And now: Fall.

I can't believe that it's already a week into November--and that we're the parents of a FOUR month old baby girl!  We've definitely been busy, especially Kaley, who has now grown proficient at blowing spit bubbles and rolling from her tummy to her back.  Well, she's better at the spit bubbles than the rolling, but I've seen her do both.  :)  She has also worn her first ponytail and pigtails, as well as her first long sleeved shirt (that wasn't pajamas).  She also put her feet in the pool (the worst thing her parents have ever done to her) and in the grass (so much fun!).  We have gone for a few walks in the park, which is apparently very boring.  Kaley has fallen asleep every time--"turtles and ducks are so lame, Mom."  She participated in her first Family Home Evening (her pumpkin was terrifying...she did it herself, I swear).  Oh--and she has a big fat crush on her Daddy--she can't stop smiling whenever he comes into the room, and just coos and kicks for joy whenever he talks to her!  It's the sweetest thing you've ever seen.

She has also been busy growing--at the doctor's office yesterday she tipped the scales at a mighty 8 lbs 11 oz.  As a reward for creating a child of such gargantuan proportions, Kyle and I get to add extra calories to her milk again (we had to do it right after she was born for a month or so).  So, that should be fun.  I was looking for a reason to do math at 5:30 AM, so calculating teaspoons and scoops and ounces and dividing them into proper proportions will be just the ticket.

I was trying to think of things to write about Kyle and me, but let's be honest, we've mostly been wrapped up in this little one for the past few months.  We are just days away from our second anniversary, which hardly seems possible, and Kyle is busy a busy bee at work all day.  I might also have some exciting news coming up soon, but standby for confirmation.

We're excited to be going home for Christmas in December, so my family can finally meet Kaley!  I'm a little nervous about flying with a baby for the first time, so we'll have to wait and see how that goes.  I apologize in advance to whatever travelers get seated on the plane next to us--sometimes Kaley can be a real grumpy-grits.  But maybe I'll just put her hair in those puny pigtails and then no one will be able to do anything but smile when they see her.  :)

A Hawaiian hula girl, a tourist, and a shark.

Pigtails are even more lame than turtles and ducks, Mom!

Sweet Home Carolina

Traveling is overrated.  I used to think it was one of the main things I wanted to do with my life--you know, visit the Machu Picchu and Chachapoyas ruins, walk the streets of Pompeii, marvel at the Angkor Wat, step into a crystal clear ocean...that kind of thing.  Okay, okay, it still sounds kind of nice (especially that crystal clear water right about now), if a little frivolous, but it's so not one of my priorities anymore.  Because now when I think of traveling, I think of suitcases and airports, cramped spaces and long lines, and spending, spending, spending (which, I'm afraid, gives me anxiety rather than pleasure).   Maybe one day when I sell my first novel and it instantly gets a movie deal and it's bigger than Harry Potter (by the way, I can't imagine what could top Harry Potter, except maybe Gone with the Wind) and I become an overnight bazillionaire, maybe then I'll like traveling more.  But then again, those blasted paparazzi will be hounding me.  I just can't win.

Anyways, what I'm saying is, maybe I'm growing up--or maybe I'm just getting old--but now whenever an opportunity comes for travel, the only places I want to go are those places where I can spend time with family and friends.  Travel to me is now about people rather than places--they're the only thing that can make all the suitcases and airports and long lines worth it.   And Kyle and I were lucky enough to do just that over Thanksgiving and the beginning of December, for Jillian's wedding!  Unfortunately, the camera battery died on like Day 3 of the trip, and we forgot to pack the charger, so our pictures are pretty limited.  We snagged a few shots down in Beaufort at Granny's house-in-progress, which is coming along beautifully.  I can't wait to see the finished product! We spent most of our time in Charleston/Summerville, including the lovely Magnolia Plantation.  Enjoy a few pictures below!  And oh yeah, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Granny is very kindly hiding my socks-and-sandals ensemble from the camera.

And we had a chance to stop to eat at Alvin Ord's (Jessie's first trip, right?!), which I am now craving...

Spying on a dolphin + hot chocolate + great friends = fun night!

Brynn on a bridge in Magnolia Gardens