PLAY DATES, PLAYGROUNDS AND PUMPKIN PATCHES OH MY!

Our  little life has kind of fallen into a wonderfully simple routine.  Every week we have music class, Parents Day Out usually followed by some sort of playground time or a play date with one of our little friends.  Midweek, we hit up a story time that Elle has just started to love where we see more of our classmates from PDO and I get to see some of their mom's that I have gotten to know better. Kenny and I try to take Elle to the park several times through out the week because she loves it so much now that she is walking.  Then almost every Friday we have a play date with our favorite little boy, Loftin.

Loftin and Elle are buds. Loftin's mom, Lindsay and I have grown so much closer and I would count her as a close friend these days and because of that our time each week has become so much fun as the "babies" have grown older.

The last couple of weeks they have played they have given us a few cute photo ops.  Photographic evidence below!

Taking a little break from playing for a snack. Elle found Loftin's galoshes and was loving them.

After sharing a very messy chocolate Fiber One bar they felt a little hug was in order.

And then the cutest and messiest smooch ever.

Cuddles while watching Elmo and auditioning for the next Power Wheel commercial.

Posing on the slide.

This past weekend we took Elle to a nearby pumpkin patch.  We are still trying to decide if we want to take her to a big farm pumpkin patch. But this one was a lot of fun and provided nearby picture taking while our house was being shown. I would like to note that Elle is wearing the same dress she wore to this same pumpkin patch last year.  None of the clothes I have bought her from this season fit her.  Little munckin. Going to have pull out the stuff I put in storage.

We had a great time just letting Elle pick out the best pumpkins.  We ended up getting two nice big ones.  One for carving and one for sitting on the porch.  Then we let Elle choose a little one.  This pumpkin patch happens to be in front of her PDO and next week they are doing a hayride and story time in the pumpkin patch.  I would be lying if I said I didn't want to park and spy on that little excursion.

 Family pictures are hard these days.

 So many pretty pumpkins.

 Look at the ridges on this one Mom!

Picking out a mini one for a mini girl with Daddy.

          After the Pumpkin Patch we went to a restaurant/bar (no judgement) 

to watch the State game. Elle was having a good time

P.S. Elle is obsessed with the pumpkin we have on our back patio.

Wants to kiss it and hug it each time we come home.

WEEKLY THINGS

Well the temps have become more tolerable and it has me in the fall mood.  We are hoping to take Elle to a pumpkin patch this weekend to get some pumpkins.  Some for decoration, some for carving with Elle.

This week we spent our afternoons at the playground after I picked Elle up from Parents Day out and I made hearty meals to snuggle up on the couch and eat while we watched the debate. We also said goodbye to pacis for naps and bedtime and it actually wasn't all that bad.

 One of the recipes I made was for Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak served over mashed potatoes. I found the recipe on Pinterest. It was a very simple recipe and Kenny loved it.

 Elle wore this little dress to PDO one morning  It is so hard to get a picture of her lately so this is the best I got.  But the dress was my sister's and my dress when we were little.

 We have started going to the story time at our largest library here in Memphis every Wednesday and Elle loves it.  She gets so excited when we put into the parking lot.  After the stories they have toys and all the kids play for a little while while the moms talk.  Then Elle and I peruse the books and pick out a bunch to check out.  Its our little weekly tradition.  I love it.

Oh you know just doing some cuddling with our sippy cup.

I took the picture above after Elle woke up from a 45 minute nap. She normally takes a two hour nap.  I was not thrilled and she was still tired but not having a paci was tough.  Of course, come to find out, PDO never even realized she had a paci in her bag.  She has been napping for them without it the entire time.

So I went cold turkey.  I just decided to not give the paci to her three nights ago. Kenny was out of town and figured that way the crying wouldn't wake him up.  She cried pretty hard off and on from 7-10 pm and then slept without waking until 7 the next morning. Then like I said the nap that day didn't go well.  The next night Kenny was home and he normally does bath time bedtime routine and he put her down without her paci.  And not a peep.  She slept like a rock from 7:30-7:00 am!  She totally manipulates me I have decided. Either way, this weening of the paci wasn't too bad.  Thank goodness!!

MUSIC FOR AARDVARKS

When Elle was probably 9 months old I bought a Groupon to try out a music class program here in Memphis called Music for Aardvarks.  The coupon was for three classes and she enjoyed all of three of the classes despite her young age.   

Described on the Aardvarks website: Music for Aardvarks is distinct from other children’s music programs in that all classes are based around Mr. Weinstone’s original songs, rhythms, and chants. In an exhilarating range of musical styles, Aardvark songs reflect and celebrate the lives of kids growing up today. The music is innovative, intelligent, and irresistibly appealing to both kids and their parents.

Once it was time to enroll for a new semester I decided to sign her up for weekly classes. A few weeks ago we started our third semester of classes. She and I always had fun going together but now that she is walking and at the age where she is soaking up EVERYTHING, we are having a blast.

Elle is starting to remember a lot of the songs we sing and mimic the motions we make in the songs.  She gets so excited for the different parts of the class like the shakers, the guitar, the sticks and musical instruments. Then at the end of class she gets a stamp on each hand before we leave.  She talks all day about those stamps!

Kenny was able to go to class with us recently and he took a few pictures of Elle in action. He loves going periodically to see how much more she is enjoying it. He also took a video of the musical instrument portion of the class.

So independent these days.  Wants to walk everywhere by herself. Please ignore everything about me in this picture.  The weather was rough that morning.

Playing the lollipop drum.  Her personal fave.

Jamming out during the musical instrument freestyle.  That is me playing that awesome tambourine!