Fall!

First, here are some pictures from Halloween! Violet's preschool class all dressed up in their costumes and did a "parade" to the other classrooms. It was so cute! You can see Violet who is about 3rd in line. She was one of about 10 other witches in her class :)

With her friend Isak listening to stories.
We also carved pumpkins - Violet got really into drawing out the face and getting all ooey-gooey!

Halloween! Our little witch and purple bug. Willa looks very annoyed here, which was pretty much true for the whole idea of trick-or-treating. She didn't want to walk so she spent most of the night being held by me going house to house.
This is how we roll! (notice the 6-pack in the back of the wagon!)
Trick-or-treating with our most awesome neighbors and friends. This is their daughter dressed as Fufa from Yo Gabba Gabba.
The loot!

Silly girls!Violet and Willa spend many minutes (I wish I could say hours!) playing a game I call "Naps." It involves Violet putting Willa down for a nap in various places with various forms of a pillow and blanket. Willa actually really loves to play along. This is how I found them the other day. Violet even had on her apron. A regular June Cleaver, that girl!
Here is Willa "napping" on the doll bed.
The first snowfall! Willa loved it!
So did Violet!
Willa has been learning new things all the time lately. In one day she did a somersault, learned to stack blocks (see picture below) and picked up about 10 more words.
Today Jon raked the leaves and the girls had a blast throwing them and jumping in them.

Speaking of words, we are so amazed by how many words Willa knows and learns! Her favorite one is "stuck". In the morning when she gets up at 0-dark-thirty (usually 6am), I stumble out to the living room with her, snuggle her up on my lap, cover us both with a blanket, and turn on some cartoons for her to watch. That usually keeps her happy for about 1/2 hour and then she is kicking off the blanket saying "Stuck! Stuck!" She then walks into the kitchen and gets a sippy cup from the drawer and brings it to me, which means she wants her morning milk. So silly!

She still doesn't really say Violet yet, although if you ask her to say it she says SOMETHING, but it's funny that she hasn't figured out a word to call her yet. She has picked up the lovely habit of yelling "NO!" to Porter (poor guy!), but on the other hand if she wants something she says "Pease? Pease?" for please.

Pumpkin Patch!

Violet found her perfect pumpkin!

Too bad Willa slept through the actual pumpkin picking part!But woke up for the fun stuff like the straw bale maze!
Apparently not everyone loves their picture taken all the time...

End of Summer

I can't believe how fast this summer has flown by! Here is Willa trying out some watermelon:

I don't know if it's because they have both had a camera in their faces from day 1, but they are so good about having their picture taken! Okay, I admit I sometimes have to bribe Violet with a pick from her "Special Treat Box", but if that's what it takes to get these sweet pictures then I'm all for it!(this next one was not done with bribery. They did this all on their own. Aw.)

Violet has been really interested in skateboarding lately (uh-oh!). Jon got her her own board and she was very VERY excited to paint and decorate it.
Luckily she is also still into dressing up as a princess.


Oh, and Willa's hair finally fits in PIGTAILS!!!!
Good night :)

Funny Things our Kids Say

I haven't done this in a while, but I do keep a little notebook in the kitchen and try to write down funny things Violet (and now Willa) say. Here are some good ones!

VIOLET
• oatmeal = eeoh-meew
• "Can I have some little bit of _____?"
• After she eats something healthy for her or drinks a lot of water she'll say proudly "I'm gonna be a really REALLY big girl soon!"
• "Leave. Me. 'LONE!" (great)
• Whenever she makes pretend food for us, it is always "Peach-Apple Pie"
• Our favorite: "Have you ever seen that tee-four?" (before).
• "What's that nose?" (noise)

WILLA
She is talking up a STORM! We can only understand about 2% of what she says, so it's pretty hysterical. She does all the proper facial expressions and everything. She's so silly!
• She can say Mama, Mommy & Daddy. The last few days she has said "Ahhhhh-meeee!" for mommy and "Ahhhh-deeee!" for Daddy. It is pretty cute.
• She can also say Hi, Uh-oh, Shoes, Doggie and Thank-you (daaa-dooo!)
• Tonight she started saying No. But here is how the conversation goes:
Me: Willa, do you want more banana?
Willa: Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-OW!
• Shaking her head yes or no is also new and actually really helpful. Sometimes we actually know what she wants!
• Even though this isn't talking-related, she has been really wanting to use a spoon and fork by herself. She fed herself some yogurt the other morning, and some chili tonight. Big girl!
• AND the best part is that when I say "Hey Willa! Let's go change your diaper (or take a nap or go to bed)!" she toddles her little self to her room. If we're changing a diaper, she walks up to her changing table with her arms up for me to pick her up. If she's taking a nap or going to bed, she climbs up onto the futon in her room and waits to read her books. She is WAY too easy to put to bed. I just wish she would stay there longer! She's up at 5:30 or 6:00am every. stinking. morning.

Michigan Part II and MUCH more!

Eeks! I can't believe I haven't updated this blog in so long!

Here are some pictures from the second half of our trip back to Michigan. The girl cousins:
Being silly!
Willa with my friend Kara's twins Brynn and Nate. They are all wearing their Hip Violet bibs. Awww!We also visited my friend Sue and her girls Megan and Madison at a horse show. Violet got to help lead Black Jack back to the trailer.
One of the big reasons we were in Michigan was the annual Pig Roast! Violet got to swim in the lake on a nice hot and humid pig roast day.
Back home again!
After all the horses we got to see back in Michigan, Violet decided she was ready to give riding a try (FINALLY!). She did SO good!
Willa even got the chance to sit up on his back. She LOVED it! And screamed and cried when we took her down.
Willa is our little adventurous daredevil. She doesn't know she's only 1 and shouldn't be doing all these crazy things! She can climb up the ladder of our playset alllll by herself. Usually we are there to help her but sometimes if we aren't watching she will zip up there all by herself. I finally had to barricade it so she couldn't go up - mostly because our slide is FAST and HIGH and I don't want her going down by herself!
Sweet Violet
Who took a leap off the swing on our swingset, landed on her shoulder, and broke her collarbone.
Of course the orangey-red sling with lime green turtles didn't last long...
We took a family trip to the zoo on Labor Day. It was a little chilly day so all the animals were out and VERY active. It was so cool! Here is Violet feeding the lorakeets.

Later we watched the polar bear jump and play. He walked RIGHT by Violet, then stood up on his hind le
... and leapt into his pool!