Kites on the Mall

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, and very windy... so we decided to fly our kites.

We couldn't think of any parks that had a large open space (with no trees) so we decided to head over to the National Mall. The field surrounding the Washington Monument turned out to be the perfect location for flying kites. It's a large grassy area, with no trees, and it's on a small hill, so the wind was great. And you could't beat the views- the Washington Monument behind us, and the Capitol building in front of us. Incredible!

When we finished there, we walked over to the Old Post Office building, and went on a tour of the bell tower. The views of the city were great. (it was very windy up there!)

And the building itself was quite beautiful. It's hard to believe that they almost tore it down in the 1930's. Luckily, the goverment didn't have enough money to do so, so it sat vacant until the 1970's when some people fought to save it, then raised the money to renovate it. Thank goodness! I hate to see old beautiful buildings torn down.

Bath Time

Check out Leo's new 'do!

I mean, who doesn't love a mohawk on a baby?

Leo's hair is getting pretty long on the top.

We couldn't resist making over his hairstyle.

And who doesn't love a good baby bath photo?

Melissa's Visit

Leo's birthmom Melissa came out for a visit this weekend, and we had a great time touring the city. This was her first trip to DC, so it was fun to show her around.

We managed to see quite a lot in just a few days. We saw the Lincoln memorial, Air and Space Museum, the Capitol, Library of Congress, Museum of American History, Vietnam Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington Cemetary, and the National Archives, to see the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution. So many great things to see!

Of course, Leo was the main attraction, and I know that she really loved spending time with Leo and seeing how much he has grown. It was great having her here! We had so much fun together.

9 months and counting

Can you believe it? Leo is 9 months old, and we know that his 1st birthday will be here before we know it!

Leo did NOT want to sit still for this photo, and it took several photo shoots, on different days, to get a decent shot. He doesn't like to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time. And he was determined to eat that sign. I know that these monthly photos are not going to get any easier.

Leo is into everything. Last week I found him in the bathroom. The toilet seat was splashed with water and his sleeves were soaking wet. But of course, he just looked up at me with those big Bambi eyes- so innocent looking! Needless to say, we now keep the bathroom doors tightly closed.

Leo's favorite new toy is a stand-up play table that Jack's coworker gave us. Leo just loves moving all the levers and gadgets to hear the music and see the lights. (Toys are much fancier now than when I was a kid!) He also loves standing up and feeling like a big, big boy.

We've also started feeding him some fruits and veggies. He loves bananas and avocados. And this week, while having a picnic, Jack let him gnaw on his apple. He loved it, of course.

Fall Festival

We took Leo to Cox Farm on Saturday, which is about 1o miles from here. They have a huge Fall Festival every year, with a petting zoo, giant slides, a corn maze, and free apple cider and apples. We also got to pick pumpkins on our way out. It was a beautiful Fall day, and it was so nice to be outside enjoying the weather and seeing the trees start to change colors.

We had a great time, are are looking forward to taking Leo again next year, when he's a little older, and can enjoy the festivities a bit more.







Leo was all tuckered out after a fun morning at the festival, but he still didn't want to let go of his pumpkin. He fell asleep the instant we got in the car.