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?