Chicago in November

I made a spur of the moment visit to Chicago the weekend prior to Thanksgiving this year to visit my friend Elizabeth. Liz has 2 girls- 23 month old Maggie and 6 month old Isabel. Here's Isla and Maggie on our Girls' Breakfast morning walk.

This trip marked a first for me- first time traveling by plane with Isla on my own. Jason was on a business trip and met us in Chicago. Non-stop travel with Isla is definitely doable. We spent a lot of time hangin' out inside and letting the girls play. Below is a photo of Isla and me, Liz and her 2 girls, and Jenny and Ellie. This is the best we could get for a group shot.

We made an exciting trip to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which included adventures with strollers on the bus. Below Maggie and Isla discuss butterflies in the butterfly room.

This picture is just so sweet to me, because if you compare the photo directly below to the last photo of Liz and I- Maggie is just about a 1/2 head talker than Isla, as Liz is to me.

On this trip I also got to see my friend Megan who helped us out on the big trip to the museum. Megan makes everything fun.

I also got to spend some time with my brother Jon who lives in Chicago, but we did not photograph him. So many friends and brother to see in Chicago- I must go back again soon!

Isla Rose, 20 months old

Isla has definitely reached new levels of understanding. She understands what we are saying most of the time, we can give her directions and she follows, she answers yes- "dah" with one quick head nod and "no" with shakes of head. She sometimes "chats" on the phone, or tells stories in baby babble. She knows and recognizes more friends and familiar people. I can tell her where we are going and who she will see- and she is excited for the next adventure.

Isla still gets impatient with car rides around town. But she has been very entertained by signing "stop" at red lights and "go" for green. Sometimes she thinks I should blow a red light and go anyway, or plow into stopped cars ahead of me.

Swimming- Isla and I had been doing once a week Mommy and Me swim lessions through the summer, and I noticed at some point she regressed and really didn't like going under the water anymore. So, I decided to enroll her in more intense 5 day a week lessons at "Ms. Diana's" house. Now I have a little fish! Isla loves to swim and has no problem pushing off the wall or jumping off the steps to swim to me. I am truly amazed at her ability to swim at such a young age.