The Windy City

Mia, Papa and Mommy went for a short trip to Chicago this past weekend. We arrived Friday night and went out to dinner. Here are Papa and Mia (asleep) at Kiki's Bistro on North Franklin. The food was so yummy!

Later on, we met up with Uncle Larry for dessert at our hotel. Uncle Larry is playing a fun game with Mia. It is called "How Many Fingers Can I Stick in My Mouth at One Time?" Uncle Larry was very good at it, but Mia was better (smaller fingers). Mommy thought this was hilarious.


On Saturday, Mia, Papa and Mommy met up with Aunt Holly and Uncle Faruk and went to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Here are Papa and Mia on our walk to the zoo. Mia is bundled up because the morning started out a little chilly. But the weather turned out beautiful!


We saw lots of animals - zebras, gorillas, wildebeests... Uncle Faruk made lots of funny animal noises.

Here we are all together outside the Conservatory.
This visit was so much fun! The big lesson that Mommy and Papa learned, though, is that Mia ALWAYS needs her naps to stay fresh and happy, like this:

Boo!

Mia, Papa and Mommy went trick-or-treating in the neighborhood last night. Mia and Mommy both dressed up. Mia was a bumblebee and Mommy certainly makes a very scary witch. Who knew witches liked to wear polarfleece vests?

In New York City, and particularly in our neighborhood, trick-or-treating often means raiding all the local merchants for candy. Here is the scene on Duane Street last night - crazy!Lots of merchants really get into the spirit (ha!) of things. Duane Street Bakery had some great carved pumpkins. Inside, Captain Jack Sparrow (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) was giving out freshly baked oatmeal cookies.



Here is Papa emerging triumphant after braving the madhouse of Bouley Bakery, where he scored some coffee and a slice of poundcake. The coffee he had to pay for, but the poundcake he won by elbowing a clown, a ballerina and a chicken out of the way and bumrushing the poor, besieged pastry chef. Sometimes, a papa's got to do what a papa's got to do. (Kidding, just kidding!)



Unfortunately, our little bee didn't last very long - she fell asleep in the middle of it all. We are looking forward to next Halloween already!

Mia and Big D

Daniel and his mommy Noga came over to visit yesterday afternoon. Big D is 7 months old now! I remember when he was still in his mommy's belly. We had lots of fun playing - the two little ones even had a shouting contest! (The mommies didn't have a shouting contest - they just ate pizza, but we didn't get a video of that.)

The Tiger and the Bee

We met up with our bestest friend Leo with his parents Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jarom at the Halloween Fest. Here are Papa and Aunt Nancy with the animals.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

On Saturday, we had a dress rehearsal for Halloween. Mia is our little bumblebee! She loves to buzz and fly around!


That afternoon, Mia, Papa and Mommy went to the Kids' Halloween Festival at the World Financial Center. They had music and games and pumpkin carving and most of the stores were giving out candy! We tricked-or-treated with 5-month-old Mia, which is not as weird as it sounds, especially since Mommy had a camera and took about 500 pictures. (Without the camera, it's just a grown man asking for candy - silly and kinda creepy but mostly just lame.) Here are Papa and Mia getting some candy from the nice lady at Sunglasses Hut!


We can't wait for real Halloween on Wednesday...

Sitting pretty

Mia is getting so good at sitting up! She is pretty steady but still tends to fall backwards suddenly. She thinks it is a fun game though, and reaches out to be helped up again.

We had our 5-month doctor's visit on Wednesday. Mia is doing fine and is breaking all size records for babies her age! She weighs 18.5 lbs and is 27.5 inches tall. Is it possible to be in the 105th percentile for height?!?!?!?

Mia is 5 months old

Mia turned 5 months old yesterday. She has been having loud voice days and soft voice days. She even sits up by herself, but then promptly falls over and does a face-plant into her blankie. Here is a recent photo from the park.