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. 

More Fall Fun

Trent had a week break from school, and let me tell you, I think we all were in much need of a break. Trent had taken two exams the week prior which meant lots of studying since August- not fun for anyone. We decided to go down south where the weather was extra warm and discover some new-to-us beaches. Trent's mom flew in because her fall break overlapped with Trent's for the first time ever. We all had a really great time.

Playing dress up at the Children's Museum in Tampa

Two babies in the balls.

We made it all the way down to the Everglades, where we went on an airboat ride.

 Ayla thought it was pretty neat, TJ on the other hand was terrified.

Our driver stopped the boat to feed his pet gator.

We walked down a boardwalk in the Everglades and got eaten by gnats.

We pet birds.

And held a gator.

Our shuttle through the mangro trees to get to the beach.

Ayla seemed to love everything about the beach.

TJ loved this little community sand area for the kids.
Endless buckets and plenty of shade- he played there for hours.

We got an up close view of the dolphins on our boat ride in the Tampa Bay.

The weather was perfect for the beach- so that's where we spent most of our days.

TJ had nightmares about birds during our last night so he moved from his crib to Grandma Doodle's bed.

We headed straight to Tallahassee from Naples where Trent did a rotation at a pediatric clinic. It was so nice to be there with friends and family, especially during all the Halloween fun.

My mom took us to this pumpkin patch in the city

We went during preschool- my mom's little school she does with Rex.

Ayla loves to smile at the camera

The pumpkin lady and her pumpkin trunk at the trunk-or-treat.

Cupcake walk

A hayride with all the big kids- TJ loves Andrew and Warner.

The two cats! Rylee is the best at holding Ayla.

We had a bonfire at my parent's house after the trunk-or-treat.

On Halloween night we went trick-or-treating.
Candace and Brittany were awesome and dressed up.

Walking from house to house.

Trick-or-treating.

Ayla was just along for the ride- no candy yet.

More trick-or-treating.

When we got home TJ immediately sorted his candy- I think lollipops were his favorite.