I love...

I love the way you rub my back and tell me you love me in your sweet, cuddly voice when you join us in bed in the morning.

I love when you say “toy” and “boy.”  It sounds like “tear” and “bear.”

I love the way you run to see me when I pick you up from preschool.

I love hearing the pitter patter of your feet coming into our room in the morning (and sometimes in the middle of the night!).

I love the way you say “I’m sorry – what was that?” when you can’t hear us.

I love that you always like to hold hands, cuddle and rub cheeks.

I love that your “no fank you” is “no thank you” and your “geen” is “green.”

I love when your face lights up in the mornings when I tell you you’re going to see Danda and Papa or GramCin that day.

I love that you use the word “actually” correctly and often.

I love the way you play in the bath like no one is watching…singing into the reflective glass of the faucet and making “pretend” food.  It’s your time to be free and I love it.

I love your little baby body.  Have to resist squeezing it constantly, even though I know you’d let me if I did.

I love that you always want to help.  You’re known at preschool, daycare and the library as one of the best helpers around.

I love that you love your bedtime routine and find comfort in this part of your day.

I love your intense imagination and creativity.  Never a dull moment when your imagination runs wild.

I love that you don’t like scary movies and still prefer to watch “G” shows.

I love when you sing talk.  It’s hilarious and so very precious.

I love when you dance and show us your moves...you know how to shake your hips like Shakira!

I love when you snuggle into my neck when something or someone is unfamiliar.

I love how you can be so incredibly mature at times.  It’s like you’re a 30 year old in a 3 year old body.

I love how you can be so incredibly 3 years old at times.  =) Slapstick humor and potty talk are not unknown around our house!

I love seeing you with your grandparents.  You have a special bond with each of them and it melts my heart every time I witness your interactions.  You love them so much and talk of them often.

I love seeing you bond with Cousin Helen.  You love her like no one else your age.

I love that you talk a lot about Auntie Lindsay’s baby and know, by heart, the events we have to get through before he’s here.

I love that you request Daddy to put you to bed (and that you have for six months now!).  It’s your special time with him and he loves it so, so, so much. 

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This is called "being reflective in a tree."

Tide Pools

We ventured to the beach yesterday afternoon with our neighbors, the Sheriff family, to check out the tide pools in the negative low tide.  What fun!

Avery loves the beach.  In fact, the entire group yesterday loves the beach…and we Simpsons are proud to say that we’ve followed the Sheriff family around to all the best North County beaches over the past summer…you know, those beaches that are beautiful and fun yet not overcrowded; a little off the beaten path (anti-Del Mar!), but still convenient.  The Sheriff family always knows the best places to go and the coolest things to do…and so, it shouldn’t surprise you that it was their idea to visit the tide pools.  =)

So, Avery was really loving being at the beach.  Sure seeing stunning (and sometimes) large starfish, crabs and sea anemone is neat, but she has never been an “animal” kid and much preferred to frolic around in the sand and shore instead.  Someday she might grow out of the “take it or leave it” attitude when it comes to non-human creatures, but for now we’ll have to do with her half enthused “wow” as she prances away like a butterfly. 

The Sheriff’s have a great camera and took some awesome shots of us yesterday.  Impromptu photo sesh?  Sure!  Thank you, Katie, for these awesome photos!!  (All the “good” ones are hers; all the okay ones are mine.)  I also included some videos, so you can witness my child’s frolicking for yourself.  And thank you, Sheriffs, for once again inviting us to something awesome and being so fun to hang out with!

 

Notice Avery's feet.  She's literally prancing in mid air!

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Girl after my own heart.

Tea Time with Danda

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Love, love, love.

Fall Fun

Our community hosts various events throughout the year (Easter egg hunt, Christmas tree lighting, food truck nights, movies in the park, etc), but the biggest, most popular event in town is Oktoberfest. Jeff and I have been four or five out of the six years we have lived here, and every time we go it gets bigger and bigger. What started with a few bratwurst tables and a small beer garden has turned into a full-blown carnival. From ice cream sodas to a mini Ferris wheel and bounce houses galore (not to mention a large beer garden), this is the place to be!

She's ready and waiting for her first carnival game!

Dancing with one shoe on while eating ice cream.  Told you it was fun!

Life on top of a car.  Thrilling!  Don't worry - it wasn't on!

In other news, it’s fall! Here are some things we’ve been up to – fall style.

Pumpkin Patch!

She was really into the little pumpkins.

Like really, really into them.

Two years ago on the left; this year on the right!

Legoland with the Tait family...

Superman, Princess and Ninja.  Crime-fighting and cute.

Ha.  They look like giants!

Halloween parade at Avery's school...

Trick or treating!

Blurry, but you can still see the excitement!

You knock?  Me knock?  You?  Me?

We'll both knock.  Problem solved!

Legoland with the Goff family!

We love the Goffs!

This hill was as fun (if not more so) than the rest of the park!

Fun game of tag.

More ballet, of course...

Already has impressive form.

And plie...

Lots of fun so far this fall!  Although, we've already encountered the first (and last?!) illness of the flu season.  Avery had croup earlier in October that moved to her chest and turned into bronchitis.  She fought through it really well and got to spend a few extras days with the grandmas and me.

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This princess has sass!