Decorating the Tree

Aunt Carole and Uncle Chuck gave us a large Christmas tree last year, so this is the first time it went up. Since Mommy’s ankle was broken, Daddy and Caterpillar Girl did the work.

And what a beautiful job they did!

Mommy’s Birthday

Aunt DiDi came into town a few days early and helped Ahma make a delicious birthday dinner.

Then we headed to the Suwannee River to stay in a cabin at the Stephen Foster Cultural Center. It was a great cabin with a fireplace and a bunk bed.

Caterpillar Girl climbed the ladder to the top bunk all by herself. How fun!

The fire was warm and cozy on a night so cold that there were icicles the next morning.

Caterpillar Girl got bundled up to play on the playground and relax on the café porch with Daddy.

Later we hiked along the Suwannee River, which was very low. Not much rain this season.

Unfortunately, the hike ended in tragedy when Mommy fell and broke my ankle.

Sunny Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Gran and Granddad’s house. It was a gorgeous day for spending time on the porch, gazing out at the dolphins who often play near the dock.

 

Ahpa joined us and brought Caterpillar Girl a new T-shirt that said “That’s it! I’m calling Grandma!” Hmmm…Why not Grandpa?

Crackers are more delicious when poking through the railings on the porch.

The boat Granddad is building is a fun place to play. I bet Caterpillar Girl will love it even more when it is ready for sailing.

Gran prepared a wonderful dinner. Caterpillar Girl especially enjoyed the homemade cranberry sauce.

Granddad shows off the pumpkin pie that Caterpillar Girl baked (with a little help from Mommy).

Chocolate Lover

 

We stopped at a chocolate shop and bought a few truffles. I gave Caterpillar Girl a taste of mine. It was her first taste of chocolate. She pulled it out of my hands and ate the whole thing. Good things I bought two!

Annual Bradley Births Reunion

Before Caterpillar Girl was born, we took classes in the Bradley (Partner-Assisted) Natural Childbirth Method from Melissa Taylor. It was a fantastic class, and every year, the Taylor hold a picnic with all the families who have taken their classes. We had a fantastic time this year reconnecting with the families who have shared similar experiences.

The little girl in red was born the same day as Caterpillar Girl—at almost the exact same time.

There were lots of friends to play with.

Caterpillar Girl stopped saying "Mimi” after this picnic. All the other little children were calling to their Mommies, and Caterpillar Girl decided to start calling me Mommy after that day!

Happy Halloween

Caterpillar Girl dressed as a leprechaun. The story of this costume is as follows: We had a lot of crazy ideas, but I realized that she has very particular feelings about what she will and will not wear. She refuses to wear a number of dresses that Ahma or Mimi have made for her. So the idea of a leprechaun seemed perfect because Mimi could make a skirt and T-shirt, which is what she wears most of the time. Mimi used a white T-shirt that we already had and added a shamrock applique. Next she sewed a green skirt with a black ribbon belt, and a top hat from felt. She bought a cauldron and turned it into a "pot of gold."

Erin loved it!!

We headed out with Mimi, Daddy, ShaSha, and the dog, Ben,

No strollers so she needed a rest from all that walking. Our neighbors really seem to enjoy Halloween and had decorations everywhere. People sat in lawn chairs in their front yards, and Caterpillar Girl adored all the attention she got. She was excited to be able to name the pumpkins and cats she saw in people's yards.

She was a little surprised that people kept giving her stuff. She needed to get a good look at some of the things she was given.

When we got home, she had her first lollipop. We undressed her and put her in her nighttime diaper. Then she got her outfit and put in right back on by herself. The shirt was inside out and the skirt askew, but she had a fit at any attempt to remove her leprechaun costume.

So she slept in it, and was wearing it the next morning--crazy bedhead and all. She then got her hat and pot of gold and stood at the door, saying "ween, weeeen, weeeeeeen," until I said "Halloween?" She nodded vigorously and banged on the door, indicating she was ready to do it all over again!

House Sitting

We traveled to Wakulla County to help Ahma watch a friend's house and dog for a few days. It's a five hours drive, so we stopped for lunch in a park by the Suwannee River in Fanning Springs. Caterpillar Girl throws a penny into the Suwannee for good luck.

Caterpillar Girl loved being out in the country with no cars and people around to worry about. She was free to wander throughout the yard, and

run around naked.

The beach is more wild, for Caterpillar Girl, it was a little bit scary. She spent a lot of time in Mimi's arms. (Yes, I have embraced her new name for me.)

Part of the marshy grassland has a boardwalk to traverse.

We also visited Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, which is simply gorgeous. The area we visited is protected, and the only way to see the river is to take the boat ride offered by the park service. It was an amazing trip during which we saw dozens of alligators, a handful of manatees, and too many birds to count. The guide had extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna, and history of the area. Plus there is a swimming area (too cold for us though) and a playground.