Martin's Musings

Abby has learned some new words since I last saw her (in June): “More” and “No.” She said both many times this weekend while she was here in Boston for her family’s now-annual Labor Day Weekend visit to Boston. Nothing was ever enough, and she knew what she wanted (and what she didn’t want). Suffice it to say, a great time was had.

Abby’s an exhausting little girl now, but an endlessly fascinating (and fascinated) one. I loved watching her walk all over — my apartment, an open field, a playground, Farry & Barrah’s apartment, the Pru and Copley malls, the Public Garden, Boston Common, the B.C. campus … you name it, she was there exploring every nook and cranny. Abby’s been to Boston before (most recently in January) but each time she comes, she’s more aware of and curious about her surroundings. I could sit and watch her wander around for days and days. And that’s pretty much what I did.

And, as if Mitzi and Jason didn’t have enough to tire them out with chasing Abby around, they also got a little bit hooked on my Wii (Mitzi especially). Who knew they’d like it so much? It’s safe to say that when the three of them left on Monday, we all wanted a little bit “more” time to spend together. Alas, real life beckons. Thankfully, we’ll always have the pictures to remind us of the great time we had (click here to see them). Till their next visit …

I was home in New York this weekend because 11 months after she was born, Abby finally had her Naming, where she received her Hebrew name. (Usually this happens much sooner after a baby’s birth.) It was also a significant weekend for me because for the first time since Abby was born, I slept overnight at my sister and brother-in-law’s house, which was a lot of fun — even at 6:15 on Saturday morning, when I woke up early to greet Abby. It was also amusing being there Saturday night when she spent about an hour babbling in her crib, telling her best bud, Quackers (a stuffed duck), all about her day, and wouldn’t go to sleep. Ahhh … babies. Abby’s still so great, and she and I just have a really special relationship. She always remembers me, and lights up when she sees me. I am one of the few people, it seems, who can consistently make her smile and laugh. And then there are the quiet times when I just sit there holding her, and she just relaxes without fidgeting. It’s adorable, and it excites me to no end. And of course, that’s partly why I take so many pictures of Abby when I see her. So yes, I thought I’d share this weekend’s collection. Enjoy.

As problems go, this one is not really a problem. Abby came to visit for a few days this weekend to wish me a Happy New Year, and she had gotten so cute (cuter than the last time I took photos and even cuter than the last time she was in Boston) that my camera just kinda went nuts while she was here. (Saturday we even did an impromptu mini photo shoot when she was cuddled up against me in my apartment.) Now I’ve got a surplus of great photos and I’m not sure which ones are the most frame-worthy. It’s a definite quandary, especially because I’ve already got a few photos of her framed and, you know, when do you replace the older ones of her when she was younger with the newer ones now that she’s eight months old? I just can’t figure out what to do. Help me: Check out the latest collection and tell me which ones are your favorites. It’s a tough choice, eh?

It’s hard to believe it’s only been six months since my niece Abby entered the world. It sure does feel like a lot longer, and I mean that in the best way possible. I was home in New York this past weekend to celebrate that special occasion — and another milestone for my mother with a six in it — and I took my camera with me. Click here if you’d like to see my latest batch of Abby photos. Or, click here to see pics from the entire past month (including ones from Halloween). Abby is so much fun nowadays. I love her big, round eyes and her smile, and I loved how in synch we were this weekend, since we both were battling a cold. I love everything about this little girl. Enjoy the photos.