Woman's face miraculously heals in 6 days!

My face looks practically normal now (yea!) except for a slight bluish bruise under my left eye, easily covered with makeup. The ants are gone (stitches) and my lip looks normal, but still feels a little thick. My boss wondered if I had amazing Vulcan healing properties....

Colin turned 2 (2!) on Tuesday without much fuss. It was kind of a bummer of a day for a birthday, since I left before he woke up, and Anthony left for Dallas after dropping him off at preschool. My friend Regina picked him up, then I fetched him after I got off. When we got home, Stephanie and the twins were waiting for us. I made a hasty dinner of tacos and he had a whole wheat cookie for dessert. Fortunately, he didn't notice the lame celebration. We plan to do it up right this weekend, when his dad can make him a basketball cake and we can all watch him open presents together.

It almost didn't seem like his birthday anyway to me, since he was born at 10:45 pm. He went to bed before his actual birthday time. The following day I was able to concentrate much more on him, and celebrate better - mentally, at least. We had a great morning with Steph and the twins, just playing in the backyard, feeding the chickens grass. Then we had lunch at Hula Hut on the water (Rook! Water! Ducks!) and went to the flagship Whole Foods (you gotta see it, Uncle Buck!). Shared another nice dinner at home with Steph and the kiddos.

Colin did have a "terrible twos" moment on Monday. Anna had her check-up, and he screamed inconsolately when she left for her hearing and vision test. Anna didn't have to get a shot, but she didn't forget about the ice cream I promised her afterwards. There is a great gelateria near the doctor's office, so we went there. Of course at 10:30 am they are just putting the gelato out, and there were 4 professionals in there, enjoying cappucino and using the WiFi.

Colin's screaming mood had not ceased, and he roamed around the place, shouting, manhandling the vintage Vespa with the large "Do Not Touch" sign, trying to pull down the napkins and spoons, and generally doing everything he could to provoke me. If I held him, he screamed, and if I didn't, he was a ruckus. Finally we ordered our gelato, and I put him into a highchair in front of his frozen strawberry treat. He wouldn't eat the gelato. "No!" he said, pushing it away with the back of his hand, then howled. The WiFi-ers shot me dirty looks. What could I do? Anna and I hurriedly ate our gelato, and his. The clerk said, "Don't worry, in the afternoon this place is crawling with kids." Yes, but not at 10:30.

Fortunately, that is a great exception to Colin's usual sweet, sunny disposition. The best thing he does is repeat the words at the end of every phrase when you sing him the "Night Night Song". Also known as "Goodnight My Angel" by Billy Joel. We sing it to both the kids before they go to sleep. I didn't know he did this until Anthony went out of town. It chokes me up every time.

By the way, I am enjoying typing this on my lovely flat screen monitor, right in front of me! Attatched to the top are some trip pictures, and on the side is an attatched vase with zinnias in it. Did I decorate my monitor this way? No, it was Anthony. I may not have seen him this week, but he lets me know he still loves me!