Egads, it's not quite a year later and if we weren't totally consumed by the balancing act that is life as working parents (without grandparental help!) then we sure are now. Liv and Wyatt are never-ending silliness and joy, with distinctly different but delightfully complementary personalities. They have figured out how to play together and sometimes, even share.

It's a rainy Saturday, St. Patrick's Day, and napping is occurring while Akhil is at the office and I am here putzing around the house. Putzing doesn't last long...

Since last May we have flown to Boston and back, and Maui and back, without a single post. We've done a lot of other things too, mostly on the weekends, and if there was a way to scrape Outlook email I'd have much of the milestones nicely recorded. It'll have to suffice to say that the babies are ok-travelers. Once they get to a destination, they're expert! The parts that have turned out to be the most painful are the rides in the car. Too much like bondage.

A few months ago I was saying work was easy, weekends were work. Well, that's not true anymore, and that's a nice surprise, cuz' they're still just babies. With a lot of teeth. That said, that "office work" thing is 5-years stale. I wouldn't mind a 2012 changeup. It takes thought and time to produce such changeup, and that's the challenge. Time is a scarce resource for someone like me who requires 8 hours of nightly sleep. But I'm feelin' it.

Oh, rain. We totally have the best babies, you know. They don't come any better. Just look at these people. Premium. This set of pics was taken on the day of the big 4-0 (MY big 4-0) in Manhattan Beach. A day off of work. Pancakes and coffee. Sunny in January. My parents were here. Akhil threw a surprise brunch. And bought me a fancy present (24-70 zoom lens!). And got a Porto's carrot cake, and takeout dinner. It was lovely. And so far, I really don't mind.

At this age, people really do assume you know better, and know what you're doing, and leave you alone.