Invisible, insidious, inescapable ice

So it was quite a walk down our street this morning. While I clutched our side rail on the way down the stairs (not taking any chances these days), the woman next door almost fell down her steps, exclaiming "Lord!" and then "I'm going back to get my boots". Every surface outside was covered with a layer of smooth, invisible ice. All of us on the street were reduced to slowly shuffling along, like chain gang convicts. Where the sidewalk slanted a bit, I would see someone helplessly sliding down toward the street, at the mercy of the incline. I finally started walking in the middle of the street, which was safer, even with the cars speeding along. Just at the end I was foiled, though, as I came across an icy patch at the side of the street and fell down (just a slight fall to one knee). Oh well- ice 1, Elizabeth 3/4 (for making it that far).

Stay posted for pictures of my baby shower and our Christmas tree, which I've nicknamed "The tree that ate Manhattan"...

P.S.- any more ideas for "I" adjectives to describe this ice experience?

Sneak Preview of our Babe

As promised, below is a picture of our special little one. I've rotated it so you can see baby looking directly at you. We think baby looks very sweet and content in this picture.

The picture is of the baby's whole face, and appearances to the contrary, our baby doesn't actually have a thick head of hair yet (as far as we know)- the black stuff above the baby's face is just amniotic fluid. :)

In other news, we had our first real snow of the season Sunday night. It was an inch or so, and put me very much in the winter/Christmas mood. We have two advent calendars we're opening- an artsy one from Bob Slate and then a chocolate one our friend Susan got us (yum!). We're reading the Divine Hours vesper services for advent. And hopefully we'll get a tree this coming weekend. It's a fun time of year.