Getting out of the city

This photo is about 15 months old, but I couldn't be happier to have stumbled upon it while looking for other photos tonight. WHO STOLE MY FAT CHUBBY BABY AND PLEASE GIVE HIM BACK TO ME. Ugh, time is such a thief.

It also makes me miss our besties, the Hamills, who took the photo and were our partners in crime on this weekend freezing camping trip in the Shenandoah's. You know - the one where Henry slept in the car in his carseat because it was too cold for him to be outside? Didn't really think that one through other than - but, the memories!

I keep thinking we need to wait for the Spring to come to get outside and explore the greener parts of England, but after a whirlwind trip to Paris last week, I think Mark and I are both feeling the need to get out of the city already and be at one with nature. The closest I've come to nature recently was when I opened my door the other night to take the trash out and a fox was at the bottom of our steps. We stared at each other for about 10 seconds, until someone walking down the street scared him away. I was completely frozen, holding my carton of food waste, knowing that the fox would probably want to eat some of it - should I give it to him? Will he attack me before I can finish this thought? He didn't seem scared at all, or maybe he was just wondering when I was going to give him the food in my hands already. Anyway, if the closest I've come to nature in the past 5 months is an urban fox at my doorstep, it's time to hop on a train to a far off place. I'm thinking Cornwall...the Lake District (I really want to explore Beatrix Potter's former writing inspiration)...where else?! My UK travel pinterest board awaits...

Henry, the Gentleman.

Honestly, I've never met a more delightful human being than this little guy right here. He is the perfect blend of silly, happy, and opinionated. The only way we can get him dressed most Sunday mornings is with a cookie in his hand, and you know what? I can't blame him. The other day I was cutting up some vegetables for dinner and I hear from the living room...H, I, J, K, LemmoP...all the way to Z. I looked in at him and he just smiled back at me while he played with his cars, and I asked him to please sing it again for me, and of course he wouldn't. But I heard it! All 26 letters, give or take an M and N, he knows his alphabet. I'm calling it, at 26 months. Another achievement I want to log here is he can count to 10 and we are working so hard on his colors but he just doesn't care to learn them. With Henry, he will hardly ever willfully repeat something you ask him to, but when you least expect it, he'll demonstrate his knowledge. On the way home from church this past Sunday, I heard him singing from his stroller Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. And when he finished, he clapped and said YAAAY! And I need to capture this on video because it's too funny, but every time he hears a song with a good beat, he smiles and looks at me and starts bobbing his head up and down and swaying side to side. It's a really good dance that I can't see improving too much over time. It's the perfect dude dance.