Happy Birthday to you

Happy first Birthday darling Margot!

Birthday balloon chair

Big brother giving M a precious balloon.




Rudy insisted that Margot needed a "sheep cake". We think he heard our neighbors talking about making "sheet cake" for a party. Unbeknownst to him his Mum was much happier to make a sheep cake, rather than a sheet cake (even tho' I did make sheet cake to make the sheep cake--okay, enough)!

Under the "El" tracks on the way to the Shedd Aquarium

Outside the aquarium (note: we all have out eyes closed)!

Glowing Jellyfish

Peering into the depths...

Baby beluga's mummy swimming by on her back (she always had her eyes closed). Her calf was not far behind her.


Penguins!

No, her tongue did not touch the glass! She was hollering at the penguins "Ah AH Ah Ah". We think she wanted them to swim by again.

And another penguin!

The coral reef exhibit. Just beautiful.


We had a wonderful family day with celebrating Margot's first year at the heart of it. She enjoyed pressies, her first cake and icing, her first "Happy Birthday" sung to her, balloons galore, and she got to share it with fish, sea otters, penguins, sharks, clams, coral, tuna fish, beluga whales, dolphins and eels! What a fine day.

St. Louis on the train

I took the kids on the Amtrak train to visit Gran and Papa last month. I haven't been able to blog about this trip yet as I've been having a hard time uploading photos recently. We had a wonderful time with Gran and Papa. Rudy helped Papa re-pave a brick path, and played "Pooh sticks" with Gran in the park. Margot would have been content to climb the stairs all day every day and her pride in her accomplishment was very evident! We also experienced a Tornado, with a trip down to the basement while the storm passed over (Mum and I were at an art museum and were shuffled down into the basement along with a lot of rowdy college students)! We ate wonderful, healthy meals and took some lovely walks in the park, and spent many hours pottering in their beautiful garden. Thank you Papa and Gran. We'll be back soon. xxx