Halloween for Beginners

There are some who would say that 15 months is too young to go trick-or-treating. I would say that those people don't like candy enough. My kid can walk, he's going trick-or-treating.

He pretty much wore his dragon costume all weekend, first for the party at his daycare,
Then to the trick-or-treating on Saturday in Downtown Blacksburg.

See one of the Harry Potters (to my delight, there were several) behind him?
Local businesses allowed kids to trick-or-treat there between 4 and 5:30... more advisable than after dark in a college town, we thought.

Miles did eventually learn that the idea was to take one of the bright-colored objects from the basket offered by a stranger and put it in his stroller. We had a couple of stops he came away from empty handed because he wanted to give the candy to someone else. He thought we were just having an object exchange.

We did try to give him some! We did! Both Kit-Kats and Milky Ways have been staunchly refused. You know we're just weeping large tears over that, though. :-)

Happy Halloween!


Here is actual Halloween, at the library.

He's figured out how to teeter totter!

At the Blacksburg historic mansion...

"Can I knock on the door, Mummy? They look like they can afford some good candy!"

Had to close with a video because I love the way he trots around in his Halloween uniform.
By the way, we've told him he's dressed as a dinosaur, since he knows more or less what a dinosaur is. Our cat is named Dragon, though, so he gets confused about those... Just don't tell him dinosaurs don't have wings.


Happy Halloween!

A Week of Emergencies

Last weekend came to a close like it was any other weekend, beginning another typical week. We went to the market on Saturday and to the park on Sunday. There's this massive park with three playgrounds, one of which is the CLASSIC WOODEN kind (it's called Hand in Hand; we'll take you there, L & M!).





By the end of the day, though, Mummy could tell that Miles just wasn't himself. She could even detect a bit of a fever.

We went to bed as usual, though. Night night, kitty!

Night night, favorite toys:



In the night, we were wakened by a miserable kid. He was clearly feverish. Papa and Mum made plans to split the day taking care of him.

But by Monday night, he was still feverish (it had then been going on since Sunday afternoon) and at 3am Tuesday morning, our poor boy was at 104.6 and was shaking. Scared, befuddled Mummy and Papa bundled him up and left for the hospital.

At the hospital, we were told it was probably an ear infection, and were given a prescription for antibiotics.

Home and exhausted, we kept Miles home through Wednesday, faithfully giving him the antibiotics. But they didn't have the effect that I thought they should. I began to research other possibilities.

On Thursday morning, Miles' fever broke! And by Friday morning, he had broken out in a dotty red rash. We called him Spot:


This confirmed my growing suspicion that what he really had was roseola. Thanks a bunch, emergency room. They didn't even raise the possibility!

Well, no sooner had we begun to relax on Thursday when we received a phone call that sent us into another frenzy: Miles' caregiver could no longer take him. Her daycare was taking on more children than was legally allowed and she would have to unload half of her clients! Tomorrow!

We got so lucky, though. Not only did Jon not have any classes on Friday, but Lissa was able to spend most of Friday afternoon making phone call after phone call. Finally, a lady who ran a certified in-home daycare right here in Blacksburg got back to me and said she had room for another child! And it was okay if he started on Monday! We're so relieved, and it's been a huge blessing. Miles is so happy there:

Ms. Ana and her Mom, Mimi, are very professional and personable. I've gotten these two pictures sent me and email updates occasionally to let me know how Miles is doing, something we did not get at our previous daycare. And there are pets! Sweet natured outdoor dogs, a big fishtank and a couple of very tolerant cats! And he's got the most diverse group of creative, smart children to play with!
Look, he naps functionally on a cot!


This weekend? We all rested. Except Miles. He's eating again, see, and his energy is WAY back up:



On the phone...

All better!

A Week in the Life, or, Look, a Whole Post Without Miles!

I did see Miles this week, and he was just as adorable as ever, but I thought I'd share with you a few shots of what I see during my workweek. No pictures of the buses, as I still feel a bit like a weirdo about taking a picture of one with people watching. But here are some sights from my many walks.

Monday: Made the bus! Some pics of my walk to my first class:

I just like this building.

Foliage is beginning to transform the place!

Across the drillfield...

Flowers? In October?

I just like this building. Looks like... Native American, or something.

This is called the Architecture Quad. It's (obviously) where architecture classes meet. Underground. You take an elevator and those Louvre-like pyramids give a lot of natural light. Did you know VT was the best school for architecture in the country?

I have arrived at the coffee shop next door to my first class.

Tuesday:
Missed the bus. So, pictures of downtown during my walk to school!

Note the total absence of traffic.


One of many hippy stores.

Pub I've been meaning to check out.

Lovely morning on Main Street.

Gillie's! Awesome, down to earth, vegetarian restaurant, a definite Bburg favorite.

Wednesday: Rain. Didn't feel like taking pictures :-)

Thursday:
Bus to campus, walk from class to office:

It's just so purty.

Cafe I sometimes like to sit in, bottom floor of library.

This place, between student union and grad school, is usually packed with students promoting things and doing weird stunts. On Wednesday, there was a dunking booths and students promoting a certain homecoming candidate shouting "Free rootbeer floats! Hurry, they're melting!" But at 8 am, students unfortunate enough to have a class are in it. The rest are all in bed.

The Graduate School. Majestic, no? There's an Au Bon Pain in the basement; Jon and I have lunch rendezvous (cause it's French! Get it??!!) there.

Alternate route to campus, off College Ave. Miles likes it there; he gets three different types of terrain.

For the first time in my life I have an office.

See how important I am?! I have a name plate!

Still, who has two thumbs and misses Rochester?
...This girl, definitely.

I like it here, though.

inches

Back from the 15 month visit to a new pediatrician, we have a new set of stats:

The pediatrician puts Miles at 21.2 lbs (8th percentile! the little Eat-O-Saurus is still a string bean!!) and 33 inches (!!!??) which is the 93rd percentile!! Now, I just want to say that on our home growth chart, I have him at 30 inches. So I'm not sure about that discrepancy there, but I can tell you that 12 month pants and sleepers have become inadequate to his arms and legs and 12 month overalls are shorts... We've recently opened up the 18 month clothing storehouse. Toddler Miles is a reality!

By the way, you notice that I have LOST some length as Miles has gained it. My hair, that is, is a bit shorter now. I found out I could donate my hair and get a free haircut! Here's what I shed on Saturday! The new do is so much easier.