Fall Fun

Addie had her 18 month well baby visit on Tuesday and the Dr said Addie is doing fantastic.  No pictures as Mommy had her hands full with Addie.  Addie did not change much, weight wise (Addie weighs 23 pounds)
Addie's major new word last week:  "me" as in mine!  She says "me" quite a bit when playing with Asyon and when he tries to take things from her :)
Ayson has been eating very well lately.  Could be a growth spurt but possibly just from extra exercise. As the weather has been gorgeous, we have been outside every night and have been kicking around soccer balls with Gianna at the park.  Ayson has been running all over the field and not just riding his bike on the black top.  Addie is getting better at walking on grass.  It is so cute to watch her toddle around!




Daddy lost a bet to Gianna.  Daddy was not able to steal the soccer ball away from Gianna...because she is too fast :)  Go Gianna!


On Saturday, A^4 went to Critz Farm Harvest Festival: one big farm experience for little kids!  A petting farm, all sorts of playground equipment with  fun slides, hayrides, a hay bale mountain to climb, corn mazes, and pumpkins.  Ayson liked the slides while Mommy thinks Addie got the most out of seeing the animals.




















The HUGE corn maze takes about 40 minutes to complete so we decided to save walking the corn maze for another visit.  We did walk in a bit just to walk through the "corn tunnel"






The kids picking out pumpkins.



Ayson getting a ride back to the car.  He did NOT want to leave!


For dinner on Saturday, Daddy made a yummy chicken mole and mexican rice with beans...Mommy made guac :)



On Sunday, the kids played outside while Daddy and Mommy cleaned up the garden.



Ayson lounging with Daddy while watching football.


Addie's turn to be Daddy's little football fan!

Life Is Good

All is well with A^4.  Playing outside as much as possible and then on Saturday we went to Grandma Collene's and Grandpa Ric's.  We had fun visiting with them and going to Farm Days and learning about a working dairy farm (more ice cream...yum!)

Mommy can't remember many of Addie's words from the past week but Addie did say "Ayson" :)
Ayson told his friend, Sam, that he loved him...to cute.  Ayson also told Mommy that he loves Gianna :)

Monday:  Daddy Jungle Gym!



Tuesday Morning:  Ayson came into Mommy and Daddy's room and wanted to cuddle with Mommy:)  Obviously, the alarm had not gone off yet...



Addie playing with chalk at the park.



Nice hat!



Mommy helped Ayson draw his name and Addie's too.



Addie still loves to swing:)



Wednesday:
Gianna brought a toy puppy over to the park for the kids to see and play with.  Both kids loved the puppy!






Thursday:
Music Man Ayson pulled his rocking chair over to the bench so that he could play his piano.  Addie was playing with the playdoh toys.  Addie loves to carry the bag around the house.  Mommy needs to give Addie a little purse to play with!



Addie:  Hmmm, what is my crazy brother up to now?!?"



Daddy, Ayson, and Gianna were throwing apples at the apple tree trying to make the apples go "splat!"



HUGS!



On Friday afternoon, Khanlen and his Daddy, Jeremy, came over to the park (both Ayson and Daddy have a playmate..as can be seen from the pictures)






On Saturday we visited Grandma Collene and Grandpa Ric and we all went to Farm Days at a working dairy farm.
Ayson enjoying the hay ride with Grandma and Grandpa.



Addie: It's lunch time, let's EAT!



Ayson standing in the tire of the HUGE Case tractor.



Playing ring toss.  Addie even played a game too (toss the rings on the milk bottles)



Grandma and Dolly.



Grandpa getting in on the picture too:)



Sunday:
Ayson had Mommy set up his tent.  He then put a bunch of cushions in and both kids sat and played in the tent.  Addie has a huge smile on her face (hidden by Frosty's arm) in this picture.



Daddy is refinishing the pantry (new laundry room) and he placed a boot between the wall and door to stop the door handle from punching a hole in the wall.  On Sunday, Addie picked up one of her boots (a gift from Lulu) and placed it next to Daddy's.  TOO cute!



Daddy was a cooking machine again.  Two batches of lasagna (for kid lunches), Mexican tortilla soup, a roast dinner, and butternut squash soup.
Both kids loved the soup.  Addie picked her bowl up first (Mommy did not show her...Mommy tries very hard to HIDE her bad habits...like licking the plate or sipping from the bowl :) and then Ayson did too.



Addie watching her big brother.  The two certainly know how to feed off of each other...especially in the car when one starts screeching, the other chimes right in!



After dinner, we played outside, ate a few raspberries, and looked at the flowers.

Expanding Vocabularies and Inquiring Minds!

The week had Daddy and Addie recovering from a cold, Mommy in the middle of it, and we couldn't tell if Ayson was the original carrier OR if he is just now coming down with the cold because there was no snot with this cold and he was nto that fussy.  We still managed to have fun and take pictures though.

This week it seems Mommy and Daddy were able to understand more and more of Addie's word. This week included: bear, hi, thank you, shoe, stop (directed at Ayson, of course).  Addie also said "Bye, bye mommy, daddy" as we were getting ready to leave the house one morning.

Ayson has been asking us what signs or paper has written on them.  Especially if we are all stopped and reading something.  It is so cool to watch his mid develop and to witness him becoming curious about the world around him.  The questions are still non stop and getting more interesting too. Mommy finds herself finally replying (after a question/answer volley of at least 3 rounds, "why not?!"
Must be part of a growth spurt because while Ayson has been doing well with eating and at day care (with listening), at home he has been pushing buttons and losing toys left and right. Mommy's friend had her 5 year old lose his toys (accept for books, coloring supplies, and crafts) for a month...when Mommy told Ayson that if he did not start to listen better that he would lose his toys for longer than a week ...for a WHOLE month, Ayson looked at Mommy like she was crazy.   Nope. Mommy told Ayson, "I DARE you to not listen and then you will see what happens..."  He knows not to cross that line...yet!  Update: Sunday night Ayson was border line with his listening skills and he went to bed without his stuffed animals in his bed and he lost two "favorite" toys for the week.   Mommy needs to sit Ayson down with a calendar and show him exactly how long a month can be before she pulls out that consequence:)

Tuesday:
Addie has been trying Mommy's shoes on all week.  In this picture, she is trying to reach for Mason's tail while wearing Mommy's sandals...luckily she did not topple over.



She then managed to pull her diaper off and was running around in the buff.  Nice pose, Dolly!



Ayson and Daddy went to the park and Ayson was working up the nerve to ride his trike down the hill. Looks like he was trying to apply a hand break.



Wednesday:
Gasp, Addie was the last one at the table STILL eating...at least she was still smiling.



while Ayson got to play because he finished his dinner.  Great job, Big Guy!



Thursday:
Ayson's camo outfit (Mommy thinks it shouts REDNECK!) but Ayson (and Daddy) loved his head to toe clashing camo :)



Mommy giving Ayson a "noogie" while Addie watches.



Addie is ready to go to bed!  All Mommy has to say is: "Addie, let's go upstairs" and then Addie quickly makes her way over to the gate.



Saturday:
Ayson helping Daddy with breakfast.  Brrr!  It was cold both weekend mornings with the temps in the low 50s and high 40s!!!



By the time Mommy and Addie came downstairs at 7:30, Daddy had already baked a homemade custard pie and a pumpkin pie was in the oven!!!  Crazy Daddy :)



Saturday was rainy most of the morning but Ayson really wanted to pee off the back porch.  We told him he could but that he had to wear his rain boots...silly boy!



Mommy and Addie coloring.



We all went for a walk in the orchard and munched on apples Saturday afternoon.



Ayson had fun jumping in the puddles.



Addie is all smiles during dinner.



While Ayson was dog tired!  He did not take a nap and he had to walk the entire way, during our walk in the orchard, because Daddy was carrying Addie on his shoulders.   Ayson told Mommy that it was easier to eat with his eyes closed.
Notice all of the toys pushed against the back wall.  Ayson cleaned up the toy room (ahem, our living room) and he cleaned up the toys in the Boy's room...all on his own AND without prompting! Thanks, Ayson!!!



Daddy managed to get both of them riled up right before bed time.  However, Ayson was still out as soon as his head hit the pillow.



Sunday:
A^4 went to Tinker Falls.  Here Daddy and Ayson are looking for trolls under the bridge.



Daddy and his "Pumpkin seed"



Mommy and Ayson at the falls.





































Once we got to the sure footing of the boardwalk at Labrador Hollow, Addie was off to the races. She walked the entire length of the boardwalk!
Addie:  "Mommy, LOOK at my stick!"
Ayson:  "Mommy, I see a crocodile!"  Nice, Daddy.



Ayson had to get up on the big "horsey" rock...giddy up!



Note to self, take family photos at the beginning of the walks and not at the end when everyone is tired and does not want to cooperate OR have the other sibling touch them.