Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Toddler Drama

This morning I requested that Siennalee put her socks on by herself as I finished up getting her day's outfit together. Her over-exaggerated grunts evidenced that she was indeed working on this task, and as I turned to check her progress and perhaps assist, she informed me breathlessly that the socks were "really really really tight!"

Amazing, adorable, amusing, enchanting, heartwarming, heartbreaking, thrilling, and deeply deeply satisfying - these little steps that our babies take toward becoming little persons.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Two Peas.

Apparently the tv watching face is genetic.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Siennalee's First Trip to the Zoo!

September 4, 2008 ~ Catch Up Post

Jason took some vacation right before his two weeks of AT for the Navy Reserves and, along with spending some good quality family time together, we went to the zoo! It was Siennalee's first trip ever to visit the zoo and we were all very excited. "What will you see at the zoo, Siennalee?" was our often repeated question. "Beeyars (bears), liars (lions), peengwens (penguins)," she'd answer right back.


















Getting ready to head into the zoo!


Waiting in line for the zoo.


Her very first animal exhibit - the otters! Boy were they cute!


Getting the hang of seeing the animals and saying hello!


Nothing in that penguin nest, but it sure was fun to peek!


Off to see more animals!


Oh beautiful birdies!




Checking out the tigers!


There's a giraffe in there, Daddy...


The view was better up higher.


Nothing keeps up morale like a snack.


This was pretty much the order of the day.
We let her go a bit, but then would reign her back in so as to avoid a complete meltdown once the energy reserves were depleted.




She made fast friends with the petting goats, but alas, the petting part of the zoo was closed when we went by. So she loved them from afar. Well, not too afar. :)





Now this guy HAD to be loved from afar.

It was pretty cool - we snuck around the back of the exhibit to see if he was out, and he was! Beautiful elephant!




Can you see him, Daddy?


So many exciting moments and discoveries...


A meltdown or two was expected... earned, even...


Again, Jason and I turned to the Kryptonite of toddler meltdowns - snacks.
Here a banana fights the good fight.


Ohhh, another friend!


Siennalee learns some friends require more sanitizing than others.


I see fish. Quite a lot of them, actually.


Spying on a black bear.


And the day ended much like it began. :)


Our family's first zoo visit! Success!


Thursday, October 23, 2008

Pumpkin Patch Mania

Off to the Pumpkin Patch!


So much to see!
(Pumpkin hunting is best done in pumpkin camouflage, y'know.)


Look at all the pretty pump'ins!


We got to ride the hay ride out to the pumpkin patch! Siennalee was overwhelmed with the people watching opportunities (there were several little babies there - she loves little babies)!













Our family.
(Siennalee is too busy checking out the picture taker to remember to smile.)




Whoa, pumpkins! I got it...








Daddy's such a big helper. :)


We ended our trip in the farm's little market area. Sienna enjoyed seeing all the pretty produce. Everything was an apple.



She got to pick out several little gourds. I mean, apples.


Then we took our produce to the car!


I love this picture. Apparently I was lingering too long to get some pictures of the farm's pretty fall decorations.


Once she was satisfied that Mommie was coming, she was back to helping Daddy! (Yes, her cute little sweater is too small - it's time for Mommie to get a new fall sweater, in 4T no less! Yikes!)



Oh, she's spied the hay bales with little kids playing on them.
She's really in to "playing wif yiddle kids."



So we all got to play on the hay bales.

















Siennalee always has to have her hand on us when we're close by. What a sweetie.



Time to head home! Daddy makes the departure a little more palatable by jumping down (no, not from the very top).


Then it's flying to the car!


They flew all the way to the car!


And sadly, yes, all good things must come to an end.
Of course, it's a worse end when you're late for both nap and lunch...


Here's a little slideshow of pictures I just couldn't fit in to this already long post. There are quite a few sequences which are just priceless: