Sweet Caroline

My baby continues to grow up! In the last few weeks she has been putting several words together to make sentences!! It's so amazing to be conversing with my baby! (Can I keep calling her "baby?") The other day she ate all of her applesauce by herself she looked at me from across the kitchen and said, "Mama happy!" It was so sweet, I almost cried. I told her I was happy! She then said, "Mimi happy! Dadda happy!" etc. She still says "aynk you" for Thank You almost every time without prompting and "me-me" for excuse me after burping or other "noises." She says, "mama pees!" for "Please." She can name almost all of her colors. Lakyn has been trying to teach her to sing her ABC's but she likes to sing "A,D,A,D" She can count "one, two" and sometimes "three" objects. Every morning I feel like she has changed and can do something she did not do the day before!

We have fun together every day reading dozens of books (a few we read a dozen time each!), going to the library, swinging at the park, singing "You're a Grand Ole' Flag whenever we see an American flag, and playing hide and seek in our house (the pantry is her new favorite hiding spot!) We have had time to bake together which she loves! She likes eating "balls" (meatballs) and marinara, cheese, any fruit and chick-fil-a nuggets. She loved going to the Walton Arts Center and seeing The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She laughed and clapped the whole time. Her favorite part is when the caterpillar eats too many sweets and gets a tummy ache. She kept yelling "no!" when they names each treat!
She helped put our Christmas tree up this year and as soon as we get up in the morning she says, "Tree on!" So we plug the lights on, turn on Christmas music and do what she loves the most...Dance!! She tries to sing along with Jewel's "O Holy Night."
We have so much to be thankful for this year: Caroline, our health, family, friends, our church and so many new additions on the way-Aunt B and Uncle T's baby, Canaan's little sister, Jack's little brother.
We hope you have a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Shower and Surprise B-day Tara!

Here are my girls at my house! Tennille, Becky (and baby Shofner,) Tara (and Hayden,) and me. I'm really not that much shorter...they all must have tall boots on. (right??)

Tara is a special friend to me. We met when I came to the University and joined the Razorbacks for Christ. She introduced me to everyone and we made lots of fun memories while in college (Trips: skiing, Dublin TX, Cotton Bowl to name a few...) Who knew that Tara would have the perfect younger brother for my younger sister! The rest is history!

Lakyn and Caroline enjoying the yumm-o cupcakes I made for Tara. I wrote a "30" on each of them and I now have a new found appreciation for cake decorators.

Here's the adorable cake that I did not make! Hayden's cake came from "The Cake Lady." She even delivers, so e-mail me if you want her info!

Tara knew about the shower, but not about her birthday party! I realize after hosting a few events that I do not have time to take pictures and accomplish my other hostess duties! So you'll have to visit Becky's blog for more pics! It was so much fun surprising her! Jacob got her favorite barbecue from Whole Hog catered for it and we all enjoyed watching the slideshow he made for her. Happy Early Birthday, Tara!

Fall Fun

We started our "fall fun" with a trip to the pumpkin patch. We went to Dickey Farm this year McGarrah is too far now :-(

I look at this picture and cannot believe that is my baby girl! She is growing so fast and is becoming more beautiful, funny, sweet and smart each day!

This was the pumpkin she chose for herself.

Halloween was a blast this year! Caroline even enjoyed wearing her ladybug costume! Luckily it was warm enough to forgo the turtleneck!

We threw a party and had a great time. Aunt B's "Kitty Litter" was a hit! (That's a real litter box and scoop--"real" meaning new from Wal-mart!)

Here's the gals! Funny group-cheerleader, Angela and Pam from The Office, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin (with the flute,) batgirl, 80s girls, pregnant chad and pregnant pause!

The guys. Prom date, two Dwights and Jim from The Office, a democrat wanting a handout, 80s guy, The Joker and John McCain.

The kiddos!

We took the kids to campus for a photo shoot (sans Thomas, which means I tried my best!)

At times like this I wish I was a real writer who can describe how beautiful the trees and leaves on the ground look at UofA. They had so much fun because it was windy and the leaves would blow all around them!

Notice our little ones at the trunk of this gorgeous tree!

They are actually holding hands. We took so many of pictures of this that Tara joked they were almost to Dickson street before we stopped them!

We are all so blessed and have so much to be thankful for this season!