Our Basement, Now with Extra Fun

For a long time now, Alex has really liked sitting in adult chairs. Now he has his very own kid-sized adult chair. Dave took the box the chair came in and made a clubhouse for Alex. He's having lots of fun with both.

Happy Halloween!

Look at how things change in a year!

I Love a Parade

Alex went to his first parade today. He enjoyed watching all the kids and the dogs, and we think he even kind of liked the marching band. We joined in at the end, and next year, I'm sure he'll be marching along in costume. Happy Halloween!

Simon Says

Dave took very good care of his toys when he was a kid, so Alex is quite lucky that lots of Daddy's toys can now be his toys. We brought Simon back from our Iowa trip, and Alex loves the sounds, lights, and buttons. Of course, it also brings out the kid in Dave and me, and we've been having fun playing with it too.

Saturday in the Park

Alex had his first official play date on Saturday. We met with our friends, and Alex, Nicholas, and Cecily all had fun playing together. Or, more accurately, playing near each other since at this age there's not much playing together that happens. Plus, Alex loves his new walking skills so he was all over the place, while Nicholas and Cecily are still more self-contained. We did manage to get the three of them together on the swings for a photo op though.

After the kids had had enough fresh air and activity, Dave and I took advantage of Chicago's early voting program to go vote. Between waiting in line and the actual voting process it took about half an hour. Alex was a real champ for the whole thing. Since he's too young for his own ballot, he helped his Daddy in the voting booth and got to participate in his first election.

First Visit to Iowa

We spent this past weekend in Iowa for Dave's high school reunion and to visit Grandma and Grandpa D. We had a great time. Alex had lots of fun playing with Daddy's toys, meeting his friend Olivia, and spending time with Grandma and Grandpa.

Secret Passageway

In our basement we have a raised section that is kind of like a step along one wall. Most of it runs behind our couch, and Alex recently discovered this space. He really likes exploring back there.