Getting Out

After a summer of awesome visitors, the apartment is back to its baseline state of chaos. I'm working on going back to work part-time so we're busy interviewing nannies meanwhile also trying to catch up with friends and get out and enjoy the last bits of summer while we still can. On our 101 things list is for James and I to run a 5K. In addition to also wanting to be good role models for Matthew (especially since he copies everything now) now is as good a time as any to get a bit healthier. We picked up a new to us stroller/bike trailer off Craigslist and have been taking long walks (to be turned into jogs soon) as a family in the mornings. Since Catherine isn't quite big enough for the new stroller, she rids in the old stroller while Matthew rocks the new stroller. Oh yeah, and we bring both dogs along making us a giant, 6am, stroller-human-dog train. Right now we're a calamity of leashes wrapping around stroller wheels but it's the thought that counts right? With 2 different bedtimes and wake up times at the moment, either of our dreams of making it "to the gym" by ourselves seem far-fetched so we just dream of a one stroller outing. Catherine doesn't seem to mind all the early morning bundling and chaos though. Most days she sleeps straight through her brothers incessant chatter and exclamations of "ducks! pey-cans! birrrs! daws!" the whole trip:

Saturday we headed out for a short hike. Matthew did about a mile and a half by himself which is hugely exciting for those of us who don't want to carry him more than we have to. The trail was mostly flat so Catherine hung out in the stroller being cute:

Though road races may not be his thing, Matthew's calling might just be as a trail runner. Location is everything. He also (unfortunately) has decided that yelling "runs runs" and taking off in Target is also fun. We're working on that one.

Of course his favorite part of the day was splashing of course!

Though a later round of scarf dancing was also pretty popular! Amma has sent Matthew a lot of great books with CDs and now with his new mp3 player from Mas and Pas he's been rocking out (for better or worse!)