Fall Fun 2011

I love fall! More now than I used to because I used to really enjoy the summer sun, but I can't take as much of it as I used to.  I get sun poisoning to quick & the heat seems to get to me more now for some reason.  Thus, cooler temperatures, sweet smells of ripe apples, drinking cider, the changing scenery, wearing sweatshirts & tennis shoes..everything about it I love now! We have had a great fall so far with Nora-she brings a lot of joy to our everyday lives and makes capturing every moment that much sweeter so we can have the memories when she is older.

Visiting the apple orchard is something we started doing 2 years ago when Jake & I moved to Plainfield. We have been to a few in the area, but always navigate to Anderson Orchard for their yummy apples, refreshing cider slushes, pumpkin patch and other fun fall things.  This year we bought some apples specifically to make applesauce for Nora & it was a huge success...which has now lead to an obsession of mine (but that's another blog!).

Jake & Nora at the Orchard on a nice sunny day after church

Nora with Aunt Jessica and her cousins Ann & Nellie

Ann, Nora, & Nellie with the pumpkins

Nora helping Gam-ma clean out her pumpkin..of course she tried to eat the pumpkin goup

The final product: Darlene's (Gam-ma), Jake's, and My awesome pumpkin that I decided won the competition that I made up!

We met a few neighbors during the community yard sale day & they invited us to go with them to Zoo Boo at the Indianapolis Zoo.  We enjoyed seeing all the kids in their costumes, the animals, & everything else the zoo offered. It's been years since either one of us has gone.  We decided that next year we are going to get a Zoo family pass for the year.  It pays for itself and then we can go whenever we want since we are only 20 minutes from it. 

Strawberry Shortcake & Jake at the Zoo

Smiling for Daddy!

With the rhinos

On the train to see Pumba & Timon

Trick or Treating at Zoo Boo...We ate all the candy before we left. It was a little scarce!

Chewing on her shoes in her cute Halloween outfit

Shirt caption "Daddy's under my spell"

7 Months Already

A little late, I know, but things have been crazy busy around here. I guess you could say we like to keep our schedule 'jam packed' with stuff so we don't get bored.  The pictures were taken on 10/13/11 so when she was truly 7 months old.  It's getting a bit more difficult to get a 'she's-looking-at-the-camera-&-7-months-old' shot, but they are ALL good in my book!

A trip to the Anderson Orchard

She's been much more mobile this month, not crawling yet, but definitely up on hands and knees rocking back and forth.  Ultimately, she gives in to the army crawl to get around.  She may be doing that for a while since shes having no problems getting where she wants to be...which happens to be in the kitchen with me!  She has started pulling up a bit on whatever she can, but hasn't quite got it mastered. 

Nap time and bed time have become much easier-I think she understands that shes tired & sleep will cure that.  I love going to get her after she wakes up because she has the biggest smile on her face and starts kicking her legs up and down with excitement.  I usually talk to her before she can see me when I get in her room & she'll start giggling/talking to me as I get closer.  She loves her momma!

She is quite the little eater now! At first she wasn't sure what was going on, but now...she chows on the fruits & loves mangoes & peaches the most, but enjoys applesauce, bananas, and pears.  Gets veggies down, but doesn't like green beans at all...I do the 'ole switcher-roo with fruit and veggies.  Trickery maybe, but she eats them that a way so that's how it's going to be for a while.  Squash, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, oatmeal, and rice cereal complete what she has had so far.  In the freezer are blueberries, broccoli, asparagus, chicken & butternut squash for the next to be introduced. 

Things she loves this month:

-playing with Daddy

-grabbing, gnawing on, chewing or chasing Jersey

-making loud noises when she's done eating

-taking a bath & playing with the squirt toys

-watching the kids play in the nursery at church

-playing with her cousin Hunter

-getting to the laminate in the kitchen

-following Mommy where ever she goes

-being outside

-listening to music

-smiling at people at the grocery store

-'helping' change her diaper

-wearing headbands (well, maybe I love her wearing headbands)

-bike rides

-going for walks sitting in the 'big girl stroller'

She is growing up so fast-that's for sure and I'm not ready for it.At the beginning of the month we had a friend of ours take fall family photos and pictures of her alone. When we get them back I will post a few-the session went great & the pictures are so sweet!

Nora's First Wedding

It was a success! She talked the whole time and thought that was really funny.  Everyone around us was looking at her and baby Hunter 1) because they are cute babies & 2) because they are both verbal!  We tried to give her a paci to keep her quiet, but she just threw it a few pews up-apparently she didn't like that idea. 

The reception was cold & rainy, but very nice & pretty in the tent and new barn my aunt and uncle just built.  Congrats Jonny & Brittany-jealous of them because they went to the Dominican Republic for their honeymoon because that's where Jake & I went on ours.  It was just as beautiful looking at their pictures as I remember.  Jake and I both decided we have to go back around our 5 year anniversary...only 1.5 years from now!

I feel like I got caught by the paparazzi here!



Nora, Me, Anthony, Hunter

Nana with the grand kids

Jake & Nora at the reception