October in Review

It's amazing how fast a month has gone by yet again. I look back and wish I'd blogged more but instead you get a whole month in review, maybe in November I'll be better! Enjoy!

We did a photo shoot and got some good pictures of the girls in their costumes in the beginning of the month.

For as much as you guys fight you also love one another.

You finally figured out if you moved the stool Granny made you over to the sink you could wash the dishes, you've been 'helping' ever since.

Cowgirl day at school.

Nana and Pops came down and we headed off to the Arboretum wearing shorts in the middle of October, crazy.

Cousin Love

Nana and Pops

Pops whispering something.

Nana chasing you, what we did most of the time at the Arboretum.

Hugging the BIG pumpkin.

Sweet pigtails

Pops and his girls

Us.

Aunt Mere found a bounce house on Craigslist. You and Olivia have bounced everyday since we've had it. The laughter coming out of that bounce house is amazing!

Does it get any better than this?

Nana decided you guys needed to make Halloween cookies.

You liked the sprinkles best.

Haunt the Dallas Zoo, feeding the giraffes.

Aunt Mere getting a little too close.

Olivia danced with the vampire and you decided you needed to be center stage as well.

On Halloween we went to Firewheel Mall. They had ponies there to ride. You liked the ride but refused to touch the horse.

Nonnie and you

Petting the goats.

Picking a duck at the duck pond.

Checking out your candy loot. You wanted to take everything out of your bag. By the end of the night however you knew you were supposed to open your bag to the people and a few times you even said 'thank you'.

Nana, Olivia, and you

Looking at the Halloween cemetery.

It's been an amazing month and I cannot wait to see what November brings!

18 Months and a New Cousin!

I'm not sure which is better, 18 months or 1 1/2 years old. I'm thinking 18 months, the other sounds so old. I can't believe another month has passed and I've not blogged once since that month. So a little recap of our month:

-You couldn't be any cuter. You are however the master of temper tantrums. You can throw them over the smallest things.
-For a long time I was worried you'd never walk, now, now you RUN and fast. Your favorite game right now is chase, you love to run as fast as you can when Daddy and I say "I'm gonna get you...."
-You love to be sung to. Your favorite song is If You're Happy and You Know It and the theme song to Yo Gabba Gabba which I also heard you say tonight for the first time. You pointed to the TV and said what you wanted to watch and I understood completely. I was shocked, you just smiled.
-We're working on identifying things still. You can now point to animals in your book and easily recognize and say cat, dog, and duck. The duck came about after a trip to the Cottonwood Festival in Richardson, you LOVED the ducks. You've also picked up 'uh, uh' or 'no' and then you throw your arm up and the air and down again to REALLY make your point. You've also picked up on the word ball.
-You now follow many simple step instructions. "Shut the door, open the door, put it in the trash, bring it to Mommy", etc...
-I still think you're going to be left handed :)
-You still love your baths. Even in the middle of a tantrum if asked if you want to take a bath you stop crying and head to the bathroom.
-We went to the doctor last week for pink eye, it was a mess. It seems when you get sick you really get sick. You weighed 22.6lbs at that time.
-Your eye teeth are now coming in, the bottom ones have already broken through.
-This past weekend we went through a paci detox 'program'. You are now paci free. I thought it was going to be harder than it was. After day two of a five day program you were done with them. I think it's been harder for me and your dad than it really has been for you.
-Nights have been the hardest to get you to sleep. Two nights ago you didn't go to bed until midnight. I finally took you to your room, turned off the lights, laid down and fell asleep. You continued to play, at midnight I woke up and you were asleep with a pair of shoes in your hand. The next night you slept in your sandals. Tonight a pair of house shoes. You are CRAZY about your shoes.
-We stopped in and visited your old babysitter, Debbie, the other day. She couldn't believe how much you had grown. I don't think you really remember her but I could tell you remembered her house a little bit just by some of the familiar places you went to in her house. It was a fun visit and we'll go back just to stay in touch.
-You started a new daycare today. You are now going to school with Olivia. I'm able to watch you on the camera at school and it looked like you had an okay day. A few tantrums here and there but nothing too bad.

You are growing so fast and you've mastered so many things this past month I can't even keep up (shame on me). I love you and the little girl you've become.

Love,

Mommy

P.S. You're no longer the youngest cousin on the Hardgraves side. Austen Gibson Aylor was born on October 3rd. Christmas should be lots of fun this year!

Plano Balloon Festival last year.

Plano Balloon Festival this year.



Carnival at Firewheel Mall

First ride on a ferris wheel.

Chasing the duck at the Richardson Cottonwood Festival.

Best of friends, sometimes :)

17 Months Old

Dear Astoria,

This weekend you turned 17 months old. We spent the Labor Day holiday up at Nana and Pops house in Oklahoma. Over the weekend I finally got the time to slow down and watch you. It seems like the past month with school starting back I've missed some of the things you have learned. You have become even more independent than I remembered. You still love your Mommy and Daddy time, but you don't mind playing by yourself. There are times I pick you up from daycare and you are simply watching every one else...soaking it all in.

You love to dance. Anytime a song is played on the TV or even Mommy's horrible singing you are dancing or kicking your feet in the car seat. You love to clap your hands and turn in circles, almost to the beat. Your favorite songs right now are 'If Your Happy and You Know It', the Yo Gabba Gabba entrance song and the 'Hot Dog' song on Micky's Clubhouse. This weekend for the first time I watched you walk backwards. I'm not sure what started it, but you just all of the sudden started going that way. I laughed..another skill mastered.

You are a very happy toddler. You love to smile but also love to have your own way. This weekend with the help of your older cousin you have started using the word "MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE". If you don't get your way it's an automatic fit on the floor. Whaling, rolling, and throwing yourself around. Many times I have to walk away because as much as I love you, you have to learn that it's not all yours. I hate to see you hurt and upset, when your done I love to pick you up and rock you, apologizing, all at the same time. You are my little girl becoming a toddler.

You make some of the funniest faces and sounds I've ever heard. You have learned to smack your lips and let out a big sigh when you get tired. We are still trying to break you from your paci and I believe we're getting closer. You hardly had it at all this weekend. A month from now you will start daycare at the same place Olivia goes. They don't allow pacis..it will be a long day for all of us I'm sure. You will likely be the youngest in your class but I have a feeling you won't be intimidated by many..you are very sneaky and as I've said before, very independent. You are my little girl.

There are many times I now see this side of you...you are often walking or even running as fast as your little legs can carry you away from me. You seek your independence like I seek you being in my arms cuddling at night. For the past 17 months you've followed in my shadows, now it's going to be hard for me to follow in yours.

First Day of School

It's amazing what a difference a year can make! Last year at this time I was leaving her for the first time and this year she's an old pro at daycare. Last year I was able to leave her on her playmat and know she'd be there when I returned. This year I'm lucky I managed to get her sitting long enough to take the picutre. Last year I cheered when she cooed and smiled. This year I'm loving the words she's using and can't wait for more (lately it's been 'kitty'). Now if only I could get those horrible pacifers away from her, but, at least this year she's not sucking her thumb :).

Motherhood is a blissful thing!

See another great smile hidden behind the paci!

Cousins on the first day of school.

How Meredith and I manage to cook dinner. They watch Mickey's Clubhouse eating whatever we rummage up while we cook.

Does it get any better than this? I stepped out of the car this morning and said "REALLY???" "Are you kidding me, we'll never live this one down!" Well, at least we both look good in this color :)