Happy March to you.  I received a request for an update, so I thought it time to send everyone else a letter of greeting as well.

Here's the big news from the Zenz household:  I am happy to announce the arrival of a precious bundle of joy.  In the final days of February, after much expectation, Amity delivered a healthy, bouncing, kidney stone.  After two false labors that sent her to the emergency room in excruciating agony, the little sunspot made its appearance just days before Amity was scheduled to undergo surgery.  Of course we are much relieved that surgery was avoided and that Amity no longer lives in cold-war like fear of another painful attack.  And as for the stone, it is off to Florida for warmer weather and some analysis.

The kids are fine, but they are both little sick-o's.  Especially Isaac who has either had a two month long virus or three short ones strung end to end.  His nose runs like a soft icecream machine and Gracie sounds strikingly similar to Darth Vader when she breathes.  It's darling.

Everyone is ready for spring.  Every day Isaac asks us to go to the park or the beach.  Amity and I feel this frigid weather would probably not be the best thing for his health right now, but regardless he persists.

We took our television down to the basement yet again.  We had done so a while ago, and life was beautiful.  Then we thought we should bring it up for the Olympics.  We watched 1. the opening ceremonies, 2. the closing ceremonies, and 3. hundreds of non-Olympic related shows in between.  It then went back into the basement until we thought, "Hey - we should bring it up for the election - but JUST during the election."  Then the election didn't end.  So now it finally makes its descent for a third time.  And boy is Isaac having a rough time of it -- he's playing ball, and reading books, and doing things that are constructive.  Actually, the only signs of withdrawal we've noticed is Isaac walking around the house quoting obscure references from "Toy Story" and "321 Penguins."  Last night Amity and I knew we hadn't acted a moment too soon when we overheard Baby Gracie mindlessly quoting lines from those movies too.

At Gracie's recent doctor's appointment, compared to kids her age she placed in the 85th percentile for weight, and the 25th percentile for height.  Now there's nothing wrong with that.  It just gives you a nice mental picture of how she looks -- round.  But we like'm that way.  We try to grow them round.  It makes us less worried about leaving them on furniture because we know they'll bounce better if they slip.

Boy does Gracie want to crawl!  She's got rolling down pat (remember the "round" thing...)  She is so close to crawling it hurts to watch.  You see it in her eyes.  She gets all set and rocks back and forth but just can't get anywhere. It's that whole getting-your-arms-and-legs-to-move-together thing -- I know I've struggled with it from time to time.  Actually, the real problem is that she thinks she's older than she is.  She doesn't understand why her body won't let her do the things she wants.  But it's just a matter of days before her limbs catch up with her head and she'll start working off that extra 25 pounds.

When I send pictures, Isaac will be the skinny one with hair...

Zenz-love,