Playing catch-up ball...

- The dysmorphia specialist from the Naval Hospital called last week, fresh from a conference in which our family sounded interesting to the nation's "leading X-linked" researchers. There is a test awaiting my vein's presentation at the Main Laboratory that may shed some light on whether it's the CQ's "X" contribution to the XY-crablets. There is another panel being released soon that a crablet (probably Tim) could undergo for a broader look at potential autism markers. And, in a strangely auspiciously timed request, these researchers asked for photos of the kids. Lo, did the CQ just get everyone portraited!? Yes, the aqua photos are being used in the service of Science and the Greater Good.

- Lucy has made the acquaintance of Sweet Potatoes.

- SAND! I totally overlooked that today is "Take Your Kids to Work Day". Not that I'd need such an occasion on the heels of "Keep Your Kids Home Week" (aka, Spring "Break"). However, I'm super-bummed that the J-crabs couldn't just jet off to Baghdad and take in a "Day in the Life of Combat Crab".

- Lucy is cruising, officially. Pulls up on the couch and then gingerly scuttles along. I should have predicted that, as a proud and clever member of the Crab Family, sidewise locomotion would have been a relative strength for her.

- Medi-Cal (required for Tim's and Charlie's eligibility for Institutional Deeming) re-certification in progress. It is worse than filing taxes and there's no refund on the other side of the mountain. Stay tuned for Monday, when I will regale readers with my Freedom Search (required to present original birth certificates to verify Tim and Charles).

- Lucy's making a lot of "Da-da-da" noises. When I finally reach the Year of the Baby Book Catch-up (c. 2015), I will be able to find this note and annotate "babbling".

- Pleased to report that Costco stands by its products. The much-depended-upon Aerobed (TM) sounded like the motor was on the decline. There's a 2-year warranty. Presented myself and said Aerobed (with all the paperwork and boxes...quite a Castle miracle) and left with a new Aerobed and a partial refund of money, as the price has fallen since the original purchase. Score one for the Castle.

- Experimentation on a Human Subject file: LLGA doesn't generally "come" when called yet. BUT, never fear, we have found a motivator:

bowl o' cheetos.

Kid you not, flash a bowl of that puffy, orange-not-found-in-nature goodness at her eye level (say, 18" from the floor) and she will Crawl with a Purpose and Velocity not otherwise displayed.

- Jamie's game on Tuesday. The best of all outcomes (well, aside from WINNING): it was a tie. She does remember that he smacked a triple (aka, a double and an overthrow) AND 2 runs came in.

- Speaking of Jamie, here's some action-shots of him pitching last Saturday:



- Under strong encouragement from GMK -- make that enhanced suggestive techniques administered by GMK, we retired most of our stainless steel cookware from our 1993 wedding. Rachael Ray's hard-anodized nonstick cookware with fun orange silicon holders and glass lids are gracing my recently-organized singular (it's a galley kitchen, remember) cupboard. The 3-qt./10" saute pan was unpackaged and discovered to be irregular. See the warping around 7 to 8 o'clock in this photo? Kudos to RR's manufacturer who is shipping a replacement ASAP to the Castle.

- Jack's game on Wednesday. The CQ and her entourage actually showed up. GMK, LLGA, J-crab, Jr. and me. Alas, we got there for the 3rd inning, missing the chance to watch Jack stand in Right Field and not "get any action" and he didn't hit at all, because inter-league play means that only the 9 players on the field hit. It was his turn to bench-ride. Oh, well, LLGA had fun watching all the action and the rest of us inhaled hot chocolate with whipped cream. Jack's team lost to the best team in the other league.

- Just back from Lucy's flu shot appointment (for her "booster"). Combat Crab, it was a single-dose unit (which I inspected) that is free of thimerosol. The stunning part -- besides her 24 lb. 2.8 oz. weight -- is that she stared the med assistant in training down and didn't wah or even flinch. Maybe she can Train Jack in tear-free endurance of Enhanced Innoculation Techniques.

- My new computer is great!

- LLGA is officially into EVERYTHING. God forbid the CQ is ever tasked to complete developmental paperwork, I will be circling the "Leaves a Trail of Destruction in Her Wake" (an actual item in some psychological rating scale)! She is pulling stuff down upon her and grinning broadly at the mess she -- SHE -- created as well as the sudden flurry of activity brought forth in the clean-up effort.

- GMK has boldly introduced her own addition to the Castle's Crabby apparel line:
(It's a Joe's Crab Shack t-shirt). I know, I know -- Where has she been hiding this? Why did she wait so long to sink to our level of discourse and crabbiness?? Answer: She just brought it back from her latest foray to Illinois to prove to Jamie that she had it. In fact, this garment is now in the Regular GMK Rotation and is being flaunted about every other day.