National Zoo

Jonah was reading his book about 100 animals on the way to the zoo, so we asked, "which animal would you like to see at the zoo?"  His answer: "ducks!"  And so we found a huge turtle pond with two ducks paddling across - and he was thrilled.

Daddy wanted to see the elephants, pandas and ferrets.  We were lucky to see the elephant and panda (which are not always out!) but the black-footed ferrets were 'coming soon'.  How disappointing!  And misleading, since all the signs pointing to the small mammal house had pictures of ferrets.  We did catch a very active armadillo, which is pretty strange to see.  Did you know armadillos had hairy armpits?  It was scurrying about like a giant bug.  Jonah was mesmerized.

For the Long Ride

We took our first long car trip to visit the cousins (and so Mommy and Daddy could go to Laura & Rob's wedding).  We didn't know how Jonah would take it, since most long trips end with screaming when he is done napping.  So the car was stocked with new toys and books, snacks, the iPad, and DVD player with toddler DVDs.  Long drives are not as easy while playing entertainment director and flight attendant, but Jonah did a good job of reading lots of books and watching Thomas sing alongs.  Much traffic later, we arrived!  Jonah and his cousins went nuts, but only for about 15 minutes before they all crashed into bed.

Boat!

We spent the day up at the lake with newly engaged Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lindsay!  (Congratulations, kiddos!)  They took us out for a ride on the boat, which - after the train incident - we thought might go very badly.  But Jonah took it all in stride, fussing only a little when three adults attacked him with a life jacket.  As we waited on the dock for everyone to be ready Jonah made a B-line for the boat and practically jumped right in.

He loved it!  He took turns sitting in everyone's laps.  His favorite spot was the "driver's seat", which in his experience is on the left side behind the windshield.  So he drove from the glove-box while Captain Uncle Kevin navigated the throttle and wheel.  At one point early on, Jonah decided he was all done, but he came around quickly and enjoyed the rest of the ride.  We pointed and waved at every other boat on the water (and there were lots!) and sang "the motor on the boat goes vroom, vroom, vroom!"  After we docked, Jonah even got his own turn/photo op at the wheel.

Bye-bye, Mama!

Jonah and PopPop dropped Mommy and Daddy off at the airport for a long weekend wedding extravaganza.  Jonah would be vacationing with Grandmama and PopPop while we are away.  We didn't know how the good-byes would go at the airport, but I must say it went a little too well.  I scooped up Jonah for a big hug and kiss, but moments later he was reaching out for PopPop to hold him!  He waved good-bye from PopPop's hip, blew a few kisses, and then marched off to watch airplanes from the viewing deck.  So much for the tearful and anxiety-ridden separation from Mom and Dad!  Jonah is going to be just fine.  Mommy, on the other hand, is feeling overwhelmingly disillusioned.  Jonah clearly doesn't need me anymore!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

Jonah entertained himself at the airport terminal by making friends with every kid under the age of three.  We walked around the gates, Jonah flashing his "I'm cute" smile and waiting for response from the adult passengers or sitting down and helping himself to the toys of the younger flyers.  He even met a little boy from England!  It was nice to see so many families, especially since we had been the only ones on the way out.
Jonah enjoyed quite a potpourri of transportation on the trip.  We drove to the airport, took a plane, ferried over from the airport island, taxied to Aunt Ashley's house, took a bus downtown, rode the streetcar across town, strollered around the city, walked around the park and got carried - a lot.  Phew!  Good to be home!

Jonah's Day with Aunt Ashley and Uncle Leon

After all the adult activity of yesterday, it was nice to have a day full of activities for Jonah.  His Aunt Ashley and Uncle Leon brought us all out for brunch, where the waitress came over with board books and a train whistle to entertain Jonah.  He was mesmerized!  Then we visited the children's area of High Park.  They had a little petting zoo, where Jonah met llamas, a wallaby and some chickens.  We sat on a low wooden crate, Mommy, Jonah, a chicken and a bunny.  All just staring at each other.  After trying to figure out what was sitting next to him, Jonah gently reached out to pet its feathers.  Cute!  Next we visited the large castle playground!  We did all the things parents do to try to make their kid have fun - dragging Jonah across rubber bridges, through tunnels or on the swing.  Jonah's favorites were watching the big kids, tic-tac-toe (he and Daddy tied) and throwing bark chips.

I can't give a full account of Jonah's afternoon and evening, but we hear that he had a wonderful time with his aunt and uncle after Mommy and Daddy left for the wedding.  They took walks in the courtyard and to the park, made pasta for dinner, and watched Madagascar 3!  It was so nice for them all to spend time together without Mommy in the way.  ;-)

Toronto

Jonah was a great sport while we toured Toronto with Daddy's friends, visiting the historic distilleries, market hall and cathedral.  None were particularly baby-friendly places.  While waiting to meet up with some others, Jonah got out of the stroller for some exercise and walked around one of the city's many parks.  He found a table with built-in seats that swiveled a little bit, which made cruising from one to the next particularly challenging, but very fun!  We also met a little girl, who was feeding the pigeons.  She gave some of the seeds to Jonah.  He wasn't quite sure what was going on when Mommy helped fill his palm and release the food onto the ground, but he was soon surrounded by birds!  How fun!  Outside the market we let Jonah taste his first gelato - vanilla and chocolate lovers'.  Mommy just couldn't help sharing.  Naturally, Jonah kept wanting more and more!

We saw Uncle Leon's new office and he took us to a cute little Italian restaurant near his house for dinner.  The waiter and chef were completely confused by their little diner and came to ask (addressed to Uncle Leon) "whether the baby would like a ragu or butter sauce?"  (Mommy's answer: NEITHER!)  They eventually came out with linguini with sauteed spinach.  Not the most kid-friendly plate, but that was excusable compared with the litany of other mistakes: 1. Leon had to remind the waiter to bring my wine, 2.) I received the wrong dish, 3.) the dish I received was not thoroughly cooked, 4.) we had to ask for water, 5.) twice, 6.) water came back warm, 7.) and which dirty glass belonged to whom?, 8.) you forgot Leon's second glass of wine, 9.) replacement dish wasn't so great, 10.) no, we don't want a free dessert, we have a tired baby and need to get out of here before he erupts.

Late that evening, Jonah was up for a late-night drink when Aunt Ashley returned from London!  She brought Jonah a special Peter Rabbit stuffed animal and book with soft fur to touch.

Louis, Louis!

We packed up and flew off to Toronto to visit Aunt Ashley & Uncle Leon!  They were kind enough to host us for the long weekend and play with Jonah while Mommy and Daddy go to a boring-old wedding.  ;-)  Aunt Ashley was away on business until Friday night, but Uncle Leon gallantly stepped up to entertain the in-laws.

Jonah enjoyed seeing Louis, the French bulldog.  They both enjoyed played together, in their own similar, but strange ways.  Jonah and Louis are about the same size, but Louis is all muscle and twice Jonah's weight.  Both would watch one another carefully, and follow if the other was doing something of interest.  Jonah liked all of Louis things (splashing in his water dish, chewing his antler, etc.) and Louis enjoyed all of Jonah's things (stealing his toys and food).  Jonah walked around holding two hands and Louis would come up and lick him in the face!  Poor kid didn't have a free hand to defend himself, but he didn't seem to mind.

Jooooonaaaaah!!!

By Sunday, we were all pretty exhausted.  Jonah fell asleep during Mass at the St. Louis cathedral, slept through a beignet brunch at Cafe Du Monde and took another nap with Grandpa while we ran out for lunch before heading for home.  I suppose he had enough excitement for a while, so sleep won out over seeing the sights!

We were settling into our seats on the return flight when we heard: "Jooooonaaaah!!!"  I looked up, expecting someone from the wedding, and saw Jonah's friends from the plane down to New Orleans!  What a pleasant thing for anyone travelling with an infant to have a baby fan club on board.  When Jonah got tired and cranky of sitting in our laps, we took a walk down the aisle and his friends kept Jonah entertained for a good while.  Thank you, kind strangers!

  

Alligator Nugget

We joined many of the wedding guests for swamp boat rides to meet the alligators and wildlife.  Daddy took off on an airboat tour with an old friend so they could wear goggles and go super fast.  Jonah and Mommy took the slow boat, which was just like the Disney jungle cruise ride without the track.  Terrible jokes included: 'See that alligator with the crooked tail?  We call that "reptile dysfunction"!'  It was very pleasant with a shade canopy and slight breeze.

 

Mommy did not appreciate that the guide kept referring to Jonah and Elena as nuggets for the gators!  Mommy was very cautious about avoiding a Michael Jackson moment, but we did get close to the railing.  Jonah gazed around the boat and canals with great interest.  Later, the guide brought out an alligator head and turtle shell that we could touch (and for Jonah, to taste & "try on") which were much more to his liking.  He makes a cute Ninja-Turtle, no?  Then out came a live gator for everyone to hold and pet!

At the end, we all cooled off in the hotel pool.  It looked like spring break out on the rooftop!

Mini-Groomsman

Jonah was an unofficial wedding attendant at his Aunt Ashley and Uncle Leon's wedding.  He was by far the cutest Groomsman, IMHO.   He dressed up in his little suit with a matching tie that Mommy had made from a tie clip and the back end of an adult tie.

All afternoon, he accompanied the wedding parties, first the men, then the ladies (after nap).  In the salon, we told the stylist he was going for the "Gerber" look - you know the one, with curls behind the ears and on the forehead.  :-)  He was also very helpful with moving the rolling dress rack around the room while the bridesmaids did our make-up and dressed.


Prior to the event, the wedding party did a picture tour around a few blocks of the French Quarter.  The first stops were nice, with everyone well-dressed and in good spirits.  All along the way Jonah was getting progressively more casual, first off with the jacket, then the tie & socks with sleeves rolled up.


By the time we reached Jackson Square, poor Jonah was so hot and flushed.  He very eagerly borrowed a sippy cup for his first gulp of water!  We had some time to cool before the ceremony and Jonah dozed through the vows from Daddy's arms.


At the reception Jonah ate like a king with
his first steak dinner.  My favorite Jonah moment was that as the bride and groom made a tour of the tables and came to us, Jonah improvised "clinking glasses" with his plastic link and a bread plate - and the bride and groom kissed for him!  ...not that he noticed the achieved result.

After dinner, Jonah napped in his carseat, but his cuteness worked against him.  Everyone kept coming over to gawk, flash cameras or poke at him.  Eventually, he and Daddy decided to leave early and go to bed for more peaceful rest while Mommy joined the super-fun second-line parade.

Off to New Orleans!

Jonah was quite the traveler! Terrified of getting "the look", I avoided making eye-contact with our fellow passengers as we boarded the plane.  Jonah, on the other hand, made friends with several middle-aged vacationers sitting a few rows up. They were enjoying a few too many cocktails and kept Jonah occupied with waving and peek-a-boo from behind the seats. It was great! We tried to feed Jonah during take-off and landing, but he was so pre-occupied with looking around the exciting new environment that he hardly drank between flashing the rest of the plane from under my cape. Nevertheless, the pressure, noise and movement didn't seem to bother him a bit. What was upsetting was that the little TVs wouldn't do anything when he touched them, like the iPad and soon 'broke' and stopped flashing pictures altogether!

Jonah did everything perfectly for the wedding rehearsal (his job is to be in Drew's arms).  Afterwards, we took a taxi to the rehearsal dinner at Mulates, but Jonah made it quite clear that he DID NOT want to be in the cab!  I felt so terrible for the family and friends that had shared the ride.  I was pretty sure Jonah was just exhausted, but as soon as we arrived, he stopped crying and perked right up.  He had a wonderful time eating table food (no, we didn't give him the frog or alligator) and dancing to the live music.

 

For more photos from our trip: