Tate Farms

HAPPY FALL!

We celebrated last week - i'm very behind in pictures - by going on our first ever visit

to Tate Farms. Ya-Ya was visiting and we couldn't wait to share this experience with her. There was so much to do...

Lillianna volunteered to be the official greeter.

We concluded she has hope of being taller than her Mom one day.

They had the coolest pumpkins...just look at those colors.

And of course, take note of the beauty in the middle of them.

Lillianna would have made her Papa James proud, jumping behind the wheel of the the plywood John Deere as fast as she could.

Giddy-up horsey!

So this was the best moment. Lillianna froze, truly froze, in absolute adoration of the soft bunny.

She hasn't stopped talking about it and we just went to a pet store this morning so she could see some again. But this was the first time I think she felt that feeling of loving something smaller than you.

"Here you go goat. I don't understand why you don't want to eat right out of my hand."

"Wake up Piggy."

Tate Farms had 5 or 6 "CornCribs" which Lillianna thought were pure heaven.

Actually so did Mommy and Ya-ya. They were alot of fun.

We can't wait to go back next year!

a little break

Last Saturday, we took a break from re-arranging furniture and went for a picnic.

Although it still felt about 90 degrees, we caught a glimpse of fall:

As usual, being outside, Lillianna had a ball.

Spotting some birds, "flying home to her nest to feed his babies."

Throwing rocks in the river,

Shouting, "Hooray, I climbed the mountain!"

And of course, climbing over a mountain.

So much fun.

PARADE

Lillianna's first parade was a week ago. She LOVED it. You wouldn't know it by these pictures but honestly, you wouldn't have known it if you'd been there and seen her. She went into her somber, almost comatose, state where most people think she's unhappy or too shy to blink. Really, she's just taking it ALL in so she can talk non-stop about it days. Of course, she only talks about it after we've left and mainly to just me and Brad.

She loved, "the BAND, the walice (police) cars, and the CHEERWEADERS THROWING CANDY FOR ME."

Her favorite part of the parade was that it took place on her very favorite street in our town.

You know, the one with the largest radio tower on top of one of the buildings. Have I mentioned her OBSESSION with water towers and radio towers? It's intense. So I love that I have a picture to mark her awe and reverence for such a "beautiful" (her word, not mine) landmark.

So as for pictures of the actual parade, they were recorded on the video. I just have

a couple of Lillianna and Bibby eating and sharing snacks as we wait to the parade to begin.

As good as it gets.

I didn't intentionally take a break from blogging this week. We've just been so very busy! Life with Lillianna could not be any sweeter right now. I find myself thinking and telling Brad often that I wish she could stay this age, this stage - just as she is right this minute - for at least a couple of years. I'm serious too. She just couldn't be any cuter. Her little squeaky voice and her articulate words. Her hysterical sentences and her sweet sensitivity. They are what make her irresistible to me all day long. Except when, in a flash, for just a few seconds, all of that disappears as she hits her best friend in the head with a plastic golf club or refuses to move a muscle no matter how many times I ask (BEG) her to Please Come On!

But those moments rush by and my precious two year old is asking me, "You take a walk with me Mommy? We find treasures!" Even when it will make the third walk of the day, even when I really don't feel like it, I can't resist her little question that lets me know how much she loves me and just wants to spend a little more time with me.

Time is just going by too fast, especially now that we're entering the third trimester of this pregnancy and the holidays are approaching. So many other things to think about and do when I really want to be making memories and collecting moments with Lillianna while it's just the three of us. This time just couldn't be more precious to me in so many ways.

Enjoying (hopefully) the end of summer

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MOM IS TALKING ON THE PHONE OUTSIDE...

Fun with Friends!

We have had a week full of friends!

First Lillianna and Bibby got to take their first bath together!

So much fun!

I love spending time with my Bibby!

Then, one day this week, we went to the park with Lydia and her Mom, Meredith.

I love my sweet friend Lydia!

Then, Lillianna held a football fundamentals camp for her good friend Sam.

First, she taught him how to play receiver...

Then she increases the distance to let him practice his long balls.

It was then time to show him how to run the ball down the middle.

Hang in there Sam.

Okay, so here's how you hike the ball...

The camp runs late into the night until Sam finally and politely tells Lillianna that he can't take pretend anymore. He admits that he knows how to play football like any good two year old boy in Alabama.

And then he tackles her.

We've go the bestest friends!

what a day.

We had a very rainy day here in Decatur today.

So, we decided to decorate a "treasure box" since

we find LOTS of "treasures" everyday on our walks.

The final product:

These last two pictures made the process of allowing a 2 year old access to 5 different colors of paint at once and then allowing her to "sprinkle" glitter flowers around seem simple...and clean.

But really, it wasn't.

Anyhoo, then after a nap, we had to go and find treasures...

And "Stempa", the minature reindeer

-the first stuffed anything to be given a name by Lillianna-
went with us to.

Hold this treasure Mom.

Score! We found LOTS of treasures today!

You want to put one in Mom? Ok, but place it in very carefully.

We topped off the good day with dinner with Uncle Mike & Aunt Donna. Lillianna didn't say more than 2 whispered words the whole time. Maybe it was her mood or maybe it was because she ate a beef taco, a whole plate of rice and beans, a cup of peaches, chips, salsa, cheese dip, and some fruit snacks. whoa!

I'm so excited to change tomorrow's diapers.

They also gave her some surprises, including this adorable giraffe from the Memphis zoo. She really didn't let them know how much she loves it...she waited until we pulled out of the parking lot to be excited about it. But she didn't let go of it and had to have it to go to sleep tonight.

sweet girl.

School is rubbing off

Lillianna, Boone, and I were taking a walk through the neighbor's yard to see the stop sign at the end of the street. She didn't know I took this picture but as I was walking, I studdenly realized she was holding her hands behind her back...just like they taught her at school.

Later, at home, she's doing her best impersonation of Mommy.

Cooling off

Mmmmm.....Ice cream.

Lillianna and Mary Bibb were treated to an afternoon treat the other day.

It was actually gelato...pretty fancy schmancy for our little town.

Lillianna picked the green (green apple) and Bibby picked the pink (raspberry).

Mmmmmm.

Yeah, what she said.

Mary Bibb: Cheese

Lillianna: Um...sorry, this stuff is too good to stop.

Yep, still really delicious!

Any Mom can appreciate this

A real (funny) Mom moment.

Monday morning Lillianna was watching a cartoon while I made our grocery list.

We were halfway through our trip at Kroger's when I looked at it to be sure I was getting everything...

onion, yes

pepper, check

corn, yep

zucchini, uh-huh

milk, yes

flat leaf parsley, got it

then...

small dolphin, what?!?!

I laughed out loud at myself realizing that I too must have been caught up in the cartoon - Would the Wonder Pets save the Small Dolphin?

I love how I wrote it with no realization that I did and kept right on...

juice

cornbread mix