Miss Hannah goes to Washington

I had a board meeting in DC on Friday, so Tanner and Hannah came along and we spent the weekend.  We had such a wonderful time enjoying the city and catching up with friends we do not see as often as we would like.  I love the fall, as I told Tanner about a hundred times over the course of the weekend, no exaggeration.  We were so, so lucky with the weather; it was absolutely gorgeous.

On Friday after my meeting, we walked to the White House, stopped for a drink at the bar at the top of the W and walked over to the mall.  We had dinner at the Georgetown waterfront with Tommy and Catherine.

Hannah's second White House visit (GrandJackie took her in September)

View from the W bar

Saturday morning, we had brunch with Emily in Georgetown then hit the Natural History and American History museums.  I cannot wait to take Hannah back when she will be able to appreciate all the life-size animal replicas, cool cars and trains and fun kids' activities that the Smithsonian has to offer.  But this Saturday, she was a great sport while Mom, Dad and Emily took it all in.

With Emily in front of Julia Child's kitchen

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Trying to check out the giraffe at the Museum of Natural History

All bundled up for dinner Saturday night, even though it wasn't that cold.

Sunday morning I woke up early and took Hannah for a long walk while Tanner slept in a little bit.  We walked through Georgetown and across the Key Bridge to Virginia.  Did I mention that I love the fall?

 

View from the Key Bridge


Tanner and Emily met Hannah and me at an amazing Spanish restaurant in Georgetown for brunch, and then we headed back to the hotel to pack and fly home.

Hannah, when you read this years from now, remind your father and I how lucky we were to have such an amazing baby.  You slept and played through two 2.5+ hour-long adult dinners, you happily rode in your stroller all over DC for hours each day, you slept nine hours straight three nights in a row in a foreign, hotel-supplied crib and you were as well-behaved on your tenth and eleventh airplane rides as you had been on your previous nine.  You even entertained Mommy and Daddy endlessly as you literally found your voice this weekend, precious girl.  Your Dad and I laughed and laughed as you practiced your newly discovered vowel sounds, repeatedly and as loudly as possible.  Sorry for stuffing the pacifier in your mouth a few times on the airplane ride home, we were concerned the surrounding passengers might not find your vocals so resonant.  You have brought so much joy to our lives, and we loved our first true family vacation with you.

A Special Day

I don't have long to post, but just wanted to say Happy Birthday, Dad!  I am so, so lucky to be your daughter. 

And our family is celebrating, another important birthday today.

Winston is three.  His third year brought quite a few life changes, but he sure is a good sport...

and a great "big brother."

A picture can be worth a thousand dollars

I have a feeling that for me one of the most challenging aspects of blogging will be coming up with titles for my entries.  I have been sitting here staring at the empty title box above trying to think of something clever for longer than I care to admit, so I am forcing myself to start writing and hoping something comes to me.

This morning I played hooky from work so that I could take Hannah to see Aunt Melissa (or Ms. Rendall, I should say) at school for her kindergarten class' Thanksgiving feast (which took place at 9:45, their actual lunch time, every day, seriously).  Even though one of her students asked me if I was Ms. Rendall's mother, I still enjoyed the outing.  Melissa's kids were so precious and sweet (even the ones that, through Melissa's stories, I have come to know as her bad ones) and they all were really interested in Hannah. They also seemed to really love Ms. Rendall.




Hannah and Ms. Rendall


Hannah looked adorable this morning.  She was wearing her new smocked angel dress that Aunt Melissa bought her at Nutcracker Market for the first time. About five minutes before we were to walk out the door, I heard Vilma say "poop everywhere."  Turns out, Hannah had a major blowout (not a rarity) and we had to change clothes.  I was planning to take a bunch of pictures with her in the dress with my good camera, but this single shot I took on the iphone will have to do.

Hannah, with Vilma, prior to her blowout

Before heading to work, I stopped to pick up portraits I had ordered from a sitting when Hannah was two months old.  They turned out absolutely beautifully.  When I handed over my credit card to order them six weeks ago, I was guilt-laden and shocked at the exorbitant prices.  My mom assured me that she had never regretted spending  money on pictures of us (they do still adorn my parents' house twenty to thirty years later).  After picking up the pictures today, I know she was right (hence the post title, which finally came to me, but admittedly is not so clever).  They are absolutely stunning.  The photographer does not sell digitals, period.  So I took a picture of one of the pictures on my phone, which of course doesn't really do the actual portrait justice.



I cannot wait to get some good pictures up around my office.  A few times a day I take breaks at work and just browse my Picasa albums with all of Hannah's pictures.  I am not sure I could make it through entire days away from her without this respite.

Welcome

I have been pretty ambivalent for a while now about starting a blog.  However, because I adore reading others' blogs and I really like the idea of documenting some of Hannah's milestones for family, friends and Hannah herself, I have decided to give the whole blogging thing a try.

Tanner and I have been so blessed over the last year.  On July 30, 2010 at 10:19 a.m., we welcomed Hannah Claire.  As I choose which photos to share, I wish I had started this blog earlier as so much has happened in the last three and a half months.  For today, I will just post some of her earliest pictures.

Hello world





Meeting Mom



Grandparents first glimpse





Hannah with GrandJackie






Hannah with Mimi and Big Poppy

 



with Grandpa Robert




and Aunt Melissa





Sleeping peacefully



In her fancy sleeper

  

Daddy is in love








First family photo

Time for discharge





and headed home


   




to see her nursery

 

and meet Winston!