Babies (The Documentary)

On Friday night a couple of girlfriends and I headed to Tacoma to watch the documentary "Babies." I haven't stopped talking about it to Joe since. The documentary shows four babies from their birth to their one year birthday -or about the time they stand up and walk. They're from Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the US. The first scene is in Namibia and 2 toddlers fight for a toy. One of them leans toward the other... and bites him! This is such a universal tendency it seems. I was almost expecting to hear the bitten baby scream "Charlie bit me!" The whole documentary was just fascinating. It's so fun to watch baby discover their feet, eat everything they find, play with pets, throw tantrums, smile, dance, play, imitate each other, and relate to their parents. All 4 babies, obviously regardless of their country and of the way they were raised, hit milestones at about the same age and in the same way (ah, that proud smile when they stand up alone!). After watching the babies from Namibia and Mongolia, the classes and books parents read in the US and Japan seem pretty un-necessary. I know, I know. I'll probably gorge on books when I am pregnant and a new mom. But I'll keep in mind the documentary and the organic way some children in the world are raised.

If you haven't seen this documentary, go. It's worth it!

And speaking of movies... Joe and I are going to see 10 movies at the Seattle International Firlm Festival. We have been in Seattle for four years and have never been there. So this year I bought a pass to force us to go. We watched The Hedgehog today, a French movie about life seen through a smart 11-year old's eyes. The movie was really good. As an added bonus, it was really good to watch a French movie and see actresses I know and enjoy. 1 down. 9 to go.

Book Quotes

I just started reading a book, and so many good quotes are buried within the first 20 pages that I had to share some with you. I love this book already!

"Women do different things when they're depressed. Some smoke, others drink, some call their therapists. [...] And I do what I have always done -go off on a book bender that can last for days."

I often read books in my baths, so this quote hit the mark: "Within my bathroom walls is a self-contained field of dreams and I am in total control, the master of my own elegantly devised universe. The outside world disappears and here, there is only peace and a profound sense of well being."

Oh, and that one is just spot on as well: "I collect new books the way my girlfriends buy designers handbags. Sometimes, I just like to know I have them and actually reading them is beside the point. Not that I don't eventually read them one by one. I do. But the mere act of buying them makes me happy -the world is more promising, more fulfilling. It's hard to explain, but I feel, somehow, more optimistic. The whole act just cheers me up."

I can't wait to read the rest of this book, called Literacy and Longing in L.A. It's a chick lit but it sounds like a very good one already!

Our Routine Lately

Reports for me and trip bookings for Joe during the week. Plus basketball games and some TV shows I can't miss (Nurse jackie, Tudors, The Good Wife). Weekends are filled with dog parks when the weather is good, church on Sunday morning for me, and afternoons of reading and chilling. Love it!

Joe has received an interview notification, which will be the final step in his Foster application. If he's accepted into the evening MBA degree, we will be in Seattle for 3 years. That means we can really settle in and relax. Our next 3 years are taken care of! Joe is da man. I am so proud of him for getting this interview. Please pray/think positive thoughts about his acceptance in the program.

That's it. Life is good overall!