Fall 2008

Well, it's been a busy couple of months. It's been almost 3 since I last posted something, but I'll have to admit that part of the reason is due to my new-found addiction with facebook. ;+} Not that I haven't been busy, but it's definitely taken up some of my computer time. Okay, this update may be a bit longer since it's been so long, but I'll try to keep it as short as I can, only including through Thanksgiving. Remember, I'm also using this as a way to document our life's progression, so be patient... or just skip to the pictures! :+}

The rest of October flew by. Ayla was a cowgirl for Halloween, and Jackson was a cowboy. They were pretty darn cute if I do say so myself, but you'll see for yourself in the photos. :+} November was busy. Ayla and I took advantage of my having a week off of school, and we drove to Texas. My dad went with us to go and see his parents (and family) for the week. We drove directly into Waco, where they recently moved, and Ayla and I stayed the evening and night, and we left the following afternoon to drive into Plano. This stay Ayla and I divided up our stay between Brett's parents and his sister's family. It was nice getting to spend more time with them, and both Jaycee and Garrett love Ayla, but Jaycee was the one that couldn't get enough of her. Right away Ayla was able to say "Jaycee." In fact, weeks after we got home she'd be playing and out of the blue I'd hear her say, "Where'd Jaycee go?" Garrett is a little tougher to say, but we'll keep working on it. Jaycee is amazingly good with Ayla and knows just what to do to entertain her. Pam and Jeff might have to "rent" her out to me in a few more years. I might be able to use a summer nanny. :+] The day before Thanksgiving Ayla and I got up very early to drive to Waco, we had breakfast and visited for a bit, and then the 3 of us were on the road. Having the van certainly makes the trip much more comfortable for adults traveling, but it's the DVD player that makes it pleasant for Ayla... and in turn for us. She rotates between Little Einsteins & Praise Baby, but her ultimate favorite is Little Einsteins. Her O'ma got her the Little Einstein dolls (Leo, June, Annie, & Quincy) that each say their own little "key" phrases. She really loves them! I think that particular traveling day, with the extended trip from Plano to Waco, Ayla had had enough riding in the car because when we were about 2 hours from home, and it was almost 10 PM, Ayla was not wanting to be in her car seat anymore. The poor thing was uncomfortable, tired, hungry (she doesn't eat well in the car), and she was just ready to be out. My dad felt so bad for her that he insisted we stop at a rest stop and let her stretch her legs and walk. Immediately, she lit up and was happy to walk around picking up acorns with Pa'pa. :+] We finally made it home, and the next day we spent Thanksgiving at my parent's house with Justin, Sarah, and Jackson.

Okay, now for a "few" pictures. :+}

The above and below 3 pictures were taken the night we too the Downtown Milton Ghost Walk Tour. It was a lot of fun, and it got just cold enough to put us in the fall mood. We plan to do it each year it's offered. However, on a sad note, last night (1/6) many of the old buildings in downtown Milton caught fire and suffered a lot of damage them. Milton has a beautiful downtown area, and many historic buildings that date back 100 years. I'm very anxious to learn of the extent of the damage :+/

Each year our church has a "Trunk-or-Treat" on Saturday in October. The kids had a lot of fun this year collecting candy. Ayla went as a cowgirl, and Jackson was her cowboy side-kick. :+] The cute, little pumpkin is Luke Farley. You'll notice in the coming pictures that both Ayla and Jackson have suckers in their hand/mouth. Well, the only way we could get them to stay in the wagon and take pictures was to let them have those suckers. You'll notice that they are most definitely enjoying them, and they could care less about what everyone around them is doing. They were very sticky in the end, but it was a great "bribe"... I mean motivator to get them to do what we wanted. Yes, I advocate bribery... especially when it's for the sake of a good pictures. ;+)

I took the above and below six pictures later in the day after the "Trunk-or-Treat." I had to include this series of pictures because I was trying to get Ayla to cooperate and let me take her picture, but she just wasn't having it. Before you go any further, please know that no child was harmed in the taking of these pictures. I just kept snapping away trying to get one good picture, and I laughed when I saw that what I was actually able to document was irritation with me. She didn't want to sit still for the pictures, and she did not want that hat on her head. You see her getting more and more upset, but in the end, as you'll see, she was again content (when she wasn't being directed by the paparazzi). Hmmmm... might this mean she actually has a mind of her own!?!? :+]

Halloween night we went over to Justin and Sarah's to have seafood. The kids didn't trick or treat, but Sarah had "treat bags" for them. :+} In the above picture Jackson is eagerly showing me his candy.

For some reason, I'm not able to go in between the pictures to narrate, so I'll do that here. The pictures to follow Halloween night were taken at random times during the month of November. The two of Ayla in her PJ were taken one Saturday morning. I just had to get Ayla's crazy morning hair. She's got a lot of hair, and it gets wild. The two following the ones in her PJs were taken one Saturday when Brett and I had planned to clean out our garage, that looks like a band of Gypsies live in it. So, Ayla played on the driveway with her baby and stroller, as well as eating a few acorns. The next two show Ayla's faciniation with clothes. If I have a basket of clothes, or more irritating a stack of folded clothes, keeping her away from them is like keeping a kid out of a candy store. She loves to go through them, scatter them about, and as you see, crawl into the basket or luggage WITH them. The one after those is just a random picture I took of her on the fireplace in a cute, fall outfit. The last two I took one afternoon. I'd driven home from school to find my mom pulling the kids in the wagon. It was a cool day, and my brother didn't leave a jacket for Jackson when he dropped him off that morning, and Jackson is wearing one of Ayla's pink jackets, and Ayla is wearing one of the sweatshirts my mom had for Jackson. I just thought they looked so cute in the wagon, and they could care less that they are wearing each others clothes.

Whitfield Pumpkin Patch

We wanted to get some pictures of the kids with pumpkins, so we dressed them up in cute, matching Halloween outfits, loaded up, and headed out to Whitfield Farms, which is about 20 miles north of where we live. We had a good time, and each of us got a few pumpkins to take home. We'll definitely return next year!
Brett has been out of town since Thursday, so it was all of us, minus him. He went to Dallas for the Neil Diamond concert. That was his birthday present from his parents. Today, he went to the Stars game. Except for the fact that he hasn't been with Ayla and me, it's sounding like it was a great birthday weekend for him!
Since placing these tiny pumpkins out, Ayla continually goes over and takes them all out of the basket that's on the floor. The other one is higher than she can reach. Another day or two of this and the existing one that's on the floor may be too high to reach, too. :+} She tries to say pumpkin, but it sounds more like "umpin."

They had horses, a donkey, geese, goats, and a variety of other animals. The horses were close enough for the kids to touch.

The long road beside Whitfield Farms. Obviously, not a heavily traveled road or else we would not have allowed our children to wander aimlessly down it. :+]

Jackson was sweet and wanted to hold Ayla's hand!

One of the few pictures we have that both of them are actually almost looking at the camera. Gone are the days when we could place them some where, and then just make funny faces to get them to smile for the camera. They now have a mind of their own, and they are able to get up anytime they are "over" our photo session, which happens quite frequently I'm afraid! :+}

Picture #2 where they are both looking at the camera. :+}

After the pumpkin patch, we had dinner at a recently opened cafe in downtown Milton. As you can tell, the kids had their dinner in their strollers. Don't mind Ayla with her leg propped up... she's going to be comfortable while she eats her grill cheese sandwich!

They were having a "Music in the Park" night off the boardwalk that fronts the river. We headed down there for a little while, but it was much cooler than we anticipated and the kids were pooped, and so were the adults!

Ayla is trying to "figure out" her glow stick!

Here she is "rockin" with Uncle Justin, who decided tonight that he was going to be the one to take her to her first concert! :+)

Ayla's 1 Year Pictures

These are the 1-Year pictures we had taken of Ayla when we were in Texas this summer for our visit. It was a week before Ayla turned 1. We just love the photographer, and we try to schedule an appointment when we're back for visits. Ayla wasn't in the best "picture" mood this day, but Terri was patient and able to get some really cute shots. As I've said before, this past year has flown by, and it's so hard to believe she's already a year old and growing more and more independent by the day!

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The above was the face we were getting most of the morning.
She was being a little toot!

One Sunday Afternoon

Ayla, almost 13 months old, and Jackson, a little over 21 months

Sarah and Justin recently bought and moved into a house. It's a few miles from us, and it sits on 2 acres. There are a few pictures that I happened to take while we were taking a walk on this particular day. The house sits in a small neighborhood, and most of the houses are water front. It'll be a great neighborhood for kids, taking walks, and riding bikes. It also feeds into the same schools that our house does, which thrills me. I am bound and determined that Sarah and I both need alternate "ears" when the kids are in school. Ayla may not tell me things, but by golly, Jackson's going to. :+}
Their house is a great, open floor plan, with plenty of room for their family to grow, not that it's growing at the moment, but when that time comes. ;+} Baylie's favorite part of their house is the pond in the front of their house. It's stocked, and I'm sure the fish are quite annoyed by the two brown monsters that occasionally take a dip. :+} Another great feature of their property is the great backyard that includes a really cute playhouse. It's the perfect size for the two of them to play in, and although they don't show much interest in it now, I am sure as they get bigger it'll become more and more exciting to them. In the meantime, we sat them on the playhouse porch for a few pictures, not to mention the fact that they happened to be matching quite well this particular Sunday. I would've loved to have had a playhouse like this when I was little!

Here Ayla is walking. She is still so wobbly.

She's even cute from behind. :+} I just love those little rolls on her legs!


I guess she was a bit hot after being outside for a while. Okay, so we're working on the "lady-like" tendencies, but at what other time in life is this type of behavior not only going to be acceptable, but so stinkin' adorable, too?!
After all, she's wearing a diaper cover! ;+]

This is the view looking down their street, that leeds to the houses that sit on the water. Justin and Sarah's turn in is just past the mail box you see in the photo. They've got a long, nice driveway, and their house sits way off the road. It's got really good curb appeal.
These two picturs were taken from the front yard of the vacant house next door. We were over there looking through the windows. It's a fairly new, really nice house, and I think Sarah is still trying to convince her mom or grandmother to buy it so Jackson can have his nana and gigi nearby.
You can see Brett's truck and my van in the drive way. They've got a two car garage, and that's a detached garage/work area. This isn't the best photo, but it does show how large their property is. The fence you see in the foreground begins their property line on this side of the house. Their property is just about completely fenced in on all sides.

This is a picture of part of the pond that sits in their front yard. There is a lit fountain that is really pretty at night when it's lit up and running. The pond is a nice feature and even with the pond taking up all that area, the grassed part of their front yard is still really large. Jackson loves feeding the fish. When you drive up the driveway or walk up to the pond, you can see all the fish swimming in your direction, so I guess that means they're trained fish! :+}

Luke & Ayla... bathtime again!

Just another one of those pictures we'll use against them some day!

We were over there one night for dinner several Saturday's ago, and we threw them in the tub together. :+]

Jackson Helping Ayla Walk September 7th

One of the first days Ayla really started walking on her own was the day we were over at Justin and Sarah's new house, before their stuff was in. We were there painting and trying to get things ready. Since then, they've moved in and are pretty well settled. I don't know that you can ever be completely settled, but their house looks great. Sarah did a super job picking out fun colors. Justin wasn't sure at first, but I think he's sold now. :+] Notice the green walls in their living room. The kitchen and breakfast nook is painted a really pretty tangerine color, and their bedroom is a chocolate brown. Everything looks great!!!

So, the day we were over there painting, my dad was watching both kids in the living room. Ayla began practicing her walking. I think it was easy for her because of the tile. I guess she felt much more stable. It was cute, too, because Jackson would hold her hand and help her up; however, as you might be able to see, she's giving him a "look" that says, "Okay, I got it!"
We've got some pretty cute video of it. Not long after this picture was taken, she began to take off more and more on her own. Because of the way my camera records video, I've not been able to upload the videos to the site. I've got to first have my dad convert them. I've got so many cute ones!

Hangin' Out on a Saturday Morning

This was one Saturday in early September. We generally hang out in our PJs until we no longer have to. :+} If we don't have to do anything at all, we just might stay in them all day. Those are the very best Saturdays.

Here she is with her baby and making a pretty funny face. She is quite expressive. I have no idea where she gets that. ;+]

Here she is giving her baby a big, open-mouthed, wet kiss!