sleepy boy

looking like Dad

I think Alexander looks like Martin in this shot.

looking like GranDad

But I think Alexander looks like my Dad in this one.

cereal face

We have started solid food...This is oatmeal. I think he likes it better than the tasteless rice. Sweet potato went down with more gusto!

alex and the eye

Here Martin is holding our super 20 pound 28 inch boy! You can see that Martin is on the mend thank goodness.

Grant Park

We had a nice day in the park.

tired all around

head injury

Martin fell on his skateboard last Friday and can't remember it at all.

Away from Atlanta

Ashley and I went hiking last weekend,climbing up to Blood Mountain. It was pretty toasty high 90's, thanks to our late start we managed to escape the noon sun, and caught the afternoon warmth instead. The phone picture doesn't do it justice, but we could see many layers of mountains off on the horizon. There were beautiful purple flowers and yellow black-eyed Susans. We saw so many tiny little bumblebees. We also, towards the end of the trail, saw a deer, a doe I think ( no antlers that I could see) sitting in the middle of the trail. This would have been on the Appalachian Trail section, before Flat Rock Gap trail splits off. Ashley caught a great picture.

Living in PA for years, I have seen my share of deer, but usually they are at the side of the road waiting to jump in front of the car. This is the first time in a long time that I have seen one so close, so serene and so vibrant.

View from Blood Mountain

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ericaeckler@gmail.com < ericaeckler@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 7, 2007 11:13 PM
Subject: View from Blood Mountain
To: Blog <go@blogger.com>, Eckler Mom and Dad < theecklers@comcast.net>, Eri ca <ericaeckler@gmail.com>

I went hiking with Ashley this weekend to Blood Mountain. It was wonderful! We saw a doe sitting in the middle of the trail, purple wildflowers and many flying creatures little swifts darting about at the summit  

Book Club via comments???

Hi folks!
I just read a new book, The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I will still call R to discuss, but I thought, hey perhaps we can finally have the book club we were talking about via comments on the blog? Not sure how to work it out, or the easiest way to do it. Blogging is probably not the best format, but I thought that perhaps it might work. I am going edit this post later, but for now I will say that The Road was a taut, crushing read. I don't think I have read an other apocalypse / end of days novel as well done. As a new mother, I can't say I enjoyed it, but I think it certainly was a great book, it just made me cry at a time I would rather not be crying.

On a similar note, while I was pregnant, I saw Children of Men in the theatre. It was dark and awful and spirit crushing. I haven't read the book on which it was based.

smoochies from alexander

Snuggle time is wonderful!

pre smooch

Father's Day -brunch at Ria's

Out at Ria's Bluebird Cafe. Martin watched Alexander yesterday, today we are hanging out after a relaxed morning.

georgia aquarium

You can see Alexander's reflection in the glass at the Pacific Reef tank. It is a great day at the Aquarium.

hello from children's museum

Having a great time with Robin and Tony and Quinn and Leah

nice day

Sometimes the only way Alexander will calm down is to sit outside. I forget how much that calms me as well. After a few minutes of bouncing outside he drifts of to sleep or becomes happily absorbed in the nature in the backyard.

bath time

Loves the water already

napping in the crib

This morning we sat outside for a nice dose of sunshine, birds, squirrels and fresh air after yesterday's smoky haze. It made Alexander quite happy, happy enough to take a little morning nap in the crib.

sun kissed