Christmas Letter 2003

We're coming to you live from the new and improved Curtin Compound where the media, friends, family and - let's be honest - the entire world has gathered eagerly anticipating Christmas Letter 2003 (hereinafter "the Letter 2003"). Sources close to me have informed me that Letter 2003 is already behind schedule. When asked why the delay, Curtin responded, "I love deadlines - I especially love the whooshing sound they make as they go by." He also mentioned something about not having had an original thought in ten or eloeven months, but that was roundly dismissed as the Guinness talking. But the pressure to respond has become greta and we think that...wait! Wait just a minute...I think that...Yes!! That's him! Paul Curtin is at the podium and is about to speak:

Hi folks, welcome to the Letter 2003. [incidentally, for copies of the first two Christmas Letters, or to complain about having received them, please send a self addressed stamped envelope and a check for $1,000 to: Great Moments in Humankind, P.O. Box 1, Rowayton, CT 06853 (note: not a real address), reference Library of Congress #867-5309. Please allow 18-36 months for delivery, as I bring them to your house personally and give a dramatic reading.] I am still having a mildly amuzing time authoring these little slices of heaven, so we'll keep at it - at least until the cease and desist orders arrive from the rest of you. Plus, as is the case with so many of you whom we like, love, or feel a guilty pang to keep in touch with once a year, we are not able to see you and speak to you as often as we would like, so this letter does serve as a nice little update as our family grows. So, sit back, put your feet up and follow the melodic sound of my voice as we recap the Curtin year. And, as always, please...no wagering.

I was going to take my usual pot shot at someone else's Christmas letter, but we've had a pretty busy year, so let's just get started, shall we - oh alright, one quick one. Don't you hate those letters you receive that purport to be Christmas letters but, in fact, have not one thing to do with Christmas. Or the holiday season. Or family. Instead, these Hemmingway wannabes hit you with four pages of: "The sparrows floated aimlessly, softly, lilting just for a moment, before soaring into destiny...and I wept for my own mortality." Ummm, ok. You have a Merry Christmas too...and call your doctor for a dosage adjustment.

Fortunately, we here at the Curtin Letter headquarters only bring you the hard news, the skinny, the dirt, the intrigue and excitement the up-to-the-minute-411 on the inner workings of all things Curtin. And here it is: "All in all, we had a lovely year, thanks for asking." Goodnight everybody!!! See you in 2004!! Enjoy Cher!!

Huh? Sorry, what's that? Oh, specifics? Yeah, I guess I could do that. Well, in 2003 Kat and I were consumed with two things: chasing our gorgeous girls hither and yon, and a house expansion that ended (finally!) about a month ago. The girls are still growing up too fast - Emma is a wonderful four year old and continues to be the sweetest daughter to us and big sister to Julia that we could hope for. She is in the "4s program" at the Community Cooperative Nursery School and loves it. She also started soccer this year (her trophy stands proudly on her dresser) and continues to love ballet and music class. I also take the girls ice skating every Sunday afternoon and Emma is becoming quite the little terror on ice. One highlight from 2003 was renting a ski house with my sister's family in Vermont last February. Emma took to skiing right off the bat and we had a wonderful month on the slopes.

Julia is am adorable two year old and comes up with at least four one-liners a day that keep Kat and I in stitches. She has joined Emma in nursery school "2s program" as well as at music class and our skating outings. And, if she had her way, she will be joining Emma on the soccer pitch and ballet stage immedeately. We could not ask for better, more lovable kids. Which is why we are having another one in March. Yes, our final gift to the world will arrive in early 2004 and we are beyond thrilled! Kat feels great and since she wasn't doing anything anyway, besides Co-Chairing the Nursery School Art Show fundraiser, then taking over as President of the School, then carting the kids all over the world, then designing the interior of our new and improved house, and then putting up with me, she decided that she wasn't quite busy enough and demanded a third chikd (if I'm recalling the conversation correctly). Boy or girl? Only the shadow knows... and the shadow isn't talking. Which, quite frankly, is odd for the shadow, who is usually quite the little chatterbox. But I digress. As I alluded to above, our other big event was a house expansion that began in May and ended a month ago. During construction we stayed at Kat's Mom's house in Westport (or as I like to refer to it, our beach house), which could not have been a nicer place to spend the summer, both for the hospitality and the location. Back in Rowayton, we added an expanded kitchen, a sunken living room, a Master suite (sweet!), a "Man Room" (bar, pool table, flat screen tv - how I got this room by Kat I will never know!!), and a two-car garage. So we are absolutely poor...thrilled, absolutely thrilled with our new home. It is just what we wanted and Kat and I cannot wait to fill it with our third child - and Emma and Julia can't wait to boss this kid around. As for me, well, anyone who knows me knows that i have it all - a beautiful wife, two and a half beautiful kids, a job I love and the best family and friends money can buy (your checks will be sent under separate cover).

Well, that's all the time I have; you've been a great audience. As always, we hope and pray that this Letter finds you all safe, healthy and happy. Happy Holidays and a wonderful 2004!