Pumpkins

I didn't get any pictures of when we were actually carving the pumpkins as I was separating the seeds from the goo, but here is a short recap.

Bob did most of the scraping and cutting. Etta put on her apron happily, but then would have nothing to do with the guts of the matter. Luckily she and Grandma Cathy read books the entire time. And then I did a photo op the next day.

See? Books. And a puzzle too.



Etta's pumpkin - Oliver II



I love my pumpkin. Kiss kiss.



This is mommy's pumpkin. (She was bored and didn't want to carve anything intricate.)



And that one down there? That one is daddy's. A little smaller than usual, but you can't complain about the pumpkins God gives you!



Group shot - chillin' on the porch



That's a big leaf! (She totally wouldn't hold it. Thought it would be more fun to run away!)

18th Month Annibirthery

Today is 18 months. 1 1/2 years. 18 months still sounds like Etta is a baby. 1 1/2 makes her sound more like a toddler. It is a fine line. Some days she is ALL toddler. Running around, deciding what to wear, eat, say...But sometimes she is still a baby. The best times actually. First thing in the morning, just before bed, when she needs comfort.

(And my personal favorite to date: At the high school band concert last night. They were premiering their new marching band uniforms. Etta was AFRAID of them. No kidding. Don't know if it was the big plume on top or what. But she was whimpering and shaking and sucked to me. At the beginning of the concert were two different choirs. She sat with Bob in rapt attention soaking it all in. Then the jazz band played. Either she wasn't impressed or was getting bored but she did NOT want to sit and listen. Then we made it through one more choir. Select girls choir. Very melodic and soothing. Does she choose to fall asleep on my shoulder then? Nope. She wanted to wait for the marching band and drumline. Then it was nighty night on mommy's shoulder. Bob swears that it was all the noise from when she was in utero.) Back to 18 months...

Over the course of the last two weeks her language has exploded. She will echo almost any word that you ask, or at least attempt to, and is starting to put words to objects herself. It is really fun.

She loves to play outside in the leaves and cocks an ear, with hand cupped for emphasis, any time she hears something that is not visible. Adorable.

I haven't taken a picture with the penguin yet today - I think that Bob was right and that wasn't the best idea - oh well...But here are some fun fall pics from the last couple of days.

What are these things?



This is great!



Cheese! (If you can't see the silly grin, please click for enlargement.)



Ridin' with the pumpkins. (I was trying to get her to stand by the pumpkins but this was the only way it was going to happen...to start with at least.)



Attempting to pull the wagon load.



They are super heavy. Can you help me mom? (Another close up may be needed...)



Then we moved to the backyard. Sitting in the chair. One of her favorite things.



And one from last year. She just got to sit in the Bumbo. Not nearly as much fun as running and kicking the leaves.

What Up, Dawg?

Pockets, a hat, what else do you need?

Peek-a-boo



Let's go hang!



Extreme close up - hi dad!



Sweet



Let's go check out the 'hood



Just chillin'

Cool Cat

Etta has discovered that pants indeed have pockets. And boy, does she love to put her hands in them. Christine generously gave us a few pairs of the boys now-too-small jeans. They are nice and roomy and allow for easy access to those pockets. Girl pants on the other hand - I have recently learned that at even size 2T boys and girls clothes are sized/made differently, no wonder girls have such image problems! - are a little tight to get hands in. She gets SCREAMING mad if she can't get her hands in the pockets.

Look mommy, I can get lower just like you!



[Every time I squatted down to get a picture at her level she decided she needed to be lower too!]

Okay, okay, okay. I'll stand up once for you!



And one for fun. Another fun new trick is putting stuff on her head so it covers up her eyes. She then walks around, runs into things and laughs and laughs and laughs.

Hi-LARIOUS!

Last week we had some very cold weather. Our older windows still get lots of condensation on them when this happens. Etta has discovered that she can "paint" on the windows. I found her doing this and couldn't resist getting some pictures. Unfortunately she wouldn't keep drawing on the windows. And whatever I was doing she was finding hilarious.

Look mommy - art!



I'm just chillin'



Too funny for words!

Pre-Wedding Fun

The morning before the wedding we tried to stay busy as we knew that there would be much waiting for a little girl later in the day. We had stayed with my Uncle Bill and Aunt Marilyn (thanks again!) and Etta did take a morning nap. What a blessing! Then it was off to downtown.

First we took a ride down the big red wagon slide.

Ready, set...



Go!!



[After this trip I decided that Etta was finally big enough to go down by herself. We went back to the top of the slide. I set Etta on and held on for as long as I could reach. Bob was toward the bottom, but pretty far up so he could help. As she started to slide down the look on her face was pure joy. She was not going fast and really seemed to be enjoying herself. And then, disaster. Her body started to turn and a foot got caught on the side. In slow motion (she really wasn't going very fast) she went head over heels and did a face plant on the side of the slide. Thank goodness she didn't fall off! I jumped on the slide to get to her and Bob was reaching also. There was a lot of crying, but it didn't break the skin and she didn't even get a bruise. I, on the other hand, whacked my knee hard getting onto the slide and have a gigantic bruise over my right knee cap and it is still sore. I guess that's my karmic punishment...]

After all of the excitement we went to look at some ducks and geese and enjoy the fall colors.

Standing under the big orange tree and listening to the clock chime 11:00. (Etta LOVES clocks that chime and play music.)



Interesting that this one tree in the middle of everything was changing...



Checking out the falls.



Etta, Bob and the big red bush.

The Anti-Climatic Post

So! This weekend was "The Big Party"! Aunt Molly and Uncle Jim's wedding. It was BEAUTIFUL! It was MARVELOUS! Everything was WONDERFUL! But since Bob was in the wedding party and Etta was in the wedding party I did not get a chance to take as many pictures as I would have liked. Especially of my super cute daughter who looked so wonderful in the dress that Aunt Molly picked out.

She made it down the aisle with her cousin Kellie. It involved Kellie holding her hand, me standing behind her whispering "Go to daddy, go to daddy, go to daddy..." and daddy standing at the front with a big grin and trying really hard not to jump up and down shouting "come here come here come here..." She almost didn't make it. But she did and (might I add) stole the show. (Until Aunt Molly came down the aisle of course!) A few people even started to clap as they came down the aisle. I think that was what got her going, she is already a little starlet.

But here are some pics that I did manage to get.

Taking a bath in Grandma Cathy's tub before the show.



In the bridal ready room getting...ready.



I. Am. Hungry.



Good times. GREAT fun. (Even better food and drinks!)



Yay Aunt Molly and Uncle Jim!



Finally, dinner.



I'm tired. When is this party going to be over?



That's my mama and dada!



Dancing with ba-ba Steve.

Bobcat Long johns

Montana Grandma (or was it Uncle Erik) got Etta these Bobcat long johns for Christmas last year. At the time they seemed HUGE! But of course, babies grow - and they are working well for jammies now.

CHEESE!



Model pose



Poop shoot

The Cow Says...

My friend Michelle had an extra "See and Say" and passed it on to us. Etta has always enjoyed it and is now getting to the point where she can pull the handle on her own. (Although she likes to push it right back up so she doesn't always get the full effect.) But it is always more fun when daddy helps!

No, no Lena. My toy. My daddy.



Here we go!

Weekly Reader

Or should I say daily? Or hourly? Or minutely to be more precise. There was a point that I thought Etta would never want me to read to her. She only wanted to shut the books, wouldn't sit on my lap and overall wasn't cooperative. But now? Now we can read forever. And after I have read a ton of books to her she will "read" them to herself.

Some examples:

15 Animals by Sandra Boynton - You can tell she is reading this book because you hear, "Ba. Ba. Ba. Ba." (Her version of Bob.) Fourteen of the animals are named Bob.

Moo, Baa, La, La, La by Sandra Boynton - You can tell that she is reading this book because you hear, "No, no, no. No, no, no." After "three singing pigs say la, la, la" the next page is, "No, no you say, that isn't right..."

Brainy Baby Bathtub book by ??? - This book she just points to the colors and makes unintelligible sounds. But she is attempting to point to colors and say their names.

Overall I really love it. Can't wait until we start reading "chapter" books together like my mom and I did!

This book is "Our Marching Band" - another fave.



Yes, mommy? Can I help you? Maybe YOU can help ME by reading me this story!



[I took these pictures when at first I couldn't find her because she wasn't running around. And it seemed just too darn quiet for her to NOT be up to no good. I was pleasantly surprised.]

Little Chef: Part II

So - since we had so much fun putting her in an apron - we decided it would be even more fun to actually let her help us cook. And while it does take both of us so that Etta can "help" it is actually pretty fun. She very much likes to experiment with tastes and textures of *everything* that goes in the bowl. I guess that if we are the only ones eating what is coming out of the bowl, it's okay. And out of the bowl that night? Pumpkin pancakes. They were yummy!

Helping dad add ingredients into the bowl



Flour is okay



Mixing, mixing, mixing



I'm dirty - it must mean that I am helping



Look! I can help peel and slice the apples, too!



[Thanks to Montana Grandma for giving me this apron. I know that there will be many more to come. Can't wait to help you cook Grandma!]