Grandmama, Picasso, a Duck

Grandmama came to visit this weekend, and Sylvia decided to show off by pushing the cow around the neighborhood in her wagon. Grandmama and the cow were quite impressed.



Though we're not sure what, there's something in this photo that says, 'Picasso'.

On Saturday, we turned the car seat around. Sylvia commented that it was a whole new world, and that she was going to try looking at everything from a new perspective. The stroller, for instance, which she will walk behind from now on.


Saturday evening, Darcie and Chris went to the wedding of Stefani Foster and Danny LaBrecque. It took place a little north of Chicago in a community called Prairie Crossing. The ceremony was beautiful, and the reception included an Elvis impersonator. We got to hang out with a lot of friends that we don't see very often (other than just Elvis). People came from as far away as Paris.


As is customary for Sunday morning, we dressed Sylvia up as a duck. The costume was a gift from Uncle Will and Aunt Heather. Sylvia says, "Many thanks!"

Sylvia's Menu - She's Healthier Than We Are

Sylvia's menu today:

Breakfast - Oatmeal with molasses and bananas and organic whole milk
Snack - Plain yogurt with sliced strawberries
Lunch - Grilled cheese on whole wheat with asparagus
Snack - Black beans, quinoa, and banana puree (from Happy Baby found in your grocer's freezer)
Dinner - Vegetarian lasagna with white beans, spinach, kale, carrots, and mushrooms (while she won't typically eat these vegetables independently, she'll gobble them up in lasagna or soup)

Sylvia's schedule today:
6:30 am - get up, nurse
7:00 am - open all of the kitchen cabinets while mom and dad make breakfast
7:15 am - get frustrated that mom and dad are taking so long to make breakfast
7:30 am - eating oatmeal, feeling content
7:50 am - saying "good luck to mom" (Mom had a job interview today)*
8:00-12:00 pm - fun play day with Dad!
12:00 pm - met mom at train and went home for lunch
1:00 pm - nap
2:30-5:00 pm - play
5:00 pm - dinner with Amrick (3) and Wesley (6 months)
6:30 pm - bath
7:00 pm - bed time


*I interviewed for a part-time position consulting in Chicago-area public pre-schools. Chris stayed home to watch Sylvia and I should hear in a few weeks whether or not I am a potential candidate for one of the positions.

The New Experiment for Mam-Mam

This is a test to see if I can emerge into the world of blogging. Since I'm rather reticent about technology and rely heavily on the knowledge of my super-computer of a husband, I've fallen behind and I'm slowly digging my way back out. (I even made a page on Facebook and I got a cell phone that is in color - still doesn't have a camera or anything fancy and I refuse to text message.) Plus, as any other narcissistic parent, I figure my little monkey, Sylvia, should have not one, but two blogs documenting and commenting on her every little fascinating detail of her life. Now, our families can learn about Sylvia's day-to-dayness through the eyes of her "Mam-Mam" as Chris has been actively maintaining the other site.

Who We Are

We got to thinking. What if a thousand years from now, aliens are investigating the Earth to see what all the fuss was about? How do we want to be remembered? Well, we here at Sylvia & Company decided to compile a little digital time capsule. For the aliens. Below are a few photos taken over the weekend that we think capture who we are.


Sylvia wears her monkey hat while digging through a box of old clothing.
Note for aliens: Monkey hats are not standard issue. They are very special.


A pretty typical dinner.
Note for aliens: Between hard boiled eggs and pasta, always choose pasta. Between pasta and Cheerios - a toss up.


Sylvia in her play outfit: a nice dress and Uggs.
Note for aliens: Every girl must have a few pairs of Uggs, and sometimes girls get prunes on their dresses (it comes out though).


Sylvia puts her bonnet on Chris and then climbs on him at the beach.
Note for aliens: Sand has a way of getting into everything.


A map of Sylvia's path while walking with her walking wagon thing (we need to decide on a name for that thing).
Note for aliens: Drawing is not to scale.

We hope you have enjoyed this little taste of our lives. Please leave any notes for the aliens in the comments.

Sincerely, Sylvia & Company

A Few New Movies

Today's double feature includes "Ahhhh and Arrrrr" and "Walking with a Little Help". Take a look. We hope you enjoy!

Back to the Beach

Sylvia and Darcie spent the afternoon at the beach with Zella Rose and Manda who biked up from Rogers Park. With no life guards on duty, the girls tore up the beach and chased a few sea gulls. We can't wait to see Sylvia on the beach next summer. She really loves the sand and water. We feel lucky that she loves to interact with the world so much.

The weather has been amazing, though the days are getting noticeably shorter.


Did you ever think you would see Sylvia in a bonnet? This is one of those rare photos that you might not ever see again. The moment did not last long.


Zella Rose and Sylvia admire Chris' new bike wheel. His old one was stolen outside of the YMCA. Yes, that's a new chain, too!

Look, Mom. No hands!

She ate her whole lunch this way.