Oktoberfest

We had a big Oktoberfest party with the neighbors this weekend. But before the big party, we had a fun morning on a sunny, crisp, perfect October morning. We have been using our bike seat a lot after dinner for a ride to the park or just around the neighborhood but this time we decided to venture off farther. So, we strapped Ella in, she had on her frog helmet and we rode to Starbucks, got coffees and breakfast and then rode to a new playground we haven't been to before. Ella had fun exploring the new tunnels and slides and even Daddy had fun on the big slides!

Getting ready to go and then they were off!!

After Ella's nap, we had our annual neighborhood fall Oktoberfest party. It had been pretty small in the past so we decided to make it a little bigger this year and even had a band. It was a lot of fun and the best part was it was right in front of our house so we literally just walked out our front door to the party. Nice location!

Me and munchkin in her Halloween outfit while the band was setting up behind us.

All of the kids did a fun craft project of painting pumpkins. Ella is not quite ready yet for paint but she loved watching all the big kids.

Ella was checking out everyone's design so she can start planning hers out for next year.

Ella and Wesley had their first fight! It was hilarious to watch these two both try and get in the cozy coupe. Wesley climbed in first but that didn't stop Ella, she climbed right in and piratically sat on Wesley's lap. Wesley tried pushing her out but it didn't faze Ella, she just sat there. Too funny and eventually they both just gave up!

Once the sun went down, we lit a fire and roasted marshmellows. Ella checking out the marshmellow deciding if she wanted a bite.

She went for it and big shocker, she loved it! She got it all over her lips but she didn't seem to mind at all!

I am so lucky to have found such great neighbors who have become some of my closest friends. And it is even more fun to see how cute all the kids are together and how close they are coming. Look at Kayla giving Ella and hug and kiss!!

Mike took a picture of the band with his iphone so it's a little dark but you can see them in the distance. Once all the kids went to sleep, the party continued with a fire.

I don't have any pictures but the weekend was capped off with a visit to Mike's soccer game. They usually fall right during Ella's nap so we don't make it but he had an earlier game this week so we went to watch. Ella was having so much that she tried to run out on the field with him after halftime. It's never too early to start them!! And Mike's team won and he scored 2 goals so it was a successful game. Needless to say, we were all very tired by Sunday night but had a great weekend. Can't wait for Halloween this weekend, there will definitely be a lot of pictures next week!

One Year Later...

That was then! You were so small, just 2 months old in your car seat waiting in the doctor's office. You didn't know what was ahead, getting shots and you didn't like it at all! Mom and Dad had no idea what was ahead for us either. But now, you are 14 months old! Such a big girl and we have no idea where the time went. At 14 months old, you are so curious about everything, opening ever drawer, cabinet and door you can find. You are still very cautious in new situations and around new people, you definitely love to have your Mom and Dad close at all times. But when you do warm up or are around your best buddies that you play with everyday, you become alive. You have so much personality, you just made us laugh and smile all the time. You recently discovered that your best buddy Wesley has this awesome new thing, a trampoline and boy did you have fun jumping on it!

At 14 months, you are started to get more picky about your food. When you first started eating solids, you ate anything and everything I put in front of you. Now, you seem to put things (mostly green vegetables, how do kids already know??) in your mouth and then immediately spit it out and drop it down to your other best buddy, Dakota. You love all fruit, bananas, strawberries, grapes, apples anything sweet of course but with the exception of broccoli and corn, you won't touch your veggies. Mom is going to have to get creative and start "sneaking" them into things!

Also, at 14 months, you have finally given up your sleep sack completely. You were a baby that loved to be swaddled and then went directly to your sleep sack but I am happy to report, you are finally sleeping in your just your jammies! You also love for Mom and Dad to read you Goodnight Moon before bed, pointing to everything on the pages. Bedtime is our favorite because you are smelling so sweet after your bath and you are so cuddly in your jammies (especially your Halloween ones from Grandma) and just love to cuddle up. You are definitely becoming more and more of a cuddler as you are getting older also.

And finally at 14 months, you are starting to say more and more words. Of course Dada was first and that is still your favorite but you say "Daddy" more now. When I am lucky, I will get a Mama sometimes. You saying any word that starts with a D, doggie of course and all the time, duckie when we are taking a bath, DeeDee when we see her also. You also have been saying "night night" and pointing to your crib at night before bed, bye bye all the time and waving both of your hands and ball for Dakota's tennis ball and your most recent trick you learned this week, now when we say "what does a ghost say?" you respond with a "Boooooo". It is so much fun to see you start soaking everything in and learn so much more each day and I can't to see what I will be blogging about in a year from now and how big you will have grown. Thanks for always making us laugh and smile with your adorable (and occasionally stubborn) personality little Ella James!

More Pumpkins

Another beautiful weekend here in Charlotte, has this Fall been beautiful or what?? We were happy to have a low key family filled weekend and enjoy the sunshine. We also made another trip to the pumpkin patch again today. We went to the big one a couple weekends ago but that was more to check out the animals at the petting zoo and take a hayride. This time was serious business, finding the perfect pumpkins.

We always go up the street to support a local church that sells them and they sure had a wide variety this year. I mean, what is happening to pumpkins these days?

Posing with my little pumpkin!

I think she found the perfect one!

What do you think Daddy? Can I keep it? I can actually hold one this size.

Ok, before she decides, she has to walk around and check them all out.

I like this one too but this might be a little too heavy for me. And by the way, how creepy are those grey pumpkins???

Oh, it is just too hard, I can't decide!

I like the big pumpkins, they also double as a chair.

I think I like pumpkins!

Or maybe its just my snack that I am so happy about!

Before Ella, we still used to get 3 pumpkins but the extra one was for our first born, Dakota. Poor puppy has been replaced in so many ways and now with pumpkins also! In the end we found some great pumpkins that will be perfect for carving and even one that is the perfect Ella/Dakota size!

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My!!

Well, maybe not lions and tigers and bears but we did see some pretty fun animals at Lazy 5 Ranch. It is part petting zoo, part African Safari and we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and head out there last Friday with some friends. We took a carriage ride around the Ranch and got to feed lots of different kinds of animals. It was a wild experience and Ella was not fazed at all, she loves animals! Off we go!!

The animals literally come up to the wagon to get the food but they are so calm.

The horned elk

The potbelly pig which was actually super cute!

And her little piggies, just born 2 weeks prior, so adorable:)

The water buffalo were definitely the most interesting/disgusting animals we came across, they would just open their mouths for you to feed them. And they had this crazy long tongue that would curl up.

The zebra and the lama, just hanging out together.

One of my favorites were the giraffes, it was amazing to just see these amazing animals living just outside of Charlotte. This fellas name was Fred!!

Feeding Fred!

I think the zebra was jealous of all the attention the giraffe was getting so he came over to the wagon to say hello!

The rhino getting a suntan. The rhino did have to be separated from the rest of the animals because she is a little more aggressive so he didn't come over to the wagon for food.

Finally, before we left, we visited the kangaroos. We waited there for awhile to see them jump but they didn't move. But they sure were cute! After we came home from Lazy 5, we went down to Atlanta to surprise my Mom for her birthday and spent the weekend down there. We had so much fun that I didn't even get a chance to take a single picture. But I want to wish Mom(DeeDee), a very happy birthday. Thanks for everything you do and always being there when we need you and thanks for babysitting Saturday night so Mike and I could go out with Court and Jennifer.

Finally Fall

We had such a long and hot summer, I wasn't sure Fall would ever arrive. But it is definitely here and we are loving the cooler temperatures and less humidity! Some of my favorite things about fall are pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, watching college football (Go Hokies!), nightly fires with the neighbors after the kiddos go to sleep and of course pumpkin time!! Last Sunday we went to a pumpkin patch with our neighbors. Ella comparing all the pumpkins to find the "perfect" one!

Kayla giving Ella a kiss, so sweet but Ella wasn't so sure she liked it.

Check me out, just sitting with the pumpkins!

Look at the animals! Ella calls every animal a "doggie", so cute! But she did love checking out the bunnies, goats, pigs, etc.

Look at the my sweet Ella James and her big smile!

Getting ready to start out on the hay ride. Ella wasn't so sure what we were getting into and where we were going. Her expressions just kill me.

But then she really got into it and liked looking out over the edge.

Look at these two best buddies getting into trouble and making a break for it.

Ok, I guess we will just ride and let them pull us, much easier.

We also watched our Hokies pull off a big victory this weekend and Ella was really excited about our come from behind victory!

And she was excited about her new VT onesie, it must be good luck! She was going to call all of her friends and tell them about the win!