Happy Thanksgiving!

This year for Thanksgiving, we rented a house in Lewes Beach, DE with Daddy's family!  It was a really big house (with a really comfy couch) that we could all spread out in, and really enjoy each other's company.  Gavin and I had so much fun playing with our cousin.  She's just a month younger than Gavin - how fun for the two of them to grow up so close in age!  I am much older and wiser, which means I have lots of fun bossing them around!

Gavin kept pulling Nico's hair.  We think he was trying to get some for himself.  She does have plenty to share.  I felt bad for Nico, though.  Little brothers pulling hair is the worst.  I told her, "Sometimes Gavin does that to me too, Nico.  I don't like it either.  Stop pulling hair, Gavin!"

Mom has been trying to get me to laugh at the camera, rather than scream "CHEESEEEEE!"  She thinks she's getting better results.  I think she's making me look maniacal. 

Gavin and Nico had the most fun sitting next to each other in their "big kid chairs."  Newsflash little guys: you are not big enough for big kid chairs; those are little baby chairs.

The house came with a big fishing pier.  I forgot my rod, but Nico thought Aunt Maria's would work for her.

TURKEY!  Not that I ate any, of course.  But even though I didn't eat much food, everyone else did.  Nico enjoyed her first bites of mashed potatoes.  Gavin gobbled up some squash soup.

And that night, we all got to wear our Christmas jammies for the first time!  I picked out all three pairs.

There were plenty of hugs all weekend.

And even a few trips to the beach!

Poppop thought we'd look cute as a "cousin train."  Mostly, we all just fell over in the sand.

Our house was very close to Henlopen State Park, which is also Fort Miles. 

I got to use my digger.  I also really loved running after the sea foam that the big waves left behind.  I was so sad that the foam turned to sand when I tried to pick it up.  No pictures, of course.  What's the point of having a papparazzi trail if they (MOM) always miss the good shots?

There was a very pretty little lighthouse just past the house we stayed in.

Our houses might be divided, but that's ok.  We can still be friends.

Lumberjacks unite!

This Thanksgiving, I was thankful for:

Tutus and party shoes

Ballet school

Ballerina princesses

Princesses

Library books

Marshamallows and Hershey Kisses

Big girl undies

My baby brother, Gavin (even with the hair pulling)
My mommy
My daddy
My puppy, Riesling
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins
My baby dolls (especially Bitty Baby and Coraline)

My "Big Girls" and "Kids" (imaginary friends)

Tickles and cheek raspberries

Family Photos

Our Auntie Liz did something very special this past weekend: She hired a photographer to take pictures of our entire Bad Family!  I don't know how to count yet, but I do know there are a lot of us, and that these pictures are really special.

After the photos, we went back to Aunt Liz's and just hung out.  It was lots of fun.  So much fun, that I was exhausted at school the next day.  I fell asleep in the bouncer!

The best part is that we all get to see each other again tonight for a long weekend that Mom and Dad keep calling Thanksgiving!  I started eating squash the other day like a big kid, so I am excited to sit with everyone at dinner tomorrow night!

Here are some things I am thankful for:
My big sister, Laura
Paci's and formula and cereal and squash
Sophie Giraffe and rattles and other toys to chew on
My feet when I can grab them and chew on them
My mommy
My daddy
My puppy, Riesling
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins
ExerSaucers and bouncers
Hugs
Smiles

What are you thankful for?

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Daddy had a birthday yesterday, which means there are only a few more birthday before MINE!  I have been waiting the better part of a year for my birthday to happen again.  I love birthdays!  The cake baking, the singing, the cake eating... Or in Daddy's case, the pie baking and eating!  So here's how we celebrated:

On Saturday, Mom went to work for a few hours, so it was just Dad, Gavin and me!  We went to the local high school for a big fair.  I got my face painted for the first time!  Daddy also gave me some dollars, and let me pick something very special to buy.  I couldn't choose between a tutu and a headband, but went with the headband since I didn't have any at home.

On Sunday, Grandma and Grandpa met us at Boordy Vineyards for their annual Soups in the Cellar event.  Wine, soup and music!  Sounds like fun!  Mom, Dad and Grandma like the pork and lentil soup the best.  Grandpa liked the Maryland crab soup the best.  I wasn't very interested in soups... so I just sorta ran around!  Gavin got to try a carrot from Mom's soup, and I think he liked it!

Yesterday was Daddy's actual birthday, but we just had a quiet evening after school.  Mommy made tacos in the crockpot, and I ate my dinner all!  I liked having the dinner all rolled up, even if the beans kept falling out the back.  Mommy also made Daddy a birthday apple pie - it was really yummy!  One more surprise for Daddy: Mommy finally had our 2011 Yearbook made.  I had so much fun looking at all the pictures of Baby Laura from back in 2011.  Gavin wasn't even around yet!  My, how the times do change...

And just because he's cute, here's a quick picture of Gavin:

Riesling

It has recently been brought to our attention that Riesling, our beloved big sister, is not getting the attention she deserves.  Riesling is our very best friend, and we think it's time she got a little blog love!  Without further ado, here are some recent pictures of the best dog ever.  Mom says it's really hard to photograph both a moving toddler and a moving dog, which is why there are no recent pictures of Laura with Riesling.  Mom promises she'll attempt to photograph all three of us together more regularly.  We'll see.
Love, Laura & Gavin

Ries secured the couch: victory is hers!

Why do they call it a "cat nap?"

Pony ride!

Our best friend and protector

Way back, in July

Even more way back, in June

Tea Parties and Friends!

What a weekend!  Daddy was stuck in some alternate universe where he just had to clean everything.  But in doing so, he noticed a set of tea cups in Mommy's china cabinet.  "Hey Cait, have you ever used these?" to which she replied, "I don't exactly have a ton of tea parties going on!" 

Um, HELLO MOTHER!  I am two and a half, and would love a tea party!  So we had one!  Complete with hats, sandwiches and little cookies.

After our impromptu tea party (and a nap), I packed up Gavin and went to Aunt Maria's new place for a playdate.  When we got there, Jarrett told me he needed my help:  I had to tell Maria that Jarrett had a question for her.  A very important question!  He proposed, and now I get to be a flower girl again!  I'm considering a career in Flower Girl-ing.  Shoot me an email if you'd like to see my extensive resume.  Mommy and Daddy spent the afternoon in Annapolis, and then joined us at Maria and Jarrett's to celebrate.

On Sunday, we had all our Goucher friends over for chili and to meet the newest babies.  A & C were both born in October!  The moms just could not resist getting us all lined up on the couch for a group photo.  We were mostly all happy to oblige.  We just about filled the couch, though!  We all had so much fun playing together.  It's so much fun that there are eight (!) of us, and all just about the same age!



Boo!

Hi Guys!  I'm constantly amused by all the new holidays and events I get to experience.  Most recently?  Halloween.  Let's think about this, friends.  A whole holiday devoted to playing dress-up, candy and being friendly.  I'm not sure what candy is, since I only just started eating oatmeal, but I LOVE being friendly, and dressing up as a stuffed animal (or Hobbes a tiger), was pretty fantastic!  I'm a pretty cuddly dude as it is, so just imagine the cuddle factor when I was wearing this:

Laura dressed up as one of her favorite princesses: Ariel, from The Little Mermaid.  Mom made her costume, and was really proud of how it turned out!

I thought we were a pretty cute pair, and was just so excited to take part in Halloween!

Do you like my hair?  I decided to grow it out.

Trick-or-treating was exhausting, so I took some tiger cub naps:

 Does my costume look familiar?  Laura dressed up as Hobbes a tiger when she was a baby in 2010!

Laura: October Recap

Laura is as hilarious (and clever!) as ever.  Here are some of my favorites from October:

Laura's been getting better at saying her L's... she's still not quite there yet, especially with her own name!  She'll say "Walla" when we force her, but she insists her name is actually "War-War."  Hmm...

Laura has been playing doctor with a pretend stethoscope, usually checking our feet for a pulse (I think she got that from Little Mermaid).  She asks every day if she can ask Santa for a "doctor kit" for Christmas.  I think Santa can make that happen! ;-)
"This is a good day. I'm having fun at the Bahamas!"

During the NY Life annual dinner, Laura had to go to the bathroom.  When we got there, we found all Junkanoo "princesses" hanging out till the parade started. "Wow! Princesses!"  A nice woman took our picture and we went back to table.  About 30 seconds later, Laura said she had to pee again.  Daddy spent 20 minutes in the ladies room with princesses.  The "princesses" were really sweet, and were letting Laura sit on their laps and play with their costumes.  Then parade started - which was just so amazing, anyway!  Laura's favorite princess (the one in red) grabbed Laura and carried her for first 20 feet of parade!!!!!  Laura's been playing "band with princesses" since we got back from the "Hamas!"

Me: Ugh! My feet hurt in these shoes!
Laura: Mommy, I think you could take off those shoes when we get to the room and then they wouldn't hurt you no more.  And then I could wear them and Baa could wear your gold shoes! How bout that?

Laura: Oh my gosh! My eye is hurt! 
Me: Laura! That's your freckle!
Laura: I have a fweckle?

(The next day)
Laura: what's that mud on my face?
Me: Um, your freckle
Laura: Oh yeah!

Justappeared - disappeaerd.  I love this one, as my brother said the same thing at the same age!

Laura: Daddy! You a tiger!
Nate: ROAR!!!!
Laura: A nice tiger.
Nate: Roar!
Laura: A baby tiger
Nate: (roar)
Laura: Aw! Do you need a mommy?

Laura was having a pretend phone call with her friend, Audrey who has a new baby brother:
"Oh I know!  My brother does that too.  Isn't it so annoying?"

Me: Do you need to pee on the potty?
Laura: No, I'm hanging out.

Gavin 5 months

Somewhere in the middle of October, Gavin hit five months! He actually had a well-visit at the doctors too, so I have his "stats"!  At five months, Gavin is:

16 pounds, 8 ounces (50th percentile)
27 inches (90th percentile)
and has a smallish head, in the 25th percentile. 

Over the past month, Gavin:

Found his feet!
Sort of started trying to blow rasperries
Can sit unassisted here and there - and loves it!

Is starting to get around with a purpose, either by rolling or scootching.
Also gets stuck in places definitely NOT on purpose, by rolling and scootching.
Loves his exer-saucer!  The pig is his buddy, but he has fun with all the toys.
Is such a good sport - about everything.  He just loves to be included

even when that means he's wearing a tutu and fairy wings!