After we left the Scialdone homestead, we headed for Boston, where Dominic intended to ring in the New Year with a bottle and his Hinchey grandparents. En route, we stopped in Amherst, Massachusetts, where we got to see my former housemate and very good friend Katie, her husband Mark, and her daughter Charlotte, and meet her son James for the first time. Seeing Charlotte again was a very good lesson in how fast time goes by - last time I saw her, she was a toddler, and now she's a very articulate young lady of nine! It was great catching up, and Mark made us a fabulous dinner, so thanks to conversation (and the tiny, tiny signs signaling the entrance to the Mass Pike) we didn't get to Boston until very late on the 29th.
Although we didn't know it at the time, our visit to Amherst also signalled the beginning of a new era for Dominic: the single-minded pursuit of his thumb, which he had, for one brief, shining moment, managed to stick into his mouth in the kitchen of Katie's house. He has been attempting to recapture that moment ever since, with mixed results, a lot of heartbroken wailing and frustration on Dominic's part, and unsuccessful attempts to distract him on the part of his parents. We're sure he'll break through any day now and we will all be very relieved!
On the 30th, we met some more old friends whom I hadn't seen in years. The Ingle family - Vinay Uncle and Usha Auntie and their daughters Trupti and Natasha - came over and were joined by Anil and Pallavi, whom we hadn't seen since their wedding in September. Predictably, Dominic seemed to like Usha Auntie and Pallavi quite a lot and be a little less keen on the gentlemen.
We also enjoyed catching up with our good friend Phyllis and her adorable Buddy:
Dominic had a wonderful time in Boston. On Monday, we strolled around Charles Street and I pointed out various landmarks that he won't remember in the future, and then we showed his ajji and grandfather Fred how he enjoys his playmat. (He's got a mean left hook and that tiger had better watch out!
Although we didn't know it at the time, our visit to Amherst also signalled the beginning of a new era for Dominic: the single-minded pursuit of his thumb, which he had, for one brief, shining moment, managed to stick into his mouth in the kitchen of Katie's house. He has been attempting to recapture that moment ever since, with mixed results, a lot of heartbroken wailing and frustration on Dominic's part, and unsuccessful attempts to distract him on the part of his parents. We're sure he'll break through any day now and we will all be very relieved!
On the 30th, we met some more old friends whom I hadn't seen in years. The Ingle family - Vinay Uncle and Usha Auntie and their daughters Trupti and Natasha - came over and were joined by Anil and Pallavi, whom we hadn't seen since their wedding in September. Predictably, Dominic seemed to like Usha Auntie and Pallavi quite a lot and be a little less keen on the gentlemen.
We also enjoyed catching up with our good friend Phyllis and her adorable Buddy:
Dominic had a wonderful time in Boston. On Monday, we strolled around Charles Street and I pointed out various landmarks that he won't remember in the future, and then we showed his ajji and grandfather Fred how he enjoys his playmat. (He's got a mean left hook and that tiger had better watch out!
