handsful

No “real” reason for this post…just wanted to share some cute pics from daily life around here.  Hope you don’t mind ;) 

Guess who took this picture…

The photographer. 

She also captured Lainey doing something she does REALLY well…

Escaping.  See the gate?  It seperates the kitchen from the front room.  She learned how to open it (foot pedal) about a nanosecond after we first installed it.  So, we had to add a cabinet latch to it to keep the little lady where we want her.  Problem is, sometimes we forget to close the latch and when we do…well, see above. 

Not sure who captured this shot…Lainey in mid-forward roll.  Did I mention that she taught herself to do this about 2 weeks ago?  I’m just counting the days till she’s 3 and can be enrolled in gymnastics. 

Speaking of that, Marley has been taking gymnastics for over 3 years now and is in an intermediate class.  She LOVES gymnastics, it’s definitely her “thing”.  This week, she tried out for a pre-team class that would increase her practice time from 1 hr/week to 5 hrs/week and would also include some competitions.  She did her very best, and we’ll find out if she made it on 11/8.  We prayed about it together, and she knows there is a chance she might not make the team…she’s says she’ll just keep on improving in her current class and try again next year.  God might want her to do this now, or He might want her to wait…she knows who is in control. 

Love this shot of EJ and L.  She curled up with him to read before bed tonight.  EJ had a baseball game and they won…his team is currently in 1st place!  Before the game, Randy took EJ & Abbey and I had the other kids (EJ has to be there early for practice).  Buckling Lainey in her seat, she asked where EJ was (meaning, she signed his name and said “eee”).  I told her we were going to see him and she immediately smiled and signed “ball”.  I think she saw him in his uniform earlier and put two and two together…I still think it’s pretty amazing.  She’s a smart cookie. 

Lainey loves our hammock swing.  It’s on the back patio and the kids love it.  The big kids take her out there all the time, especially when it’s their turn to watch her.  We have certain times during the day – like while I’m making lunch  – that a big kid is “assigned” to play with her and it rotates weekly.  They take her outside or up to her room to play…she loves the attention and it helps to build their relationship (not to mention gives me a few minutes to get a load of laundry folded or dinner started!). 

Remember that we moved Lainey up to the bonus room and gave Randy her old room for an office, now that he works from home?  Last night, we finally took down her quilt and a couple of prints up to her new room to hang.  While it was down, I had to let her sit on it and get a picture :)  One day, we might let her use it on her bed.  Maybe. 

Honestly, is there anything cuter than a toddler in a blanket sleeper?? 

Taken on the way home from pumpkin picking…she doesn’t understand “smile” or “say cheese” but it works everytime if we say “stick out your tongue”.  Go figure.