* She is now sleeping in her "big girl bed". We got the rails put up on the bed and I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her crib or the big girl bed for her nap. She answered "the big girl bed". So she slept there for nap and then at bed time. I thought this would be a bigger adjustment/ordeal than it was. She just goes to bed there now with no problem. She's never looked back.
* She can tell us when she needs to go to the bathroom. She tells us "poop" or "poopy" and if we go put her on the toilet, she goes! She seems ready for potty training, but I don't know if I am. I guess I have to do it. (The funniest is when she yells out "POOP!" in the middle of sacrament meeting.)
* She LOVES wearing dresses! She will beg and cry to wear a dress. If I put her in something else, she'll go find a dress and put it on over what she is wearing. I have to hide the summer dresses so we don't have this fight every morning. It's too cold. She puts on a dress then twirls and twirls and then goes to look at herself in the mirror. She then says, "so pretty". 
* She is really into dressing herself and undressing herself. She does this with dolls too. She is always trying to put on pants and shirts and dresses and shoes and sometimes she does it correctly. When she does it right she yells out, "I did it!". Mostly she likes to take clothes off and yell, "Naked!". So she gets to have "naked time" (with a diaper) every evening between dinner and bed time.
* She loves to help me cook. She always pulls her stool up to the counter to watch. Or she gets out a pot and spoon and pretends to cook along with me. Don't tell her, but we bought her a little kitchen off of Craigslist for her birthday.
* She can say so many things. I love when she talks to Ava. She says "Good Morning Ava" as soon as she sees her in the morning. She tells her, "be happy Ava" when Ava is crying. She shows her her toys and tries to get a reaction. She wants Ava to walk around with her and eat with her. One day.*She really likes having a band aid. On Saturday she begged for a band aid. I asked her where she needed it and she kept telling me her head. So, finally, I gave in and put one on her forehead. A few people at Costco asked her about it and she would get a sad face and tell them she had an owie there. Whatever. The next day she found some really cool "band aids" and stuck them on her mouth.
* She can tell you most of the basic colors. She'll tell you that this turtle is pink, this one is purple, this one is yellow, etc. She also knows numbers. She counts 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. If she has two of something she always tells you, "Two turtles!"
* Starting a few months ago she decided she no longer wanted to take baths. She only will take a shower and loves it. She'll stay in the shower forever playing.
Today was the perfect fall day. I love, love, love this time of year. I really grew to love it while living in the Northeast. I love when all the leaves change color and the weather is cooler and you get to pull out sweaters again and I even love baseball play offs and college football.
After church we came home and changed quickly and then walked to our neighborhood "walk about". It was so fun. All the neighbors started at one house for caramel and apples and then continued together from house to house through the neighborhood. They had scones, hot chocolate and chips and salsa. It was all outside in people's drive ways so the boys threw footballs, the kids ran around and everyone else visited with each other. We had a nice time getting to know our neighbors. And it was the perfect end to the perfect autumn day!
We had a WONDERFUL general conference weekend. I was so glad that my mom, Tawna, Landon, Sarah, Aiden and Bryce could all be with us. What a great weekend of eating, listening to conference and hanging out with each other. We loved it.
We had delicious white chili with all the fixings for lunch on Sunday.
This is why Brie and Bryce love each other soooooo much!
Tawna entertaining Aiden and Brielle with a book. We love Aunt Tawna.
Aido enjoying one of Brielle's precious turtles.
Aiden checking out baby Ava just before the pounce.
My mom and Tawna drove up from California and spent the last few days with us. They left this morning. It has been wonderful to have them here. I appreciate them making the long drive to be with us so much. I am already sad they are gone. Brie is also. She just asked to go with grandma and Tawna in the car. Good thing they will be here again next month!!
My sister Tawna sleeping with baby Ava. Tawna is so good with kids. She was such a help. She notices things that no one else does. Pretty amazing for someone who has never had children. She even remembered to tell me when it was time to feed Ava again. Wow. I wish she would live with us for the next 18 or so years.
Little Ava is one lucky lady. She is living in complete luxury. She received the most gorgeous blanket from my sister Laura as her baby gift. She is always wrapped in it. I love holding her in it. One whole side is all minkee. This is the softest, most wonderful fabric. The other side is patch work of beautiful brown and pink fabrics. I wish you could feel all the textures and see just how pretty it is. We are so in love with this blanket and so thrilled that Laura made us such an awesome gift.
I thought I'd give Laura some action pics of every day life with a baby and her blanket. Here is Ava in her new swing that we bought used from Craigslist. She is certainly living the high life.
On the go in the car seat.
The circus came to town! Brielle has loved it. Last Wednesday, Scott called from work to tell us that they were going to be marching the elephants down the main street of Gateway and to get down there (his office is there). So, I loaded the girls up and we went to see the elephants on parade. Brielle watched fascinated and stunned as the huge elephants came by with clowns on top of them. 
Brie waiting for the elephants to make their way down Main St. 
Ava and I waiting for the elephants. Ava slept from the time we left the house until the time we got her back home into the house. Newborns are great.
Brie enjoying her favorite part of the circus. I decided to get her one treat and this was the very cheapest at a whooping $4!
We came out of the circus to freezing 37 degree weather, icey, slushy, snowy rain and neither of us had coats. I was actually in a short sleeve shirt and sandals. We waited for the train in the cold while Brie kept saying, "coat. hat. blanket.". I felt so bad. We were freezing. We finally got on the train where it was nice and warm, but a few stops later we were leaving the "free zone" and I realized I hadn't bought a ticket! I was so afraid that they would check me and I would get in big trouble that I made Brie and I get off the train. We just needed to buy a ticket and get on the next train. The problem was that we were out in the cold again and a ticket cost $1.60 and I only had a $1. And we were in a not so good neighborhood, so there was no where to get money! I just held and hugged Brie to keep her warm and then found a man to ask 60 cents from. We got back on a train and Scott picked us up at the end of the line. Yeah!!
Driving home from the train. September 29 and it is really snowing!
Our house covered in snow in September!