Christmas Part II: Rochester

It has been since June that we've been in that cold cloud-heavy city where I was born. It felt really, really good to be back.
It's a challenge to drive so many miles with a toddler, but to gain perspective, I remember when every moment driving after dark, or every time we had been driving more than 15 minutes before dark meant endless crying, singing the same seven songs over and over again because they were the only thing that quieted him, reaching back over and over to squeeze Miles' glowworm because he could not do it himself.... Given that memory, the trip was a breeze. We got a little too familiar with McDonalds/Chick-Fil-A playplaces for my taste, but the result was that he got a little play in between driving stretches so that this could happen in the car:

After a long and tedious drive, however, we arrived in Dad and Kate's beautiful house!

Grandpa and Kate loved on Miles every moment they could, reading him stories, teaching him how to play with his new toys, even taking him to the Fairport Rec Center Pool, which is truly a wonder of the aquatic recreational world. Perhaps there will be a post about that adventure when we're sent pictures of it; our camera was misbehaving at the time.

We were able to get to see both my grandparents during this trip. Miles saw Grandma and Grandpa Revell on Thursday and the Cornells on Friday. He struggled a little with all the car time, but was playful and affectionate with his great-grands. He could tell they were Important people. Here, we've convinced Grandpa C to play his mouth-organ for M. He's playing "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight." His audience was entranced.

NONE of the group pictures were flattering to everyone. The one in which Miles is smiling has the rest of us appearing to have a group seizure. I am smiling so broadly with my hand so ridiculously and theatrically behind my back because I have just seized Miles toy and he has not yet started crying.

Playing with just one of his Christmas toys: a sock-monkey-in-the-box! He adores it and can work it by himself (much to our relief).

My little elf, on yet another car trip.

Perhaps the crown of the Christmas gifts was the yet-unnamed horsey. Miles always goes for the horse at his babysitter's and makes a beeline for the teeter-totter at the library, so I thought having his own would delight him.

Well, it took a bit for him to warm up to riding it because he was so fascinated by the effects from pulling one of its ears. One ear produces horse sounds and spoken invitations to brush him, etc. The other ear produces a highly contagious song which is running in my head at this moment. Miles feels very differently about this song than his parents. He watches that horse's mouth amazedly as it moves to "sing" to him, and applauds for it as if it has performed some majestic aria. He's so impressed. But, he'll now also chant "rock, rock, rock!" and climb on by himself.


I had to include pictures of this McDonalds because I found it so astonishing. Those are real old books encased all over the store in glass. A display case contained dozens of china figurines and the walls were covered with framed 19th century art prints. Classiest McDonald's ever?

Okay, here the display is just the books' spines. But still. It's a MCDONALD'S! I was floored.

Of course, this is where we spent most of our time. It was a giant habitrail hamster's dream come true. Miles adored it.

It's hard to say Bye-Bye.

A view from the road... Somewhere in PA... I think in the past ten years I have subconsciously renamed Pennsylvania "The Drive Through State."

We arrived, tired but delighted to be home, at about 5pm on Tuesday. Alas, we took no pictures of our delightful time at our York friends' house, having left our camera in the car in a daze. We're back to find we are once again far from family and so many of our friends. But, we're back in a town that has been and is still good to us. Happy Epiphany, everyone! May we all be enlightened to new joys and amazing discoveries this year!