December 2009 - The Holiday Spirit

Sorry it has been a few weeks since my last post. I just can't seem to get any good photos of Edison lately as he is always on the move and thus out of focus and not looking at the camera. But I suppose that is what being one-and-a-half is all about.

He went to his first "big kids" birthday party last weekend. It was the birthday party for his friend Tomer's older sister, Yuvali and was held at a farm near where we live. They had a lot of great activities for the kids, including pony rides, but most were a little beyond Edison. However, Edison really liked being able to hold and pet this guinea pig. I used to have a guinea pig while growing up and it brought back fond memories of my beloved Cotton Ball.




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As party favors, my friend gave out cowboy hats. Looks like Edison is a natural!


We attended the Coast Guard Christmas Party on Friday. I was looking forward to getting a great photo of Edison with Santa Claus. Here is what happened when reality took over.... I suppose I should be sympathetic with Edison because I was afraid of (and thus abhorred) all people dressed in costume (Santa, Mickey Mouse, etc.) when I was a kid - even now if I am being honest.



They had a big Christmas tree set up and Edison admired it.



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This picture was taken at our local mall, Crystal Mall in Waterford. There is a ride - right next to the indoor playground of course - that is basically a merry go round with cool things to ride in. Go figure, Edison always goes for the boat over the playground. We never actually turn it on because Edison gets really scared when it moves. So this is a good compromise.

Happy Thanksgiving

We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at Eben's brother Dean's house. His wife Carolyn made THE BEST mashed potatoes (sorry Grandma)! Edison had a good time playing with his older cousin Will who is just about to be 3. I think Will was happy to have a little buddy for once rather than always tagging along with two older sisters.



Eben & I didn't get to spend much time at the dinner table. Edison was constantly on the move and we had to track his every move to make sure he didn't fall down stairs, climb up stairs, fall into the fire, eat a tray of cupcakes, etc... We found it much easier to play outside even though it was a little chilly. I think Edison liked being on the motorcycle a lot.

We spent the night at Eben's dad's house. Edison loved taking his bath in the big jacuzzi tub with dad. I mean come on - does it get any better than a bath with dad and lots of buttons?!

On Friday while it POURED rain, we went to the Boston Children's Museum. It is amazing. It probably is most suited for kids around 5-10, but there was plenty for Edison to do there. This picture of him at the helm of a treehouse was taken in a special area for kids 0-3. I love how cautious he is being with his steering.

Another room at the museum was a take off of the Boston Commons. Among other activities, it had a giant chess set. Here, Edison has just captured the opponent's pawn and is on the run. Edison was more interested in moving the big pieces around than learning the game, but you never know where this might lead.

A Few More Sunny Days

We visited our favorite playground on an unseasonably warm Friday last week. Edison had a blast. He loves to "drive" with the steering wheel.












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I had a busy weekend coaching swim meets all day Saturday and Sunday. Eben was a peach and took Edison up to visit Aunt Marleigh and his cousins. They went for a nice hike in the conservation area woods behind Marleigh's house.


This photo of the cousins was taken on the top of Sweatt Hill, on a rock that has lent itself to many family photos.


At the end of the hike they stopped at a playground and Edison loved riding on the bulldozer.




So did dad, apparently!

November 2009

Here are our last minute Halloween get-ups. We went trick or treating with friends and their daughters. Edison didn't leave the stroller - he was a little fussy as it was around his bedtime. It was an unusually warm evening which was nice. So I tried to look like I was on a safari and Eben tried to go as a detective (which I forced him into - he just wanted to wear his Patriots jersey and go as Tom Brady). They didn't really turn out that well, but hey, at least we tried!




Here is Edison helping us rake the driveway. It is time to get rid of all these leaves!


We had a really warm day Sunday (68 degrees!) so Edison and I went to the beach. He liked to sit in the beach chair and watch the seagulls. Luckily he realized that going into the water was not a good idea at this point. It was nice to feel the sand again, it reminded me of all the fun we had at the beach this past summer.



As some of you may have heard, Edison is starting to "self-feed" his yogurt in the morning. While it really frees me up to clean up the dishes or catch up on email, it is the slowest, messiest process I have ever seen. Luckily he is cute, otherwise I might just put a stop to it all. I think he likes feeling like a grown up, what do you think?


We are still running every morning. Now that it is getting cooler, I have set up a "Bundle Me" on the stroller - kind of like a sleeping bag that I can zip Edison into. It is really cute when Edison uses the jog as nap time.

Happy Halloween!

Our town, East Lyme, had a cute Halloween Trick or Treat event & parade on Sunday. (By the way, East Lyme was voted 75th best small town in America - not sure whose poll, but we have a sandwich board up on the town green proclaiming the good news. Niantic is technically a "village" inside the town.) Here are some pictures of Edison at the event.






Notice any changes about Edison?






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Hint - check out his new haircut - courtesy of Eben. I was at a swim meet, but I heard Edison did pretty well, but got squirmy at the end, so there is still a little left to go behind his right ear - oh well! In this picture he was pointing to a firetruck which was taking part in the parade.

Pumpkin Time

Well - I finally got my pumpkin patch pictures! Today we threaded rain showers and went over to Scott's Farm Stand right here in East Lyme. They have apple picking, a huge pumpkin patch and a corn maze - very cool for being within a 10 minute drive. The family portrait:
Looking regal - the king of pumpkins.
Edison liked trying to pick up the pumpkins. He always aimed for the big ones, so he could never hoist them up very long before they'd tumble out of his grasp. It was good fun, though.


He now likes to sit on the couches and in the big chair. He still needs our help to get into it, though.


I often find that Edison and I both benefit from a few minutes outside playing in the driveway (we don't have much of a yard and the grass is wet and full of leaves right now, so the driveway is actually a great alternative). Eben is in the process of winterizing the sailboat and there is a ton of gear from it lying about, including the big, empty diesel fuel canisters. Edison enjoys being able to drag the large cans around.

Eben's 10 Year Reunion

This is my favorite picture of Edison from our trip a couple weeks ago to Vermont. I just love the way the light falls and of course his joyous expression and concentration.
Eben and his classmates celebrated their 10 year Coast Guard Academy reunion this past weekend. We hosted 10 of them at our house. Kind of crazy having all the guys in town, but it was definitely fun. We haven't had any weddings in the group lately which is usually the time when we all get to see each other.
At the football tailgate on Saturday afternoon, the class of 1999 rented a "mobile pizza firetruck." They served yummy gourmet pizza, microbrews, and fresh lemonade. What a treat! Of course Edison just liked exploring the truck.


Watching the game with the buddies. Pete & Jennie are seated in the front left - they just got engaged and we are looking forward to their big day next spring. Jennie is a classmate of Eben's and Pete is my cousin - we set them up together in Seattle and we are so happy for the two of them.





Edison really likes his stuffed animals these days, especially his teddy bears. In other Edison news: just got his 15 month vaccinations and his flu shot. Also, he is now saying "cracker" as of this week, his first new word in awhile (apparently language starts taking off around 18 mos.). He is now running - which is making it really hard for me to get good photos of him! Just try getting him to stand next to a pumpkin and smile - I don't know if it can be done, but it is not for lack of trying. I'm still hoping to get my "cute pumpkin shot" this fall.









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Green & Gold Weekend 2009

We spent this past weekend with Eben's family in Moretown, Vermont. We stayed at the home of family friends and it was completely picturesque - at least in these pictures. Try not to visualize the thirteen of us (seven kids) in the house and rain all day Saturday! Anyway - the foliage did not disappoint. But most of all, I really liked the setting of the house and the apple trees. I hope that these pictures capture some of it.






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Here is Edison running over to play with his cousins.





Edison & his treasure.



We hiked up the double chair route of Mad River Glen ski area on Sunday. It turned into a beautiful day. Edison did pretty well in the backpack. I'm glad that I carried him down and not up, though - he is getting heavy!





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Mad River Glen had a "Green & Gold" celebration with live music and kids' activities. Edison adores anything he can put around his neck (remember the leopard print boa?), so of course he went crazy with the bin of dress up beads.









Clearly this is not Edison's most flattering picture, but I couldn't resist. Our friends Matt & Lisa gave him this stuffed Orca whale (yay Pac NW!) and it is his favorite stuffed animal. He loves to put its dorsal fin and tale in his mouth and suck on them while getting ready to go to sleep. He doesn't suck his thumb or a pacifier - but a whale? - SURE! I have to put it in the washer every other day to keep it from getting to fishy - wocka, wocka, wocka! (homage to Fozzy Bear)






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Having Fun in the Fall

Here is Edison trying to run our dinghy. He wants to be a boater just like dad.
Edison's friend, Isaac, who is one month older than Edison, joined us for a wonderful day last Tuesday. We went to the playground. They had a lot of fun, but it was a challenge keeping up with both of them.




Edison wants to figure out how everything works, including this digger.




Last weekend was our final sailing trip of the season. It was chilly enough for a sweater, but still really sunny.



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Edison enjoyed exploring the bushes and feeling the rose hips at the lighthouse park in Watch Hill, RI.

New Faces

I think the unifying theme of these pictures is that Edison is showing a lot of different expressions these days. Some moments he acts like a little baby again and others it seems like he is well on his way to elementary school. There have also been glimpses of the "terrible twos" like when he does NOT want to sit in his car seat and I practically have to pin him into the seat with a knee and an elbow. But that does not happen often and Eben & I keep reminding ourselves that he really is such a cooperative, friendly, and inquisitive little guy that we are very fortunate to be his parents. Here is is coming down the slide - I love the look of sheer joy in his face! This is the same expression he gives when he jumps into my arms from the side of the pool these days.


I think he is giving us a peek at what he will look like as an older child in this picture - he is quite serious.




He is climbing on just about everything. I try to take him to a playground every day. After encouraging him to climb the play toys, he now sees every object as a tempting Mt. Everest to climb. He does enjoy climbing into chairs now. We have a little rocking chair his size that has been handed down from when my mother was a child (not in this picture). He loves that it is HIS size! In this picture he is in one of our Adirondack chairs and wearing a lovely sweater for his Great Aunt Kathie and Uncle Floyd.







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We went on the sailboat last weekend with our friends Jamie & Danya. Sometimes Edison is able to finagle a cell phone away from unsuspecting friends. I think he is making calls to his stock broker in this photo.
Did you really think he'd willingly give the cell phone back?! Oh how naive! He looks like such a cute little goblin here.