Ayla's 14th Month

Ayla is really starting to show a social personality. She loves to give hugs and kisses; she lights up when I ask for one and almost never lets me down. Her favorite game is to go back-and-forth between me and someone else, giving hugs/being held. Sometimes she will go around the room giving huggs to everyone. And she has no problem letting people she hardly knows hold her. It is interesting, though, because there are some people that she is automatically scared of, and other people that she is instantly in love with (to the point she will beg for those individuals to hold her). She holds a special place in her heart for her Daddy and Kaeme, and of course she sorta likes her mama, too.

She is an observational little girl, and when she hears something in another room she will peek her head around the corner to see what's going on. She loves books, but will only let you read about 1.25 pages before she is ready to hop off your lap and pick out another (I think her favorite part is picking out the book). She loves little bottles of lotion, shampoo, etc. and has learned how to open the flip cap with her teeth. So far we haven't had any lotion-dispersed-disasters but it seems imminent. 

This month she was tall enough/smart enough to figure out how to climb on and off the couch, and has since been experimenting with other obstacles (chairs, stools, toy chests, etc). She also likes to climb in and out of her little chair, and was doing it all month with the happiest grin on her face, but I have yet to pull out the camera to capture it. The camera was handy, however, on our trips, outings, and Easter, so that's what we have pictures of... 

Ayla wants to like splash parks, but she doesn't. She inches towards the water, then, after it splashes her, she turns around and squeals with her shoulders shrugged to her ears. She does this over and over again. 

Here she is doing the shoulder shrug after running through the sprinklers during our parking lot pool party.

She also likes to get really close to puddles of water? She does this all the time!!

Ayla definitely was in on the ballon fun.

Hiding in the ballons.

Trent's sister made this cute panda hat for Ayla's birthday. It came in handy during our surprisingly cold March.

Ayla loves to receive love and attention, especially from brother.

Here's the two of them just before entering the Jacksonville Zoo.

EASTER

Walgreens free Easter picture day! ha

Ayla and Ella Grace giving hugs just prior to the egg hunt.

TJ and Ayla in their matching easter outfits, except it was freezing so we had to add layers.

I threw her dress together out of an old tank and a blanket sized scarf that I never used.

I love how Ayla get's excited about the little things, like being outside and walking around.

She was obsessed with Kim and would not let poor Kim put her down.

She was probably thinking, "go ahead Mom, I'm waiting here for Kim!"

I was surprised with Ayla's egg hunting skills- she knew to pick up the eggs,

And put them in her basket.

And she thought it was great fun! I was not expecting that at all.

She didn't, however, know how to open the eggs- that's the best part!

Discovering their baskets, just before church.

It was hard to squeeze everything in before morning church, so here is the best we could get of them dressed in their Easter outfits.

Ayla hunted for more eggs with Sophia and TJ after church.

When TJ unwrapped her bunny and handed it over, (instead of grabbing it) she dove in mouth first.

We picnicked in the park with the Bennums, here's the kids doubling up on the swings.

Jeff chased Cheyenne and TJ around the park, and Ayla chased Jeff. She couldn't get enough of him.

By the end of our trip to the park, all the kids were covered in dirt, especially their faces.

Ayla practiced her climbing skills at the museum. 

DISNEY

After finding out about the Florida resident deal we decided to tag along with our friends to Disney.

And I am so glad we did- it was Amazing.

We took the boat over just after the park opened.

It was a low-crowd day so we did very little of this (waiting in line).

And lots of this (rides). Trent is showing the kids where we are now (it's a small world) and where we are going next. 

Ayla enjoyed chomping on her own apple during It's a small world

Of course Ayla begged Jeff to hold her, and he was too nice to not give in.

Ayla found the only dirty puddle at disney and splashed around in it.

She is a messer and sometimes a stinker, but I sure do love my baby girl.