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.

Oktoberfest

We love to celebrate Oktoberfest, and this year we had a great one with our friends the Floyds and Kronmillers. We feasted on yummy German food while enjoying some fantastic Fall weather in our backyard.

We also had a bonfire in our new fire pit, and roasted marshmallows. After a very hot and humid summer, it was so nice to spend some time outside. It was a perfect night. (we didn't even get eaten alive by mosquitos!)

Summer Fun

A few weeks ago we went camping at Pohick Bay. We kayaked on the bay, which is part of the Potomac river. This was Leo's 3rd kayaking experience. The first time (2 months old) he slept the whole time. The second time (4 months old) he cried the whole time. This time (8 months old) he loved it. He wanted to paddle the boat himself.




On Saturday we went to a Pakistani restaurant, where they had one of these rickshaw cars that was brightly painted.
(Jack said that I'm actually a much better driver that Leo let's on!)
.

(Note how they added vinyl text to the car: "God Bless America") Funny.

Uh oh.

It's official. Leo's crawling.

He's been doing the belly crawl for about 4 weeks, and today he figured out how to get on his knees and stay there. He's also figured out that he can get from point A to point B much faster by crawling on his knees. This means he can get into stuff more quickly and efficiently.




Another development on the Eastern front- he's standing up now. I went into his room last week, and found him standing up in his crib! I don't know why, but the first time you see your child do this... it is a shock. Suddenly, your baby isn't lying in the crib where you left him, but he is standing up, holding onto the railing and looking up at you. And then it hits you like a ton of bricks.

He's not a baby anymore. *Gulp*

Don't eat that.

Leo ate his first dirt yesterday.

With his new mobility, Leo is getting into everything. And my new, most-uttered phrase is: "Don't eat that." I don't know how he does it, but no matter how much I sweep and mop, he still manages to find dried leaves, dead moths, or other things to put in his mouth. Even the house plants (which he previously ignored) are now fair game. I can't take my eyes off him for a second.

Leo is curious about everything, and has been exploring every corner of the house. He is so fun to watch. I love seeing the look of wonder on his face when he discovers something new.

8 months old

Leo is 8 months old, and is changing so fast. He started creeping (belly crawl) last week, and is occasionally getting up on his knees and rocking back and forth... so yes, the real crawling is just around the corner. This means big changes around our house, and we are making attempts to baby proof everything (if that is even possible). Check out the video below if you want to see the little guy in action.

Leo is becoming more active and independent. He doesn't like to sit still for diaper changes, preferring instead to twist and perform all sorts of evasive maneuvers. He also doesn't like to sit in his car seat for more than an hour, or to sit on your lap through 3 hours of church. He likes to move and explore and wriggle and twist. He is curious about everything and everyone! And of course, because he's so cute and so charming, he makes friends everywhere we go.

My parents are visiting from California, and are here for two weeks. On Monday we went on tour of Jefferson's home 'Monticello' which is about two hours from here. Monticello is lovely. We really enjoyed touring the house and the beautifully manicured gardens. Our tour guide kept losing her train of thought during her much-rehearsed script... "I'm sorry" she'd say, "but I'm distracted by this adorable baby!" (And who could blame her?)

Last week Leo and I visited the Air and Space Museum. Leo really liked the planes and cool space stuff.

I bought him a light-up toy which mesmerized him for just a few seconds before it became a chew toy.

Here's the video of Leo doing the belly crawl:

House Photos

Many of you have asked for photos of our new house. Well, most of our big projects on the main floor are complete, so we finally took some photos of it. And here they are!
(I have included the "before" photos at the bottom)

BEFORE PHOTOS

We removed the various wallpaper borders, painted over the sponge-treatment walls, got rid of those bizare valances, replaced the country blue countertops and ugly tile backsplash. We painted the brick fireplace white, painted over the olive green walls, and so much more...

Master bedroom & Leo's room