Ayla's Tenth Month

Our sweet baby girl is ten months old today. She is still just as happy as can be and brings so much joy to our little family. She gets so excited to see a familiar face, which makes us all feel so special. I see her enthusiastically playing with a ball and I think, "wow, she loves balls!" and then I see her going crazy over a doll and I think, "oh wow, she really likes that doll!" Sure enough she is just a smiley little girl who gets excited over the little things. Some other little things that really seem to delight her are: food, being picked up, attention from TJ, breathing the outside air when it is cold, books, balloons, and standing up.

Ayla is too often the victim of TJ's mischief. She is usually giggling while being picked on, until I raise my voice with TJ and she looks up at me, like "What? We are just having fun!"

Enjoying the ride to her first football game.

It was a nice day, and although it was the last home game of a great season, it wasn't very crowded. We sat with our friends, the Sanders, and had a fun time catching up with them.

While we were in Tallahassee we tried to take family pictures of all the grandchildren. Miss Rylee is so sweet to Ayla.

Ayla learned how to wave this month. She does the back-and-forth wave, the folding-hand wave, and even the beauty queen twist. She is one talented waver.

All eight cousins, except Dana and Andy's baby girl who is due in May.

The following weekend we took some of them to the mall to see Santa. I have always thought Ayla loves to be held by anyone. Santa proved to be the exception. She held it together for a minute and just softly whimpered...

But after a few minutes of us taking pictures, and not taking her off this strange man's lap, she completely lost it.

The cousins had fun piling into the double car stroller and pushing each other around the mall.

Kalil is such a good helper with Ayla, she patiently fed Ayla a huge batch of pears until they were all gone.

We were sad to take them to the airport and see them leave, but we had fun while waiting in the park-n-wait lot before their departure. It was so hot Kalil decided to roll up her clothes and work on her tan.

Kalil and Ayla, and TJ obliviously running in front of the camera.

Saying our good byes.

But hopefully we will see them again soon!

When we got home we decorated for Christmas. It is so fun to have a lit tree with shiny balls to look at.

And eat.

There it is. 

Typical Ayla- putting things in her mouth. We sectioned off a square of our living room with the couches so that she has a space to safely play with her toys (and not the Christmas balls, or the countless other chocking hazards she seems to create) and learn to walk. She loves to crawl to the middle of the room and stand up and sit back down. Over and over again. She is very steady on her feet so I am sure she will be walking in no time. In fact, Trent claims she took her very first step to him this evening while I was out.

TJ's 30th Month

Our two and a half year old is a silly one. He's a bit OCD about doing things on his own and germs. When he gets his mind set on something- nothing comes between him and getting it done. He still loves to help, and will often anticipate what I am about to do and rush to do it before me. He is very into racing and on a  regular basis will say, "Mommy, you beating me!" even when we are in no sort of racing environment i.e. casually walking next to each other in a store.

TJ walks just like his dad, looks a lot like his dad, and bugs people for fun exactly like his dad, but he has something in common with me too- if he doesn't get his sleep, or enough food in his belly, he is a total grouch. 

Being a boy at the Santa Fe Zoo with Julian and Joshua.

Walking like an alligator at the zoo playgroup.

At the zoo playground with Abby.

TJ's giggle face.

Slam dunk fail. Boy still loves to play basketball.

Blowing leaves in the backyard.

At the homecoming parade

Amazed by the sights and sounds.

I made a duck tape road for him to drive his cars on and Trent helped him fill it in with a whole town of block houses, schools, and stores.

Riding his bike at the park.

He never gets bored of pedaling.

We took both kids to a football game in the Swamp.

TJ thought it would be a good idea to put his head in the gators mouth.

Trent carried both children. 

Cleaning the potty and loving it.

Roger and the Mini-Roger

Walking Anna with Kaeme, Kalil, and Ayla- a favorite activity in Tallahassee

My mom made a race track by sweeping part of the leaves- brilliant. 

We were sick with lingering colds for a large portion of the past month, but thanks to lots of help from family, we were able to rest up and at least TJ is completely back to normal. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Tallahassee with all of my family and some friends. We also made another trip up to see Warner's baptism. We just got home yesterday and are settling down for two short weeks before our big Christmas trip to Vegas. I need your address for Christmas cards so send me an email or post it in the comment section. Thanks!

Ayla's Ninth Month

Ayla turned one month older today, and with it came her very first tooth. You can't quite see anything yet, but this morning you could definitely feel some little teeth poking out of her lower gums. She is also starting to get a bit of hair on her head, although it's also hard to see :) 

I think the most common thing I say to Ayla is a drawn out "Hey :)" which causes a huge grin to come over her face every single time without fail. I might be imagining things but I'm pretty sure Ayla has been saying lots of happy "hey"s to me too. She was so excited in the bathroom at church last week when she heard her echo for the first time. She started going crazy laughing and making all sorts of noises at the top of her lungs. What a fun, happy girl she is.

She is such a brave little girl, and continues to eat everything you put in her mouth, both of which qualities we love to point out to TJ when he says he is scared, or struggles to eat what is on his plate. TJ has gone from calling her "A-ya" to now "A-wa" but his nickname for her is "Rosie" and "baby girl." Trent and I have other nicknames for her like "Ayla Mayla" and "Miss Rose." Today Trent called her "Ayla Mayla," and TJ was quick to say, "No Daddy, it's Rosie."

This month we started to give Ayla food from our plate.
Here she is enjoying her very first macaroni and cheese!

While in Tallahassee we went to the FSU basketball preseason opener.

Rylee was her usual helpful self and held Ayla during the game.

Ayla is starting to take steps with TJ's old walker.
She has also stood on her own a few times.

We went to the UF homecoming parade with our new neighbors, the Brienholts, and the Sirmans.

At the parade with my matching babies

Judy and Wes bought this cute outfit for Ayla when they went to China this summer.
TJ insisted on wearing the matching shorts so that he could be in the picture too.

TJ plays so rough with Ayla, but she seems to love it.
She is such a giggly girl, especially when big brother is acting goofy,
putting pillows on her head or wrestling her to the ground.

We did playgroup at the Santa Fe Zoo. 

Afterwards I took pictures of the kids in their stripes.

Love our little Rosie

TJ's 29th Month

TJ is our little mess maker. I tell him to go wash his hands and I find him stripped of clothes sitting inside a bubbled-over sink. But as much as he loves to make messes he also appreciates a clean space and knows where everything belongs when cleaning up. This past month he has turned into a bit of germaphobe when it comes to sharing spoons and cups. He will look at his spoon and ask, "Mommy, you eat right there?" after I take the first bite of his yogurt or when Ayla puts her mouth on his sippy cup he gets upset and says "Ayla touch right there." He has started to say "mhm" and "uhun" instead of "yes" and "no." On several occasions (usually when trying to avoid taking a nap) he will say, "Mommy, I want to talk to you" and then will tell me something random like, "I like school with Kaeme." 

Painting a ghost at Kaeme's school 

Helping Kaeme wash her car

And then he strips down and washes himself

He loves to get in Ayla's face and smile

Every time we go to the gym he asks to drive to the end of the parking lot to see the tractors.

On Saturday he got an up close look at the tractors with Trent.

He went to Trent's school to have his teeth cleaned.
He was so good in the chair and loved all the praises he received in return.
Between the bouncy ball he got at our friend Craig's dental office in Texas, and the fun glasses he wore at Trent's school, TJ loves the dentist and is always asking to go back. Not to mention the fact that he still loves tooth paste and brushing his teeth. 

He was also awesome when getting his first paid haircut.
Trent's friend, Don, who cuts Trent's hair, gave TJ a new shorter do.

If this smile isn't enough to make me smile on a regular basis, the things that come out of it are sure to do the trick.