On Edith Turning 1

Edith turns one tomorrow. And just as I've now gone through every season with her, I've also gone through every emotion.

Joy when she arrived, and every day since. Despair after each "mommy fail" that I could ever live up to my own expectations.

Pride when she learns a new skill, or looks up at me for approval. Humility when she falls asleep on my lap and no place else will do.

Energy when she grants me a smile or lets a bubbling laugh escape. Exhaustion morning, noon, night -- and the middle of the night.

I chose these photos of Edith -- only a few hours, days or weeks old -- for the blog as the Edith of today was standing next to me. I can still see those same newborn features, but there's no doubt she's very nearly a toddler.

While she won't take any steps on her own, she's a speedy crawler and can cruise pretty fast with the couch as a support. She's an adventurous eater: red cabbage, refried beans, avocado -- no problem -- but her favorites are bananas, yogurt, shredded cheese and sweet potatoes. And although she didn't get her first tooth until Oct. 28, she now has three. Maybe that's why peas have suddenly seemed so tasty.

No words yet, unless you count the ones she most definitely says with her eyes. She's been clapping for months and months, and just began waving a couple of weekends ago. But one of the things I love most is when she picks up a board book and turns the pages to "read" it. Even if it's upside down.

Last night I explained to her why a birthday is so exciting and what she can expect during her party on Saturday. When I showed her how to blow out a candle, I pretended her wispy hair was the flame. She loves that. She might not understand why her birthday is so important, but she does understand that we make her happy. And vice versa.

A Low Country Vacation: Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C.

Savannah, Georgia

Our vacation last week was unlike any other for one reason alone -- we had a third person tagging along.

Spending a week in Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., wasn't all that exciting, but it was extremely low-key. That was exactly what we were looking for since this would be our first overnight trip with Edith that didn't involve staying with a relative.

Of course, our move this summer put any vacation on hold. So while Paul and I had thrown around the idea of visiting the southern Atlantic coast, we didn't decide for sure until just about a month ago. That didn't leave much time to plan, and anyone who knows me knows that I'm a planner. Our "plan" to take things as they came was made simpler since neither Savannah nor Charleston have any large attractions -- no Space Needle, no Empire State Building. But they are excellent cities in which to walk and eat: two things easy to do with an almost-one-year-old.

The trip involved some long car rides: Almost 9 hours to Charlotte, N.C., where we spent the first night; 4 hours to Savannah the next day; several hours in the car as we drove around Hilton Head Island and then on to Charleston; and finally 11 hours from Charleston back to Columbus. Luckily Edith is a great car rider -- we assume it's because of all of those 10-hour drives between New York and Columbus during the first 8 months of her life!

I'll be publishing a few blog posts about the cities and the food (So much barbecue! So many grits!) off and on over the next few weeks. Enjoy.

A Few Fall Photos

Fall has officially arrived in Clintonville, and with it -- my very own fall break. No blog posts at all next week, but Pay a Visit will return on Monday, Nov. 18. And later that week: Edith's 1st birthday!