'Hi 'and 'Bye' To September

Wow, September came and went with a blink of an eye! We started off the month by spending part of Labor Day with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Amy up at Clearlake. While the weather was cooler, Elise treated us to a boat ride around the lake. Since she still is too short, Daddy helped with giving her a boost to reach the steering wheel. Brutus and Garth enjoyed the fresh air too!

















































We also got a trip into visit Nana and Poppa in Medina. Elise scored a lifelike replica of a tarantula at Target-- meant for our Halloween decorations but Elise insists on carrying it around everywhere she goes. We love your store Poppa! Now when Elise vacuums, she not only has to hold her 'monkey man' blanket but now also her spider.... if only she had another hand.


While Elise may love her spider, she also took some time in September for a little pampering from Mommy. She got her first pedicure on the bathroom floor. What color did she pick? Bright red-- we want to see those little toes a mile away.


Of course football season is upon us! Ohio State is currently ranked #2 and has won their first 4 games. What can I say? Elise is their number one fan. She'll soon be fitting into her OSU cheerleader uniform. You can bet we'll be taking pictures and posting them online because it will be cute!









































Sunday morning, we walked the Race for the Cure with Elise. It was chilly (50 degrees) so we dressed in long sleeves and Elise wore a warm pink jacket and blanket. She even sported some pink nail polish. Next year Elise hopes to ditch the stroller and do the 5k run on her own.

Winding Up Summer

Summer is starting to come to an end as the nights are starting to get cooler and children in the neighborhood are back to school. We've enjoyed our busy August.

On August 4th, Elise and I spent a day at the Wood County fair with our good friends the Hebekas. We loved going through the animal barns and made friends with a friendly sheep who should have won a blue ribbon just on personality! Daddy met us over his lunch break for pork-a-lean sandwiches and 4H milkshakes. Elise showed off by learning to drink with a straw.















































We also took yet another trip to the zoo- that's why we have a membership! This time we discovered the large fan in the goat area that mists water on the animals... or people who choose to stand there. Elise loved it on our hot visit and now thinks that zoos have the coolest fans- and the animals come second! After all, she is a fan connoisseur. We even saw our friends the Brujics (who also are excited to be expecting another daughter this December).

Just this past Monday, we enjoyed daddy's day off with a trip to the Imagination Station (formally Cosi) where we played in the hands-on childrens section. Before leaving, Jeff impressed us with riding a bicycle on a tightrope... something about reliving his days in the circus. Afterward, we had lunch at a nearby pizza shop before heading home for nap time.




Our August also included a visit to Nana and Poppa's house, a visit from Aunt Dawn and cousin Stephen (from Maryland), and multiple trips to the park to play on the swings and slide.

Since Elise is getting bigger, she's been picking up more housework chores. Besides emptying the dishwasher, doing laundry and vacuuming, we have her mowing the yard, Swiffering the kitchen, and picking up Crab apples in the front yard (she filled an entire bucket on her own- no joke!).

Another new thing: Elise knows who she is! We ask Elise 'Where is Daddy? Where is Mommy?' and she can point to us. But, when we asked 'Where is Elise?', she'd shrug her shoulders as if to say 'Beats me!'. Now, she smiles and points to herself!

But best of all, the school buses are back! We make sure to be outside in our driveway as they parade their way down our street each afternoon!!! Winding up the summer isn't that bad!

Girls Who Stare At Goats

Another hot, sunny day brought another trip to the zoo... this time we focused our visit on the children's Nature's Neighborhood. Nature's Neighborhood just opened up last year so it is almost brand new. We spent a lot of time petting the goats and learning their names: Keebler, Butter, Rascal and the rest of the gang. We caught them at the 'tail' end of their breakfast. Elise was sure to point out their water bowl as we've been learning not to touch the dogs' bowls at our own home! Smart cookie!




















We also scored with a view of the largest ant farm we have ever seen! Elise was in her glory waving at the leaf cutter ants scurrying through tubes between nests and eating areas. I couldn't stop wondering what would happen if the tube got a hole in it! Gross!













After petting guinea pigs and running around the tree house playground, we got to see the new polar bear cub, Siku. Siku was born in December and has been quite a hit with everyone. He's not always out so we were lucky to see him today. I felt bad for his mother since he seems like such a handful.

We finished the morning up with a picnic lunch in our stroller and promises to come back soon for more adventures with our beloved animals! P.S. We wonder if the hippos noticed Elise was wearing a hippopotamus shirt!

Slumber Party!

We had visitors this past weekend. My best friend Sarah, her husband Andrew and 14-month old daughter Riley came up to Toledo for a sleepover. The girls hadn't seen each other since their joint Baptism back in the fall. They played together as well as 1.5 year-olds really can. After a dinner out, we did submit them to a joint bath which will probably pop up again at their high school graduation parties-- sorry Elise and Riley! Sunday came with promises to not let that much time elapse before getting together again. We will have to visit the Malones next time in Columbus.










































Elise has also scored a vinyl five-foot tunnel from Target. She has discovered that it is a perfect place for reading books, playing Peek-a-Boo, or just burning off some energy! It has created a bit of fascination with the dogs- particularly Brutus. As Elise crawls through, it shakes and jiggles and Brutus is mesmerized and seems perplexed to see her pop out on the other side! I guess it is magic!

Elise had her 18-month well visit with her pediatrician just yesterday. Both Jeff and I (along with Monkey Man-- for moral support!) took her in for the big visit. Elise is now 22lbs (25%) and 31.5 inches long (almost 50%). Her head circumference is 17 3/4 inches (25%). I knew she was growing like a weed-- she grew 2 1/4 inches since her April visit! Overall, Elise is nice and healthy. Dr. Kennedy gave us some insight on our future developmental milestones (speech, walking up stairs, jumping, etc) before the nurse returned with our dreaded shots. Elise had 3 shots in total: Hep A, DTP, and Pneumococcal Conjugate. We cured her tears with a trip to Bob Evans where she devoured mashed potatoes and gravy first with her hands before switching to a spoon. It was a bit messy!