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?