Halloween

This was the first year we weren't back HOME for Halloween, so I missed being able to see my nieces and nephews all dressed up as I'm sure everyone else also missed seeing my girls dressed up. We had fun anyways, and next year we'll be back home for Halloween!

I tried to get a few good pictures of the girls in their Halloween outfits that my mom bought for them. Haleigh was more into eating the leaves than anything else and Ali was just excited to be OUTSIDE!!! It's been kind of rainy lately, so we haven't been out of the house much.

In the evening we went out trick-or-treating and Ali had a BLAST!!! She's say--without prompts-- "trick-or-treat!" and then "thank you!" after each house! She was even STILL talking about it after her bath! I must say, she and Haleigh did make the cutest Cinderella and Belle I've ever seen!!!!! It's so exciting that Ali's getting old enough to really enjoy, AND get excited about, these things! SO FUN! It was a good night!

Pumpkin Hunt

We didn't make a trip to an actual pumpkin patch this year, disappointing but we were so busy with Disney World and getting back into the swing of things when we got back that we just let it slip by. We had planned on going last weekend, but it was rainy and nasty, so it didn't work out. SO, Josh stopped by a pumpkin stand and just picked up one for each of us and we ended up putting them around the yard for Ali to find. It was fun for her, and she didn't really know a difference--that's all that matters, right!? :)

After we played around in the yard for a while, I sent Josh to Target to get some paint for Ali to paint her pumpkin. I really wanted Ali to experience carving her pumpkin out, but I HATE doing it, and Josh wasn't really in the mood to do it. So, painting it was. Again, she had fun and didn't really know the difference! Obviously, this is what I keep telling myself when I feel like I've jipped my daughter out of a fun experience! There's always next year! :)

Disney World

We got back from Disney a week ago, it's time I posted about it wouldn't you say!? We had a WONDERFUL time! Exhausting, sure, but wonderful! We took over 500 pictures, and I've posted a bunch on FB, so check those out if you haven't already!

The best part, for me, was Ali and the reaction she had to it all. I wonder if she'll actually remember this trip once she's grown, but there will be plenty more trips I'm sure--Have I mentioned before that my husband is a Disney FREAK!? Yeah, we'll be back again!!!

We got in Orlando on Saturday the 3rd and spent the afternoon over in Downtown Disney just looking and shopping around. Josh's Mom and Grandmother met up with us that night. Sunday we went over to Animal Kingdom and were able to do a whole bunch of character greetings. Ali loved it! That day she also got her first MAJOR ouchie! We had gone to see the Festival of the Lion King show and before it even started she fell on the bleechers, hit the seat in front of us with her nose. It instantly swelled. We thought she might have broken it. Poor thing was a real trooper though. A few doses of baby Motrin and she was on the mend...although, she had some nasty black eyes for the rest of the week.

Monday we headed over to the Magic Kingdom where she got her first glimpse of "Cinderlella's" Castle. She was in complete AWE that Cinerella actually LIVED there! She also got to meet Ariel. You put a two year old in front of a real life Disney Princess and you get.....SPEECHLESS!!! Tuesday we went to Blizzard Beach waterpark, hung out in the little kiddie section most of the time (Josh and I went down some of the bigger slides while the MIL and GMIL hung out with the girls) and Ali went down all those slides like she'd been doing it her whole life! That night we went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The kids (and even adults) dressed up in their Halloween costumes, they have certain places set up for trick-or-treating and they even put on a whole different parade and fireworks show. Ali was so thrilled about wearing her Cinderella dress. Haleigh, not so much. It was just TOO hot for Haleigh to keep hers on, so I ended up stripping her down into a onesie not long after we got there.

The rest of the week was more of the same, going to each park, getting to meet some of the characters, riding rides...etc. It was nice to have the in-laws there--Josh and I were able to go off on our own and ride a few things and were able to go out to dinner a few times too. Not something we would have been able to do had they not been there.

Our last night we were in Epcot and went to the Storybook Princess dinner. Ali got to meet ALL of her favorite princesses. It was HARD to get her to eat...she was more concerned with which one would be coming to see her next. It was so cute to see her face light up! I'm looking forward to taking them again once Haleigh's big enough to really care!

Here are a FEW of the pictures:

This one was from the Halloween Party night.

Meeting Ariel for the first time at Magic Kingdom

Daisy needs a kiss!

I think that this one is my FAVORITE picture from our trip!

Getting to meet Ariel at the Storybook Princess Dinner. She kept asking her where Flounder was! (See the bruised face!? Poor kid!)

Cinderella of course!!! I was so excited that she was at this dinner. According to the info, Cinderella is only there occasionally. We got lucky!

Snow white!

Ali loves "Rora" too!!!

Haleigh really WAS with us! I feel bad that we didn't get *that* many pictures with her in them....but I keep trying to justify it by "she was too little to really care." Does that make me sound less like a bad mommy for not taking many pictures of her!?

It's official...

Haleigh finally figured out how to REALLY crawl! I knew the "low crawl" wouldn't last long!

After her bath tonight we got a video of her crawling. She still gets frustrated because she can't where she wants FAST enough! :)

Seven Months!!!!

Today, little Miss Haleigh Mae is SEVEN months old! I just can't believe it! What's worse is that I realize that in LESS than six months, she'll be ONE!!! Yikes! It really just seems like yesterday that Ali was Haleigh's age!!!

She's SO much fun now--she babbles and talks CONSTANTLY! She's sitting up (well, she has been) for LOOOONG periods of time. She's about *this close* to full on crawling! Right now she's got her "low crawl" (Not "army crawl", my friends! :) My lovely Marine has informed me that we are not to call it an "army crawl" in this household!) so, she's EVERYWHERE! Not nearly as bad as it's going to be soon when she's crawling for real!!! I can still get to her before she's into something she shouldn't be!

Here we go! Just about ready to get at it!

Ali has decided now that she likes to have her picture taken, so when I pulled out the camera to get a few of Haleigh she kept saying "take a picture of ME, Mommy!!!" How could I deny her!? :) She's getting more vocal--if that's even POSSIBLE!!!--and her imagination is just amazing these days!

Haleigh got her first bath with Ali the other night. Most nights I give Haleigh her bath and then while I"m feeding her her last bottle of the day, Josh will give Ali her bath. This particular night I was in charge of both baths...so, I thought I'd just throw 'em in together! They both had a blast, although, Alis isn't so fond of sharing her bath toys with her just yet.

And, the girls "helping" me with laundry. I love this picture because Ali actually has a genuine smile on her face!!! When I tell her to smile pretty, she gives me this cheesy, squinty, smile! So, this is my fav of her!

Six months!

Each and every day I'm reminded just how fast time really goes! I still can't believe that my baby girl is SIX months old already--well, she was on the 17th, so it's six months and a few days at this point, because I'm terrible at updating posts anymore! She's rolling over both ways, sitting on her own for several minutes at a time, babbling up a storm, eating her ceral/fruits/veggies daily and is sleeping for about 10 hours at night. Last Friday she had her visit at the doctor. She's 15 lbs 8 ozs (45th percentile) and 27 1/4 inches (93rd percentile!!!!) Skinny and super tall!!! I always like to go back and check Ali's stats for the same age, and even though Haleigh looks chubbier than Ali did at this age--it's the cheeks people!--Haleigh is only 8ozs heavier and is 1 1/4 inches taller thank Ali was. I had her six month pics taken at Target (DUH!) and here are a few of my favs. Obviously, if you're on FB then you've probably already seen them!

Sisters??

Can you tell these two are sisters!?

When I look at my girls separately-Ali now, and Haleigh now--I really don't think they look that much alike. Mostly because Ali looks so much like Josh did when he was younger and Haleigh looks so much like me when I was little. However, last night I was looking back at Ali's baby pictures and was shocked by how much they REALLY do look alike!!! Although there are differences, Haleigh's cheeks for one. Man, have you seen those things!?! I love how chubby they are!!!

It's been forever since I've posted anything! I'm terrible at blogging lately! But, last weekend the girls and I got back to VA from a two week visit back home. It was so nice, but boy did it make me miss home!!!! While we were there we celebrated Ali's birthday (the pictures are on FB, if you haven't seen them already!) and we did a few other fun things too. I, with my parents, took Ali (and Haleigh too) to the local county fair. It's so fun now that she's getting to the age to enjoy things like that. Haleigh, however was still a little indifferent to it all! But, she rode in the stroller like a champ!

I got to meet my cousin, Rebecca's new baby. She was born on June 1st. She makes Haleigh look like a monster next to her!!!

And, my nephew, Kyle, turned one on July 22nd. So, I was able to be home for his first birthday party. He was so cute....he didn't start digging into his cake with his hands, he went FACE first into it!
I was a little sad when leaving...I realized that my next visit home won't be until November for my birthday/Thanksgiving! It seems so far away, but we have a few trips planned the next few months, so I'm hoping that it will make the time go by quicker! The first trip being my CRUISE!!!! I leave on Wednesday to head to Ft. Lauderdale and then the ship leaves on Thurs. I'm SO looking forward to some time with friends!!!