Photo Friday: Making Faces

Sept. 21, 2016

A Bus Ride Downtown

Last week I made one of Edith's dreams come true: a ride on a COTA bus.

COTA is the public transportation system in Columbus, and there are several bus stops a short walk away from our house. We frequently see the buses fly past when we take walks in the neighborhood.

So last Monday morning, armed with my bus fare in quarters, we took the bus to downtown Columbus. The ride was only about a half hour, and Edith kept her eyes glued to the window the entire time. Even Atticus was content on my lap, watching the passing scenery.

Downtown, we walked through Columbus Commons -- pretty empty now that it's fall -- and to the Statehouse. We strolled around the grounds and then inside, to the basement museum, up to where I used to work on the House side, and finally to the rotunda. Then we ate a packed lunch on one of the many benches lining the Statehouse lawn.

The ride back was nearly as fun for the kids, and when I told Edith to pull the cord to request our stop, she didn't seem to notice that another passenger beat her to it. Best of all, we were back before nap time! It's definitely a field trip we'll soon repeat.

Photo Friday: Hangin' Out

Sept. 7, 2016

Firehouse Fun

The fire station down the street had an open house on Saturday. Edith was looking forward to it, but mostly because she remembered the free cookies from a past open house.

While Edith was looking for baked goods, we popped Atticus onto a truck and were rewarded with screams. But he loves trucks so much when they are in books or on the street!

Edith was much more interested after finding her chocolate chip cookie (and to give her credit, they were delicious).

She sprayed a working fire hose, and then she and I climbed into the safety house and crawled under a room of smoke.

We live only a few blocks from the fire station, and it's been great. The kids love peaking through the wide-open garage doors when we walk by and spying the trucks in the grocery store parking lot. And we rarely hear the sirens -- or at least no more than any other city sounds!

Photo Friday: Slip-Sliding Away

Sept. 5, 2016

Sick!

Paul went on a hiking trip in Pennsylvania with some friends this past weekend, so the kids and I spent a lovely three days with family in Northwest Ohio. We had a great time ... until we were about 30 minutes outside of Columbus on the drive home on Sunday night.

Atticus puked, all over himself, all of his clothes and his seat. I pulled over, but it was dark and I was alone and there was little I could do. We trudged home.

He was sick a few more times and then went to bed around 11 p.m. But then at 3 a.m. Edith woke up -- and puked all over her bed. She, too, was sick a few times before nodding off in a "nest" we made for her to sleep on in the bathroom. Paul took care of that while I was up doing laundry.

Neither kid was worse for the wear on Monday. Atticus had a bit of a cough, and Edith was mostly back to normal. I was exhausted. And so passes another parenting first: two kids sick at the same time.

Photo Friday: In Mommy's Glasses

Aug. 30, 2016

Atticus at 18 Months

Oct. 2, 2016

Our little boy is getting bigger and bigger -- Atticus turned 18 months old on Sunday. His personality is as bright as his red, red hair.

He loves to laugh, especially if you press your cheek against his mouth for a kiss. He knows a few body parts (from top to bottom: hair, head, nose, mouth, tongue, belly) and a few words (mom, dad, hi, bye, fan, car, dog and maybe his favorite: this!).

He is fast and darts here and there. He is an acrobat who loves to jump in his crib and is already the best somersaulter in the family. He has no fear and will climb to the tallest slide with the best of them.

He kind of sings the ABC song (or maybe Twinkle, Twinkle -- the words are very indistinct). He loves to play with his sister and enjoys hiding in the blanket forts that she builds. Favorite foods: All of them. Favorite books: "My First Trucks" and "Carl and the Baby Duck."

The milestones are coming fast and furious, and so are the smiles. Can't wait to see what comes next!