Philly

Mom and I traveled to Philly about a month ago to meet Dad who was there for a conference. We were so busy over the last month to find the time to post any pictures from our trip. We only had a few days to see the city and 2 of Mom and Dad's friends who live in the area. Enjoy the pictures.


"Your Move" is located near Love Park in downtown Philly. The plaza of oversized game pieces including dominoes, Sorry, Monopoly, Parcheesi, checkers, chessman and bingo chips are scattered around the plaza. The whimsical artwork installation is intended to function as a catalyst for memory between childhood memory and adult responsibility.

Love Park. The fountain is pink for breast cancer awareness week.

The Magic Garden. It was closed when we showed up but just seeing the outside was quite impressive.

The Please Touch Museum

I love motorcycles!

Taking care of a little baby boy who was in the infirmary at the Museum.

Ordering some sausages from the meat monger in the supermarket.

The checkout line was a little backed up.

A big bicycle contraption that powered the flower pedals above.

My feet didn't reach the pedals.

Our friends Joe and Meg and their little baby boy, Luca.

My new boyfriend, Luca.

My other friends Logan and Sharron.

A Croatan Thanksgiving

This year we packed up the car and decided to get out of Raleigh and head to the woods for a peaceful Thanksgiving in the Croatan National Forest. We enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal cooked over an open flame just as the Indians would have done with the pilgrims back in the early 1600's.

We spent most of our time relaxing, cooking, hiking and enjoying a warm fire. Our hikes took us through some of the most beautiful Pocosin swamps and longleaf pine ecosystems in the Carolinas. We gazed out over the Bogue Sound witnessing beautiful sunsets and listening to the chorus of migrating waterfowl. Occasionally we would be reminded that we were not the only people in the woods. We made sure we had orange on at all times as the sounds of gunshots were ever so close. The overnight temperatures dipped into the upper 20's but our days were sunny and beautiful with highs in the 60's. We awoke on Saturday to the pitter-patter of rain and packed up our belongings and headed home.

Movie Notes:
When Mom and Dad arrived at the Nannies on Wednesday to pick me up they found me sporting a bloody lip. I had taken a fall from a bike and the result was a puffy lip that looked a lot worse than it was. Every time Mom and Dad laughed about my lip I cried. I knew they were making fun of my undeveloped coordination. When Dad carved the pumpkin he didn't realize that he unintentionally carved a pumpkin with an upper lip similar to mine.

Thanksgiving dinner included fresh cranberries, wild rice, October beans, turkey legs, pumpkin seeds, a pumpkin dump cake and hot peach cider to wash it all down.

The centerpiece for Thanksgiving dinner was a collection of items from around the campsite. We used driftwood, leaves, fruit (ours), fresh cranberries, acorns and pine cones.

Happy Holidays

Like Mother Like Daughter

Lately I have become very attached to my baby doll. I have named her baby and constantly ask for her if she is not in my sight. The baby used to be Mom's and it is an original Cabbage Patch kid that Grandma Mary stood in a painstakingly long line one Christmas in NYC to purchase from the Cabbage Patch baby hospital. I have become so attached to this baby that Mom and Dad are getting worried if the baby ever gets lost b/c there really would be no way to replace her!

Today I decided that it was time to start trying my hand at babywearing like Mom does with me. I sat on the kitchen floor with the Ergo backpack and the Mei Tie Baby all strewn around me and I just could not figure out how to get baby on my back. I kept saying to Mom, "Baby? Bakpak?" but she was not getting it. I grew more and more frustrated until Mom finally figured out what I was trying to do. With Mom's help we got her loaded up on my back and once she was on there was no turning back! I love having baby attached to me! Mom lifted me up to the mirror so that I could see and all I could do was grin from ear to ear and laugh with delight.

OK baby, I don't think she sees us, let's go!

Eating and signing for chicken (one finger pecking on my other hand)

Here baby, try this it tastes like chicken! Yum yum!

Southern Living Worm Farmer

I am now officially a worm farmer! On Monday we went to see Susan Quinby (the worm lady) to pick up the worms we purchased a couple weeks ago. Susan runs a vermicomposting business out of her house and we bought 2 pounds of worms and an apartment for them to live in. I am so excited to finally have some friends to play with. I longingly stand outside the pantry door and knock every now and then hoping they will come out and play. Mom and Dad tell me that they don't like the light very much so I only get to play with them when we feed them.

Southern Living is writing a story on Susan's business and Susan invited us to be a part of the feature article. While at her house we were photographed over 200 times as Susan walked us through the process of vermicomposting. Check back in the next few months as I may be the youngest worm farmer ever featured in Southern Living!

Playing with my worms.

They are living in our pantry and we feed them all of our kitchen scraps and even our junk mail. The tomatoes and cucumbers in the picture above were fed to them on 4 days ago. Look at the first picture to see just how much they have eaten. If you are quiet enough you can even hear them munching.

Mom in front of their apartment

Kissing them goodnight until we feed them again!