First, as always, here is the latest photo album of juicy Oliver pics. I had almost 3 months of photos, but I swear I did a very tight edit, because I know what it's like to page through 90 photos from 3 days at Disney World. You know who you are...
Next, the blog...
So much has happened in the past three months that it's hard to know where to start. We visited NY twice, Oliver learned how to walk, we adopted a dog, we celebrated Halloween in full suburban style, we settled into Savannah, Greg taught an entire quarter of Photography, and now I'm finally writing about it when I ought to prepping since my entire family arrives for Thanksgiving in three days and I have no clue what they're going to sit on during dinner. But that disaster-in-the-making is for the next entry...
The walking is probably the biggest milestone, since I really feel like I have a toddler now. After his tentative first steps, and then an intense two hour practice session up and down an airplane aisle, Oliver went from a Monty Python/fencing-style sashay, to a Sherlock-Holmes shuffle, to a determined, ever-quickening walk. He has no fear and ventures shockingly far away from me as he chases after his winged and furry friends. I let him get some distance as long as I'm close enough to swoop in, so people often think an unattended toddler has arrived on his own. It amuses me.
Halloween brought out our inner suburban homeowners. Greg got a little carried away in our brand new Target and we came home with an animatronic witch, a light-up bat, a decorative home flag, and a cauldron for dry ice. I enjoyed our curbside appeal so much that I've now started a collection of decorative home flags. We're currently sporting a harvest scarecrow and hope to add a Cowboys pennant in time for the Thanksgiving game. I wish I could say that passersby would get the kitsch gestalt, but frankly, there isn't one. Also, we left our decorations up too long.
Fall in Savannah is Festival Season, and Forsyth Park is occupied every weekend. The clear event standout had to be Shalom Y'All, the annual Jewish food festival. Greg very much enjoyed the barbeque brisket sandwich. Although there are one or two cultural events each weekend, this is a small town. We see everyone we know at each one. We have a Saturday ritual now where we go the farmers' market (which ended this weekend), then stop by the bakery, take Sadie to the dog park, put Oliver down for his nap, and then head to the festival when he wakes.
About Sadie - she's our rescued, two-year old, lab/pit mix. We chose her because she is gentle and tolerant with Oliver (see pics), but she's also more work than I expected. Greg knew a dog would take effort he didn't have time or energy for, but I wouldn't listen. He was right, of course, but so was I. Oliver wakes up every morning saying "Gee, Gee!" and clambering out of bed to play with her. Since my parents were, um, permissive dog owners, I didn't realize that dogs should get long daily walks and lots of rules. Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer and my new guru, has brought me to the light. Since Oliver has been waking up at the crack of dawn (fire and brimstone on the Daylight Savings people), I now take him and Sadie for a brisk 7am 2 mile walk while trying to exude the energy of a "calm, assertive, pack leader". Go ahead, write your own joke. And just so you get the image, I do this with my 22-pound son in a back carrier (my mei-tai).
Our Savannah lives are more settled now. I've got a regular playgroup and I'm just starting to work with some moms on ways to get affordable organic produce, since the local options are draining our bank account. Still, there are mornings when I wake up lost, with no idea what I'm going to do with a toddler for the next 12 hours. Greg has, I think, mainly enjoyed teaching, but of course he loves the students who care and try hard and gets really frustrated by the ones who don't. Class prep and orientation has been a lot of work, but now he's on a two month break which should include some more family trips as well as lots of work on the photo business.
Finally, Oliver and I took two trips to NY to see all our peeps. Thanks to everyone who worked to fit us into their schedules. We miss you all, and please remember as the temp drops, you are all welcome in Savannah any time - Sunday's forecasted high: 71.
Much love,
Michelle, Greg and Oliver
