Hello Fall!

Wow, well it seems like our lovely summer weather has come screeching to a halt and we're now right back into the cold, dark, and rainy stuff. I would have liked a nice warm fall - but apparently that isn't going to happen. I'm scrambling to fill up the girls closets with warmer clothes, hats, and jackets. Geesh! The closet management is turning out to be tough. The girls are also in two different sizes so I have to try even hard to make sure I have enough for everyone. I probably obsess too much and make a bigger deal our of it than I should- but I seem to be taking inventory and re-arranging every weekend.

Today the girls are 20 months old! The girls are having a great time exploring everything in sight and running full speed 24/7. We've found that they like to climb, so now we have to be extra vigilant in making sure the dining room table chairs are pushed in otherwise we'll have a little monkey on the chair and then on the table. Scary! We put up a play house in baby jail, and Emily will scale up the side and slide in a window backwards. These girls are fearless - must get that from their dad.

The house is full of chatter all the time as well. Both girls are always talking to anyone that will listen (ok it's really only to each other, mom, dad, and g-parents) but it's never quiet in the house anymore. They are also into repeating words. I could list out all the words, but I'll spare you. However some of my favorites are "A,B,C" , "watch" (as in wrist watch), "up please" (uppie), "daddies keys" oh I could go on....but I promised I wouldn't.

This last weekend we took our first trip to a pumpkin patch for a friends birthday. Of course, I didn't take a single picture. This was a momentous occasion....and I forgot to take pictures? Bad Mom!! But I guess we could go next year and take pictures and pretend it was the first trip. ;) We also went to another birthday at the Play Boutique in Lake Oswego. OMG, it was so much fun for the girls. Lots of space to run around and play. It took them a little bit to warm up to the location and people but soon they were running around the place like they owned it. The girls loved it so much it's got me thinking about 2nd birthday parties....fun! Really it just made me feel like a bad mom who doesn't take her kids to fun play dates because she's afraid that she can't keep track of them alone. Hopefully the girls won't feel too deprived when they grow up - but hey chasing after two toddlers who run opposite directions is next to impossible.

Cold and Flu season is just around the corner, but it seems Ellery has the first cold already. Although she doesn't have any symptoms we can just tell she's not feeling 100%. At school this week she chose to lay on a pillow rather than run and play. That is so not Ellery. I'm hoping that whatever is bothering her goes away quickly. They've had their seasonal flu shot, but we can't get the H1N1 shots for 2-4 weeks. I'm afraid the virus is going to hit daycare before the girls will have had all their injections. Please, Please, Please let that not happen. We aren't getting the Synagis shots for RSV this year because the girls aren't as high risk and actually more importantly the out of pocket cost isn't worth it unless it's absolutely necessary. Our Dr has strongly recommended that the girls get the H1N1 shots because we're still not sure how they will react to having the flu. We had some light respiratory issues last year with Emily but we were very lucky that everything stayed pretty minimal other than some wheezing and the endless runny noses all winter. I'd like to think this year won't be any worse....but it's too soon to tell.

Playing in the kitchen

El & Em at school

Ellery will go down the slide anyway she can

Em's not so sure and would rather use the rag in her hand to clean up. After the first day she has changed her mind and loves the play structure.

Every time Ellery was on top of the slide she'd sign for more.