15 months old

I know what you're thinking...enough already. But she's so cute! Zoe took some pictures today when she was watching her (like 100) and I just had to share a few. Opal is changing so fast. She is saying lots of words. Her three favorites are binky, Ila and Mommy...in that order. She gets very excited when Ian gets home from work. She runs around screaming and then plants a big hug on his leg. It's so cute b/c he is such a giant next to her. She also loves to wait at the top of the street for Ila to get off the bus. She dances and yells when she sees the bus coming and every day Ila goes right to her and gets down on her knees and gives her a hug. She is a big eater and likes most foods. She really loves the wild mushrooms we've been eating. She takes a bath every night and then escapes her towel and runs around the house naked. It never gets old...well I'm sure it would someday. She loves to give hugs. She loves having a strawberry shortcake bandaid on her hand. She shows it to everyone she sees with a frown on her face. I guess she's trying to get sympathy. She's actually mad at me right now because I don't have any more bandaids. She also loves books! We (Ila included) read books with her all the time. Some of her favorites right now are Goodnight Moon, The Wheels on the Bus, and anything about dogs. She is a joy every day and Ila constantly amazes me with her love and patience for her baby sis. Thanks for caring about our girls!

Thanksgiving

We had Thanksgiving dinner in Silverton at Les and Judy's house. Both girls love sitting in front of the fire...well we all do. It is always nice to reconnect with Ian's family. I regret not getting more pictures but my camera doesn't take great pictures indoors at night. As you can see from the above picture, Ila isn't very cooperative when the camera comes out and Opal is still too fast to capture.

Good thing these two were getting along that day!

Look at all of this apple cider! We all met at Melissa and Ryan's to help make it...of course Ian and I were way late. We hear Ila was a good helper. There is nothing like all of these sweet cousins being together. Now every morning Ila asks for warm cider for breakfast and she is so lucky that she gets it!

Cabin, etc.

This is so Ila! She's wearing a princess dress that is too small, my shoes and she's carrying around a dead snake on a stick that she "just loved". Last time we were at the cabin she played with a dead robin. We all have our quirks...

But isn't she cute?

Gus reading to Opal. He's the sweetest.

Some serious tickle torture with Carrie.

Lithia Park

Chasing some deer at Lithia Park. We spent 3 hours there one Saturday

Opal has been wanting Ila to read to her at night. I think I take a picture every time they sit down together. It's the sweetest time of our day.

Thank goodness Grandma was here to help Ila carve her pumpkin. Carrie, I take back the comment I made 8 years ago about you not carving pumpkins with your two children under the age of 2!

Opal being Opal. She loves using the dust buster, but only if it's really turned on. She has become quite the handful. She does give amazing hugs, which make up for the constant trouble that she causes...oh yeah, and the sleepless nights.

Puppy and Ice Princess pictures to come...

North Mountain Park

So we are still enjoying sunshine. Yesterday we went to North Mountain Park in the afternoon bacause it was such a beautiful day. We invited Ila's adorable and sweet friend Violet and all three girls had a blast. Violet and Ila are in the same kindergarten class and are also friends from preschool at the Butterfly House. The big sand box at N. Mt. seems so soothing. The sand is so soft and warm and it entertains! After playing in the sand box we walked down the path and the girls played in the tee-pee and at the creek. Opal wanted to swim so bad. She didn't understand why I wouldn't take her dress off and let her get wet. That water was cold and it was...well...Bear Creek! Boy does she let me know when she's mad at me. As the girls sang every word to a Katy Perry song with the radio and danced in their seats and giggled all the way home I flashed forward a few years. They were whispering in the back seat and it already made me nervous. I am so enjoying their innocence right now.