Surprise Birthday Makeover

The Monday after Grandma Libia's birthday, Cas asked her to spend the day with him but kept the plans for the day under wraps.  We started the day with pictures with the grandkids, which became the "before" picture:

They headed for a foot massage and then to the mall to grab a lunch.  And then he ambushed surprised her with the gift of a birthday makeover.  From some new clothes - her first pair of jeans in years - to a Bobbi Brown make-over - to a dramatic haircut, she was in for a day of pampering and change.  They left our house at 10:30am and arrived home TEN HOURS LATER!

The kids and I were joined in the morning by my mom and two of our cousins, out of school for Columbus Day.  Collin, Stella and Leo went to the trampoline warehouse where the rest of our side of town had the same idea, so they jumped amongst hundreds of kids, and Maya and I caught the tail end of their jumping after her nap.  On the way back to the car, Collin dropped my hand and instead ran up to hold hands with his cousins.  So sweet.  Stella and Leo were INCREDIBLE with Collin, so patient with him at our home and at the trampolines, and Leo played with him in the kid zone at Chick-fil-A.

Later that afternoon, I talked to Cas and he asked that I dress up the kids for some post-makeover pictures when he and his mom returned.  Maya in her "princess" dress with so many ruffles they overflowed out of the exersaucer -

And Collin in a post-bath, post-bedtime polo -

The birthday girl with her stylish new look -

When she got home, Collin said, "you look beautiful, Grandma Libia!"  We couldn't have agreed more!

The lovely ladies - grandma and granddaughter in the dress she bought Maya when she was born!

We love Grandma Libia's new look, and I'm quite impressed with Cas for the sweet gesture and endurance during the longest day at the mall of his life!

A Pile of Kids at the Pumpkin Patch

At dinner Friday night, I proposed a group photo session at the pumpkin patch.  Kelly suggested 4:30 to 5:00 and I heard 4:30/5:00, so of course I show up with my kids and mom at 5:05 and half the group was hot and tired of pictures, while my kids weren't yet melting down.

 

For the group shot, we had Collin "hold" Maya in her lap, and I had to crop myself out of several of the pictures when my three year old wasn't giving me great confidence in his holding-the-infant ability.

The kids take one (before my friend Jill and her two arrived) -

Kelly and I with our daughters, Maya happy as can be -

Oh this girl, her bright blue eyes, her ruffle romper - I could not be much happier!

Not to be outdone, my handsome boy looking so grown up -  

The moms got in the group shot -

Cas had been out of town for work and drove home Saturday afternoon.  He didn't jump at my proposal to get back in the car and sit outside for hundreds of photos, but hopefully we can get a family session in before the pumpkins are gone.

My happy kids

Esmae and Maya -

Maya and I in plum -

Collin on the tractor.  He tells us he's driving to Seattle - 

High-flying, happy girl -

A girl shot with my friend Jill's daughter, Kiley, Maya and Esmae - 

Amber's dimpled boys, Mackeon and Holden -

The boys - Holden, Chase, Collin and Mackeon -

This is the best we can do with 7 kids on a hot October afternoon -

Our giggling girl in the grass - 

Collin's most genuine smiles came with his sno-cone reward - 

One last picture with the kids now that we didn't have to encourage Collin to smile - 

Grammy, our photographer extraordinaire!

Sno-cone stained smiles before heading home to Daddy!

Maya's first trip to the zoo

Maya's first trip to the zoo occurred much earlier in her life than Collin's first zoo outing.  As will be the story for the second child, she was along for the ride and was interested enough in her surroundings to stay awake through her morning nap. 

 

We met one of my best friends, Kelly, and her daughter Katelyn at the zoo on Friday.  It started out as a wonderfully pleasant October day, but an hour into Maya's first zoo outing, everyone's rosy cheeks denoted the 90-degree temps.  The girls in their strollers -  

 

Maya chomping away on Sophie la giraffe, her favorite chew toy, oblivious to the real giraffes a few yards away -

Smiles for air conditioning in the chimpanzee exhibit -

Collin talked away to Katelyn over lunch, sharing some of his three year old jokes like "stinky cow."  Katelyn didn't know what to make of Collin, but showed off her vast animal and animal sound knowledge, impressive at 15 months!

We wrapped up the day with books in the grandparents' bed before I headed out to a girls night dinner, Maya happy in Collin's arms for story time.

 

The boys team

 

Cas was explaining to Collin last night that he and I are on the same team (i.e. when you ask Mommy something and she says no, I'm going to have the same answer since we're on the same team).  No, Collin didn't think his parents were on the same team.  He and Daddy were on the boys team.  And that they have been, partnering up a lot since Maya's arrival. 

Here are some pics from Cas' phone, none of great quality, but most of the boys team having a great time together.  One of Cas' co-worker's sons had a birthday, and the party introduced Collin to the thrill of a go kart ride:

Indoor putt putt and motorcycle rides-

On the last few Wednesdays, Collin has had an extra male join the kid team, his cousin Nico, who has spent the day playing at our house, zooming cars around -

The first Wednesday they spent the entire day together, from breakfast, lunch, nap and dinner, to bath and matching superhero pajama time!

Bruno doesn't want to be left out of the boys team, and in fact, he fell asleep on recruited another guy, Cabbage Patch Eric and his silkie!

Since Maya's normally home with me, most of the pictures of her are on our camera, but Cas snapped one of his princess on his phone.  Thankful my baby gives us a girls team - and I look forward to future pictures of painted toenails and pigtails (eventually, I was a baldy like Maya for several years) and dolls and tea parties and all things wonderfully girly!

Maya's first word and other happenings in September

We've spoken with Collin about how his one-year-old cousin, Nico, is learning to talk, so when he says “ba” pointing to the ball, that’s his word.  So this morning Maya was in the exersaucer babbling away and Collin heard her say “ba.” 

He says to her, “Great job, Maya, that’s your first word.  Ba, your first word.  You’re talking just like everybody in the world talks.  I’m so proud of you, Maya, you’re talking.” 

I thought it was so cute, especially the "I'm so proud of you."  He's a really good big brother, and Maya will be lucky to grow up with such encouragement!

The only pictures I've taken in September were with my parents, since they enabled me to have a free set of hands.  And my mom even got some of Maya and me.  I am just crazy about this sweet girl!

When you go exploring at Grammy and Brownie's, it usually involves attacking ant beds with sticks.

Intense with three sticks

Maya observed the exploring from the front porch in my mom's arms -

We are still obsessed with her smiles and giggles, just as we were at this stage with Collin -

Collin loves making her smile and laugh -

When his form of tickling wasn't working, he tried the nibbling-on-toes move -

But he's also happy to have everyone focused on him, especially when the attention is coupled with tumbling and wrestling -

Drooling, grinning, bright-eyed girl -

Giggling with Brownie -

One evening at my parents', my dad was reading Collin and Maya a bedtime story and Maya passed out, clutching Collin's arm, in the midst of the book -

The next day, Collin and Grammy set out with their sticks to explore and destroy the enemy mushrooms -

After the yard was safe from ants and mushrooms, they headed to the backyard to swing "a google high" -

This is about as dare-devil as Collin gets, leaning back in the swing -

Swinging on the swing set that has lasted three generations - from my mom, uncle and cousins to my brother and me to my kids -

We brought Maya out for some gentler swinging -

Happy kids in the swings -

And posing before church, Maya in her first Oshkosh B'gosh overall outfit and Collin with a stache - 

Wrapping up with one last conversation with Collin:

E:  Collin, I'm going to wash your sheets and silkies

C:  [with tears in his eyes] You have to remember to wash Eric [cabbage patch doll] too

E:  What?

C:  You have to remember to wash Eric.  Every time you wash the silkies you have to wash Eric too.

E:  Okay buddy, I can put Eric in the wash with the silkies.

C:  That is what you have to always remember.  Just like never giving me spankings.

E:  Alright, so my two things to remember are to never give you spankings and to wash Eric with your silkies.

C:  Right.