Hi, everyone.

The past few weeks have been full of extreme highs and lows.

On the good side of things, my sister Shifra got engaged last week to her boyfriend of (I think) three years. They're planning on a late summer wedding, and I'm really looking forward to it. Oddly, while becoming a parent didn't make me feel old, my little sister's engagement did. :-)

On a sadder note, Aliza's paternal grandfather entered hospice a few days ago. He's been battling mesthelioma pretty much since Aliza and I started dating, and things seem to have reached the final stages. Right now he's resting comfortably, and his immediate family is nearby. Aliza and I are both incredibly grateful that he was able to travel down to Boston from Toronto back in December to meet Rena.

Through everything, Rena, like her name, has been an absolute joy. It's been amazing watching her grow and develop. She's much more aware of herself, and the world around her. She's much more aware of her hands, and was very pleased with herself when she learned that they could be put in her mouth. (Freud would have a field day with that. Freud's got issues.) She's also started to notice her feet, which she'll stomp when the mood takes her. She's also smiling more, which is fun, too.

That's all for now, more as things develop.