Bountiful Blessings: Part III

After the VT win over UVA, we all awoke Sunday morning ready to head home on a cold, rainy day. Frank and I were presented with a pleasant surprise: the opportunity to drive part of our trip home and not sing kiddie songs. Meredith rode the first leg of the trip in my parents' car, getting to spend more time with MomMom and Boppa. When we reached Lynchburg, Meredith moved back into our car, loathe to leave her grandparents.

In short order, we found our next destination: a tree farm just south of Charlottesville. Due to the cold rain, Frank and I selected a tree rather quickly and he set to work chopping it down. Meredith spent the time waddling around the farm, trying to climb and conquer every spent tree stump! (See the last two images on this post for videos.) Once the tree was secure atop the car, we drove from the farm, on our way home to begin Christmas...

Bountiful Blessings: Part II

The air Saturday morning was filled with excitement as we prepared for Thanksgiving weekend's main event: Virginia Tech vs. UVA football! This is a huge game every year, usually held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The sun was shining and the air was chilly - a perfect day for football. To make the event even better, this was to be Meredith's first game!

Everyone, including Meredith, donned layers of our orange and maroon finest. After a hotel breakfast, we put the car seat into my parents' bedecked Hokie van and drove up the mountain to Blacksburg. Despite her VT cheerleading outfit, Meredith was oblivious to the experience ahead.

After parking in our assigned lot, we quickly remembered how cold winter is in Blacksburg. While Meredith explored our tailgate area, the rest of us added more layers, gloves, scarves, and hats. She quickly made friends with other tailgaters and made off with their football.

Finally it was time to leave for the game! First, Meredith had to be convinced to put her frog in the van.

Ooops, time for a nap...

Meredith made her grand entrance to Lane Stadium, bundled in her snowsuit, just before half-time ended. Perched on her daddy's shoulders, she caught a view of the Highty Tighties, the band for the VT corps of cadets. She loved it and begged for more! each time the band stopped playing. After a few songs, we were off to find MomMom and Boppa.

From our seats, Meredith had a great view of the stadium and the marching bands. The drums seem to be her favorite: bum bum bum! Between songs, we walked along the concourse, Meredith making friends the whole way. We stayed for the rest of the game, and got to watch Virginia Tech beat UVA: 17-14. Fortunately, Meredith was bundled so well with three hats, that her ears were nicely muffled to the noise of the crowd!

Bountiful Blessings: Part I

Thanksgiving weekend brought us something we all need more these days: TIME. Time to be together, time to be with family and friends, time to relax and have fun, and time to give thanks.

(Since this was a long weekend, this post is broken into three parts.)

On Friday afternoon, Frank, Meredith, and I packed into the car and headed southwest. We didn't get very far before the refrain from the backseat started: All done. All done? All done! All DONE. Frank and I spent the next 2 hours singing "Wheels on the Bus," "Twinkle, Twinkle," the alphabet, and a hundred other songs we had to make up on the fly. Eventually we arrived at our first destination: Ruckersville, VA.

We stopped to visit Dana, Roger, Jack, and baby Layla. Dana and I have been friends since we were 13. Without doing the math, suffice it to say she's my oldest and dearest friend. Every time I spend time with her, I leave feeling like I won the friend lottery. She has this amazing way of sharing my joys, sorrows, ups, and downs without ever being judgemental or competitive. Frank and I adore her and her husband of 10+ years, Roger. We're both thrilled knowing we will always know their children and be able to watch them grow. Jack is a year older than Meredith and already a pal. Precious Layla is about a year younger than Meredith and loves watching the antics of the "big kids." During this visit, we had the added bonus of seeing Dana's parents, Mina and Earl. Throughout my life, their presence has always encouraged me as they exemplified unwavering faith in God. It was a blessing to share my daughter with them.

After plenty of laughs and hugs all around, we piled back into the car for the next leg of our trip. Frank drove us safely to Salem, VA, just east of Blacksburg. We arrived at our hotel shortly after my parents, much to Meredith's delight! She and my mom clasped hands to walk and walk and walk, up and down the hallways. Eventually, we got our daughter changed and in her pack-n-play. Though we spent the next hours convincing her to sleep in this new space, we survived our first night sharing a hotel room.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day began with an unusual treat: a full day together for our little family. All five of us (Frank, Meredith, Allison, George, and I) headed out early for a long walk in the icy cold, Meredith bundled tight and the pups ready for a run. Later in the day, Frank and I had hoped to visit a museum together, but Meredith surprised us with an extra long nap. We took advantage of the quiet time to play chess. To Frank's dismay, Meredith slept just long enough for me to catch his king in checkmate. Then we were off to dinner.

Frank's parents hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving meal this year. We were joined by one of my colleagues, Edward, and his wife, Charlene. When Frank learned on Wednesday that our friends' original Thanksgiving dinner plans had fallen through, he invited them to share our bounty. What a treat! Edward and Charlene operate a dinner program in downtown DC, feeding the homeless; it was a blessing to do something kind for a couple that does so much for others.

Meredith loved seeing Edward and Charlene again, along with Frank's family: Eva (Gammie), Hal, Babcia, John, Derek, and Melissa. Eva recently found an old school desk that is the perfect size for Meredith who was thrilled to climb up and down all evening, entertaining us all.

Hooray!

This picture reminds me how precious these days are. Before I know it, my little baby girl will be sitting in a desk in an actual classroom. Today, I will praise God and give Him thanks!

A Day at the Museum

Saturday: a full day ahead to choose our own adventure!

Frank was busy with his brother today, so Meredith and I made our list of errands, including the usual suspects: Trader Joe's, Target, and Babies 'R' Us. Sure, it would fill the time, but what mommy-n-toddler-pair wants to jump in and out of the car in 20-something-degree weather?

Our day started to take shape while Meredith and I were reading her book about Matisse. Rather than just show her the pictures in a book, I realized I could introduce her to the artist's work at the National Gallery of Art! We're so blessed to live just 15 minutes from this amazing collection, the Smithsonian Institutes, and the National Mall.

And so, our errand-laden Saturday became a day at the museum! First, we had to change clothes. Then take a quick nap. After the nap, we had lunch. And a diaper change. Before we got out the door, we had to pack in another nap. Finally, we climbed into the cold car just before 2:00. We drove to the National Mall and shopped for a parking spot close enough that we wouldn't develop frost-bite before finding the museum door. (I know, I know, it's not THAT cold, but this is the first of the season and the cold takes some getting used to.)

Once we were inside the East Building, through security, and on the freight elevator to the Tower, we discovered a small glitch in our plan. The exhibit of Matisse cutouts always closes promptly at 2:00 pm; it was now 2:30. No Matisse?! No problem! At the National Gallery, there is always plenty to see!

First we toured the Small French Paintings, a relatively small exhibit that is often overlooked. It's tucked inside the more contemporary East Building and has amazing works by impressionist and post-impressionist artists. While I absorbed the beauty and talent, Meredith helped me look for dogs and horses in each room. Her favorite was Manet's King Charles Spaniel.

Back in the central court, I unbuckled Meredith's stroller straps to give her a little freedom. She climbed on benches, tried to abscond with rocks from the tree gardens, and terrified me when she got too close to a monolith of a sculpture. Suddenly, she caught sight of her stroller (strollie!) and was on her way, spiraling through the atrium on tip-toes, while the Alexander Calder mobile twirled overhead. (Click here to see her in action!)

Once I was able to restrain Meredith again, we headed to the Gallery Cafe for some of the best gelato this side of Italy. We shared a snack of peppermint gelato, animal crackers, and a cappuccino (for Mommy only). With new books from the gallery store and our full bellies, we set out to visit some of our old friends: Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Cezanne, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cassatt. Such a treat to have these works so close to home! I pointed out ballerinas, hats, flowers, boats, bridges, sunshine, and lots of colors, all the while trying not to make the docents too nervous. Meredith kept her attention on the pit-tures and delighted the other patrons by belting out refrains of "I lub yee, Yee wub yee." and "A-B-C-D"!

Before we could exit the museum, we needed to bundle-up. This meant I had to unfasten Meredith's stroller again. She quickly hopped out, ready to push the stroller as far as her little legs would carry her. Not very far, as it turns out. She pushed, stopped to pick up a rock, gave the rock to me, pushed, stopped to pick up another rock, jumped up to see a BUS on the street, pushed, found a ledge, took a seat, smelled the flowers, found a rock, took a seat, picked up a leaf, and finally got carried to the car by her freezing Mommy. Before I got her strapped in, she took off again, dragging her frog prince down the sidewalk.

What a wonderful day together! We will definitely head back to the museum soon, but next time, we'll hopefully meet Matisse...


Reading our book about Matisse, while the monolith/sculpture looms precariously in the background.


Wock! A wock!


Pushing "strollie" through the atrium. Meredith learned that tipping it backwards would put the handles at a better angle.

More gelato, please!

A wock! This one is for Mommy!

Heading down the sidewalk, chasing the bus.

A seat.

"Fwowie"

Meredith and her frog, heading for a walk!

New Traditions

The Bunting Family is well-known for our love of Christmas. We all love the mystery, anticipation, and surprise of this special holiday. My mom's mom, Shirley Josselyn (a.k.a. Mother Christmas), loved this season more than anyone we've ever known. It meant the world to her to celebrate with all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her house was always decorated with hundreds of Santas; not a corner was left untouched during the holiday season. Sure, it was a little, uh, colorful, but never tacky. She had snowmen and angels, teddybears and nutcrackers, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and probably little children Claus. Her home was a treasure chest, just like her heart, full of joy and surprise.

Gramma is with us now in our hearts, so we try our best to carry on her traditions. Each year, the generations she left behind pull out our treasured stuffed Santas, ornaments, dishes, and other trinkets that remind us of her and somehow make us feel like she stopped by for a visit. And then we shop. A lot. My grandmother was a self-diagnosed year-round shop-a-holic. Christmas gave her one more excuse to buy things for her family, and for herself. All this shopping means the family gift exchange can take an awfully long time, beginning Christmas morning and continuing late into the evening. Due to our growing family, the shrinking economy, and everyone's desire to spend more quality time together, we Bunting girls conferred to develop a new family tradition: our own twist on drawing names. Only, we can't think about it too loudly, lest Gramma catches wind of the plan and sends Santa our way with a sleighful!

In this inaugural year of the name-drawing gift-exchange, Meredith and I took it upon ourselves to make the name cards for all of our family members: 9 adults, 7 kids, and 5 dogs. Meredith helped by coloring all the pages and selecting the first name from the grab-bag. She was a little unsure about what to do with the baggie when I handed it to her, but quickly caught on. We picked 2 adults, 1 kiddo, and 1 pup. Now, that we have our list, it's time to teach Meredith Marguerite the next step of this tradition.. SHOP.


A little unsure what Mommy wants me to do with this stuff.


Mommy always tells me NO NO when I stick my hands in things. Now she wants me to do it? Is this right?


Here's one!

Opening the first name card...

I know just what I'll buy for her!

Remember when?

I just read a great book (Blessings by Anna Quinlin) that contains the story of a baby and her single dad as he's trying to raise her from infancy. As we often do when reading a story, I tried to imagine myself in his place. Midnight feedings, unexplained crying, mind-numbing exhaustion. But I couldn't quite get there. In doing this little exercise, I realized I have already forgotten what it was like when Meredith was a baby. Since she's only 18 months now (oh my, 19 already!), I have to wonder how much more I will have forgotten when she's grown, or just a year older than now. I try my best to soak her up and focus on this time we have together, but it slips away ever so stealthily.

So, I've spent some time over the past few days watching short videos of Meredith, and sharing several with her. Here are some of my favorites (click the links below):

• Trying to get to Mommy
• Chatting with Mommy (July 19, 2007: 3 months)
• Having a blast in the crib (August 23, 2007: 4 months)
• Playing with Georgie (September 21, 2007: 5 months)
• Calling MomMom and Boppa (November 8, 2008: 19 months)

More to come as that time slips away...

Playgrounds and Pals

Meredith loves being with her sitter, Fe, and all the playmates at Fe's house: Leah, Ian, John, and Emily. Especially Emily (Enly!). Emily is a precious little girl, about 1 year older than Meredith. Her mother, Wendy, is just as sweet, and has become a new friend to me this fall. On Veteran's Day, I was able to stay home with Meredith as I prepared for a long trip to Boston and Cincinnati. Wendy and I made plans to meet at the McLean Community park so the girls could play together. Meredith spotted Enly! long before we reached the park and ran to greet her friend. The girls rode on the rocking horses, climbed ladders, zipped down slides, and "ate" a pretend lunch in the train. Although Meredith and Emily have plenty of time to play together during the week, it was a joy for us mommies to see their delight first-hand.