2006 Family Newsletter

Here's the rundown on our year...

The biggest news is that, in a close vote among some acquaintances, Caroline won control of Mike’s hair for a few months. “Can’t she love me for who I am?” Mike asked in a futile attempt at more votes for his side. Caroline has relished every minute of this control, as she has not appreciated his “3 on the top, 2 on the sides” haircut which he has gotten every month the last decade. Mike, on the other hand, has marveled at the new terminology he is learning. Did you know there is a difference between product and styling?

The second biggest news is that E was born on August 10. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz., which you wouldn’t guess now given the chunky little legs he has developed since then. He is, for the most part, a good natured little guy. And he is very alert, as you can see in the photos. He likes to be upright and looking around. Unfortunately, he especially likes to look at the television. We have not yet determined whether this was inherited from his mother's side of the family or his father's side of the family. It might be from both. In any event, his two most distinctive traits are his cleft chin (definitely from mom) and his large, expressive eyes.

E is growing fast and enjoying life. His favorite activities are staring at the dining room ceiling fan lights and drooling—not necessarily at the same time. He also enjoys a mean game of patty-cake, which he usually plays with his dad.

You might be surprised to hear that E’s arrival has actually caused Caroline and Mike to alter their schedules. Caroline, who teaches Latin at a local high school, stays home while Mike teaches at UC Irvine in the morning. We then switch, with Mike at home and Caroline teaching during 5th and 6th periods. Finally, we trade off duties at night, with one person usually handing E to the other immediately after E has dirtied his diaper but before that diaper has been changed. Mike did get in enough work before E’s birth to be mentioned in a front page L.A. Times article (3 July 2006) on the economics of happiness. Check it out!

Mike and Caroline both enjoy parenting much more than expected. Mike enjoys the interactions with E: talking to him and watching him develop and mature. Caroline really enjoys the shopping for baby clothes. But it is not all rosy, of course. E’s arrival is forcing Caroline and Mike to confront the different expectations of their children. The sharpest divide is over E’s future. Caroline wants E to grow up and found an international humanitarian organization to save mistreated animals, while Mike wants E to be a game show host. Negotiations remain fierce, and we have asked Jimmy Carter to act as mediator.

The saddest news of the year is that we had to put to sleep our beloved pug Sibyl on November 17. She was the best behaved of our dogs, and we will always remember her passion for licking our feet, how she would “woo woo” when we came home, how her tongue became sandpapery when she slept, and, most of all, her tremendously large under bite. Sibyl is survived by our other two dogs—pug Sophia and half beagle, half chihuahua, and half servant of the devil Eliza. To be honest, we have not scientifically proven that Eliza is half chihuahua, but there is no doubt about her other heritage. Eliza enjoys jogging with Mike. Sophia just does her best to fight off Eliza’s repeated attempts to achieve dominance. Sort of like how Mike used to try to fend off Caroline’s attempts to achieve the dominant status.

Our family wishes you the best for this holiday season. Thanks for your love and friendship.

Happy holidays, and please keep in touch,

Mike, Caroline, and X (that’s E)