September/October

October is ending and I wonder where the two months since our last post have gone. It's been a blur of activity, ranging from vacation at the beach to fall mornings at the park to an illness that circulated around the house and hobbled us all for about a week. Madeline continues to grow at an astounding rate, having already filled the shoes we bought her a couple months ago with the intention of them being her winter shoes. Silly us.
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Preschool: The big development hasn't actually happened yet. We've been shopping for a preschool for Madeline. We started looking late - most schools begin in September with the regular school year, but we started our search in late October - and many of the programs were full. But we scheduled some informational visits so we could have a basis on which to judge schools. We were surprised when our favorite school called us a couple hours after our visit and said they would like to make an exception and include Madeline in their 2-year-old class. We readily accepted and she begins this coming Friday.

Madeline seems to be excited about the idea of preschool. She's not clingy - she hardly noticed during our visits when Lacey and I would leave the room to speak with the preschool directors. I think I will be more sad to let her go than she will! I have been lucky to be at home with her during the day for almost her entire life, so to send her off, even for a few hours two days a week, will be quite an adjustment for me.

Sickness: Madeline did not fall ill with her monthly sickness in October, although she did catch a sinus infection shortly after I was ill for a few days. We'll keep our fingers crossed for November - she's been sick every month for almost a year and I think she deserves a break.

Halloween: After missing Halloween last year, I wanted to make sure we made it up this time around. I came up with the idea of a pumpkin party, and we invited a few folks over to carve pumpkins and wear silly costumes. We decorated the house and had tasty desserts. Madeline had a great time (and maybe a little too much sugar) and we are all set to make the most of the holiday season that now awaits.

Here are some pictures from the past two months:


We spent a week in September at the beach - our first weeklong family vacation since our last trip to the beach two years ago. Madeline again got sick the day before our departure, but it was nowhere near as bad as last time, and we ended up having a wonderful trip. Madeline spent most of her time digging in the sand, since her small stature rendered her at a disadvantage when playing in the crashing surf.

Madeline found a hermit crab and was not shy about checking him out.

Every night after dinner we took a walk on the beach. Well, Lacey and I walked while Madeline sprinted madly across the sand. She ran and ran, using up her last bits of energy before bath and bedtime.

Occasionally she allowed herself to be caught long enough for a hug during her sprinting sessions.

Looking for pretty seashells with Mommy.

Sunrise walks on the beach were an invigorating way to start our days.

Madeline helped me wash my car on a pleasant fall weekend.

Madeline got her first real instrument - a ukulele from Molly and Bruce. She enjoys strumming it and singing "Buffalo Gals."

We spent a weekend on the bay during our annual trip to the boat festival at St. Michaels. Madeline and Lacey crewed a wee Punkin on a gorgeous morning. At 2 years old, it looks like Madeline already has an appreciation for relaxing on a sailboat.

On a beautiful fall day, Madeline shows off her injury from an unfortunate tumble.

Madeline has a silly sense of humor, as she displayed when she marched around the house under this "umbrella" - which originated as a plastic cupcake decoration.

Madeline, pointing at something that was probably very interesting, wore glasses on the afternoon after her pediatric eye exam. (Turns out her vision is just about perfect.)

As part of my "make up for missing last Halloween" effort, we went to an orchard in the mountains this year to find apples and pumpkins. Lacey and Madeline made an amazing apple pie and the pumpkin later became "Mr. Pumpkin," whom we greeted every morning on the front steps when we left the house.

Madeline loved exploring the rows between apple trees at the orchard.

We even took a hayride during our orchard visit.

Madeline and Mr. Pumpkin.

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Madeline helps mom in the kitchen. One of my favorite things about fall and winter weekends is waking up to whatever delicious aromas the two of them conjure up.

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The results of our Halloween pumpkin party. Mr. Pumpkin is the big one at center-left.

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Madeline dressed as Tinkerbell for Halloween. . .

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and even went trick-or-treating at a few houses before coming home and handing out candy to the other neighborhood kids.