Happy Halloween!

In case you thought we weren't totally nerdy, this video proves otherwise.

Also, this was a completely unrehearsed, spontaneous result of carving pumpkins late at night while listening to the Halloween station on Pandora. I didn't even bother editing the video. Maybe next year we'll make a better one. Ü

Free!!

For those of you who live in the area, I was recently excited to learn that if you have a Palo Alto library card, you have access to some free museum passes, as well as 3 music downloads a week. (Note: you do not have to be a Palo Alto resident to get a card, just a California resident)

There are also a number of museums or attractions in the area that are always free, or that have free days each month, so take a look at the list and have fun!

Jane

(It's hard to get a decent picture of Jane, so sorry for the weird facial expression)

I can't believe Jane is nearly 18 months! Only two more Sundays until nursery (not that I've been counting down for the past few months or anything...) and she's at that age where she seems to learn something new every single day. 

Jane is a climber and must be watched at ALL times, unless she's in her room, in which case she's almost always just looking at books. I am so incredibly grateful that she hasn't figured out how to open doors yet, because if I forget to close the bathroom door or the door to my room she wreaks absolute havoc.

She doesn't love her stroller much anymore, and prefers to walk herself. We've started taking simple walks around the block again, and I just love watching her little legs run. 

Her vocabulary is exploding. A few weeks ago I counted about 40 words that she can say, but she's learning new ones each day, and I've officially lost count. She's also been really interested in animal sounds, and has started incorporating phrases, like "thank you" and "I love you," into her speech. But I think it's funny she hasn't learned the word "yes" yet. She always says no, even if she really wants something. 

She recently figured out remotes, and we've discovered a random movie playing on Netflix on more than one occasion (it plays even if the tv is off, so we don't always notice right away).

She's been killing us by waking up at precisely 5:30 most days of the week. This wouldn't be so bad if I could figure out how to go to bed before 1:00 a.m., and if Livia would stop waking me up at 3 a.m. with nightmares, but as it is, we're all exhausted. Chase and I take turns getting up with her in the morning so we can count on some sleep at least a few days a week. 

Janie keeps us on our toes, but she's a happy little girl and we sure love her!

Livia

Sometimes I can't believe how grown up my little girl is getting. Joy school started up again, and we snagged a quick picture of her before she headed off across the street for her first day of her second year.

We also signed her up for a ballet/tap/jazz class at a real studio (instead of at the community center). She LOVES it. 

 Only a few weeks after starting the class, she was able to be in a little performance at a local art festival. It's called "the penguin dance," hence the black and white outfits. I took a video of it...and accidentally deleted it from my camera when I went to show it to Chase! Seriously so bummed about that. At least I got a few photos to document the experience.

I wondered if Liv would get nervous up there, but she did great! She did the dance just like she was supposed to, grinning hugely the entire time. It was a proud mommy moment. 

 Another fun thing that Livia has been doing lately is learning to read!!!! (This deserves lots of exclamation points, because I am so, so excited about it!)

We started just over two months ago reading one story a day from "Dick and Jane." She's made great progress in the book, and her confidence in reading has increased dramatically, but I wouldn't say she's officially reading yet, since she can't--or won't--just pick up any book and try to read it. But I will say that she's well on her way. Here's a video I got of her reading from Dick and Jane one day.

Other notes:

• Livia pretty much always chooses her own outfits and gets herself dressed in the morning. 
• She will occasionally get up early and make her own breakfast before I wake up--this usually means she eats a piece of bread covered in butter and sugar. Breakfast of champions.
• Still loves to make projects. My walls are currently plastered with ghosts and pumpkins she cut out and colored.
• She wishes she was little like Jane, and is always asking to be carried or swung around like Jane is. I feel bad when I can't because she's just so heavy.
• Is very obedient about some things, like washing her hands whenever we've been outside, or putting on her shoes when it's time to go, but is incredibly rebellious about other rules, and likes to take our things (keys, phones, scriptures) and hide them around the house. Luckily we're aware of most of her "secret hiding spots" but so far no amount of punishing has convinced her this is a bad idea. 

Conversations with Livvy

A few choice moments from the past months:

L: Mom, you have two big teeth. Like a crocodile, or a beaver.

--- 

L: What are those lines?

M: What lines?

L: The ones all over your face

M: Ah, those would be wrinkles.

(Kids sure have a way, don't they?)

--- 

L: (after about 10 minutes of sitting quietly in the car) Lions and tigers are pretty important because they eat bad guys. Right, Mom?

---

L: Look, Mom, she has purple hair! Aw, that was so sweet of Heavenly Father!”

---

We were driving through Vegas and stopped to fill up on gas. When we got out of the car Livia took one look at a casino and said, “Is that the abominable church??”

--- 

L: What does stubborn mean?

M: It’s when you think you’re right all the time and you never want to listen to anyone else. Do you think that’s a good way to be?

L: No….so then we kill them?

 ---

M: Are you going up in an elevator?

L: Yeah, super high. Where do you think I’m going?

M: To heaven?

L: No. Higher. To Space! To kill Dark Vader!

…. I need this mop. To poke his eye out.

--- 

L: (After helping me with chores one afternoon, she spilled some sprinkles on the table) Aww, I just finally cleaned the table today, and now it’s ruined!!!

----

And just for fun, a conversation Chase and I had late one night when he had already been asleep awhile but I was just climbing into bed:

C: Aww, nuts. I forgot the combination.

M: What?

C: I need the combination!

M: To what?

C: I need the combination to my pants!

M: [much giggling]

C: Wait! It's not that weird! I need to multiply...my pants...I need to multiply...I can't explain it.

M: [more giggling]

C: If I could explain it better you would understand.

The best part was that the next morning he still insisted that had he been able to explain things to me properly, I would have totally understood what he was talking about. 

Grandma Baldwin

 Grandma Jenny Baldwin, with Chase and Jane last November.

At the end of August we received a phone call early one morning letting us know that Grandma Baldwin had passed away. Her health had started failing earlier in the year, and so we weren't shocked by the news, but still so, so sad. I only knew her for about 6 years, but I loved and admired her very much. She was so thoughtful and generous, the consummate hostess, a perfectionist, and had the ability to make you feel welcomed and loved in an instant.

We all quickly made arrangements to fly out to Utah for the funeral. It was a lovely service, and all of her grandchildren took a few minutes to speak. She was a remarkable lady, and I look forward to the day when we can be with her again.

The one true bright spot of funerals is that you get to see so much family!

These kids crack me up. But isn't Utah simply gorgeous?!

Chase's family at the cemetery.

 While we were in Utah, we took an afternoon to take the girls to Temple Square.

It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but we were so grateful to be able to be there to remember and honor such a wonderful woman. I'm glad that Livia, at least, will have memories of her.

Recent happenings

Time to catch up on the past two months! 

In August our niece Adeline was blessed:

 Rich and Cheryl flew in for the occasion. It's always so nice to see them!

Jane got into some mischief

 The girls snuggled with Dad.

One afternoon the girls piled up all the pillows they could find and had a blast jumping into them over and over again.

Chase liked the pile of pillows for a different reason. I think he may have come home from work with a headache that day, because he laid down and slept like that for over an hour. I finally moved his legs down for fear he'd never have feeling in them again, and he went right on sleeping for another two hours.

It's apple picking season! We headed down to Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville with my friend Cheryl and her adorable daughter, Jane.

And my Jane.

 Livia loved it. She filled one of those buckets for me in no time at all. Apple pie, anyone??

 I loved that the trees were low enough to pick easily. Only problem? Jane preferred picking old apples off the ground and trying to eat them. Sick.

Liv had fun playing on the hay bales at the Ranch.

 Jane just stood there and wouldn't let go of her apple slush. Not that I blame her.

 I splurged and bought a hot apple pie at the ranch. It was, quite literally, five inches tall. And holy hannah was it good!

Can I tell you how much I love autumn??