch him do it. And he does it totally unabashedly, as if no one were paying attention to him. It's almost as he zones out while he does it.

I've hit ten. That's enough for right now. If we ever upload photos again, I'll share them.

So, I had the surgery last Monday. It went well (or so they told me). Friends and family have rallied around us to help deal with the monkey that seems to have wormed its way into our household. Liam ran 'Da-doom' ragged. (otherwise known as Goompa) And my father loved every minute of it ;-)

I'm now on my own, still tender, not carrying Liam or driving anywhere. I can't decide whether I"m enjoying how Liam and I are interacting differently or whether I'm going to go completely bonkers not being able to either carry him or leave the house.

Ayyam-i-Ha is coming up and I am super excited about it. Not that I've decorated ... sigh. We'll see whether that happens this year. But my family is getting together for it, thus, awesomeness.

I discovered that Liam knows how to count to 10 today. I was counting something, got to 6, and Liam said, "seven". I looked at him, slightly dumbfounded, and stammered, "eight?" He shouted, "nine!" And then we said 'ten' together. Wah? That just blew me away. He'll occasionally do that with the alphabet, if there's a long enough pause after just about any letter, he'll fill in the blank. I totally don't keep up with what is "age appropriate" blah, blah, blah, so his learning just tends to leave me a bit breathless. He's big, huge, gigantically into puzzles right now, too. Rae, those puzzles you got him? EATS THEM UP. They are constantly spread all over the living room. If he needs to calm himself and isn't permitted Elmo? "Puzzles!" He's also trying to learn how to use chopsticks which is cute right up until the point at which he gets so frustrated he throws them.

Well, this is what you get when you submit to the doctors appointments.

I have to have my gall bladder removed.

My first surgery ever.

However, this is to address the nausea and abdominal pain I've had ever since, well, really, ever since I got pregnant. Having put up with that - worsening - over the past two years, this will be a welcome change. I'm not thrilled about the surgery, but I'm relieved to know there is a solution and that it will come soon. I meet with the surgeon on Friday, at which point I imagine we'll set a date.

Liam doesn't say "love", but his equivalent is "happy" and then he lists folks who make him happy (Goompa, Rae, Gabby, Kate... that's the short list). Recently, he has started requesting that I sing to him about the people who make him happy when he's falling asleep. So, "Goompa makes Liam happy, Goompa makes Liam happy, Goompa makes Liam happy..." has started putting him to sleep. Very sweet. A bit repetitive, but sweet.

December with Chicago cousins (no, Mendon & Kristen do not have Asian children):

Liam making faces at the camera:

At the zoo for Wild Lights. Thank you to Nathan for this year's season pass!!!:

There are some non-diaper versions of this, but they won't be put on the web:

There was a HUGE fire a couple streets over from us, burning down an entire block of businesses on our "main drag", if you will. The only real effect this had on us was that we had no power for 6 hours in 0 degree weather. But it is definitely sad. This was the view from our house:

As we were walking out the door to go to an inauguration party, Liam threw up, so Mark and I had our own private party in our basement, which Mark set up all pretty-pretty while I cleaned up Liam and put him to bed. Here's us being happy in our basement. You should come on over and check out our place. It's cozzzzzy!

And yes, I love my felted purple hat (with a feather in it) from Edinburgh!

We are in the process of adding more videos to YouTube - Liam dancing (if you haven't seen this, you ain't seen nothin' yet!), saying his ABC's, etc.

Okay, have I sufficiently fed your addiction? ;-)

Liam, is as custom, has lots of new and fun stuff going on.

In the meantime, we've had our power out because an entire block of shops near us burnt to the ground. And then, the next day Liam came down with a NASTY stomach virus. Okay, so when is that ever not nasty? Now Mark and I are feeling the consequences.

We do have some hilarious videos and photos of Liam. When we all have the energy again, I'll post them.

Take care of you and yours. You do NOT want this stomach bug!

DON’T FORGET by BRETT DENNEN

Don't forget
Don't forget
Mmhmm
That I believe in you

Should you forget
Should you forget
Let me remind you
That I am behind you

You are a secret waiting to be found out
Soon you'll be what everyone is talking about
May you spread your love like laughter
And find whatever you're after
Hopin' all your windows let the music spill out

Don't forget
Don't forget
Mmhmm
That I believe in you

Should you forget
Should you forget
Let me remind you
That I am behind you

May you dance like rain upon a still lake
You make this world a beautiful place
No more cryin'
Don't shun your life, it's shinin'
Wipe your tears from your sweet face

Don't forget
Don't forget
Mmhmm
That I believe in you

Should you forget
Should you forget
Let me remind you
That I am behind you

Don't be afraid
Should things happen to change
Cause change can be a beautiful thing

Should things fall apart
Be patient like a rainbow
Life is loving and letting go

And then, there's me. I don't even know where I am. Tomorrow marks one year since my mother died. I'm downing a tub of ice cream as I write this (some of you are aware that is not typical Mara behavior). My sister's calendar of Maman remembrances helps. Each day, I do something on the calendar, even if it's not the one for that specific day. I have no plans to take it down once January is over, either.

We're planning a bonfire here in town (you are all welcome, if you are able) on Friday to commemorate her ascension. I haven't exactly decided the layout - shall we roast marshmallows, as she would've enjoyed, or is the fire somehow sacred? I've asked my sister to read her eulogy - because it's awesome. I'm considering writing something to read - and perhaps something to write, seal and simply burn. We'll see.

I've begun to be diagnosed with a seemingly endless litany of stuff I need to deal with. An on-line thing I had to fill out for Mark's employer informed me I was struggling with depression. Thank you, computer/big brother, for your infinite astuteness.

I have several different options beginning to open up for me professionally - I feel almost overwhelmed with several truly interesting choices, and disappointed that I simply can't do it all, especially because I cannot bear to part with my son and put him in some sort of child care. Please don't read that as a judgment on child care. I just know I'm not up to it, personally.

Hmmm...end on happy note...we got plants for the third floor - it really makes it feel more cozy (and helps absorb stinky new paint chemicals). We also went out and bought the 'leftovers' of Christmas lights for 60 cents a box. We're going to put them up in the basement and convert part of it to a 'formal dining area' for use when we have guests over for meals. Fun!

There, see? I have happiness in my life.

Father and son, having fun:

Feesh! Feesh! Liam's favorite:

Twins?!

I get to have a favorite, too:

For you, Grandma.

In other news. I have a job! I will be the business manager for my friend's start-up. She has the product, I've got the organization...together we'll make it happen - I'm so excited!

Liam is, of course, growing and changing in a bajillion different ways.

He has started speaking in phrases. Not all the time, but he does. "Daddy go buh-bye. (followed by kissy noise)", for example.

He says please when he wants something, but now he has started saying, "please, oh, please, oh, please!"

He L-O-V-E-S socks. I have to hide them from him. Otherwise, he'll put them on his hands and suck on them. Last night, he slept with socks on his hands. When he pulled them off and threw them out of his bed, he started crying. I came in the room, to a very sudden "SOCKS!" which I translated as "thank god you're here woman! sock overboard! sock overboard!" He went back to sleep once the socks were safely on his hands again.

He also loves reading. Tonight when I asked him if he wanted me to read him a book he brought to me, he replied, "no." He sat in my lap, turning the pages and occasionally commenting on what he saw. Three books later he let me read.

This has been a crazy week. We are all now in the care of a chiropractor - yes, Liam included - due to the car accident we were in on Sunday. Someone rear-ended us. Thus far, their insurance company has been blessedly agreeable. By the way, all injuries are minor. Liam has nothing but a bit of a kink on the left of his neck - as that's the side his face was turned to when the accident happened (he'd been asleep).

And tomorrow he head out for Chicago. I can scarcely believe it. A part of me wants nothing more than to curl up into a ball and do nothing for about a month. The best suggestion I heard was to throw on some fuzzy pants and curl up on the couch with a good book and hot tea.

Oh! And my awesome sister created a calendar of ways to remember my mother during this time, her dying season. Everything from drinking a cup of tea to spending time with a child to tending a plant. It's awesome! Thank you, Rae, for this incredibly thoughtful gift.

Liam is watching Elmo and Natalie Portman dancing while dressed up as elephants.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It was the last holiday we celebrated with my mother. It's when she officially stopped working. (she never actually "officially" quit - she had enough sick time that she remained an employee to the end is my understanding).

I can't tell you what I'm feeling because I'm not even sure myself. Besides, Ernie is drawing Bert's face in lavender. Little distracting, right? On to the ears, now.

Liam is officially potty training, I think. He tells me when he's about to soil his diaper (put as politely as possible). I'm still not really pushing it, letting him set the tone and it seems to be happening organically. It's kind of fun (who knew?) to watch the process evolve for him.

He's got boots he can put on himself, he wipes up the floor if he spills something, (he says, "wipe"), and he has started talking about memories from past events. Cool little kiddo (with some fairly obvious "first kid" stuff going on, heheheh). I know my mother would absolutely love hearing about and watching his development - telling me how he reminds her of one of her own children and what-not.

What is 'it'?

It is the beginning of my mother's dying season. We joked about it when she was alive, and my dad has talked about all the 'firsts' without my mother, and my sister has talked about remembering all the 'lasts' with my mother.

But here I am, as I think of the next couple of months - formerly some of my faves - all I can think of is "dying season".

And I have to get a mole on my foot removed because 'it could be cancerous', and I have to have a cyst looked at on my ovary ... 'cause it could be cancerous' ... and, for some reason, when I was referred to a psychologist, it wasn't for "GRIEF", it was for "anxiety". Huh. Wonder why. Somehow, I thought the cancer was going to die with my mother.

However, I am trying to be happy and think about stuff my mother loved to do - we're having a finger painting party tomorrow to celebrate her birthday. And now it makes me think how my mother managed to inform me of her cancer - literally - as I was welcoming guests into our home to celebrate Mark's birthday [here's where, if she were still alive, she would say, "guilt, guilt, guilt".]

Maman, happy 57th birthday. I'm pretty sure you're enjoying it more than I am.