Outside!

Millie had fun walking around and finding sticks outside Granny and Grandpa's House. A regular explorer.

Lady in Red

We had a family photo taken at Granny and Grandpa's house. Millie and Rebecca wore these jolly red dresses. Here's Millie wandering off set.

Gobble, Gobble!

Millie and Rebecca were both around last year for Thanksgiving so although this wasn't their first, it was their first Thanksgiving dinner. Millie particularly enjoyed wearing Rebecca's pilgrim hat.


Both girls enjoyed the delicious feast.

Cousin!

Millie and Rebecca have met before. But not since they both started walking! Millie was very taken with Rebecca and still even now talks about 'Becca'.

Tinkling the Ivories

It was off to New Hampshire for Thanksgiving. Leaving on Tuesday and coming back on Saturday made for pain-free travel. Millie and Daddy made beautiful music together on Granny and Grandpa's piano. What a duo!

A Bit Parky

No posts in November! A new low. Time for a catch up before Christmas fun later this week.


UK Granny and Grandpa came out to visit in November. We wandered over to the park where Millie played on the slide and had time for a quick photo before running for some central heating again! Brrrrr!

Wow!

A great gift from Granny Foemmel prompted this. Wow indeed!

Splish Splash

Here's Millie doing a very wobbly, splashy run through the fountain at Grant Park a few months ago.

Millie Monkey

Today was dress up day at school. Millie and the friends in her class all put their outfits on and walked around the school.


It was hot work in that monkey suit!

Lego with Grandpa Foemmel

Millie showed Grandpa some basic construction techniques with her duplo. Looks like he's getting the hang of it.

Aquarium trip

All ready to go in the lobby...


Family snap outside the aquarium...


Slide, penguin, slide!

Summer day

I found my camera cable! Have some catching up to do.

Here's a few snaps from a trip down to Grant Park on a summer day - seems a long way off now. Walking down Walton with Daddy...


Touching the "bean"...


Up to the ankles...

A picture is worth a thousand words

Well pictures are great, but sadly I have lost the cable to download photos from my camera, so until I find it - or crack and buy another one - we're on photo hiatus. Although there is some truth in the old adage (who doesn't enjoy a photo?) Matt and I have been very much enjoying Millie's new ability to speak. Yes, say actual words. Her repertoire includes (but is not limited to!) shoe, eyes, o's, wow, oh no, chair, go, egg, door and assorted animal noises.

Of course mama and dada are still our favorite ones to hear.

Can you say bears?

Millie is messy-faced and chatting with Daddy.

15 months!

Today Millie is 15 months old, or a year and a quarter in real money. Here she is causing mayhem at Borders in a very fetching outfit from Uncle Jamie and Auntie Kat.

Navy Pier Fountain

At Navy Pier today we noticed a big fountain. Off came Millie's socks and shoes and in she went.

Damp...


Wet...


Soaked...



Shame we only found this at the end of the summer, she loved it!

Slide show

We're very grateful to have a park down the road for Millie to let off some steam. One of her favourite things is the slide and she can even go down by herself now.

Kidding about

Lots to catch up on since we last posted. We walked up to Lincoln Park Zoo and met some goats. Millie wasn't too sure and didn't want to touch them. Sensible girl.

Anchors away!

Millie was much happier on the boat when we found a life jacket that fitted her. She admired Granny's hat...


...And contemplated the horizon with Daddy.

This is the life!

Floating around the pool, taking it easy - ahhh. Waiter! Sippy of milk please!

Al Fresco

Eating outside is one of life's simple pleasures. Millie seems to like it and it means less clean up for Mum. Everyone wins!

Anyone for tennis?

Millie engaged in some literary pursuits with Grandpa this morning before heading out to the island courts to work on her serve. Chalkdust!






After showing her stuff on the court she cooled down with Grandma and Grandpa.

Little Mermaid

After a few initial reservations about the swimming pool and some coaching from Daddy, Millie became a veritable water baby. Here she is doing some (small) laps being cheered on by Granny and Grandpa Foemmel. Look at her go!

Buckets of fun

Granny Foemmel had a brainwave and put all sorts of fun toys in buckets for Millie to find. She loved playing with them. They didn't stay in the buckets for long!

Oh Canada!

We're up in Canada this week, vacationing at Granny and Grandpa Foemmel's Nova Scotia house. Millie tested out her sea legs and had her first experience of wearing a life jacket, which she did not like at all. Sorry Millie, safety first!


Although she wasn't sure at first (our girl doesn't like the unfamiliar) Millie quickly decided that there was fun to be had in the pool with Daddy jumping up and down in the water. Check out the identical expressions in this pic - Daddy's girl!

Shopping

Another pair of shoes outgrown meant a trip to the shops for us this afternoon. Millie was pleased with her new shoes and much to our amusement insisted on carrying the bag home.

Walking

Here we are two months after Millie took her first step and she's finally walking in preference to crawling. It's quite something to behold. Her style is all her own, and it gets her from A to B, but it does make us smile. This is her strutting her stuff on the beach last week.

Michiana Shores

Last weekend we headed off to Michiana Shores to stay overnight with the Oldhams. Rhys is nearly 6 months older than Millie and he impressed her with his chatter. Even creating a new nickname for her; Mimi.

They shared a ride to the beach in a burley.


Rhys pointed out sights along the way - under Matt's watchful eye.


Don't think Matt was looking when Rhys stole this cuddle with his Mimi!

4th of July

Independence Day and Millie celebrated the american half of her cultural heritage with the traditional meal of burger and fries followed by blueberry pie.


Some of the pie even made it into her mouth!

Go Cubs, Go!

On Friday we took Millie to watch her first Cubs game. We filled up with pizza first at Spacca Napoli Pizza in Ravenswood. Millie wore her cubs bib and was all smiles during lunch.





She watched the game avidly


And was given this hat by the people behind us


She'll grow in to it one day! Cubs won 2-1.

In Good Taste

On Thursday we headed out to the Taste of Chicago. It's a huge event in Grant Park with lots of food from different restaurants to sample. Our little gourmet tried sweet potato hashbrowns, sesame beef, chicken quesadilla and fried ravioli which she was kind enough to share with Matt.


Matt and Millie in front of Buckingham Fountain.

Facing forward and Starved Rock

Having reached the grand old age of 1, Millie can now officially face forward in her car seat. Very grown up girl!


We headed out to Starved Rock state park on Monday. We climbed a ton of stairs to get to the top of the rock to look over the Illinois river. Don't be fooled by Millie's poker face it was quite an impressive view!