Happy Halloween!

Reese was a butterfly for halloween. 

We drove to trick-or-treat at the houses of our family then only had 4 trick-or-treaters at our house.  I was hoping for more. 

Lincoln Park Zoo

Reese and I headed up to Chicago today for a visit to Lincoln Park Zoo with Allison.  It worked out perfectly so that both nap times fell when we were driving in the car.  It was great to spend the day outside with Allison.  Reese just thought she was hillarious!

The lions were singing very loudly.  They were really roaring but I have never heard anything like it!

The gorillas and monkeys are always the best!

I remember these Mold-A-Rama machines from when I was little and was hoping that we would be able to find one.  Thank goodness Reese's stinky diaper made us go to the basement of the cafe where we found one!!  We each made a yellow wax lion and it was as magical as I remembered.  I'm so glad that little Reese was able to have her own wax lion from the zoo!

Pumpkins!

We went over to Scheeringa's yesterday to pick out pumpkins.  It is the first evening all week that it hasn't been raining so we took full advantage. 

At first she did not want to even touch the pumpkin...

Then she was mad because she wanted to eat the pumpkin and I wouldn't let her...

And then she had fun!

Ta Da!

Happy Halloween!!

Layla Bangs

Attempts to capture Reese's cute little Layla bangs that are coming in under her fading toupe.

Reese's first tasting of rice - or should I say sticky rice - it was everywhere!

Happy Halloween!  She wouldnt keep the hat on long enough to get a picture and that face in the other one... priceless!

you know...

Where's your cell phone: hmmm?
Your hair: up
Your mother:  helping
Your father: sleeping
Favorite Food: popcorn
Dream last night: nanaimo bars
Favorite drink: orange juice
What room are you in: bed
Where were you last night: here
Something that you aren't: witty
Muffins: pumpkin
Wish list item: more time
Where did you grow up: midwest
What are you wearing: pajamas
Your pets: headbutt
Friends: talented
Something you're not wearing: socks
Favorite store: craft
Favorite color: green
Last time you laughed: boom shakalaka
Best friend: annie anderson
Place you go to over and over: changing table
Person who emails you regularly: borders
Favorite place to eat: phoenix

one word answers.pass on to others. (or two word :)

Fall

I think all the leaves changed over night.  This is the view from our back door - I love it!  I am hoping to take Reese to pick out a pumpkin this weekend.  I can't wait to watch her play with the guts while we carve.  I just hope she doesn't try to eat them!

Sleepy Reese after staying at her dad's last night... i love the crossed ankles!  It is rainy and windy today so I think we will just have a quiet day at home.

These little guys are headed to Freetown in Sierra Leone, Africa.  My friend Zack studied there this summer and asked me to crochet some creatures to send to the kids of the family he stayed with.  I was so excited to help!

I have been swamped with school work but I am hoping to make Reese a Christmas fabric book.  I didn't realize the danger of having a JoAnns so close.  In Phoenix, they closed the one close to me and so I always had to make a special trip and drive far but now it is a 10 minute drive and I get the ads in the mail - seriously dangerous!

Catch up

Well it has been a long time since I updated this and I think that might be because Reese is on the move.  She crawls at lightening speed and pulls herself up on everything.  She is also cruising the furnaiture - for those of you not down with the parenting lingo that means that she is holding onto the couch and walking along it.  It has been scary because she does not always know how to get down or she assumes since i am within 5 feet of her that I will make she that she has a safe landing... not always the case but she is getting better by the minute.  It was awesome watching her this morning as she stood holding onto the coffee table then sat down then practiced the same thing 3 or 4 times.  You can see the wheels spinning in her brain and she is so smart!  The only thing about her being able to pull herself up is that she would pull herself up in her crib at night and not know how to get down which meant lots of crying and me being awake for most of the nights.  I am sure that this is normal for most parents but since this is all new to me it is amazing!  (actually I am positive that this is normal to parents as I call Amy every week with new questions)

Reese has also started eating solid food - apparently I was behind the curve on that but I was nervous.  Turns out there was no reason to be nervous she automatically started chewing up the first cheerios I gave her like she had been doing it for years.  She has since had avacados, spaghetti noodles, mashed potatoes and some baby cheese rice cakes - side note: Reese was standing at the coffee table trying to help em type but she decided to pull out the magazines underneithe the coffee table instead.  She just looked up at me with a magazine hanging out of her mouth so it looks like she has tried Parenting magazine also. 

Speaking of chewing, Reese now has five teeth and is really close to getting a sixth - three on top and two on the bottom.  It is so cute to be able to see her teeth when she smiles.  side note: she has now pulled out some of her books from under the coffee table and is now reading herself a story, Aunt Lindsey could not be more proud. 

We finished up Mother Goose on the Loose storytime at the public library.  It was four weeks of fun and will start up again in November.  I am looking forward to it.  It was so weird to think when we started she was just starting to crawl but by the end she was walking while holding onto my fingers when we played ring around the rosie.  She is growing and changing so quickly but dont worry I have been video taping all that I can! 

Because the weather has taken a turn for the worse and has been cold and rainy since i can remember we have been playing inside a lot.  I am hoping for a couple more nice days before winter comes.  Oh, Reese can wave good-bye and clap.  She is crazy cute when she does it so I hope everyone can expereince it.  We are working on the Itsy Bitsy Spider and I have found her secretly practicing. 

I have been baking a lot - no surprise there.  Banana cookies, zucchini bread, pumpkin muffins and today sugar cookies with candy corn on top.  Reese usually dances with me in her exersaucer and the dogs try to find anything that I have dropped. 

I have been crocheting and sewing (thanks to Taylor's sewing machine).  Right now I am crocheting little animals for Zack to send to the kids he stayed with in Africa.  Last month I was working for presents for Maria's baby shower - rattles, burp clothes and bibs.