Cheerio Gorgers!

Today, my Nana and Grampy Pete headed home to the great white north after a wonderful visit, which happened to include my first (American) Thanksgiving. While I couldn't partake in the turkey or stuffing, I did get a chance to try something new. Cheerios. Yummy. It's taking some time to learn to pick them up, put them in my mouth and chew and swallow. It's more complicated than you think, but I'm practicing.

Here are some photo highlights from my week with the grandparents. We went on lots of walks and I even got to go jogging (in the comfort of my stroller) with Grampy Pete.

A Thanksgiving puppet show by Grampy Pete.

Checking out the puppets with Nana.

A silly Thanksgiving Day pose.

I'm having a great time, as usual!

Santa Claus is coming to town

My uncle Braden does plenty of cool drawings and he's started making and selling t-shirts. Here's me in a onesie he made just for me.

My Nana and Grampy Pete arrived on Saturday. We've been having lots of fun and I've enjoyed showing off my skills of banging on things.

Sunday we went downtown and managed to catch Columbia's version of the Santa Claus parade. Here are some pictures of all the excitement.
I've never been to any other parades so I have nothing to compare this one too. This particular parade consisted mostly of junior high bands and local businesses tossing candy from vans.
We did see Miss Rocheport, although I don't know how hard it is to become a 'Miss Something' in a town of 200 people. Also, there was some excitement when some people in the parade ran around with office carts in a little routine. It's hard to explain, you know, you really had to be there. Some things you just have to see for yourself.

(CORRECTION: Apparently, I was seeing a book cart drill team. This is, apparently, a thing now. Check it out for yourself and I think you'll understand why my humble words couldn't do it justice.)
Me and Grampy Pete with a 'float' behind us. Like I said, much of the parade consisted of people driving in vans.
Mom, Dad and I at the parade. No pictures of me and the big guy himself, but I did see Santa and Mrs. Claus. They waved at me. I hope Santa brings me a pony.

Walking home from the parade.


Relaxing after a long day on the couch with Grampy Pete.

More Journeys with George in Chicago

Me about to enjoy some sweet potato in our hotel room

Some weird sea monster at the Shedd aquarium

Me riding an elephant at a Thai restaurant

Some langurs at the zoo

Me and Mom about to enter the Shedd aquarium. They had a special Komodo Dragon exhibit going on.

This is me getting really excited by the jumping dolphins

A baby beluga!

Penguins!

Walking in the park with Dad.



Mom and Dad and some art.

Just me being cute.

Sleeping in.

A Brachiosaurus and his distant relative.

Mom hiding behind some art.
Me and Mom in Grant Park.

A weird art display in Millenium Park.

Young George in Old Chicago

I wanted to do some blogging from the road but the wireless in our room wasn't working so here's an extra long, special edition, Journeys with George blog entry.

We had a great location and view form our hotel. This photo was taken nearby. We were also upgraded when we got there so we had a view of the lake from our hotel window.

On our first night, it was my mom's birthday so we went out for dinner at a tapas place. Mom and dad said it was really good. My mom got a neckace and my ultrasound pictures in an album.

The next day, my dad went to work at the Field Museum while my mom and I explored Chicago. We went to the Art Institute of Chicago and saw many great works of art. Then we walked through a park over to the Field Museum. We saw Sue the T-Rex and walked through the hall of evolution and looked at animals.

Saturday I went out for a walk in the city with my mom and dad. This is me in a crazy sculpture in the park across the street from our hotel.

Here's my mom and I by the art gallery.

Here's my dad and I hanging out in a local park.

Here's a shot of me being a very good boy like I was for the whole trip.

We saw this cool exhibit called 'Arctic Soundscape' that projected noises from the Arctic across the park. Here we are standing underneath the speakers.
Saturday afternoon, on our way to visiting our friends Ron and Julia, we stopped at the Lincoln Park zoo. Here are some monkeys we saw.

Saturday night, our lake view paid off because we saw some fireworks from our window. Don't know what they were for but we got a great show.

Sunday, before we headed home, we made a last stop at the Shedd Aquarium. This was probably my favourite part. I really enjoyed checking out all the fish. We went to a dolphin show. I had a wonderful time and bounced every time I saw a dolphin. At the end, they played music and the dolphins jumped out the water. I was so excited and bounced and yelled at the dolphins the whole time.

I also got to see some belugas and there was a baby beluga there, too.

And what would any trip be without a souvenir? Here I am asleep with my new beluga heading out of the aquarium.

What's up?!

Well, I've been neglectful of my blog lately but we (and by we, I mean my parents) have had lots to do lately thanks to some issues around the house, including:

1. A gas leak, which while on the outside of our house, still occasionally made our place smell like gas.
2. The gas being shut off, for when they fixed the leak, they left the gas off and left. So we were without heat and a working stove for a while until they made it back to our place to turn it back on.
3. Our washing machine breaking and it's still not fixed. Not so good with a baby and a trip planned.

So unfortunately, blogging has taken a back seat to being on hold with the gas company, appliance repair company and landlady.

Speaking of our trip, we leave for Chicago tomorrow. So get ready for the second 'Journeys with George' installment. We have plenty of activities planned, including trips to the Field Museum, the aquarium and the zoo. I'll have lots of pictures and stories to share with you soon.

Speaking of pictures, the ones I posted today are courtesy of my Grampa who took these when he was visiting a couple of weeks ago.