Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving.

I think we all expect a nice, long, rambling post from me here. A full-length feature, maybe with some travel-size Kleenex for everyone as a bonus, just in case. To mop up the excessive syrup, if nothing else. Believe me, Peanuts, the goopy swamp of Thankfulness is surely in there. It is so large, in fact, that I can't even hope to let it all out into a blog post. So just trust that everything you think is in the mapely-karo-jemima of my Thankful heart is in there, and you are too. And I'll just extract the very most condensed, crystalized kernel from that mess and let that be it for now.

For this, and everything outside the frame that touches it, makes it possible, and makes it mine, I am so, so, so... so thankful.

Eastern Market Run

One of our favorite spots in DC is Eastern Market. It's the biggest fresh-foods market in DC, and it's been dishing up yummy local foods and full of people selling crafts, art, and old stuff since 1873. J and I have been known to spend a lot of Sunday afternoons wandering around and stocking up on veggies (oh ok and pastries).
The first time we took Little One, She was just about a week old. But this was our first visit since the original building finished being rebuilt from a fire in 2007. We stocked up on yummy stuff, picked up some fun gifts, and thoroughly explored the area to make sure we approve the new look.






Approved.

Reaching Out

(stick with me to the end on this one)

So. Jaju came! He took Little One to the Zoo.
They were pretty excited!


We were there too.


It was a beautiful fall day...


Little One got to see a REAL Lion!
You know how She felt about that.


About like this, yeah.


But the coolest exhibit was the apes.


Because...they play peek-a-boo! And...


There was this little gal.


Who happened to be the youngest ape in the zoo. We were watching her play. And she was watching us. And out of all the crowd peering in at her, she saw something that was interesting. She swung over, and came right up close to check it out.


Those two watched each other for awhile. Two little girls, curious. They looked. They made faces. And, I think maybe, even made friends.


The zoo is a pretty cool place.

Splish

Forget Christmas in July. Played out! Around here we do summer in November! So what if it's frosty in the mornings. We go swimming! Woo hoo! I know, Peanuts, I know. We are wild. Wild.

RAWR

I am awfully behind on posts here. Thing is, there is so much going on! I can't even get the highlights up here before we're on to the next. Whew. But in an effort to catch up, here is a mishmash of pictures from Halloween (I know, I know). For Halloween this year, Little One went as Her favorite animal, because Her parents thought it was so funny when She said "rawr!" in costume. She did not wear it trick-or-treating, because a)She goes to bed at 7pm, and who's handing out candy before dinnertime? And who thinks a cranky lion is cute anymore? and because 2)Everything in, on, or around a snickers bar is the Little One equivalent of Kryptonite. But She did get to go to a weeks worth of dress up parties, including O's birthday party, where his mother was thoughtful enough to include this notice:

Good lookin' out, O's mom! These two hit up a couple parties together, in fact. Here are some pics from those and others. And um... happy halloween. Ahem. Just a teeeeny bit late. :

The lioness


O took her cruising in his sweet ride


On the prowl

With Her prey


Caught by the lion tamer!


What does that lion say, Little One? Tell us now!

RAAWWWRRR!

Training for Everest

Little One is a climber. Not in a B-list actress dating a mega-star kind of way, Peanuts, that's a social climber. She's a literal climber. She's already conquered the stairs, the playground slide, the dogs, and various pieces of furniture. BOR-ing, She says.

So Her climbing trainer (aka grandma) took Her out for a taste of real mountaineering. True, there are safety dilemmas in encouraging altitude fearlessness in toddlers. But then again, I am a munchkin, and J is rarely home. SOMEone has to reach the diced tomatoes on the top shelf.

A lesson from Little One

Take a look at these suckers.


Tschyah! They're pretty tricky.


But here's what you do. They go up here...


...are you getting this Daddy?


Maybe you need a demo. They go like this...


...See? Like this.


Are you paying attention?!