Christmas!

This felt like Courtney's "real" first Christmas since it felt like she could really participate...understanding and recognizing Santa, loving to open presents, and excited about the next chance to do so! It was also the strangest Christmas we've ever had. Becuase of the foot of snow and ice we got while at my parents house in Stewartsville, we lost power in the middle of the night (at 2:30). Courtney sleeps wonderfully when she has a fan going for background noise, but woke up a few minutes after it went off (it got freakishly silent). She stayed awake with Dan from 2:30 - 5:30 when she finally laid down on the floor and fell asleep. We didn't get power back until n oon on Christmas Day, so we spent some time at my sister's house day so we weren't freezing (she was lucky enough to get power back early that morning). There were tons of pictures taken, so here are some highlights!

CHRISTMAS #1 - Joplin with Papa Steve and Meemaw Leslie

CHRISTMAS #2 - Our house!

CHRISTMAS #3 - GoJo's and Meemaw Jody's house

Eating her bowl of rice like a big girl:)

Lovin her new Dora suitcase!

New kitchen!

Courtney and momma with their boots on!

CHRISTMAS #4 - Stewartsville with Meemaw Frances and Papa

Helping momma scrapbook (Courtney got her own Tinkerbell stickers to use)!

Hanging out at Aunt DeeDee's (warm) house Christmas morning!

Pretending to go back to sleep with her cousins!

no camera, but a few stories

The flash died in our camera, so off it went to West Virginia to be fixed (under warranty - yeah:)! So...to keep some grandparents happy, here are some stories and new, fun things that Courtney is doing!

*For some reason, Courtney has started calling me Dana a lot. Dan uses my name, so I am sure she is picking up on that. She says Dan's name every now and then, but is calling me Dana more than mommy. A little sad, but also funny!

*Courtney is talking UP A STORM! We are so amazed at all the cute phrases she is saying/asking. It seems like over Thanksgiving break, she started really talking in sentences: "What's that noise?" "Where's daddy" "I do it" "Courtney did it!!" "One more time".

*Courts is super interested in potty training. She is really pushing this process. Every time she says "potty" we go and sit and hang out in the bathroom and almost every time she at least goes potty. She is so proud of herself when she (sorry if it's TMI...) pees, she looks down, gets a huge smile and says, "GOOD GIRL".

*When she wants us to see something, she grabs our hands and directs us to see. "Stand up". "C'mon!". It's really cute and we can't resist.

*Over thanksgiving break, we went to Stewartsville and saw my sister and Patrick. Courtney was having them help her put on lotion, so after 6 times, I told her one more time. Well, after she told Patrick "c"mon, more lotion", he couldn't resist and they went in the next room to get lotion. He told her "you're going to get me in trouble with your mom". She whispered, "shut the door". It was hilarious! I KNOW she is going to get my orneriness!!

Halloween and other pumpkin fun!

Happy Halloween! Yesterday was completely packed full of Halloween fun. In the morning, Courtney helped me cook pumpkin scones and spooky dip for our party that night. We carved pumpkins, well, scooped out pumpkin seeds and then I spent about 30 minutes cutting out a face (super thick pumpkin). We went to Grandma Jody's house to play in the leaves and trick-or-treat and then to Ashley McMurray's grandparents house for more trick-or-treating and photo shoot. Last, we went to the Sewing's annual Halloween party for more treating and, of course, more photo shooting. BTW - the pics are out of order:)
I made Courtney and Kaitlynn matching Halloween princess outfits! They looked great!

Ashley and Courts all by themselves (like big girls) knocking on their first door!

Christmas, I mean, Halloween gifts from Grandma - aka - the spoiler!

Being SUCH a good helper! This is my new trick so that I can get some cooking done: pull up a chair and hand her a spoon!

Last weekend, our church had trunk or treat!

We made some spider pumpkins (or pider punkins in toddler talk). We painted a pumpkin black and glued on legs. Courts was a pretty good painter!

We also made pumpkin play dough...very sticky, but it smelled good! Two weeks ago my family took my mom to Powell Gardens for her birthday. We went on the Pumpkin Walk which is their beautiful gardens lined with 100's of carved, lit pumpkins. My flash didn't work, so we got no pics of that...but here are some from other parts of the night.

With her cousin, Justin.

My brother David, Cindy, Justin and Laura brought Courtney a Halloween present.

On the coldest day in October, we went to the Crown Center pumpkin patch.

Going on a pony ride made the cold weather all better!

How much more precious can it get?

So, Dan and I cannot believe how precious Courtney is these days! Here are some examples...

1. Today, Dan and I went to MU homecoming to see my neice Megan and tailgate all day. Courtney got to play with grandma Jody all day and they went to Build-A-Bear. Jody sent us a picture text of Courtney's bear: she picked out (all by herself) an MU t-shirt for her bear AND named it honey. I like to think she was thinking about us while we were away.

2. She learned Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (not sure from where). She sings "winkle WINKLE star, how I wonlaladeedoo".

3.She started saying "Love you momma" a few weeks ago and I still practically cry every time I hear it. During our prayers at night she also says "love you Jesus"...also pretty adorable.

4. She LOVES pony rides. We have been taking them at lots of fall events and she is just too cute when she is on them and never wants to get off:)

5. Courtney has started putting her finger to her mouth and saying, "shhhh"...once again, didn't teach her this. Probably a babysitter thing.

6. We were driving the other day and when we stopped she said "stop sign". I am daily amazed at how little brains really are such sponges!! She has been talking up a storm for a while now, but in the past few weeks she is starting to say more sentences. It was amazign when she said her first words, now this seems amazing all over again that she is forming sentences.

7. My mom brought Courtney a potty chair about a few months ago and so we have had it in our living room to start talking about, etc. Over the summer, Courtney started tellign us "poop" and then going (in her diaper). It tapered off but recently she has been saying poop and then running over and sitting on her chair. The cute part: she grabs a book before she sits down! haha! Grandma Jody said she actually pottied in the potty chair today!!!! I can't wait to see that for myself, but also am a little scared to start that process. Yikes.

8. Courtney has been obsessed with spiders since she saw a big one in a web on our porch. She also said, "love you spiders" after we finger painted some the other night. She actually says it in a scared/dramatic way "piders". love it.

9. She has developed this dramatic voice. It sounds concerned and whispery and is adorable. She uses it when she talks about spiders, vacuums and anything that worries/concerns/scares her. She also says "sad" in that dramatic voice whenever she hears a baby or other toddler cry.

10. Overall, Dan and I cannot get enough of this cuteness. It is great timing since we are also starting to deal with NO, no NOOOO and several tantrums (this only happens whenever she doesn't get her way - so you can do the math on how much that might happen).

September Pictures - all at once!

Here are some fun fall pictures from September. We have been doing a ton of fun fall activities already and we have a lot more in October! Since fall is my favorite, we have been taking full advantage!
We went to Deanna Rose Farm with Meghan and Kaitlynn one Sunday...

We went to the Red Barn Farm in Weston with my sister and Patrick. It is definitely going to be an annual thing! On top of being FREE it is just an adorable place!

Courtney's pumpkin from aunt DeDe.

On a pony ride. Love the jockey helmet.

Look at the AMAZING variety of pumpkins! Love this place.

We checked out the Blue Springs festival with Meghan and Kaitlynn which was a bust except for the bounce house and their FIRST EVER roller coaster ride. It was a bummer that my camera wasn't doing the best in the dark.

Last weekend we went to the Lee's Summit Oktoberfest. This will be another annual thing we do becuase it was so awesome for kids. They had a "kids street" that was all free activities, games and crafts for little ones. Home Depot was there and Courtney (well, Grandpa Steve) built her a bean bag toss game.

Sorry, Dan. I know you will hate this picture, but look how cute Courts is in her protective eyeware.

Another pony ride that she didn't want to get off of.

And I hate this picture of me, but it showcases the pumpkin that Courtney created, so I sacrifice.

We went to the zoo for a sunset safari with Lyda and Ashley and did more non-zoo stuff and barely looked at the animals!

The girls got free ice cream and of course, ate it up!

Sidewalk chalk.

After eating at Cheesecake factory, we had to get some pictures by it's fountain.I really don't care about the other art at the plaza art fair, but Courtney sure made some cute stuff at their tents!

Getting inside a bubble.

Making a necklace.