Winter Fire Station Tour

This is our third fire station playdate this year-guess it is the popular place to hang out these days with toddlers!  There are so many fire stations close to us that we haven't been to the same one twice though which has been nice at least (although I am sure Joseph wouldn't mind.)  On Friday, November 22nd, we went with the St. Anne's group which is the mom's group that I am a part of through our church.  We changed churches this summer since Joseph was beginning pre-school at the other Catholic church and we have been so happy with our new church.  The moms group is huge and very active.  I have done a few service activities with them and love their monthly meetings that are held at the Children's museum-the kids get to play and the moms have a 2 hour meeting where they have speakers/workshops for the moms to attend.  It is a very well-run group with a ton of activities always happening but no pressure to go to any of them.  Anyways, there were a ton of families at the fire station but Joseph loved it and the firefighters were great with the kids.

 He wasn't very impressed with the backseat and kept asking to drive.

 Much happier in the driver's seat!

Ella hung out in the ergo since I didn't want to bring the stroller and she is just too busy crawling all over the place (not really appropriate for the fire station.)  As a sidenote, I just love the ergo-I wasn't crazy about it when she was itty bitty with the insert but since about month 2 we use it constantly!  With Joseph I wasn't carrying him anymore at this age because he just felt too big for the bjorn but she still loves it and it doesn't bother me at all.  

It was a cold afternoon but a good reason to get out and we then spent the rest of the weekend fighting fires and saving cats from trees and deer from gates (which one of the firefighters shared that he had to do once.)

Friendsgiving

We are so thankful for great friends here especially since we don't have family close by, so this year when we decided to stay in Texas for Thanksgiving it seemed appropriate to host Friendsgiving at our home.  We had a relaxing Thanksgiving morning enjoying the Macy's Day parade and pancakes, went for a family run and then got ready for our friends to come over at 4:00.

We had 5 other families over for a total of 12 adults and 9 kids-it was crazy, chaotic and so much fun!  

Didn't get a group picture of everyone but here are the ladies.

We made the turkey which turned out delicious (brined it for the first time this year which made it extra moist) and then everyone else brought sides and we had quite the spread.  Everything was fabulous!

 The kids played together so nicely-I don't think we had any issues at all (well if you don't count the spitting drinks at the table but all the kids were laughing so I guess you don't really have to count that!)

The kid table!   

Here are the latest additions to the group-Jack and Samantha born in mid-October only 4 days apart! 

And our other little one who isn't very little anymore!

Group shot of the big kids! 

It was way past Ella's bedtime and she only took one nap today (at 10 a.m.) but she hung in with everyone pretty well but at this point the pacifier definitely was soothing.

Ella's first Thanksgiving!  

It was hard to believe that last year I was sick in bed with the flu 35 weeks pregnant with this little one as Joseph and Daddy had a Thanksgiving picnic in the backyard thanks to the Conley family bringing dinner over for them!  

We have so much to be thankful for and it is nice to have the day to take the time to celebrate all of our blessings...starting with these two!

1 month to 1

Ella turned 11 months on November 22nd!  

What a fun age this is-I think I say this every month!  Her little personality is definitely shining through.  No new teeth this month so we are still at 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom.  She is a social butterfly and waving to everyone and blows kisses when you say good night. 

 She cracks up when you play peek-a-boo with her and shes a crazy one in the bathtub wanting to stand and drink the water from the faucet.  It is quite a workout these days with both kids in the tub-almost want to bathe them individually for our sanity but they have so much fun together that it's worth the craziness.  I love watching her play independently as she is totally into taking things out of something and then putting them back in.  

 

She eats like a champ.  And just so you know that I'm not exagerrating here is an example of her breakfast on November 6th:  a baby yogurt, 1/2 banana, about 20 blueberries, 1 egg, handful of peas, almost 2 full cuties, a handful of watermelon and 1/4 of an avocado.  She is getting picky now and definitely has preferences with her food.  She will take certain food and put it in her cup holder on her tray and she has definitely entered the throwing food stage!  The floor (and walls!) are an absolute mess at the end of mealtime for her.  

Her new trick is to grab the spoon from us when feeding her and then she puts it in her mouth until we laugh.  

She's so proud of herself!

 She loves holding on to the monitor!  For her afternoon nap she is normally awake before Joseph so I will show her Joseph on it and then she won't let go of it.  

 Love that open mouthed smile!!

 And the hair!  Crazy crazy hair!  When it is wet it is halfway down her back.  It always needs to be pulled back or it is all in her face but it never seems to bother her.

 She is quite the climber and on top of or in everything. She is cruising on the couches and has stood for 2 seconds by herself a few times. The dishwasher is one of her favorite hangout spots this month and she loves taking the silverware out and throwing it on the floor.  Such a good helper!! 

  One of our dresser drawers was broken last week and this was her favorite place to climb in and out of.  

 

 Joseph had to get in on the fun, too!

 Her tongue is still out a lot and always curled up in weird ways!

You can't tell from the pictures but she has a bit of a temper (or what appears to be the beginning of one.)  She will often fight getting her diaper changed and going into the carseat-with the full on stiffening of the body and throwing her head back.  She's been fiesty from the beginning...

They have recently discovered playing in the corner between teh couches and behind the toy basket-it is like their own little secret playing spot and is so fun to watch them both back there.  

Blue Dawg was a gift from Nani for Joseph and Ella loves him just as much as he did.  She snuggles with him which he never did which is too cute.  

Love her so much!  Happy 11 month baby girl!