Moving On Up

Henry began transitioning to the toddler class this month. At first he visited for just a few hours, then he stayed for lunch, and this week he began napping (on a cot!) in his new classroom. So far he seems to be enjoying the new surroundings, especially the daily visits to the playground. But everything hasn’t been easy: the toddlers only take one nap a day (after lunch), so Henry has had to forgo his mid-morning snooze. And his best friend Olivia won’t be transitioning until after the New Year, so she and Henry are facing the prospect of a long distance relationship.

Afternoon at the Museum

Last weekend we went to the National Museum of Natural History with Elise’s friend Sarah Walter, who was visiting us from San Francisco. Henry loves to climb on hard surfaces, so the rocks and minerals exhibit was a real treat. He enjoyed feeling the different textures of the rock formations and crystals. Afterward, we visited the butterfly exhibit where you can walk through a tropical enclosure with hundreds of live butterflies, some of them as big as birds! Then we went to see the other insects, including a tank of giant cockroaches. Our last stop was the dinosaur exhibit, although by this stage Henry was more interested in climbing the museum stairs than looking at fossils. After an enjoyable day out, we headed home where Sarah made us a delicious pasta dinner.

Below are some pictures from our outing:

Thanksgiving 2008

This year we avoided our usual holiday travel and spent Thanksgiving in Washington. Mimi Joanne and Paw Paw Bill flew up from Alabama and stayed with us through the weekend. Henry was excited to spend time with his grandparents and really enjoyed Mimi’s cooking, especially the sausage balls (see Things We Like: Sausage Balls). Elise had to work on Friday, so the rest of us headed to the zoo, which was only slightly less crowded than the shopping malls. On Saturday, we drove out to Tyson’s Corner so that Henry could meet Santa Claus. As you can see from the photo, Henry wasn’t too sure about the old man in the red suit, but he didn’t cry, which seemed like an accomplishment. Santa was impressed by Henry’s bravery and promised to bring him lots of toys.

First Haircut

We took Henry for his first haircut on Sunday. We contemplated cutting it ourselves, but eventually thought better of that plan. Instead, we went to Cartoon Cuts in the mall. Technical difficulties prevented us from capturing the moment on film, but all things considered, Henry did very well. Below are some before and after shots:

Happy (Feet) Halloween

Halloween was a week-long celebration in the Morris family this year. First up was Boo at the Zoo. Every year the National Zoo stays open late for several nights of family friendly trick-or-treating. The grounds of the zoo are decorated with spooky displays and local vendors give away treats. In keeping with the animal theme, Henry dressed as a penguin. Our favorite part of the night was a visit to see the big cats. In order to see the cats, we had to walk through the mouth of a giant tiger, pass through its stomach and guts, and eventually exit through the rear end. Judging from the sound effects, this tiger was suffering from some major indigestion. Henry was interested in all the new sites and sounds but cared little about the candy. Something tells us that won’t last long. Later in the week we celebrated the annual harvest festival at Henry’s daycare center. Each family brought a “homemade” dish (ours was fruit salad) and enjoyed a potluck dinner. Then it was on to Halloween itself. Henry got into the holiday spirit at daycare by wearing a flashing ghost t-shirt from his Mimi Joanne. Later in the day the children showed off their costumes (pumpkin costumes were the most popular in the infant classroom). By the time evening arrived, Henry was getting a little tired of being a penguin but managed to rally for a quick stroll around the neighborhood.

Pumpkin Picking

We visited Butler's Orchard in Germantown, Maryland this weekend to pick some pumpkins and enjoy the beautiful fall weather. There was lots to see and do at the orchard, including hayrides, farm animals, a cornstalk maze, and a roll in the hay. As you can see from the pictures, Henry had a blast.

Columbus Day Weekend

We took advantage of the long Columbus Day weekend (thank goodness for federal holidays) to visit Elise’s Aunt Barbara in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Shepherdstown is just over the border from Maryland, close to Harper’s Ferry, Antietam and other Civil War sites. We always enjoy the drive to Shepherdstown, especially at this time of year, when the leaves are starting to turn. This time we were able to enjoy even more of the scenery. After encountering heavy traffic along our normal route, Elise decided to take a detour to Antietam. Needless to say, we quickly got lost in the back roads of northern Maryland (causing Bryant to wonder why he trusted his Yankee wife to navigate them to Antietam). We eventually found our way to Aunt Barbara’s house, where we enjoyed some delicious barbecue ribs for dinner. For his part, Henry was excited to have a set of stairs for climbing and another cat (Pinkie) to chase. And after Henry went to bed, Elise and Bryant enjoyed catching up with Aunt Barbara over several glasses of wine. On Sunday, we ventured into Shepherdstown to visit the Shepherdstown Sweet Shop, where Elise and Aunt Barbara stocked up on Christmas stollen (German fruitcake). The main street in Shepherdstown is lined with specialty shops and boutiques, including several children's clothing stores. So, while Bryant and Henry strolled around town, Elise and Aunt Barbara went clothes shopping for Henry. After visiting some more with Aunt Barbara in the afternoon, we headed back to Washington (this time, on the interstate), refreshed and ready for the short week ahead.

Red State/Blue State

As we enter the final weeks of the presidential campaign, the following quote seemed appropriate:

“The father is always a Republican toward his son, and his mother's always a Democrat.” – Robert Frost

Milestones III

Henry is walking! After a week of shuffling and pivoting and teasing his parents with false starts, Henry finally took his first steps yesterday. This morning he walked a good three or four feet on his own. And at daycare he’s been brushing up on his table manners: he and the rest of his classmates have been eating family style at a small table (no more highchairs!) and learning to use a spoon. Can potty training be far behind?

England 2008

We just returned from a week-long vacation to England. After spending a few days in London catching up with friends, we rented a car and drove to Cornwall for the balance of the week. This was our first international trip with Henry, and he did spectacularly well. He slept for the entire flight over and, after a nap at the hotel, hit the ground running with us in London. In fact, Henry managed the jet lag better than either of his parents. The eight-hour flight back to Washington was more challenging, but with some creative distractions and lots of cheerios, we managed to return without a major meltdown. Below are pictures and a detailed account of our journey:

Day One: We took the overnight flight on British Airways from BWI to London Heathrow. Despite our apprehensions, Henry did remarkably well on the flight. Fortunately, the BA staff were prepared for an infant passenger: they made sure we were seated in the bulkhead row and provided us with an attachable cot where Henry could sleep. As you can see from the photos, Henry seemed pretty comfortable with his arrangements. While Henry slept, mom and dad enjoyed a glass of wine and the latest Indiana Jones movie.

Day Two: We arrived in London and made our way to the Hilton Paddington, where we all enjoyed a long afternoon nap. Afterward, we scouted out the local grocery stores for food, diapers and other essentials for our stay. In the evening, Elise and Henry had a quiet night at the hotel and Bryant met his friend Matt Reese at the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden. Bryant worked with Matt when they were both associates at the law firm of Allen & Overy (A&O) in London. Having spent many an afternoon and night with Matt at the Lamb and Flag, it was nice to catch up in familiar surroundings.

Day Three: We visited our friends Sean and Joy Flanagan and their daughter Iyla at their home in Westminster. Bryant also worked with Sean at A&O and has known both Sean and Joy since law school. After lunch, we all went for a walk in St. James Park and later came back to the Flanagan home for coffee and dessert. It was a lovely afternoon catching up with old friends and introducing them to Henry. In the evening, we stopped by Matt Rees’s flat and had some curry take away before heading back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

Day Four: After a leisurely breakfast (and a morning nap for Henry) we jumped on the Tube and headed to Tower Hill to visit the Tower of London. Elise was particularly eager to visit the Tower after watching The Tudors miniseries and reading several Philippa Gregory novels. We joined a guided tour by one of the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters) who provided the usual entertaining historical commentary. While Elise explored some of the Tower sites, Bryant and Henry played in the courtyard. Henry was particularly fond of the old well, which he quickly utilized as a gym for climbing. He also was mesmerized by the famous Tower ravens. Afterward, we all went to see the Crown Jewels. On the way home, we stopped at the Embankment and strolled along the Thames to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Then it was back to the hotel to pack for the next leg of our journey.

Day Five: In the morning we headed back to Heathrow where we picked up a rental car for our drive to Cornwall. We had reserved an economy car, but because they didn’t have any automatics left when we arrived, they upgraded us to a Mercedes C180. As we headed out of London on the motorway, the weather turned wet and windy. By the time we arrived at our first stop – Stonehenge – it was fairly miserable outside. Undeterred, we all bundled up and made a quick tour of the site before jumping back in the car. Fortunately, by the time we arrived at our hotel in Exeter, the weather had improved and we were able to take an evening stroll. For dinner, Bryant and Elise ordered fish and chips and Henry got to try his first french fry. (Throughout the journey, Henry ate amazingly well. He particularly liked the sausages that seem to be a staple on children’s menus in Britain.)

Day Six: In route to our apartment in Cornwall, we drove through Dartmoor Park, a beautiful area of protected moorland. Our first stop was Haytor Rocks, a large outcrop of rocks and the highest point in the moor. We hiked up to the top, which was very windy but afforded some beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. Henry didn’t care much for the blustery weather but he loved getting up close with the cows grazing on the hillside. After our hike, we drove to the charming village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. There we stopped at the Old Inn for a pub lunch, Henry’s first. We then explored the village and the local church before heading on to Postbridge, the site of a medieval clapper bridge. In the evening we arrived at Truro, an old cathedral town and the administrative capital of Cornwall. We had booked a small apartment in Truro, which proved to be a perfect base for our explorations of Cornwall. After stocking up on provisions at the local Tesco, we were able to enjoy home cooked meals for several days. As with all the places we stayed, Henry loved exploring his new surroundings and quickly found every drawer, closet and cubby hole in the apartment for rummaging around.

Day Seven: We had planned to visit St. Michael’s Mount this day, but rough weather kept us from taking a ferry to the island. Instead, we had lunch in the nearby town of Marazion and drove across the Penwith Peninsula to Land’s End, the most westerly point in Britain. Although only about a 30-minute drive from Marazion, the weather at Land’s End was completely different: bright and sunny. We avoided the tacky tourist attractions near the parking lot and headed straight for the cliffs. The view from the coastal path was quite striking as the deep blue waves crashed onto the rocks below. Standing there, you could understand how earlier visitors might view this spot as the edge of the world. Afterward we enjoyed some Cornish ice cream (made with clotted cream) and Henry found an old ship anchor to climb. We then headed back to Truro and visited the cathedral.

Day Eight: Determined to see St. Michael’s Mount, we headed out earlier, before high tide. St. Michael’s is a castle on the site of a former monastery on an island just off the coast of Cornwall. The site is named for its sister island Mont Saint-Michel, almost directly across the English Channel in France. At low tide, you can walk to the island across a cobblestone causeway used by pilgrims since medieval times. At high tide, you have to catch a ferry. We arrived in time to walk across the causeway. Getting to the castle, which is still a private residence of the St. Aubyn family, involved a steep climb, but Henry didn’t mind as he was riding in the carrier on his mom’s back. After exploring the castle, we had lunch on the island and drove to St. Ives, a fishing village turned arts center on the Penwith Peninsula. We strolled around the harbor at St. Ives and enjoyed some more ice cream. This time, Henry also got to try some. Then it was back to Truro for our last night in Cornwall.

Day Nine: After checking out of our apartment in Truro, we headed north to Tintagel, legendary birthplace of King Arthur. We had lunch in the village (across from the 14th century post office) and then walked down to the ocean, where the castle ruins cling to the cliffs. The connection with King Arthur is purely speculative (although the site is associated with the Celtic kings of Cornwall), but the main attraction is the spectacular view of the coastline. It was a beautiful afternoon, and we climbed to the top of several cliffs to take in the panorama. Henry, however, decided it was a good time for a nap and slept through most of the visit. After exploring the castle grounds, we headed back to the village and stopped at a local pub, which had a playground in the back. There Henry got to swing while Bryant enjoyed an afternoon pint. Then it was back to Exeter.

Day Ten: Our last full day in England was devoted largely to driving. We headed back to London but stopped in the market town of Sherborne in Dorset for lunch and an afternoon stroll. The town has a medieval abbey with a large churchyard. We couldn’t find a playground, but Henry enjoyed climbing on the church monuments just the same. Apparently the churchyard is a popular spot with local children. While Henry was playing, he was joined by another young man named Callum, Henry’s middle name (see The Origin of "Callum"). Reluctant to see our vacation end, we headed back to the car and arrived at our hotel near Heathrow Airport by early evening.

Day Eleven: After a wonderful week, we boarded our flight to return home. Eight hours later, we were back in America and ready for a good night’s rest. Henry managed to stay awake until we were back in our condo, then he crashed for the night. His parents weren’t far behind him.

Click below for more photos from the trip: