Xylophones and Pumpkin Cheesecake

If you asked Sammy and I about the best parts, you'd probably get a difference of opinion. I inhaled the homemade pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust and nutmeg and cinnamon whipped cream (even volunteering to finish Jamie's when she couldn't). Sam loved the shaved roast beef and assortment of cheeses. I enjoyed sitting in the living room talking about Sarah Palin and Joe Lieberman and What's-Obama-Gonna-Do-Next with all the grown ups. Sam seemed more interested in tearing up magazines, spinning little plastic toys and playing with the green battery-powered feather duster. I stared at the dancing bright lines of the screen saver on the high def TV as I listened to Bright Eyes and Wilco and great singer songwriters I'd never heard before. Sam stared at Lucy's giant black cat balloon and listened to Lucy bang on her Sesame Street xylophone. I fell in love with adorable little Arie who turned into a cuddly pajama-clad, barefoot angel after a little Motrin to help the teething pain. Sammy fell in love with Lucy's toys. We all fell in love with 7-week-old Lily.

As Sammy's bedtime arrived he snuggled up in the crook of my arm and Jamie suggested we try laying him down in a playpen upstairs. After a few minutes of snuggling with mommy, my little man drifted off to sleep upstairs and let me sneak downstairs to spend the night listening to entertaining stories about nurses who whisper during childbirth, small town school board members who write letters to the editor and old boyfriends who unexpectedly discuss their compromised anatomy.

The evening was a wonderful success and I'm once again grateful to have friends who are such gracious hosts. Dave and Jamie took such good care of us, that I actually felt rejuvenated the next day. Here are pictures, and you can see more on Lucy's blog.