We ventured down to Riviera Beach in mid-January to celebrate Dad’s 80th birthday with a luncheon cruise on Lake Worth. This was one of the few times we got all the family together, including Len, proving that Len met Allie (though there is no direct evidence that Sue was there).
Len and Laurie 
Helen, Dad, Mom, Maggie 
Indirect evidence that Allie met Len 
Sue, from around the same time
Allie was by now in her “terrible twos” which we were happy to find were not so terrible. Potty training went relatively well and was ultimately successful, we’re glad to say. Barb would like you to note the wallpaper in our guest powder room, one of her favorites. This was one of the wallpapers we selected through our interior design friends in Ellicott City.
A little privacy, please! 
Just sittin’ and thinkin’ 
Catching some zzz’s later
Pictures from Betsy, dated January 18, 1998. I’m not sure of the occasion that warranted a pizza party with the Embreys and the Franks. Not even sure of the location. Maybe a belated birthday party for Dayva?
Dayva, Sara, Bobo, Kristen 
All, plus Allie 
In early February, we went with the Harders to celebrate Chinese New Year in Philadelphia. It seems to me we stayed there overnight and went to a nice restaurant on Saturday night (Ashley got a babysitter for the kids?), then did New Years on Sunday, the 8th. Philly’s Chinatown was a bit larger than DC’s. We found a restaurant for dim sum and enjoyed the parade of lion dancers.
At some point in the winter, we visited Gerard and Chris at their new house in Columbia. It was a very nice place in the River Hill neighborhood; we ended up stealing a number of design ideas from them for our Pfefferkorn house. From around the same time, here’s a photo of Barb at a work function of one sort or another, though the gents are a bit casual.
With Chris G at their new house 
This was Chris’s office downstairs, before they added a porch and landscaping. 
Tony, Jeff M, Don and Barb. Who looks the most professional?
In February, we had an outing to DC with the Harders. I don’t think it was a special occasion, just a nice day on the Mall…maybe President’s Day. Can you tell Ashley was pregnant at the time?
Allie on the Mall 
Allie and Maddie 
They’re loose! 
Come back! 
Time to go get them. 
The carousel outside the Smithsonian castle was always a favorite destination.
Going very fast!
In March, we were back down in Riviera Beach to see Grandmom and Grand Pop for Spring Break. We were there in time to see a spring training baseball game at Roger Dean Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals against someone.
Got in a little pool time at Grandmom’s
More scenes from Paddington, winter/spring of 1998.
Allie video, March 11, 1998, Somersaults (1:33).
Gymnastics in the living room. (It’s really all about static hair.)
Sunglasses were a popular accessory.
April brought Easter which we celebrated at Paddington with the Embreys, the Harders and Leila. The day before Easter, we had some fun with Allie at home. Herewith, a selection of Allie’s greatest musical hits:
Allie video, April 11, 1998, Music (5:56).
Allie shows off her considerable music skills on piano, guitar and singing.
Allie video, April 11, 1998, Outside (10:18).
Allie makes some fun for herself in the back yard…because I’m not much help.
On Easter Sunday, our guests arrived. First, a set of Embrey individual photos in our family room.
Easter egg hunt and photo ops in our backyard.
Reading with Leila 
Maybe reviewing the rules of the hunt 
The hunt is on! 
Find those eggs 
Allie and Kristen (click for both) 
Maddie has some eggs 
Maddie and Larry 
Go stand by the tulips 
Playing in the bird bath 
Joe introduces golf to Sara and Maddie. The rough was a little thick.
Now you can tell Ashley’s pregnant 
Just after Easter, our cherry tree at Paddington came into full bloom. Time for more photos to send to Grandmom.
The winner
Later in April, I attended a telecom conference in Paris for the better part of a week, after which I was able to bring Barb over for a short vacation. It was more or less a celebration of my 40th birthday and our 15th anniversary. My conference was at a business hotel near Montparnesse and I don’t recall getting out of the hotel much, but I was saving my exploring until Barb came.
Barb, who lately remembered more of the trip than I did, was able to get Gloria to look after Allie for a few days at our house (Gloria liked trading her two kids for our one…it was a mini-vacation for her, too), after which Betsy took Allie for a couple more days. I was able to get Barb in business class for the trip over, thanks to United points. I met her at DeGaulle Airport early on Sunday morning; I took the train to the airport but we decided to take a bus back to my business hotel before checking into a nicer hotel for our vacation. We wandered the airport a bit looking for the right bus, ended up getting on one and never figured out how to pay for it. One way or another, they let us off near enough to the right place. We weren’t quite the experienced travelers I liked to think we were.
For the vacation we stayed at a small hotel in Saint Germain; I think it was the Relais Christine. I’d picked it out of a guidebook and it turned out to be a very good choice — romantic, convenient and very pleasant.
It was just a couple of blocks from the Seine, not far from Notre Dame and near lots of great restaurants and wandering streets. It was Barb’s first time in Paris and we set out to see the sights. Our first stop was Notre Dame where we climbed the stairs for an impressive, if gray, view of the city.
Atop Notre Dame 
We crossed the Seine and spent some hours at the Louvre; Barb was not greatly impressed by the Mona Lisa.
Crossing the Seine…Pont Neuf? 
Mona Lisa…eh
Later, we saw the Eiffel Tower, though I think we only went up to the first observation deck (how can there be no photos?). We made our way to the Flame of Liberty which had become a memorial to Princess Diana who died near there about six months earlier. Barb reminded me of going into a little bistro near the hotel one night and finding no English on the menu nor willingness to speak it from the waiter. We navigated as best as we could in French and ended up having a delicious meal, though we’re really not sure what we got. All in all, it was a very delightful short trip and a fine birthday celebration.
Near Place de Concorde 
In the Luxembourg Gardens? 
Tour Eiffel 
Flame of Liberty and Diana tributes
Back at home, a few shots with Allie in the kitchen at Paddington.
Allie’s fish face 
A series of photos resulting in one of our favorites.
Such a cutie!
Some photos from Betsy, in preparation for and then celebration of Sara’s 7th birthday at their home in Countryside.
Sleepover in late April 
Fred and Fran send greetings from Montana 
Getting the party started 
Roomful of folks, including Joe’s parents, Deanna, Ann Walters and more 
Kristen ready to party; not sure who the guy is on left 
Joe and Barb on cake duty 
Time for cake; Kristen is not happy about something.
I’m not sure who the three guests are.
In May, Joe turned 40 and Betsy threw a bash for him at their house. This is one of the few periods when Joe was clean shaven and had no glasses; it’s not a problem, he just looks different.
Over the hill, get it? 
40th birthday cake
Hanging out at Joe’s party.
In June, we visited the Harders at their Federal Hill house and welcomed new baby Phil.
Harder family photos, with and without Allie.
This sequence may look a little artsy, but it’s only because the shutter on my camera was progressively closing, unknown to me.
On June 13 we were back at home. I had some time with Allie (while Barb took a nap, sort of) and pulled out the video camera.
Allie video, June 13, 1998, Happy Anniversary (1:20).
Allie wishes Happy Anniversary to Grandma and Grandpop.
Allie video, June 13, 1998, Babysitting (10:05).
Bill demonstrates his babysitting skills with Allie while Barb takes a nap. A very busy girl.
Also in June, we celebrated Kristen’s third birthday at Chuck E. Cheese’s in Virginia, one of our few Chuck E. Cheese forays. It was a strange place but fun for the kids.
We’ll end this post with an undated shot of Allie and Bobo painting together in the basement of the Franks’ house. Allie was spending less time at the Franks at this point, but they still got together.
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