Party Number 1 - Sophia's Party at Hunt Club

On the 19th we spent the day going to parties. We started out at Hunt Club Farm for Sophia's "Country Fair" birthday!  The kids had a great time despite the chilly temperature and rain. 

Feeding the goats

Birthday Girl Sophia, Izzy, Annaliese, and Ian

These 2 were pals all day

In the 1st of many bounce houses today

Waiting for the next bounce house

Love this pic

In action...on the hay

Glad it stopped raining enough to get this cutie in her Halloween get up

Love this pic...such good friends!

Couldn't stop snapping pics of these two

So hugged up they fell over!

 

Me and my sweet Godson

Sending food...

...up to...

...this smart goat!

On a pumpkin mission

Trying to pick it up on her own

Teamwork does the trick

So proud of their strengths

Poppy from the Vet

After we left Krispy Kreme we headed to the vet for Quila's "pedicure."  We had to snap a quick pic of "Poppy," Dr. Price's bird while we were there.  Annaliese loves to go see Poppy when we take Quila to the vet and she (the bird) always talks to her (Annaliese)!  She does and says a lot more things but we only hear her say, "Hello."  This is good enough for Annaliese and she is always fascinated by her.  Quila on the other hand is never interested in Poppy and is usually hiding under a chair or trying to escape to the door!

Annaliese and "Poppy"

Flu Shot and Treat with a Stranger!

After the MOMS Halloween Party we picked up Baba and headed to the Dr. for Annaliese's flu shot.  She was such a brave girl.  I squeezed her with a hug as she squeezed her animal and the nurse gave her the stick.  She barely flinched and was proud of herself afterwards.  She is so easy to talk to/prepare for these kinds of things.  We talk beforehand, she asks questions, I answer, she talks to herself about it in her play, and then she executes pretty successfully most all of the time. She has not ever complained/fretted/tantrumed over getting shots...thankfully!

She loves getting weighed

She's so comfortable at her doctor's office...we love Ped Affiliates!

 

Getting her prize

Because one of her favorite places is right around the corner from the doctor's office, I told her that after her shot I would take her and Baba to KK for that pumpkin donut she's been wanting!  When we got to KK she went up to the counter picked out her donut and then picked out our table...right with this sweet, old man!!!  Baba and I just looked at each other when she came back and told us that we were sitting "with him for our donut!"  She walked right over to him, pulled up a chair, and started talking with him while Baba and I were in line!  Now any other time I would have talked to her about strangers but she was just so innocent and polite to the man and really, truly MADE HIS DAY!  Baba took one look at me and said, "well I guess I'll go sit with him too!"  So we all just made a time of it.  Annaliese told him her life story talking to him about everything.  He and Baba struck up many conversations too!  When Baba told her to sing Amazing Grace for him he started singing with her and so they both sang the song right there in the middle of KK!  It was super sweet.  He made sure that she had a hat and balloon before he left along with the rest of his donut holes!  Needless to say we really enjoyed our KK visit today!

Annaliese and her "senior," "stranger" friend!!

Telling the man one of many stories

Halloween Party with the MOMS Group

On Friday morning we headed to the library for our Halloween Party/General Meeting with our MOMS (Mothers Offering Mothers Support) group.  We have been a part of this group for about 2 months now and are just now really starting to get to know the others.  Annaliese enjoyed the playing, crafting, eating, and "baby watching!" 

MOMS Group Halloween Party 2013

Playing the Cello

So we had studied music and instruments in September and had read a book called "I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello." The book was pretty funny and Annaliese liked reading it.  So when we went to music class two Thursdays ago and she got to play the cello she was pretty happy.  Lately in music class she has been "talkative" only really to the teacher though.  She likes to tell the teacher whatever comes in to her mind. So of course on this day she blurted out the title of the book.  It was to her advantage this time as the teacher was interested in the book!!

Playing the cello with Mrs. VA

Waiting to play the "Foot Game"

Finding notes in the Foot Game

When we got home she added the last of our vowels "u" to the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree!

October Zoo Day

We headed to the zoo for a beautiful October day today.  Aunt Loretta and John asked us to the zoo and of course we accepted!  The weather was gorgeous and the animals were very active and fun to watch.  I guess they were so happy to finally have a sun shiny day after about 5 straight days of rain.  John treated her to ice cream and lemonade...special treats that she has never had at the zoo before!

We love the orangutangs and this was the first time we had seen them outside! We were excited!

Even the pesky animals are at the zoo!  Seriously mosquito, you take advantage of my child while she getting a photo?!?!

Fun Times at the VA Zoo

Picnic Time

So determined

LOVE the ice cream

Can you say, "King of the Jungle?"

Camoflauge...can you spot the amphibian???

Love the geckos today!  We had just been talking about sticky pads on animals toes from a book we read...perfect!

The spider monkeys were celebrating Halloween!

Of course with Annaliese's obsession with any kind of baby she loved the Baby Siamang and Baby Red Pandas.

Momma with baby

Momma carrying baby

Fort Fun

On Tuesday we headed to library class, then to Carter's house to give him an early birthday present, then to a make-up music class, and last back home to have some "fort fun" with Daddy!

Had to give it to him early to use for his Elmo themed bday!

Loves her Daddy Time

Forts are always fun no matter how big or small!