Fall fun

So after the glove incident at the zoo the other day, I bought Bella a pair of simple pink gloves. They quickly became her favorite new accessory! Many morning she wakes up and wants them on immediately. PJs + gloves = JOY!

Our precious friends, Kathryn and Sophie came to visit the other day. The girls spent a lot of their time playing and jumping on the couch... only resulting in 2 falls!

Hangin' with Apollo licking the window!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our family! It was perfect... food, family, fun games & football (I had to add that in for Marc!)

As soon as our Thanksgiving festivities were over, I was ready to put all my Christmas stuff up. I love getting our decorations out & up.... but not as much as Bella! She was so excited about all the decorations and had to cuddle and hug every Santa and snowman she could get her hands on. She found the long strands of silver beads we put on the tree and thought we had bought her a new necklace. She walked around the house dragging them everywhere.

Bella rarely smiles for posed pictures anymore. So in order to get a smile (even if fake) I ask her to show me her teeth and this is what I get..... :) I love it!!!

Emily, Brian & I worked on this gingerbread house for 3 hours. We were obsessed!!!

Marc & Ken hanging our Christmas lights last night.

Bella really wanted to help Dada.

She LOVES being outside and is memorized by all our leaves!

Bella's Christmas tutu!

Marc & Bella taking a nap... well it was 6am but hey, you get it when you can!

a little holiday decor...

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Little Genius

Okay... so I know all parents think their child is 'gifted' beyond all others.... but really, Bella is a GENIUS! Well, maybe not a genius but at least extremely intelligent! :)

While Bella is taking a bath, we practice learning animals... their sounds and body parts. For example, I ask her where her nose is and she points to her nose. So far she can show you where her....

.... hands...

.... ears....
... nose...
(her fav bc she can stick her finger up her nose while she shows me)
.... hair....
... tongue...

.... along with eyes, teeth, feet and her belly button. She also knows what sound a cow, sheep and horse make. Wow, I told you she was gifted! :) ..... hoping everyone knows I'm kidding!


Of course, every genius has a weakness... or two. One of Bella's would be the toothbrush. I have to be careful not to say "brush your teeth" to her when she is armed with a toothbrush bc she associates brush with a hair brush!

... now she got it!

Just a few other fun pics to catch you up...

Auntie Em was in town from school so Mom, Em, Bella and I all went to the Dallas zoo. It was an unnaturally chilly day... for Texas..... in November but we still had a lot of fun!

Em & Bella in the nest. Oh... and since it is Texas and we rarely have cold weather I didn't have any gloves for Bella and had to put my gloves on her.

Bella especially loved the bronze statues of animals all over the zoo....

.... the lamb being her favorite.... to nuzzle

... and ride!

Her first pony ride... the pony attendant said Bella had great balance! What can I say, she's a genius with many talents! :)

Bella's new piggies

Bella has an affinity for anything with a strap/cord (i.e. shower sponges, buckets, spaghetti strap shirts). She think they are all purses. Her newest purse being one of my bras.

Sleeping with her eyes open.

First fire in the new house...

So I know all the books say not to reward or sooth your child with treats/food.... so call me a bad mother, but it works. No matter how hurt Bella gets (this particular time her fingers were pinched in the guest rm door... thankfully not full on shut in the door) M&Ms always make her stop crying! How great would it be if that would last forever ;)

I have never met a child, until Bella, who could get chocolate all over her face from just 3 M&Ms.

Have a WONDERFUL week!