Happy Christmas from the Catskills

Well, it started in the Catskills two weeks ago, when we got a tree, decorated our house and made the g-damn Christmas cookies. But then we took it on the road: Honesdale, then back to Woodstock, on to Derry, NH, back home, and we're going back to Honesdale for New Year's.

Purple Snow Boots & Swiss Hat

Under the Mistletoe

Motorbike Toddler

Thanks to Aunt Jenny & Uncle Steve, who were so kind to give you a Harley Davidson motorbike rocker. The only problem was they gave it to you when you were born, so we waited until this year, when Daddy sniffed it out of storage when he got our Christmas decorations. Thanks to Mommy for putting it together.

Holding Down the Fort

One day Mommy had a great idea that Daddy executed with great skill. The next thing we knew, Devon Grace was licking a lollipop during her first guard duty shift at red couch Fort Tremper.

Thanksgiving in Honesdale

Great time at Aunt Jenny & Uncle Steve's. Here's some bedtime photos after a long, wonderful day.

Devon In Love

The day after Thanksgiving, Devon, on Uncle Scott Matthews' birthday, before we drove to Montreal for the weekend, we joined Aunt Jenny, Uncle Steve, T-Pop & Nut Nut, Uncle John Williams & Auntie Spring, Aunt Nikki, Aunt Susan, Uncle Scott and cousins Luke and Dylan for breakfast at the infamous Honesdale eatery, Cordaro's. You developed a major crush on Luke, as we can see from the photo above.

T-Pop's School of Massage Therapy

While dining at Aunt Jenny & Uncle Steve's, T-Pop gave Aunt Jenny a neck rub. Devon put her arms behind her head and started giving herself a neck rub. We asked her if she wanted one and had her say the magic word - "please" - so T-Pop obliged. These photos were taken the next dinner.

Savoring the Victory

"Thank-you-very-much"

Devon reading on the red couch in the jungle room. Thanks to Aunty Maureen & Uncle Andy for the bitchin' Elvis T-shirt!

Morning Read

Devon checking out the Obama interview in Rolling Stone.

Halloween In Woodstock

Thanks so much to Aunt Maureen for designing and making your beautiful space butterfly faerie costume. You wore it today on this warm uncloudy Autumn day, mad with sunshine, when we went into Woodstock to the wild & crazy Halloween parade. We met up with Henry the farmer, his mum, Kerrie, dressed as a cow and his daddy, Ted. At first, you were very guarded, not knowing what to make of all the kooky costumes, but you soon warmed up to the festivities and were dancing and clapping your way through a classic Woodstock drum circle set.

Thank you, Laura

Last Halloween, Devon, Gram was very sick and we knew it was close to the end. Mommy, Uncle Jon and Daddy were taking care of Gram, and that night, after we gave out the last candy to the last trick-or-treater, we knew something was wrong. Gram was leaving this world but we needed help. Daddy called Hospice, who had been so wonderful helping us, and they said that a nurse would come to the house. Soon enough we heard a noise outside so Glory & I walked out to the driveway and met Laura the Nurse. Glory barked loudly and kinda spooked her because she didn't know we were there and because she had come directly from her church's Halloween party in her costume - she was dressed as a cat - and was taking off her cat tail when we came upon her. It was a scary & sad night saying goodbye to Gram but it would have been terrifying without Laura there to guide us through it and she did it all dressed up and made up like a cat. Tonight we think of you, Laura, and thank you again for helping us through the most difficult night of our lives.

Happy Birthday, Gram

Dear Devon,
Today would have been your Gram's 63rd birthday. She died a year ago tomorrow, on Halloween - a favorite holiday. We were all with Gram last year, taking care of her and saying goodbye. Thank you, kid, you helped us all through it. We all love Gram, and miss her very much but are grateful that you two had some time together. One night in summertime Pemaquid, it was bedtime and you were supposed to be going to sleep but you heard Gram & Grampa; Mommy and we all ended up hanging out in Gram & Grampa's room, on the bed laughing with Gram.

This is daddy's wish for today: to always keep Betsy close to your heart, for the rest of your days, and please stay connected to all of us, keep this cosmic Betsy connection threaded, and then Devon will always have her grandmother close by, a guiding luminosity, our north star, a guardian ad litem for the lot of us, and then, "When she shall die take her and cut her out into stars and she shall make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun." (WS)

Top Photo: Devon, Unc JohnnyCakes, Gram & Grampa in LR, Pemaquid house, early autumn 2007.
Bottom photo: Devon hanging in her crib with turtle, a gift from Gram.

Halloween Preview

Looking back on Summertime in Pemaquid

First Day of Autumn

You can tell that Daddy dressed you, right?

Last Day of Summer

There was a chill in the air as we said goodbye to summer.

Baby Girl hanging in Maine

StoryTime At Miss Patsy's Pad

Devon and Cousin Rose join MichaelDaddy for a riveting reading in Miss Patsy's Pennsylvania living room during a long March weekend.

A Round of Blue Eyes

Young Devon Grace of Mount Tremper, New York, summering at one of her Maine vacation retreats, enjoys a light supper with friend and dazzling urbanite Wolf N. Cohen of New York City.

Scenes from the 143rd Annual Wayne Co. Fair

Uncle Sean & Auntie Jo! Nanny and Devon Grace pose for the press outside the poultry exhibit.

Blueberries For Devon

This was the morning you went to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse for breakfast with your Daddy, Mommy and Grampa.

First Ride at the Fair!

Devon enjoys her first ride at the Wayne County Fair with Uncle Sean, Auntie Jo! Daddy & Cousin Randy.

You Don't Even Need Music on to Dance!

That Sheep Almost Ate your Bonnet

Devon attended the 146th Annual Wayne County Fair in Daddy's hometown of Honesdale, PA with NutNut, Uncle Sean & Auntie Jo!, Cousin Randy & her mommy Lynn, Aunt Peggy & Cousin Alex, Daddy and Nanny. In this scene, NutNut and Devon are in the livestock barns, looking at the sheep.

Starting Pitcher for the New York Red Sox

Pool Party At Aunt Jenny & Uncle Steve's

The best way to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

Not As Scary As It Seems

Devon, Your darling great-grandmother Nanny, aka Eileen Patricia, aka Miss Patsy, made it down to the Spring Lake South End Beach and pool for the first time in a long while, and it was on your 18 Month Birthday! And you were there, along with Aunt Sally, Uncle Bobby, Uncle Sean, Auntie Jo! and Daddy. The wave came up quick on us, but it looks a lot more scary on the video than in real life.

Cheers!

Devon is a Painter

"We're getting ready for Bath...Bed...Love"

Devon and Glory Go Boating

Devon Walks!

Eat a Peach

Esther's Follies beauty shot

Devon's first pool party. Thanks Aunt Jenny, for the lovely pool.

Learning to write

A Mexican Blanket on a bittersweet chocolate deck

Devon & Glory enjoy the beauty of our backyard, listening to tunes, reading & playing on an old Mexican blanket that MichaelDaddy liberated from Nanny & Pop Pop's house years ago.

"Duke, Duke!"

So Devon, you're talking, one word at a time, on your own time, a "bird," or "boat," and of course "dog." You looked at a painting of Daddy's the other day and said "bear." So it was very thrilling the other morning, with the Music Choice Big Band channel playing, that I introduced you to Edward Kennedy Ellington. "Duke, Duke, Duke," you said, pointing to the screen. - DaddyMichael

Wake Up and smell the what?!?!

Bubbles on the back deck

Hot Wheels

Devon tries out Uncle Jonathan's new bike. And here's Uncle Jon and Grampa at dinner - he was missing from the other photos because he was taking the pictures.

Memorial Day in Maine

Dinner with Uncle Johnny Cakes, Grampa and the seagulls.

Down the Shore with Unkie

I think the hair speaks for itself.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Devon takes a classic wagon walk on Daddy's birthday.

Mother's Day Treat

Devon enjoyed some Veggie Booty in her stroller during our walk to the beach on Mother's Day.

Happy Easter Bunny

Thanks to Aunt Jenny & Uncle Steve for hosting us and to NutNut for taking these photographs.