Thanksgiving 2012/ 91st Birthday

As is our usual tradition, we spent Thanksgiving in Birmingham. My mom just does such a great job cooking it is hard to imagine being anywhere else. We had 14 people this year. Not too big, not too small.

Colin sort of looks like a giant because of the way the photo was staged but we had to hurry - little ones were melting fast!

Nina's 91st Birthday party. I zoomed so this photo is blurry - arrggh.

Connor helping blow out the candle

Cora showing off her wave and party dress - I am in love with this dress. We need more parties to attend so she can wear it some more!

Piano Pretty

Warrior Run

This year Connor's school hosted another Fun Run for the kids. If you remember last year, Connor ran his little legs off, barely stopping for a drink of water. This year there were more kids (3,4 &5 year olds) and it was definitely more chaotic. Connor ran and ran some more -- only stopping to get his laps marked off on his shirt and occasionally for a sip of water or to dance to LMFAO music. Since my mom had Cora, I brought some Starbucks deliciousness (decaf for me of course) and took some 143 photos. I won't bore you with all of them because most of them are just flashes of white shirts. A few memorable photos though:

Bunny Hop Lap - Look at that Hair!!

15 Months

Cora is 15 months old today. Wow! She is getting to be such a big girl and of course wants to do EVERYTHING that Connor can do. I'll give her credit - she tries, really hard. Her language has really started to pick up and she is saying some new words. Shoes is still her favorite (she wakes up talking about shoes) - I got her some new black Mary Jane's yesterday for her Itsy Bitsy Spider costume and also to wear with dresses for the holidays. She loves them. Just looks and looks at them all shiny and new.

Some new words of note: Boo (a must for Halloween, of course), 1, 2, 3 (apparently she counted for my mom while stacking blocks), turkey, horsey, down (she will complete the Ride a Little Horsey rhyme or ask to get down), itsy (complete with hand motions for Itsy Bitsy Spider - this is requested approximately 25 times/day). Both the kids have a little cough and stuffy noses. Cora's 15 month appointment is Monday so I'm hoping if it is still present we can get rid of it then. It is going to be in the mid 70's this weekend so maybe that will help? I'm expecting Cora to be pretty tall so I'm excited to see how much she has grown. Connor has started to teach himself to read. At first he liked being able to read signs on the road and in stores (like 2 word signs). We made some Pumpkin Cream Cheese Squares that I saw on Pinterest (they were ok. I didn't love so I'm not going to bother linking) and I asked him to try to find the Angel Food cake. There was only 1 box on the shelf of Angel Food cake and he patiently scanned through all the shelves until he found it. He is starting to recognize words. He will also read some full books. The Statue of Liberty is his current favorite to show off. Honestly, I think he memorizes some of it because he has a ridiculously scary memory -- but when has to read, he stops and sounds it out in his head and then continues. He really enjoys reading and I'm so thankful and proud. At school he has been learning some different prayers and he can now say Hail Mary and Glory Be. He is super proud of himself for this!

Happy Halloween

Remember last year when my babies were Pooh and a Pot of Hunny? Well, this year I wanted coordinating costumes that were inexpensive and age appropriate. Awhile ago I decided on the costumes, ordered and waited for today to arrive. Connor is obsessed with his character and Cora just happens to want to hear Itsy Bitsy all.the.time. Perfect.

What C&C have been up to . . .

Sidewalk Chalk

Post Flu Shot Bagel Treats

This girl loves her some cream cheese!

Fireman Assembly at school - had to sleep with the hat ICE

Cora loving the hat too

Sweet Siblings holding hands on the way to Nashville

As seen at Auburn v. Vandy (and clearly the BEST part of the game)

Fun with Photo Booth and our neighbor

Cora has discovered that Connor makes a great "Horsey"

Sometimes they are so sweet . . .

Pumpkin Madness

It is October - I've been filling up on decaf Pumpkin Spice Lattes for awhile now. But now that it is a little cooler outside - it is time for Pumpkins!

Mrs. Potato Witch

Connor, Mrs. Potato Witch, and Allison (our neighbor)

Cora and Mrs. PW

"Even the pumpkin is 'teaming' for the Ravens, Daddy" Connor, age 4

Baltimore - Days 7 and 8

Our final full day in Baltimore began with a promised Dunkin Donuts run from Colin. Kids and donut holes = happy bunch.

Connor didn't seem entirely himself (i.e. he didn't eat 10 donut holes) but he was insistent that he was "fine". Caitlin and I left Colin to recover from the night before and took the kids to Arundel Mills mall (to return a shirt and let the kids spend our quarters on rides). Well, I really don't like that mall. People are just weird and rude. We got to the mall super early - like nothing was open except for Bass Pro. I parked in a nearly empty lot. Then as I am getting Cora in the stroller and about to walk around and get Connor out, someone pulls right next to me. Really? There are 451,679 other spaces. He didn't speak English and he took literally 5 minutes to exit his car once he opened the door. Connor got mad (impatient) and the day was not starting off great at Arundel Mills. We finally exited our vehicle and got moving into Bass Pro. Not the aquarium but free.

After the fish and a stroll around the deer we ventured into the mall at 10am sharp. The rides are plentiful so we first stumbled on the vehicle carousel.

Josh was not a fan. I took a video but it is just too sad to post. Although he did want to go again after the girls had their turn. Second time wasn't the charm either. We were running low on quarters after the machine ate a few. The woman at the information desk who had been watching us the entire time was not helpful. In fact, she said she could give me the mailing address of the company that owned the machine (which was obviously not of interest to me). When I said no thanks she then asked me if I thought she "look[ed] like I have a pocketful of change?" Moving on . . . We found some additional rides away from the mean people and just let the kids play on them without the quarters. I finally found 75 cents and we let the big boys ride the only ride 2 kids could fit on together. Roller Coaster.

With our money spent and hungry kids we stopped for a quick veggie stick snack. I waited with the kids while Caitlin took the twins for a diaper change. As we were sitting there I noticed a payphone. I mean, there really aren't that many payphones anymore. Connor asked me a few weeks ago (while listening to Maroon 5's song) what a payphone was. Well, perfect. I can show him. When Caitlin returned I had the big boys go stand in front of the phone for a quick photo before heading out. As I was getting the camera ready on the iPhone Will turned around and picked up the receiver. No big deal. Some old guy came out of nowhere to tell me that I shouldn't let the kids play with the phone - (fair) - he went on to add that they have way too many false 911 calls and that I should pay attention - (um, I am paying attention and he is only holding the phone - not dialing or pressing buttons). I took the photo and we moved away from the phone, back to the stroller and started heading out - enough of Arundel Mills and the people there! He couldn't help himself. He continued to tell me that the fine for calling 911 was $1,000.00. OK, GOT IT. Not even touching the phone at all, walking away - not coming back! It was totally worth it though -

See sweet Will making sure he isn't touching anything. Mean people. After that excursion, Colin and I headed with our kids to lunch with his mom and step-dad. We ate at this delicious but too small grilled cheese place. Connor still didn't seem like himself. He ate applesauce and thats it. No sandwich - nothing.

The guys were going to play golf with Pat but plans changed and they went to a movie instead (against my advice). Connor loved the movie and was still groggy when he got back but in good spirits. Turned out to be a fever virus (new to me) - just a slight fever for a few days. Cora and I stayed back at Caitlin. I took this sweet picture of Jenna that is too cute not to share.

That night we had dinner with Tommy and Kristy and after some last minute packing we went to bed. The Kirbys planned to leave bright and early for North Carolin a vacation and we had a 10 am flight (which seems like a great time for a flight, but is early when you factor in 6 checked bags, 4 carryons, 2 kids, a stroller and 2 car seats -- and returning the rental car). We had to hustle down the concourse to get to the gate, but once there we were fine. We arrived in time to pre-board (based on my maternity status) and got to sit in the front row again! An uneventful flight, we arrived home safely. Whew