Family time in C'ville

This weekend, the Roe family visited Charlottesville, the most tree-infested place I have ever been (but I've never been to South America or Hawaii).

This place was cool for a number of reasons, besides the greenery and abundance of people with southern drawls. It is home to the University of Virginia, a school founded by Thomas Jefferson. His beautiful estate, Monticello, is just outside the city. And historic downtown Charlottesville was a really hip little place to eat. Squinting in front of the Rotunda, Jefferson's architectural masterpiece on campus.Ethan climbing the Rotunda steps.Stacking jelly packets at a C'ville eatery.
Cheesing it at the home of our third president.


We asked this guy to take our photo in front of the house and, in typical tourist fashion, he got all of us and none of the house.
The flowers at Monticello were beautiful. Some are believed to be descendants of the flowers Jefferson (or his slaves, sadly) planted.
We left Monticello feeling like we learned a lot about Thomas Jefferson.Here's Ethan at the hotel, somewhere near the swimming pool, though there was no swimming to be had.

We would work on his fear of swimming in a pool but now may not be the time, since we got home from our little vacation this afternoon and found an envelope from our apartment manager containing this:
Could this have something to do with a recent post of mine?

Farewell to a first friend

A year and a half ago, I received a phone call from a complete stranger. The person on the other end of the line said something similar to this:

"Hi, we've never met before, but I heard that you are new in town and I go to your church. I just wanted to know if you need anything. I've been in this area for quite some time and know my way around. Do you need to go anywhere? I'd be glad to take you, or just help you find what you need?"

I was shocked for two reasons: one, no stranger had ever gone out of their way to call me to see if I needed help; and two, I needed help!

How did she know that Ryan and I had driven all over the area looking for the dang Home Depot that Mapquest said would be there, but it wasn't? And how did she know that I was scared to venture out and look for it again, since the only car available at the time was a stick-shift and I had never learned to drive one and I was terrified of driving it in this mixing bowl of freeways and roads? I found out later that she called as part of her job at church (she was on the "new member committee"). But the phone call still meant so much to me.

"Yes, I really do need your help. My little nursery (I was 8 1/2 months prego at the time) is currently a shade of concentration camp gray and I need to paint it. And I can't find Home Depot!" I said to her.

Later that week, the stranger came to pick me up and take me to the darn store that I had driven past probably 10 times. And that's how I met Shane, one of the coolest gals and greatest friends ever.

From throwing me an impromptu birthday party on the ellipse to taking me to the big scary car auction, Shane has been like a big sister to me out here. We love her and her fabulous daughter Emma, the smartest and spunkiest little 2-year-old.

That's why we were devastated by the news that they are moving to ARIZONA! Husband Jason will be working at Arizona State University (congrats Jason), and while we are so happy that they will be close to Shane's family in Tempe, we are going to miss them so much!

Notice a trend?

He really is posing for the camera in this photo below. Hilarious.

Ethan has become quite the poser. The instant I whip out the camera, he tilts his head back, squints his eyes and flashes his newly acquired teeth.

Us Megans and our hair

We go to a nearby park nearly every day and kids always come up to me and Ethan and introduce themselves or demand that we watch them walk up a slide or see what they made in the sandbox.

Yesterday, Ethan and I met Joaquin. He was a very sweaty little boy who spoke some words in English and some words in Spanish. He ran around with a little girl in a dress who couldn't say her R's.

"This is Megan," he introduced us to the little girl.

"Oh wow," I said to her, "Did you know that my name is Megan too?"

"Yes," she replied simply and without hesitation.

I sat for a second, then said, "How?"

"Because I saw your hair."

Saved by saved by the bell

Ethan wakes up at 7 a.m. That's much too early for me to wake up so I often ask Ryan to get the child. He has to get ready for work anyway. So I usually wake up at about 7:45 a.m. to find Ethan on the ground, propped against pillows, sipping on milk and intently viewing Saved By the Bell.

I know you are all wondering what kind of mother would leave babysitting responsibilities up to Zac Morris and A.C. Slater. Maybe not the best role models for a young, impressionable child? Well during today's episode Ethan learned something that may prove valuable to him in this world of high-rise apartments and elevators.

Today (well it was years ago; these are re-runs, of course) Zac safely delivered the baby of Mr. Belding's wife (a totally wimpy pusher who had the easiest delivery ever) in a broken down elevator.

Life lesson learned.

Farenheit 104.4

Ethan has already discovered a way to get out of going to church: get feverishly sick every Sunday.

For the last month of Sundays, one of us has had to stay home or we have left church early because Ethan has had a fever. Two days ago, Ethan's body temperature hit 104.4 - an all-time high for the little guy. I'm sure he would rather go to church than feel like that (pictured above - I love how he is trying to smile for the camera but he really doesn't have it in him).

Rules of the pool

Here are some of the seriously lame rules at my apartment's pool:

2. CHILDREN IN DIAPERS (it's in all caps like that) are not allowed in the pool.
Shouldn't we all be a little more concerned about swimming among the little kids without diapers?

6. All bathers must shower prior to entering the pool.
I know this is a common one, but has anyone ever followed this rule?

7. When using the pool, only greaseless suntan lotion should be used, rather than an oil-based lotion.
Can anyone tell me where I can get my hands on some grrreasy suntan lotion?

12. Smoking is permitted in the pool area.
Why is this in the rules? Aren't rules usually things you CANNOT do?

13. Spouting of water, expectoration, nose blowing in the pool, etc., are not allowed.
Ok, I stand behind this rule, but it's kind of funny.

14. BEACH BALLS, TOYS, WHEELED VEHICLES (yes, once again in all caps), etc. created safety hazards. For this reason, they are NOT PERMITTED.
Because we all know that TOYS are a lot more dangerous than SECOND-HAND SMOKE.

16. The use of musical instruments or radios, or other sound-emitting devices without earphones is not permitted in the pool area.
I love swimming with my earphones in.

17. Shirts or robes and appropriate foot wear must be worn to and from the pool area.
I would love to see the person(s) who inspired this rule.

The list goes on and on. It was the same last year and I made sure to break a few of those rules several times, so we'll see if I keep my pool pass the entire season this year.

Congrats Phat

My good friend and bridesmaid Natalie is getting married today and I am sulking in my bedroom at least six states away missing her best day.

New favorite binge item

I go through about three boxes of this a week. It is so good in milk and even better as a snack. And it's a dollar less than the Honey Nut Chex (another fav) at your local Harris Teeter.

Wrong side of the bed

Ryan and I woke up this morning on each other's side of the bed. We are totally perplexed, though I did dream last night that we had to swim through crocodile-infested waters to get to a really amazing ski hill. Could that have something to do with it?

Three strikes

As I fished through my purse at the Target check-out I felt what have become some familiar check-out feelings: embarrassment and annoyance. For the THIRD time in as many months, my wallet wasn't in my purse. So, for the THIRD time, I told the cashier that she would have to cancel my large order (which included some much-needed supplies), because I had no money. And, for the THIRD time, I marched back to my car, drove home and decided not to go back to Target because my impatient (but darling) child absolutely could not handle another trek through Target.
And it's all thanks to Ethan, who, because of an obsession with my credit cards, often pulls them out of my wallet then hides it under a pillow or deep inside a closet.