BB and Halloween prep

 We are non stop around here! The kids are getting SO BIG! Just a few photos...first, Jack wearing my grandmother's cameo. He's been all about jewelry lately. It's super cute. He wants to wear Justin's rings, my bracelets, necklaces, and even hair bows. It's short lived when he puts it on but makes us laugh.

Then there's this girl...This big, messy, I-can-feed-myself girl! I could squeeze her every time I see her! She is getting so good at getting from a sitting position to all fours but no crawling yet. She loves to eat! I am ashamed to say, that I have fed Ella anything and everything for the last month. She totally skipped the pureed food, no baby food, straight to the good stuff. I'm starting to think that the entire baby food market is a scam. I don't understand the difference between a pureed carrot and one that I squish with a fork and let her eat. In fact, it seems that a baby would be able to swallow it better and less would run out of her mouth, because she's able to feel and manipulate thicker foods? I don't know...either way, she LOVES to eat! Her favorites are spaghetti, peaches, and yogurt. Her least favorite is bananas (odd) and green beans, she still eats them though!

I can't believe how big my girl is getting. Her hair is so long, that she always needs a bow to keep it out of her eyes. Her beautiful blue eyes. Such a doll baby. A happy girl. I think she's quiet a good bit since Jack is always so busy, but she can definitely command attention when necessary. She's a demanding little thing. Justin says he thinks she's in charge. She's a fidgety girl, likes to be independent, and not as much of a snuggler as her older brother. So when she is in the mood to cuddle, it makes the cuddling that much sweeter.

 Jack is climbing into and onto everything these days! The ottoman, the Einstein baby jumper...he can even climb UP the slide!?! He makes it up the stairs no problem. Better keep an eye on him.

Fall is setting in around Charleston. The weather has been amazing these last few weeks! Low humidity, cooler temperatures. It's so nice! We've been doing a little Halloween decorating...okay, a LOT of decorating. Jack loves our skeleton out front. We put him out first. We were one of the first people in the neighborhood to have Halloween decorations. Jack also loves pumpkins. We take walks in the evening, and he points out any pumpkin he sees. He said, "PUM!" He says the first syllable of words and we know what he means. I don't know that other people do besides us but he's getting so verbal. I can't believe it! When did that happen, how quickly this whole parenthood thing flies by!

It was a great surprise the other night to get Booed by a neighbor. I have no idea who did but there are only a few people who have the sign on their door, so it could only be one of three people. I think it may have been the Wilson's. We'll have to see! The basket was so sweet. Ella had a little toy cell phone and Jack got a dinosaur! He loves dinosaurs now. We have been playing and it's become quite a habit, that he fashions some perilous situation for his trains...Thomas falls off the ottoman or crashes into Percy...and it's up to the dinosaurs to save the day. "UH-OH!!!!" He exclaims, then Frank, Tony, or Rex will come to the rescue. Frank and Tony are John's older dinosaurs, we just named them and for whatever reason, they've gained a Long Island accent as the characters have developed. Justin says it's painful to listen to but he can't help but enjoy listening to me butcher a long island accent. I think I'll have to make Rex a real low country dinosaur. 

Below are Tony, Rex, and Frank(ie)...

I got these great pumpkins from Michaels with Ella and Jack's names personalized as the mouth. How cute right??

Below...Justin meets pintrest! It's about time! I saw a few pins a while back on how to make a Thomas the train costume. Once I suggested the idea and showed him the cool tutorials from other dad's, he ran with it...it's painted and awaiting decals. Thomas is really coming together and Jack gets excited anytime he sees it. Justin has even gone so far as to plan a way to have Thomas the Train music playing while we trick or treat. It's fun! Ella is going as a giraffe. I really wanted to them to match somehow and threw around all sorts of ideas (Wizard of Oz characters, Little Red riding hood, etc) and I decided that Jack really loves trains this year and I think it would be more fun to dress them up in something cool like WOOZ or LLRH later, when they can remember. So this year, Ella is going to be the giraffe in the circus car that pulls behind Jack. Her outfit is cute too!

I can't get over these precious babes!

Justin and I have been meeting for "lunch dates." We are really on to something with these. Instead of stressing ourselves out trying to find a sitter, and schedule an evening away (both of which are difficult to do and seem to be more stress than they're worth, especially since it takes away from time with the kids!), we decided to take time away from work, while the kids are with the nanny, and try out all these great restaurants in Charleston, most of which are cheaper at lunch anyway...it's like a win-win-win-win! So good! We have different lists that we mark off. I recently found a list of the 10 best cheapest places to eat in Charleston. We went to Xiao Bao Biscuit (a vietnamese restaurant) and it was amazing! After we cross off that entire list, we're moving on to the best mac-n-cheese in Charleston, then I want to find the best she crab soup! It's so fun! Not to mention...look at my hot date!

 Then, last, but certainly not least, is our new nanny! Libbye or "BB!" as Jack calls her. I have probably already talked about her before but I feel she deserves a little extra attention. She is amazing. She is an answer to prayers. She is the absolute best person I could image to help raise (which is essentially what nannies, daycares, teachers, etc are doing) are children. I adore her and my heart is more joyful and peaceful when she's around. She's just a happy, burst of sunshine anytime she's around...I mean, have I sold you yet? Need I say more...haha. Well, most importantly Jack and Ella adore her as much if not more than I do. Jack runs to the door in the mornings and walks her out, talking to her, still wanting to play every evening. And every day it's something new...park, new library, trains, museum, etc. And I get lots of pictures!!!

I know what you're thinking...you wish she could be your nanny too! I would have loved for her to by my nanny, haha. I can honestly say that motherhood is what I do best, or at least what I try my hardest at. And I think that Libbye is such a blessing and makes my job as a working mom so much easier. I am so grateful that Kim was able to help us find her and made the whole situation come together! I have so much more to say...but that will have to wait for another post! Happy Fall Y'all!

Pumpkin Patch

We took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch this year. Luckily, Charleston has a few great ones to choose from. This year we went to Legare Farms on Johns Island. It's where we went the year I was pregnant with Jack too. We've come long way since then! :)

This pumpkin patch has lots to do. We went through the crape myrtle maze. It was like a super spooky forest maze with educational clues to guide you through. In the end, we completed the quiz about the clues, and Jack got a prize. Then we had lunch and went the petting zoo.

We had never seen some of those animals up close like that. Goats, pigs, hogs, boar, cows, horses, sheep, donkey, rabbits, chickens, and rooster. Jack got to feed them. He did really great with the animals and listed so well.

 And...then a highlight for me...he got to RIDE IS FIRST HORSE!!! Of course, I LOVE horses and used to ride with a horse farmer who lived in our neighborhood, Mr. Timmerman. I absolutely loved it and am so thankful for that experience to care for a bond with the horses. Seeing Jack on that horse made me so happy! :)

 Our last stop was, of course, to pick out our pumpkins for this year! I can't tell you how much I love the fall and pumpkins. Doesn't the fall give everyone a sense of excitement? Excitement for the change of seasons, for all the holidays coming up, it's magical! Miss Ella was intrigued by all the pumpkins on display.

Jack looked like a little farmer in his plaid shirt. He loved picking the pumpkins up. He was such a good helper!

 In addition to our big pumpkins, we let Jack pick out two little ones. One for himself and one for Ella. I laughed when he came back with a gourd that he picked for himself. It's such a little boy thing to choose...green and orange and spiny. I love that! And he got Ella this precious little white round pumpkin. I just love that sweet fella!

 Back at the car, we had to do a brief diaper change. Ella looked so precious with her little thigh rolls and Jack wanted to hold her hand. I love these babies. I think to myself daily, this is as good as it gets. In a few years, they won't be babies anymore. They'll have their own opinions, their own friends, and I can only hope that I'll fit into their lives. That they'll let me in on their secrets and share with me a little of their time. But for now, they're all ours, and I treasure all these moments dearly.

These pictures below are too cute, look at that face! And that little wink she does when she smiles! She's totally my baby!

 Such a wonderful day! Happy Fall Y'all!!

Ella's first zoo trip!

On the way home, we spontaneously decided to stop at the zoo to break up the trip and see some cool animals. It was Ella's first zoo trip (outside the womb). Haha! I feel bad that we didn't take a ton of pictures but my phone ran out of memory and Ella fell asleep for part of it. We'll have to go back for her first official trip next spring.

We started by hitting all the major animal attractions (tigers, lions, elephants, giraffes, gorillas, and zebra). Jack really liked the tortoises this time (fell in love with gorillas last time) and he enjoyed climbing on all the bronze animal statues throughout the park.

We ate lunch at the tater tot hut, which perked poor Jack right up. Ella napped through lunch and the rest of the animals. Of course we had to ride the train :) Below are Ella and Daddy in front of the monkeys. It was a beautiful day!

Since my favorite animals are elephants. I had to get a picture of me and my Ella in from of them! I'll have to upload pictures from Justin's phone b/c my memory ran out on mine almost as soon as we got there! I take so many pictures ;) Below Jack can't see the Tiger sleeping in the den. He does this funny snoring noise since he can't say sleep. It's hilarious. I was finally able to point out the giant head of this tiger and Jack snored loudly, haha. To the right are daddy and Jack looking at the gorillas (reuniting the kindred spirits).

We finished up our visit with the carousel. Justin said Jack loved it so much! That he was very excited to pick out his animal and squealed when it went round and round. I could tell he was enjoying himself b/c every time he came around and tried to look for me, he had this huge, proud grin on his face.

I hope to have more time to post pictures from Justin's phone. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Thomas the Train

I can't believe it's fall already! We've living in this beautiful home for a year now. Boy, what a busy and blessed year it been. Watching Jack grow from a baby to a rambunctious toddler, and welcoming our precious Ella seven months ago! WOW! This weekend was a big adventure for our family. Granna and Papa treated us on a trip to see Thomas the Train, Jack's obsession. The look on his face when we got out of the car, just as Percy was pulling into the depot, is one, I hope, I'll never forget. He was unsure but curious about what he was seeing and then it just clicked and he was overwhelmed with excitement saying, "MORE!" "Choo-choo!" "More!" Signing excitedly. So sweet.

The event was so well done. There was a ton to do from visiting the Spencer Train Museum and seeing all the old steam engines, to climbing aboard a fire truck, exploring a hay bale maze, getting Thomas tattoos, playing with train tables, taking pictures with Sir Tophem Hatt, and of course, taking a ride on Thomas!! The ride was great, Jack was a little apprehensive when Thomas pulled into the station but was very excited to pick out the coach and climb aboard. The ride took us out about 10 minutes and back. It was not too long and not too short. Just enough to get the idea of it without kids getting bored. They played Thomas music the entire time and had photographers come onto the train to take pictures. A definite highlight of parenthood thus far.

 Here's the whole gang trying to get a selfie :)

We even dressed the part. Jack had his Thomas shirt on and a conductor hat that Granna got him. Ella wore a Thomas pillow dress, she was precious! I even wore a Thomas scarf with railroad earrings. It was such fun dressing up! And the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

After Thomas, we got lunch and went to visit Jojo and Pawpaw. Sherry and Whit came over too! It was nice to catch up. Jack and I spent a good bit of time in Jojo's gorgeous and fragrant yard running and playing in the grass. He smelled her flowers and we used her gardening bench (low with wheels) to ride down the hill in her back yard. I love getting to be a kid again with these babies! I hope to post more pictures when we get them uploaded. :)