November Began With Teddy Roosevelt

So November has also come and gone. Time to catch up!


The boy and I spent a morning on Theodore Roosevelt Island at the beginning of November. It's a beautiful, quiet little island in the middle of the Potomac River with a memorial to the "Trust Buster" in the center. Tommy inserted himself into a game of hide and seek that a group of kids were playing in and around the memorial. It turned out to be a fun way to spend a chilly morning.

Later on last month, T took to sweeping the back patio. He's hired!

His cousins Luke and Sophie from Denver came to the East Coast to visit friends and family and to experience Ben's Chili Bowl. Tommy played host in his hood and showed them what chili half-smokes are all about on U Street.

Lola came up to visit her little guy, and we took a trip down to the National Mall to ride the carousel.

Papa and son rode first and got a sticker to show for it.

After seeing how much fun her own son and grandson had, Lola couldn't resist getting her own ticket and riding herself! With tears of joy in her eyes, she saddled up and enjoyed yeehawing with her little partner on her very first carousel ride.

And then it was time to kick the ol' football around. That's international football (soccer), not American football, folks...

And on another fine November day, the family headed out to Mitchell Park in DC for some playground fun. It was then that we decided it was time to cut the boy's hair. No longer did his beautiful curls activate in the heat and humidity of the DC summer. His hairdo had evolved into a kind of scraggly mullet, and it was time to end that unfortunate look, despite its 1980's appeal.

So Tommy got BUZZED! And started sporting his Papa's haircut.

After that emotional event, we headed down to North Carolina to visit our friends the Rhees. Callie and Tommy shared a swing, and we all had a great time. Our fall visit to Carrboro is becoming a tradition...


And speaking of traditions, we headed down to Richmond for Thanksgiving. Here's a pic of the Zwicker clan gathered 'round the table.

And of course, T and David had a grand time running laps through the house and then playing in the leaves in the backyard.

All grown up! Look how different they look from last year:

After all the family fun, we stopped by Virginia Center Commons for a Christmas concert. Tommy's Pop was playing, and he couldn't have been more excited to see his grandfather play in a real live band. Pop even broke form a bit to glance and smile Tommy's way. Very cute!