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.

Happy Halloween

All the children were sitting in a circle at church telling each other what they were going to be for Halloween. Finally it was TJ's turn to share with everyone what he was going to dress up as. "A god!" he confidently exclaimed.  Surprised by his response, the nursery leader asked, "Okay... what type of god? An Egyptian god? A Roman god? What type of god are you going to be?" "A puppy god!"
Yppah Neewollah!

Ayla's Eighth Month

During Ayla's eighth month she reached two new milestones- she learned how to crawl and she learned how to pull herself up to the couch. She continues to love to jump and loves when you help her stand. She is in a pretty good routine these days- sleeping through the night and taking two 2 hour naps each day. She eats three meals of two fruit or veggie jars and has three 5 oz bottles/sippy cups per day. 

She is my technology girl- she can't keep her hands off anything with buttons. She is a mild mannered baby who always seems so content and "has a sweetness about her" as my dad says. She also has an extremely happy side to her where she flails with excitement. TJ seems to bring out this extreme happiness in her- she loves her brother, TJ. She keeps her eyes glued to him as he runs about the house. I think they both feel the same that life is more fun when they are together.

TJ pushing Ayla at Hampstead Park

Ayla was so tired she fell asleep in the swing

Ayla and TJ just before church

While in Tallahassee we got to watch Warner play flag
football. He ran right passed us to score a touchdown!

Forget football, Ayla is all about my mom's glasses.

In her little soccer get up

Team photo

TJ giving Ayla a "hug"... looks more like a head lock to me.

Pulling her self up

into standing position!

TJ was building a tall tower out of tissue boxes, and it fell...

on Ayla. Unless she is hungry or tired, something like
this doesn't seem to phase her

We took a trip to Hilton Head to visit Meme and Lee. Ayla
was so amused by Stevie at dinner.

Although most of the pictures don't show it, Ayla is such a happy girl. She has the most contagious toothless grin, paired with the cutest squinty eyes I've ever seen. I can't help but smoother her chubby face with kisses and squeeze her chubby self a little too tight. Can't get enough of our sweet eight month old, we love her so much!

TJ's 28th Month

This month TJ has enjoyed playing the game of inventing words and telling me to say them... "Mommy say meech" "Mommy say neap" until he eventually gets to, "Mommy say poop" and the game ends.  He also enjoys playing Monk-e-mail on the computer where he "talks" to his friends, the monkeys. Trent or I will type the words and the monkey speaks them back. He especially loves it when they sing the little monkey boy song. Lately, he has enjoyed unscrewing lids off containers (a newly acquired skill), making mischief (a not-so-newly acquired skill), and jumping from very high surfaces. When Ayla is asleep he always asks, "where A-ya", and when she is around he loads her up with toys to play with (probably so that she won't take his). He loves to horse play and rumble and tumble with his cousins and Trent (and occasionally poor Ayla). He is covered in bruises and scratches but of course that doesn't slow him down one bit.

Eating pureed peas by the handful

Getting a closer view of the ostriches at the zoo

Santa Fe Teaching Zoo playground

Long leaf pool

Fire Station on 9/11

Julian and TJ, playing red light green light

Climbing on the fence

And sprinting for the Sirman's house

Making teething biscuits for Ayla

Water balloons at playgroup

One morning I heard noises down stairs, I was worried
because I knew Trent had already left for school and I
*thought* the kids were still in bed. I went downstairs
 to find TJ here, on the stove, reorganizing the kitchen...
bread must be removed from package and stacked
 as such. Bouncy ball on top.

All dressed for church

He was chasing this dragonfly all over the place, until
some how he was able to finally sneak up to it on
the fence. TJ said he could see the dragonfly's tongue. 

Picking grass for Ayla

TJ talks non stop. My dad says it's no wonder he talks so well, he practices it all the time. It's true. Sometimes what he says makes us laugh, sometimes it makes us wonder "how in the world do you remember that?" and sometimes it makes us tell him, "don't say that unless you're in the bathroom!" And all the times in between he is either asking questions or narrating his life. He has been quite the gentleman lately and will open the door, pick up things with out being asked, or bring me things I don't necessarily want, and will say "For you, Mommy." Love this sweet boy.