February Peanuts

• Melissa: "You've never brushed your hair, Matthew." You know, I think she's right.
• Brussels is cold in February. Also, Belgian waffles are really damn good. (This gave me a fantastic excuse to get out of meetings. "Sorry, I'm at a conference in Belgium." "Sorry, I'm on a plane all day Monday." Maybe I should make up a conference or two to attend.)
• Matthew's aunt Christine Ellis is teaching him the physics of vision.
• One of Dad's college friends was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. My parents are getting older.
• It's Isaac's first day of preschool. Rachel: "Let's drop him off together. It's kind of like the first day of kindergarten." Me: "But I don't get sentimental about that either."
• Went to Fogo de Chao for lunch with Brian, Kirsti, and Christine. Isaac had an uncharacteristically good meal, eating a slice of ribeye along with two sausages. When Kirsti's dessert of chocolate cake and ice cream arrived, Isaac let out the purest cry of three year old joy I can remember, and he enthusiastically helped her polish it off.
• Melissa: "It's so easy even my dad can do it!"
• It's hysterical watching Corinna figure out how her limbs work. Right now she's working on the difference between legs and arms -- trying to grab things with her feet is my favorite.
• I'm not sure what Matthew's doing in the shower. It sounds like he's narrating the King Kong dogfight -- lots of "neeeeaarow" engine noises and thumping.
• Rachel made the kids blueberries and (real, whipped) cream for an after school snack. Isaac loves blueberries. He loves whipped cream. But he wouldn't touch them, once they were in the same bowl.
• Low moments in parenting: "Quit playing with your brother and go watch TV!" ‎(Trying to keep them quiet so Rachel can get some sleep.)
• Pinewood derby night. Melissa took Matthew's car from last year, and they let her race it with the scouts. She had a great time! Next year she wants to make her own car -- a silver one.