fall in california

   when you look at my front porch, you can tell it is fall. i have red, orange and yellow leaves around my door, lots of pumpkins, a fall flag and even a few halloween decorations here and there.  so seeing that it's fall, you'd expect it to be brisk and chilly.  well not in california.  today it was, according to my car, 94 degrees.  i wanted to dress the kids up in their fall sweaters take them to avila barn and take their pictures by the pumpkins... well we went to avila barn and took pictures by the pumpkins, but the kids were in their t-shirts and shorts.  so probably no "classic" fall photos this year.  we will be going back to the barn next week with miles' preschool, hopefully the weather will cool down by then and we'll be able to take some fall photos.  miles has been so happy, because his auntie charlotte has been in town for a month, and then yesterday his uncle aaron drove down from oregon to visit. very exciting for both miles and maisy.  HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

halloween came a little early

 

  

when we got home from school yesterday, there was a box waiting for miles and maisy from grammy and grandad.  miles just couldn't wait to get in the house and open it. grammy hooked the kids up with some fun stuff for halloween, books, candy, socks, etc.  miles loved all the fun "stuff", and he thought it was so cool that maisy had her own halloween book named after her.  

THANKS GRAMMY AND GRANDAD!  

student of the week

   on friday i got a note in my parent cubbie at miles' preschool telling me that miles was going to be his classes next student of the week.  i asked miles what this was all about.  he told me he was going to be student of the week because he has been such a good boy in school.  he was really excited about it.  so over the weekend we sat down and went through his scrapbook and lots of other pictures of him, picking out the ones he wanted to bring to school to hang on the student of the week wall.  it was so neat to be able to pull out his scrapbook and flip through it and relive all of the special times we have had together.  miles kept asking "that was me when i was little?"  he also saw a picture of him when he was about 8 months old in hawaii and he said "aww look how cute maisy is?"  he was so surprised to find out it was him and not his sister.  i am just so proud of miles and how well he is doing in school both academically and socially.  he truly loves learning, and i am so happy about that.  miles always keep that desire to learn and be creative!  i love you big boy!! xoxoxox

the "banana hammock" returns

i think most of you know about miles and his love for the what we lovingly called the banana hammock, (it's a contraption made so new eaters won't choke on fruit and veggies).  first 2 pictures are of the scrapbook pages i did of miles and his "banana hammock".  since we started maisy on "real" food, i figured it was time to introduce her to the banana hammock. well just like her brother, she couldn't get enough of it.  as you can see from the photos, she figured it out immediately.  i can't wait to try other fruits and veggies with her.  looking at the pictures of miles with his "BH" and maisy with hers, i can't get over how much they are starting to look like each other.  

what a big girl

first, maisy had her 6 month well baby check today.  she has grown just about 3 inches in the last three months.  i knew she was getting very long, but had no idea she had grown that much.  she met all of her milestones, sitting by herself, keeping her head level when pulled from a laying down position, raking her fingers to get things out of reach, putting a cracker to her mouth etc.  the only area she had a bit of a problem was in her weight.  last time she was at the doctors, when she was 3 months old, she weighed 14.1lbs.  this time, 31/2 months later she weighs 15.0 lbs.  yes, she did gain weight, but not enough to be on target for her age.  the doctor said she is not worried, but wants me to try to fit in an extra nursing during the day and supplement her with formula after each time i nurse her.  plus she is now able to eat chicken, rice, pasta and mashed potatoes.  i think she will be fine when we go for her well baby check in january.  she'll probably be a little chunky monkey.  

the original reason for this post was to show you how well maisy is doing in the tub now.  she is still in the baby tub, but she does not need the infant "lounge chair" anymore.  she can sit up well enough to sit in the baby tub now.  she loves it because she get to kick and splash as well as play with the cups and toys i put in the tub for her. i just can't get over how fast both my kids are getting.  

almost forgot, miles had to go back to the dentist today because he had some cavities he had to get filled.  he was amazing.  they gave him a little giggle gas, he got to watch a movie on a tv that he could look at while he was laying down, and then he took the shot of novocaine like a trooper.  the only part he complained about was when we left the office, he kept asking when the "fat feeling" in his lip was going to go away.  too cute.  so glad his first dentist experience has been so good.  

first trip to the dentist

i finally made an appointment for miles to go to the dentist.  i wasn't sure at what age he was suppose to go, and he probably should have gone earlier, but we finally made it.  i took him to a place called dentistry for children  it has an under the sea theme with pirates and all that fun stuff, right up miles' alley. now i have to admit, i hate the dentist, but i had to make sure miles didn't know that.  i prepped him on everything he could expect.  i let him know about the moving chair, x-rays, the buzzing toothbrush, bubble gum flavored toothpaste, etc.  he was totally prepared and it paid off, miles was AWESOME.  he was very comfortable and cooperative (thanks goodness).  the cutest thing i thought was after he had his teeth cleaned he looked at me and said "i love you mom", then he smiled really big and whispered to me, "look at my teeth."  he was so proud and happy to have clean teeth.  when he got home from the dentist, i think he brushed his teeth 4 more times throughout the day, it was pretty funny.  of course i took pictures...

second child syndrome

i told myself when maisy was born, that she would not fall victim to "second child syndrome".  you know what it is, your first baby, you take a least one picture a day, everyday. then the second one comes along and you think you'll do the same... well i was looking back at my photos of maisy, so i could scrapbook her pictures form each month and i realized, wow i have been a really bad mommy.  some months there were only like 3 pictures that were good enough to scrap.  so i am going to try to get better about it.  i think if i leave the camera out where i can see it and it is easily accessible, i'll be better about taking more pics.  so here are a few from yesterday.  i just love this little outfit.  and to my little miss maisy, mommy is sorry, and will try to take lots more pictures of you.