October

We headed out to a pumpkin patch.  We went to the Pioneer historical one up north (pretty close to our house).  I still think Schnepf Farms is the best one we've done...but who wants to drive to Queen Creek.  The kids had fun.  They rode ponies.  Chloe kept digging in her heels and yelling "Hee-ya."  Not sure where she got it, but it cracked me up.

I insisted Chloe wear her long sleeve Halloween shirt even though it was still too hot.  I guess I'm still not willing to come to grips with AZ weather.  I tried to get a cute pic of the two of them several times...this was the best one.

 

 

 

 

Halloween was fun.  I made Chloe a little bee dress.  Carson's costume was super easy.  It was basically his church clothes plus a T-shirt and glasses.  I tacked his shirt open so it would show.  Chloe got the idea of Halloween very fast.  Carson had talked big about wanting to Trick-or-Treat for hours.  He got tired after 2 blocks though and wanted to go home.  He actually asked me to continue Trick-or-Treating for him while he went home to relax...ha!  I had to inform him that's not the way it works.

 

 

Also in October, I was 9 months pregnant and wanting it to be over.  The muscles under my belly and my lower back hurt constantly.  I was swollen (not as bad as when I was pregnant with Chloe though).  I was due 10/31...but she wasn't born till November...so next post.

September

Apparently nothing happened in September or I only took a few pictures.  Carson had an assembly and here is his school picture.

August 2013

 

In August, Chloe turned 2!  She was in that phase of a very cheesy grin.  Chloe's talking really took off around this time.  I'm wishing I had blogged this sooner so I could talk more on her behavior at 2, but I'll just fill in with what she's doing now (a few months later).

She usually speaks in 4 or 5 word sentences.  She is very good at communicating what she wants.  She definitely knows the "no-no's" in this household, but still chooses to get into EVERYTHING.  She'll even tell me that she is going to be good by saying "My just watch mom, no touch" as she shakes her hand in a no-no fashion.  But 3 seconds later, she's touching whatever it is she just said she wouldn't.  She uses the word "my" instead of "I." 

She likes to inform us that she is a big girl.  She loves to copy everything Carson does.  She isn't nearly as coordinated as Carson was at her age so this results in lots of bumps and bruises.  She trips and falls on unseen things all the time.  She is somewhat fearless, jumping off of couches and beds all the time.

She is also a little love.  Just wanting to be held sometimes.  She'll ask me to scratch her back and always lifts up the back of her shirt so I'll scratch her skin, rather than the outside of her shirt.  She likes songs and dancing.  She is obsessed with my makeup bag.  I have to keep it very high up and do my makeup as fast as possible each morning.

After I do her hair I'll ask her to look at me, so I can make sure it looks ok.  She always says "Beautiful, mom?"...but it sounds more like do-a-ful, mom?  She'll say beautiful after she's gotten into my makeup as well.

We got her a play kitchen for her birthday.  She loved it and played with it all day.  I did not realize how much fake eating I would have to do though.  We got a smoking deal off craigslist.  Everything in the pic below, plus more (not pictured) for $70.  We were excited.  Karl and I did have to spend a few hours the night before her birthday cleaning every single piece of food and all the dishes.  That got old real fast.

 

She knows the best way to eat a cupcake.

Also in August, Carson started first grade.  He was excited.  Chloe wanted to be in every picture.

I know I'm biased, but I think that is one handsome little boy.

Random - Chloe insists on wearing the Batman cape as an apron.

July

In July, we headed up to Utah to see the family and go to Owen's baby blessing.  My sister Jackie just had her third (Owen).  Karl's little sister was blessing her first baby the same weekend, so we divided and conquered.  So I did the drive, just me and the kids.  I was a little nervous about it but it turned out great. 

I think I overprepared, but that meant the kids had lots of options for entertainment.  I mapped out the entire drive, including where we would stop, what restaurant we would go to, at what point in the drive we would watch a movie, etc.  It really helped me to have a schedule.  We also left really early in the morning (4 am).  I was hoping the kids would sleep the first few hours of the trip, but I was kidding myself.  I quietly got them up and put them in the car at 4 am and started on the drive.  They were both wide awake from that moment on.  My kids don't sleep normal in a car.  We've even tried night driving once and they were both up till 2 am.  They still took a nap along the drive, but nothing extensive.

Anyway, we made it!  And that's the important thing.  It was so great to see my family.  We were there for 4th of July and enjoyed the fireworks.  The blessing was great.

Carson and his cousin are only a month apart.  They had fun playing.

 Uncle Tyson helped Carson light fireworks.

Chloe took a very quick liking to Uncle Tyson.  She sat on the couch and snuggled with my sister Jessie and her husband Tyson for a long time.  This is very unusual behavior for my active 2 year old.

In July, Carson did basketball.  I thought it would be a good summer sport since it is played indoors, but practices were still outside.  I love Arizona so much.  He had fun, but even with the hoop at 8' he couldn't shoot the ball high enough to make a basket.  He also got intimidated and would just pass the minute he got the ball. 

 Here he is at practice, running lines and loving it.

 

 

Chloe was quite the handful at practice and at games.  She made a little friend though and they were cute.  One game I was trying to take a few pictures of Carson and in the brief second I looked away, she ran out onto the court.  I ran out to grab her while saying sorry to all the boys trying to play.  That was a little embarrassing.