when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.

I guess I haven't been feeling much like writing lately. Not that things aren't going well. They are. No news is good news, I guess.

Dylan is growing like crazy and weighed 4 pounds 7 ounces last night. Because the NICU is overflowing with patients, he had to give up his comfy isolet for a circa-1910 iron maiden they unearthed in the basement.

Perhaps, I exaggerate.

Josh had a mostly good Halloween. Thunderheads rolled over in the afternoon. While the storm's first heavy drops fell, Josh ran around the driveway catching them on his tongue.

He tried to nap, but woke up three times screaming. Then he spent the rest of the afternoon repeating his magic mantra: "I want to go trick or treat."

He finally did, hitting half a dozen homes on our block. Afterwards, we went to a Halloween carnival at a nearby church. Josh, of course, went bonkers with all the kids, the costumes and candy.

Oh, and the musical puppet show -- "God is bigger than the Bogeyman."

In unrelated news, Josh and I met a friend for coffee on Friday. He took a couple of great pictures.