Let's start from the very beginning.....

Summer Smiles with Daddy!

Seeing as i last left off updating my blog 4 months ago, life has certainly moved forward quickly in that short time. With a 1 year old, 4 months is like an eternity of missing out on documenting milestones. So how to begin, on catching up on what we've already left behind. Guess i'll start by going over each month. Summer and Fall, being a very busy time of year, had lots going on. So i'll post each month and hopefully can remember what all i've missed out on writing about. So......here we go!

August:

The end of August brought close to pool time. Ashlyn got very good at swimming confidently on her own with her life vest on. She'd jump off the side, go under and try to touch the bottom, and did awesome kicking and paddling. Pretty awesome for an almost 3 year old with no lessons. I think we will certainly get swim classes on the calendar for next summer. We've started prepping lots for what to expect when school starts. There is more excitement than anxiety from her regarding school. She's got my olive skin, the girl sure can rock an awesome tan!

Austin is cruising a ton, but still not showing much interest in wanting to take steps. I am certainly ok with that, as i'm in no rush to have another little one to run after. His first and favorite word is Dog, and he is saying it all the time. Points out Bailey, and every dog he sees and gets excited. If only I could get Matt to feel the same excitement for dogs:) He has a little mischievous side, i think he enjoys being told no a little too much....laughs and laughs then tries to do it again! Takes after his sister in that aspect. He loves to look and point at books, and as always.....smile!!

Brotherly/Sisterly Love is the best. Big, tan, fun summer smiles

Up and Coming.....

I got my new MacBook Air computer this weekend and I am one VERY excited momma. Hoping to get some photos on here and be back up and running ASAP. I miss blogging and documenting what is happening in our life.

Foreshadowing

In my last blog post I made a comment about how Ashlyn is becoming quite the photographer. No lie, she is obsessed with taking pictures. She pretends, she uses my cell phone, she find the real camera. When I turned on the camera last week, this is what I found....I could not stop laughing!

She then started posing herself with her doll and asking me to take pictures!

Some more of her fine photography work!

Am thinking I need to get this girl her own camera for her birthday!

Getting Behind

As it so easily happens in life, things speed up, and we fall behind. I would probably be more on target with the blog, but summer evenings keep us up and out later, and my laptop issues drive me insane. What should take me 15 minutes to accomplish, can take an hour or more, so I just opt to avoid the frustration. Hoping to get on the desktop more to update, just means holing myself up in the back office now and then.

We are out and about as much as possible these days. Everyone went through another round of colds, crazy for June, and Austin got another cold from traveling in July....but we all healthy again. To avoid melting in the insane heat of July this year, we have spent the majority of our time at the pool.

In lieu of a super long post, i'll update with lots of fun and adorable pictures from the last 2 months. *Will save our CA trip for it's own post in a few days.

Updates by month:

9 1/2 months- Austin is making a constant destruction path, getting into everything he shouldn't. He's pulling up, falling down, eating table food, laughing lots, and popping out teeth left and right (his gums are bruised from a ruptured cyst from teething.....ouch). Makes for some sleepless nights for us, but hopefully we'll be in t he next phase soon.

10+ months- Austin is back to sleeping awesome, mommy is getting used to him going 7:45-7. He has 8 teeth, is babbling up a storm and trying hard to talk (says ewww, eww whenever he sees the dog) not sure if he is trying to say dog, or a bark noise. Also does, buh, for ball. Has gone from pulling up to cruising and reaching across to change from one thing to another. Will be walking in no time. Shows an attitude at times, makes a grumpy face and bangs his hand hard on the table....it's hard not to laugh. He is also playing peek a boo, will cover his face with his towel or a book then pull it away and giggle. His demeanor is still just awesome, smiley and easy breezy!

*Mommy loves it the best that he bops and dances every time music comes on, so stinking cute!

Getting into Everything

Enjoying Table Foods

Loves banging, and standing and push behind toys

Reaching and trying to take balanced steps

Fascinated with vacuums

Loves playing with (or pulling off) all the fridge toys

Playing peek a boo with Ashlyn

Think he is taking lessons on playing with a ball from the dog

So proud he climbed inside the chair legs by himself

Ashlyn is constantly cracking us up with her witty comments, misunderstanding of sarcasm, imaginative play, and making up songs. Making us smile with her super tan face and adorable dimples! She's starting to get a little more annoyed with "baby Austin" since he can invade her space and toys.....but overall it is a lot of love. She can finally sit through a good chunk of a movie, which is nice if we ever need some downtime or a breather. She has also gotten very daring at the pool. Swims totally on her own with her vest on, will go completely under, and jumps in off the side running full speed with no one to catch her. Fun to see how far she's come in just 2 months. Mostly she wants to be outside playing with the older neighbors, at the pool, doing gymnastics with Miss Chelsea, helping mommy cook/bake, giving bread to the fish at the pond, coloring, or eating flavor ice (naked) on the deck.

*Proud Mama note- Starting to color pictures more in the lines than scattered. Can draw a smiley face and circles really well! She can spell her name, and we are working on writing it. She's got the A and H down, the rest is mostly scribbles:) Can now count to 30.

Swimming at the neighborhood pool

Posing with daddy after a pancake breakfast

Settled and ready to watch Toy Story

Looking cute and sporty during a fluke cold day in June

Helping mommy make dinner

Loving the rides at Kings Island

First time having blue "smurf" ice cream

Showing Austin how to use his push toy

Nursing her baby doll before rocking her to sleep

Quite the "daddies little girl"!

A budding photographer

8 Months & a Playground

It may have taken 2 months to put up, but mommy is one VERY happy lady. We have the biggest, baddest, coolest playset on the block. Thanks to Costco, our backyard is now equiped with a pretty awesome play yard. We have yet to get the bar with swings up yet, but the playhouse and slide are enough to keep ashlyn occupied probably all summer. I know there will be awesome memories, and lots of imaginative play done here in the future. So thank you Matt, and the many family members and friends who put in time and effort to make my christmas wish come true.

My little monkey hit the 8 month mark. I'm seriously afraid to blink because I know he's going to turn 1 the second I look away. The poor guy has been trying hard to crawl for awhile, but I've been deterring the process by swooping him up before he can take off. Guess as a mom of 2 I know what mobility brings, and I am greatly enjoying him just "hanging out". He has however figured it out. It's amusing to watch actually, sort of a worm/belly flop. He pushes up on both arms, propels his body forward, then flops down. He'll pull himself across the whole room this way. Occasionally he does get up on hands and knees and move forward a few steps but then flops down and resorts to the other/faster method. I love it!!!

We are starting to have some anxiety over the last few weeks. He'll stick his lower lip out and pout when i leave the room. We've also started having lots of tears when being laid down to go to bed. He cries it out for about 10 minutes, and calls out mama, but quickly gives up and goes to sleep. Does not seemed too bothered or phased by strangers yet, but i'm sure that is due to happen soon.

Only hiccup was breaking out with hives all over his body on the last day of being on amoxicillian. They think it was an allergic reaction to the medicine, but are not completely sure. Ugh!!! Overall though, things are great and he is still just as easy and chill as ever. We do 2 naps, play, read books, eat our fruits and veggies, and are ready for bed by 7:30. Mommies little monkey (Monkey 2 as I often call him) is kissable/squeezable and as adorable as ever!

And He's OFF....