Gloria

In Salado Gloria Joy got to meet Gloria Anne-the original Gloria!

Gloria is growing and growing. She is officially a walker now (which makes outfits sooo much easier). Her two favorite things are chairs and babydolls. She loves to climb into little chairs, rocking chairs, car seats, strollers and anything else she can sit in, but getting down in harder. There is a baby doll high chair and baby doll stroller in Lydia's room and she places dolls back and forth there. She also loves to hug them and so sweetly pats them on the back. Sometimes she won't let one go and she ends up in bed with it.
She also talks up a storm but 95% of what she says is daDAA (raised at the end) but we think she knows what she is really saying in her mind. But just yesterday she said uhoh for the first time and in the right context. Noo (said naanaa) in the correct setting is showing up a lot now too. She says ball and byebye and in childcare today they said she said snack (though I haven't heard it) which leads me to the next thing about Gloria-she eats and eats and eats. She is pickier than Lydia but generally enjoys a variety of food. Today for dinner we had pomegranate seeds, mac & cheese with tuna, then when she was still hungry, hummus and goldfish and then when she was still hungry watermelon; and of course this is after a big breakfast, snacking the whole time at Friendship, lunch and another snack! Which leads to the next thing about Gloria (people without kids stop reading now) she poops a ton. But fortunately since she was about 6 months old sometimes its on the potty. I put her on the potty right after breakfast and after her afternoon snack and 75% of the time she does her business there-it is so nice. We enjoy that time and often its the only time that I read to her as tonight for her bedtime story she pushed off my lap and the book away saying Naanaa and went after a baby doll! She was such an easy laid back mellow baby but that all changed at 11 months and now she is quite active and sometimes fussy and fit throwing but we love her the same!

Santa fun through the years!

2009, the face says it all. Santa posed behind them for the pic. The 'elves' waved the reindeer to make them smile, Gloria wanted it and threw a little fit when it was time to return it. But no tears!!
Gloria walked up to Santa but Lydia wanted nothing to do with him (even after days of excitement talking about seeing him.) She didn't even want me to put her down beside him.
2008-Gloria just hung out in his arms and was cool. Lydia again didn't want anything to do with him! We did get a good shot and cut me out of it so you couldn't see my pushing her to stand close.
2007 (notice same outfit as Gloria in 09). This day we had a long line and I just rushed up and handed her over-bad move and the tears erupted!

Three years of great fun. (Too bad we didn't do one Lydia's first Christmas but we lived in Port A and she was less than a month and I wasn't really functioning yet)
Since we've moved to Austin, my mom takes a day off work to come every year and purchases the package that allows additional pics to be taken (Thanks Donna Ma!). And every year Caleb says you paid to do that? and I answer no, Nana did :)

Lydia's 3rd Mermaid Birthday Party!

We had a mermaid pinata and it took a few turns for the 3 year olds to knock her apart (the two big siblings helped). And after six beautiful Saturdays in a row, we got a cool drizzling one so we were inside the whole time except the quick pinata. The only other activity besides playing was putting mermaid stickers on party hats.
Lydia has loved mermaids since this summer at the pool. Of course there was lots of Ariel stuff but Mariana & Dora (from Dora saves the mermaids) and other random mermaid stuff.
Gloria (who was a cute prop in her mermaid dress) enjoyed Daddy's cake. We also had hot dogs, fruit salad and chips.
After lots of great presents (and Lydia did a wonderful job of saying thank you to each person), we cleaned up and got them in bed. Lydia currently has a bladder and ear infection and a lingering cough so we were very impressed with her at her party and think a good time was had by all.

More Fun (bdays and leaves)

Fairy Birthday party for a friend
Jumping in fall leaves!

We have been doing the Fall Birthday circuit. In her SS class there are 5 girls born within 6 weeks, so every weekend except Halloween, we've had a party. This Saturday is Lydia's Mermaid Party and she is getting to watch the Little Mermaid for the first time right now. Ever since the summer when an older girl at the pool suggested playing mermaids, Lydia has been enthralled. And Dora has a mermaid episode, too.

Sisters

in matching dresses with their daddy before church.
Both wearing Big Girl Shoes
We went to the Botanical Gardens today and had a great time. (you can see the pigtails didn't last on either of them)

Fun

The weather has been wonderful for weeks. So we have been enjoying it.
We went to a farm and posed by some Morning Glories with our Glory. It was drizzly but still nice to be out.
Then Lydia stayed a night with the grands and got to ride a horse for the first time!!

Dress up!

Our neighborhood had a Festival the week before Halloween.
Then the night of my parents came and we handed out candy and took Lydia down the street for trick or treating. Caleb hadn't cut his hair in a while so he made a great Wolverine.