Why Didn't Other Parents Tell Me About This?

I'm going to write about something experienced parents never warned me about. When you start feeding your baby foods (pureed vegetables, cereal etc...) instead of just breast milk, their poop changes. Before foods, diaper changes are just part of keeping your perfect little angel clean. After, you're wading through s#*t: pasty, voluminous, stinky s*#t; and wiping someones smelly ass. The first time I saw one of these, I suggested to Megan that we toilet train our baby immediately. Loyal readers, be glad this entry doesn't come with a photo.

Seriouly though, daddy loves you, Paige.

It Was Two Years Ago This Day That I Took the Oral Boards

The real news was that Megan and I celebrated our second year anniversary yesterday. Four months B.M.B. (before mykng blog), we tied the knot, and what a great day that was: good weather, good family, good friends and Megan who was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Unfortunately, the following day I had to take the written board exam for emergency medicine. I spent the night of my honeymoon driving to East Brunswick, NJ. Megan was a sport. She came with me. How many other people spent their honeymoon in northern Jersey? I remember feeling terrible during the last two hours of the all day test. I chalked it up to being tired from the previous days. It wasn't until the drive home, I realized I had a fever. Despite all that, the fates had me pass the exam.

Today, we celebrated the happier occasion, our wedding. Megan surprised me with a bottle of champagne and I had her wedding dress preserved. My father came down to babysit Paige, so we could go out on a date: movie and dinner. We saw Marie Antoinette. It was our first trip to the theater together since Paige was born and we had a great experience. We loved the film. Our fondness for it increased as time passed since the theater viewing and we continued to discuss it.

For dinner we went to the well-established Harry's Savoy Grill in Wilmington. It was our first experience there. I wasn't sure about the atmosphere, but when the food arrived I decided I loved the restaurant. The tuna tartare won me over. Service was attentive and excellent.

I was a wonderful day. My favorite part was reminiscing with Megan about the happiness of our wedding day and even the miserable trip to New Jersey after it.

Bow Bow Bow's "I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)" (mp3) from the soundtrack of the film Marie Antoinette.

Name This Fruit

Can anyone out there identiy this fruit? Winner is the one who links me to an image of this fruit on the vine (or the tree.) Megan and I had it for the first time last night and we loved it.

"Pull Shapes" (mp3) by the Pipettes

"We'll All Come Praise the Infanta"

I saw the Decemberists play in Philadelphia last night with Derek. The whole plan came together in about 24 hours. I loved their latest album, The Crane Wife, on which I felt they moved past their folky, twee, intellectual roots. Yes, they were still folky and intellectual on the new album, but they found a groove that I felt was missing on previous releases. The new album genuinely rocked and also highlighted the band as a whole, instead of just simply singer Colin Meloy's songwriting.

I caught an NPR broadcast of one of their concerts on Monday night and realized this new band dynamic translated to the stage. Tuesday morning, I found out they were playing at the Electric Factory. I called Derek, who was actually looking for someone to go with him, and purchased tickets for the Wednesday night show.

More than a concert, the show was a performance! The new songs contained several movements, easily distinguishable by the band members switching instruments mid-song. Derek and I concluded that one had to be able to play a minumum of six musical instruments to even try out for the Decemberists. Other highlighs included the audience dance contest held during "The Perfect Crime #2" (a Decemberists first) and the monstrous sing-along to "16 Military Wives" (Check the 1 hour 9 min mark on the NPR broadcast or this YouTube video from Atlanta.) My personal favorite was a battle reanactment several band members performed in the middle of audience during the closing number.
I completely understood why Derek, who double majored in English and History, liked this band.

Here's the set list (I may have gotten some of the songs from Her Majesty wrong, because I don't know that album as well):

Crane Wife 3
The Island (Come & See, The Landlord's Daughter, You'll Not Feel the Drowning)
We Both Go Down Together (video)
The Engine Driver
Yankee Bayonet (I WIll Be Home Then)
The Perfect Crime #2
The Shankill Butchers
Song For Myla Goldberg (NPR slideshow)
O Valencia!
July, July! (mp3)
16 Military Wives
The Crane Wife 1 & 2
Sons & Daughters

(encore break)

Red Right Ankle
Take It To the Limit (Eagles Cover performed with opening act Lavender Diamond)
The Legionnaire's Lament
A Cautionary Song

wednedsay, november 15, 2006 (Addendum):
This concert was reviewed by Pitchfork