A Sweet Little Weekend

Earlier this fall, Jonathan's sweet Aunt Gail passed away.  We were blessed with the chance to go up "home" and sing with Sarahann and Jay for her funeral service.  It was a great celebration of her life, and though sad, a wonderful time of being able to see family.

Jonathan and I wanted to download something for Connor to watch on the plane ride up...and we found the old school Sesame Street Christmas Eve special that we both loved and watched over and over as kids!  Even though Connor was the only one with headphones, I could "hear" every word and song! :)

The plane had just two seats on each side, so I sat by the window to nurse Annalee with a little privacy, and Connor sat next to me (so he wouldn't be next to a stranger across the aisle)!  Thankfully, Jonathan was within reach and was able to take Annalee when she needed some movement.  It was our first time to fly as a family of four.

Arriving in Syracuse with a glimpse of the beautiful fall colors!

Jonathan's Colorado cousins...we hadn't been able to see them since our wedding!

The boys found a great tree to play under on the golf course!

Endless running.  My heart aches for this scenery!

Annalee enjoying some time with her excellent Aunt Lisa.

Nana

Great Uncle Chip...just a little bit scared of any possible spit up. ;)

Great Grandaddy

Uncle Jay is so funny!

Dressed of Octoberfest with Marmee.  I am sad to say that there are zero pictures with Papa, even though he babysat both kids on his own while we were at the service!  Thanks Papa!

My birthday happened to be the weekend we were home (the last year of my 20's, sigh).  Jonathan's mom put out all the birthday decorations and we headed to the apple farm...I love nothing better than apple picking on my birthday!  We got to take the kids to our favorite apple farm for the first time, and that night we went out to dinner with my parents and they made me a classic birthday dessert...apple crisp!

Riding the tractor.

Yes!

Checking out the bees.

Grandpa and Connor... "Kids for Sale!"

The many faces of one silly little boy...love them all!  Photo courtesy of Nana :)

Saying bye bye to Great Grandaddy.  We love you all!

7 Months - Annalee Style

Hello everyone!

Guess who is 7 months old today?!  ME!!!

We had some awesome family pictures taken this morning and Mommy and Daddy said that Connor and I did a spectacular job (for 2 1/2 hours!), but Mommy STILL felt like she had to snap a couple of pictures on my 7 month birthday!

I am sitting up for longer now and love to see everything going on around me.  I like to play airplane, bounce in my jumper, and EAT FOOD!  I just moved up to 2 meals per day.  I roll myself wherever I would like to go.  I chew on whatever I can get into my hands and do plenty of drooling, but no teeth so far!

At my 6 month check up (about 2 weeks ago), my stats were:
Length: 26 1/4 inches (50th%)
Weight: 17lbs. 8 ozs (75th%)
Head Circumference: 43 cm (50th%)

I love to read books, especially with my big brother, and I can't WAIT to get moving more so that I can keep up with him!

Mommy says that it's not a big surprise that I am beginning to smile for the camera.

I am starting to let my voice be heard, with plenty of "Dadada's", "A-blahs" and anything else I might come up with!

Last Wednesday, I had an ongoing conversation (he was copying me!) with Connor for an entire car ride!

I bet I will be on the move and have lots more to tell in a month!

Lots of Love,
Annalee

Squish Squash

Annalee turned 6 months and about a week later we started first "solid" foods!  Decided to skip the icky rice cereal this time, and her first food was (drumroll please)...

Butternut Squash!

A fall favorite in our house!  No surprise that she did just fine...the girl puts everything she can get her hands on right into her mouth, and was diving for the spoon!  Good thing we had our new Bumbo restraint system installed and ready to go! ;)

"Hey, what do you have, brother?"

At this point she has devoured squash, sweet potato, applesauce, and banana.  We tried avocado (twice) and every bit was spit right back out.  Oh well.  Connor doesn't like it, Jonathan doesn't like it, and I will just eat guac by myself, thankyouverymuch.

We may as well buy stock in bananas and applesauce, though...

She is too cute.  Just saying.  And I know y'all are amazed by my first feeding while taking pictures skillz...because Jonathan wasn't home! :)

Not bad for first food ever leftovers!  I'm not sure exactly how much I put in there, since I scooped it straight out of a roasted squash, but she ate quite a few bites!

After a loooooong two weeks of fending for myself with the kids (and Snotto Otto) while Jonathan was working n our Christmas recording, he came home with these beauties...some of my very favorite flowers!

Orange, Yellow, and White!

Hello, oh, it's almost the end of October?  Sigh.  Let's backtrack all the way to the end of September...

Annalee in her new favorite spot.  The girl jumps so high she might end up playing for the WNBA.  Or doing trampoline, my new favorite sport in the Olympics?  Kidding....kidding.  I'm not sure that her tongue is ever going to go back inside of her mouth.  The very first time she went in this bouncer, she drooled so much that her onesie turned blue and I had to wash everything to keep it from running!

She loves the MAM pacis now, just like her brother...yikes...since brother has to give those up soon!

It's tiring to sit up and play the piano!

Connor finally got his birthday present from us (we just waited because his presents from his grandparents and friends were so exciting!)  He loved it in the house for a few days, then it became a little too rough and outside we went!

Can you tell she adores her brother and watches his every move?  My cuties dressed for church!

Fall is football season, and mommy tried her hand at bow making!  Pretty good for a first attempt, we thought.  We made a few for Annalee's friends too. :)

I also went into the candy business.  Thanks to my friend Nicole who let me borrow her candy thermometer, I was able to surprise Jonathan with homemade candy corn! (Recipe from Food Network Magazine)

Fun!  Not like Brach's (the only *good* candy corn!), but tasty in it's own way...more salty-sweet!