Catchin' Up - Gianna Rose

So I have a lot of catchin' up to do.  Last time I posted pics of Gianna she was seven months old and in less than two weeks she'll be a year!  So here are some photos of our Sugar Bear.  At a few days shy of turning a year old she is now officially walking.  She loves trying to keep up with her big sisters, so she had to learn fast.  She has 7 teeth and another is breaking through.  She's a happy baby that is pretty easy going when it comes to her big sisters toting her around.  I have to often remind them that she's not a doll.  She's surprisingly patient when Mommy's busy with the other two doing homework, dressing, combing, feeding, etc.. She's not so patient when it's time to change her diaper or drink her milk.  She has a hardy appetite and so far has liked everything she's been introduced to.  Sugar Bear loves saying "more" and is learning to say "please".  She's not much of a talker yet, but more of a listener as there is plenty to listen to in our house.  She is easily entertained, thank goodness, and one of her favorite toys is the recycling bin.  She can always find something new and interesting to play with in there.  We all love our "Shoogs"  so much and can't imagine our family without her.  She brings all of us so much joy and so many smiles.

NINE MONTHS

TEN MONTHS

ELEVEN MONTHS

Autumn is Awesome!

We love fall! We keep busy with all the autumn must-do's.  This October we weren't able to do as many activities as last year with a school schedule to follow and a little crawler to follow as well.  But we did pick and choose some of our favorite things and had a blast doing them.

Melting the caramel for our apples

Ready to get dip and decorate with sprinkles

Staying up late to carve pumpkins

Here are the pumpkins in order from left to right:  Punkin's, Sugar Bear's and Sweet Pea's

Enjoying the dark night, which they don't often get to see.

Our first time being boo-ed.  We love our neighbors!

It's sad how fast she's growing up.  This hay maze kept her busy for at least thirty minutes last year, and this year she'd had enough of it in five.

Having fun at a nearby pumpkin patch. 

She can't wait to get down and join in the fun.  Until then, she'll enjoy the ride on Daddy's chest.

Making corn angels

Boo-tiful!

Hello? 

She found the perfect one.

First Day of School

Here are some photos from the girls' first day of school.  They are attending the same church preschool that they've been going to since we moved here, but Punkin is in the four-year old class this year, and Sweet Pea started her first year of kindergarten.  I say her "first" year because we plan to have her repeat kindergarten next year.  She's definitely ready to be in kinder this year, but she's vertically challenged being in the 10-15th percentile in height for her age and she has such a late August birthday.  We thought putting another year under her belt might benefit her.

They were both ready to go meet some new friends.  The older sister was way more excited, but that wasn't a shocker.  She's such a people person.  But it was surprising that Punkin never said she didn't want to go, even though she never said she was excited to go.  She's never been pumped to go to school.  She's great being at home with Mommy and great in her own space doing her own thing. 

Stirking a pose

Sweet dreams after a busy day

Crashed out

Fueling up at breakfast for her second day of school

Ready to go back for another day

Not so excited to be up bright and early

Beach Trip 2013

This will be our eight annual trip to the coast since we met, and our fifth annual trip since having kiddos. The first three trips revolved around fishing in the bay, but since Isabella was born, our trips have focused less on fishing and more on having fun in the waves. Each year we've stayed somewhere different, but always a rental home. Each year has been a ton of fun, but this year we think we've finally found the perfect spot...right by the beach and just an easy golf cart ride home in case we forget something...or someone.

 And I think we packed ourselves up right this year as well. We hauled everything but the kitchen sink with us in the back of the truck. We got some funny looks as others passed us along the highway. Maybe it was the highchair legs sticking up that caught there eye amongst the golfclubs, stroller, fishing poles, suitcases, pack n' play, bags and bags of groceries, etc.... We had everything to last all of us seven days! So proud of my hubby for packing it all in so methodically.

The place was perfect. A bunk room with a TV and DVD player for the big girls and a nice, dark, cool closet for the little one. We all spent the week relaxing by the beach and gave ourselves time to enjoy some other interests like a morning of golf, fishing with a guide and off the pier as well, painting, private yoga lessons, a movie on the lawn, and a bit of massage.

The week flew by, as we all knew it would. We booked our place last October and began counting down the days to our beach vacation in January. We have a couple more months and then we'll start planning again. Already I can't wait!

We've just arrived!

First thing's first, making sure their tackle box is organized.

She was a trooper on the road, now let's go check out our 'hood for the week.

A lake right in our backyard, we just need to get our rods.

Our first morning; almost all of us are ready for the beach.

Hey guys, I'll be there after my nap.

Taking a break.  Where's my lunch?

I'll hit the waves after my lunch.

Our first of many sandcastles.

Okay.  I'm ready!

Looking for seashells was a top priority.

It was hard to keep up with this little mover and shaker.

Headed to create another castle.  Will it be Rapunzel's?

Loving the freedom

bathing beauty

Morning creativity while the guys fish

She snuck off to her cozy bed mid-morning.

Ready to join in the art fest

Daddy and Mimi got the morning to a great start!

Just fooling around while she waits for breakfast.

"Good morning!  What do we have planned today?"

Waiting to go fishing at the pier with Daddy

We had some fun evenings playing Taboo

Can't go to the beach without some watermelon

Eating breakfast on the course

Reelin' them in

Daddy couldn't get his line in because these girls kept catching them.

As the week went by, our castles got taller.  Practice makes perfect.

Our casa was perfect! 

Playing patiently while we wait for our "We hook 'em, you cook 'em" dinner to arrive

Trying to read the paper with the ocean breeze was not an easy task

Souvenir shopping

Just walked out of the candy store...she has no idea what she just missed.

Our little crab is taking this opportunity to escape!

Any day now and she'll be walking on her own.  For now she'll take some help from Mimi.

Enjoying the ocean waves that sound just like her noisemaker.  Sounds just like nap time.

I could just squeeze her all afternoon!  It was just yesterday that she was the baby crawling on the beach.

And she's off!

She loves the water!

Eeeeeeeeee!

Sipping on her afternoon snack. 

Her first taste of Dippin' Dots.  Rainbow flavor, of course.  A cool way to cool off.

We're ready for our afternoon at the aquarium and then we'll cool off at the splash pad.

Checking out the stingrays.

Wow!  Check out these huge turtles!

This fearless little girl was excited to pet the sharks.

This turtle was well-loved for the hour that we were here.  They kept coming back to him.

Gotcha!

Just arrived for our sandcastle-building lesson.

Our beach buggy for the week