Impressions 5

Finley, Victoria, and I have been enjoying the fact that I have a few weeks off for Winter Break.  That means we've all been able to have a little family fun.  Yesterday, for example, we went to Impressions 5, a children's science center in Lansing with a mission to help kids of all ages experience the scientific wonders of the world.

Visit their website:  http://impression5.org/

Their "First Impressions" room was perfect for Finley. 

He loved all the mirrors!

Handrails at the perfect height.

Racecars zooming down a track.

The padded tunnels were no end of fun!

And, by chance, we met Finley's friend Samara there with her mother, Molly.

Peek-a-boo!

We all enjoyed our time at First Impressions so much that we decided to buy a year's membership so that we can go back any time.  We figure it's a great way to fight a long, cold Michigan winter.

Secretly, I just can't wait for Finley to get a little older so I can enjoy some of the bigger kids' activities at Impressions 5.  In particular, I'm looking forward to...

Lego-Palooza Day!

The "Gross-ology" Exhibit, with such
fun activities as Urine: The Game,
Snot Guy, and the Barf Exhibition.

Most of all, I'm stoked for Trebuchet
Day, when competitors see whose
trebuchet (a.k.a. "catapult") can hurl
a bowling ball the farthest!

Anyway, we hope Impressions 5 will continue to bring this smile to Finley's face for many months and years to come!  And we also have two free passes, so if anyone wants to check it out with us, just let us know!

Does it get cuter than this?

Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind!

With a deep sense of dread, I have been waiting for the winters of Michigan. For about six months now, I have wondered: What will I do when it snows out and I'm stuck indoors with the baby?  Where will I go when it's freezing cold outside?  I hate the cold -- how will I endure the winters of Michigan?

Well, I should have just taken a chill pill (as my 8th-grade self would have said).  First of all, for myself, there is no need to fear being cold.  I don't take buses or the subway anymore, so there is really no extended standing-outside-in-the-freezing-cold times like I had in Seoul for the past three years.  Second, I am always carrying at least 30 pounds around, and let me tell you, that warms you up. And finally, it's gorgeous here in the snow!

See for yourself:

Good morning, white world!  Finley was fascinated with the snow. (But not so fascinated that he didn't cry when I put him in it in our back yard later that day). 

bushes 

berries

porch

Here's the kicker, too: people are used to cold weather, and there is plenty to do with a baby.  Heck, just letting him crawl all over the bookstore in town is good enough for both of us on a cold, snowy afternoon.

Milestones...

A number of Finley's major milestones -- first teeth, crawling, pulling himself up to a standing position -- have come and gone in the month of November, and -- unfortunately -- we haven't done a great job of keeping the blog quite up to speed.

So here's a November photo & video retrospective to fill you all in on what you've missed!

For starters, he's learned to channel Elton John...

And (much to his father's delight) enjoys
playing (read "pounding on") the guitar.

He got into his first fight.  (Actually, he just had some
beets for dinner.  Or, as Victoria joked, "He got 'beet' up.")

He learned to drink from a cup (with help).

He learned how to crawl... though not at first.

Not quite...

That's it!

He learned to pull himself up to a standing position.
(Don't worry.  We've since raised the crib railing.)

He's started wearing shoes.

He's made some new friends. 

And he celebrated his first Thanksgiving.
(More on that to come.)