One more until the big Halloween wrap up

POTD: Happy Halloween!

Halloween Countdown

Pumpkin Carved? CHECK!

Savannah is not sure she wants to touch the 'pumpkin stuff'

POTD: October 24, 2007

School Report

Massive crying when I left today. However, as I was leaving, I heard her teacher say "Would you like to sing today Savannah?". Crying instantly stopped and I heard "Sing New Song! Miss Karen sing new song!" So crisis averted.

Also, I got my hair cut during school time (pretty short - pictures coming) and when I returned she asked "Where Mama's hair go?"

More Pumpkin Patch Action

This day also marked the first time that Savannah told me "No more click clicks, mama" - this translates to "Get the camera out of my face"

Weekend Part I

The fam attended the Inherit Austin Kids Music Festival out at Pioneer Farms on Saturday. It was awesome! As Austin is so music-y, they had some very cool kids groups there.

Here is Savannah watching Joe McDermott and acting skeptical.

Here she is realizing that he is singing a song about a kangaroo and inviting her to jump up and down!

And here she is rocking out! Woo! It was very cute. He had this little mosh pit of about 15 under 6's up at the stage. Adorable.

At the 'Instrument Petting Zoo' (Note snack in hand)

Checking out the cows.

Cracking up at the realization that cows eat hay.


Savannah and I

Savannah and Daddy

"Punkin Patch!"

A quick shot from our pumpkin patch adventure today. More to come. This was right after we arrived. Savannah immediately ran over to the largest pumpkin she could find and tried to pick it up. This is the result.

Halloween is almost here!

Oh Jeez

Yesterday at music class, our teacher got out the big drums so we could have a little drum circle (yep, its that kind of class). I was encouraging Savannah to go to a particular drum that didn't already have seven kids climbing on it, so I said "Why don't you go play the drums with Alma?" Alma is this little girl in the class about Savannah's age.

Savannah's head whipped around and she said "Elmo?". "No Savannah, ALMA". She starts pointing and laughing (!!!) at poor Alma while saying "Elmo, Elmo, Elmo!"

Alma's mom was very understanding and laughed along with Savannah, but I was a bit horrified.

Poor Alma.

CUTE!

I now know that Savannah does occasionally listen to me. While putting her to bed this evening, we were missing a particular book that she wanted to read (Where to, Wombat?).

I knew it was downstairs and Conor had run out to deliver a gift, so I tried mightily to convince her to read a different book that wouldn't force me to hunt for it. She looked right at me and said "Mama get book. Sava stay right here on chair, no move."

Wow. I tell her to stay places all the time and she never listens. This was impressive and I felt I needed to reward her. I was very skeptical though.

I went downstairs (after closing her in her room and double checking the baby gate), found the book and there she was, in the exact same position I left her in.

Cousins!

Lucy and Miles, Conor's cousins from England, were in town this weekend. It was so nice to finally meet them both as I've been hearing lots about them for years. They did not disappoint and I was sad to see them go. Gaga B was also in town, but somehow, I only have one picture of her! Sorry!

Savannah being completely uncooperative during photo shoot time.

We went to County Line, a BBQ place very close to our house for dinner. It is right on the river and you can throw bread to all the turtles and ducks. The weather has been really pleasant at night, so it was nice to be outside.

A little dinner conversation - at the end of the table is Claire - Uncle Damian's girlfriend.

So we kind of bullied Miles into getting the 'Bid Daddy Rib Platter'. I think he was stunned for a moment after they brought it. There was a lot of discussion about the difference in American and European-sized entrees.

POTD

Mom, Dad and ME at the wedding I shot last week.

Our Orange Room

"Orange? Oh that sounds........nice". That's what everyone said when we told them we were painting the bonus room orange. Look at it! It's soooooo beautiful (minus the mess in the corner). The lesson is - don't be afraid of bold.

I love it so much - this room is transformed. It was a very boring vanilla before (with a bad faux painting job on top of that - see picture in post below). Thanks so much Dad for painting it for us!!!!!!!!!

Monthly Update: 22 Months

I finally got smart and started a list of things I wanted to write about in the monthly update. There are so many things that happen over the span of a month and I always think I'll remember them when it comes time to write, but I always forget, so here goes.

Savannah Jane! You are twenty two months old today! It has been a very up and down month as far as your behavior goes, but in general, the good always outweighs the bad.

We're in a groove now with Mother's Day Out and you tell me that you enjoy going and 'playing with kids', but the crying when I leave is really heartbreaking. Last week you actually looked at me and said, very sadly, "bye mama..." I was so thrilled that you weren't crying, but then I got the report that there was crying DURING school. Ack! We'll get this figured out.

Leaving you at Mother's Day Out has caused you to be very suspicious of going anywhere for fear that I'll leave you there. I'll say "Let's go to Music Class!" (more on that in a minute) and you'll say "mama go too?". You also come looking for me the minute I leave a room. Our poor babysitter. However, you do know that "mama always comes right back".

Music Class started this month. We're doing that in lieu of Little Gym, which I think you were tiring of. You LOVE music class! It's taught at the Austin Lyric Opera by classically trained singers, so you are getting a dose of real talent. The first time our teacher, Meghan, sang, you looked at me like "Ohhhhhh...this is what real singing sounds like!" It's a great program (It's called Music Together - I think it's a national thing) and it has really increased your musicality. You sing a lot more by yourself now and you are trying to turn everything into a musical instrument (rocks, coffee cups, rubber bands). I hear you doing the tonal exercises all the time "Bum, Bum bum! ba-ba-ba-ba-BUM! I'm really happy we're going.

The word count continues to rapidly increase. I do enjoy how you still mis-pronounce things. Little is 'nee-nee', today comes out as "Tooooo-DAY", tortillas are "too-teeyos", and hilariously, sopapillas are "some peoples". I also like your narration on things. We had lunch with Uncle Damian the other week and he had to leave to go play basketball. For the rest of the day, you told me that "Uncle go play bask-ball, throw ball, bounce ball". On a related note you managed "Uncle Damian" the other day. Way to verbalize!

When you are looking for something different to play with, you'll tell me "Savannah look for something new".

Your sense of humor is also developing. The most random things crack you up. You were putting your head into one of your wagons and LAUGHING hysterically about it. You kept saying that you wanted Daddy to come home so you could show him "your funny thing". You will also joke around and call me dada and Daddy mama or gaga.

You can also be a little mean. You'll very directly tell people to go away or say "no Dada today" when it's bath and bedtime. You always want Mama to put you to bed, which is OK, but I wish you'd be nicer about it.

On the sweet side you give your Daddy machine gun kisses at night. It's hilarious. He'll ask for a kiss goodnight and you'll give him about seven. It's very sweet and only reserved for Daddy. I get running hugs though and that's not so bad.

You have figured out that you can make shadows on your wall when I turn on your lamp. Sometimes we'll be in there for 20 minutes making ducks and dogs and bunnies. You do a great shadow duck, complete with quacking.

Gaga Jean got you to say "I'm sorry" the other day. I was very frustrated about that because you would do something bad on purpose and then I'd tell you to say I'm sorry and you'd just look at me like" Oh Yeah?" So hooray for manners! We will not raise a rude child.

You are still personality plus and although I imagine that the twos are going to be difficult with your iron will and stubborness, I am so glad we have such a character in our lives. I am rarely bored with your sweet self around.

We love you.

Grand-pa! Grand-pa!

One set of Grandparents were in town this weekend for a wedding (that I shot incidentally) and to help some more around the house. Here is Grandpa painting our bonus room. I'll post after pictures shortly. Just know that this room is totally transformed and soooooooo beautiful!

Thanks Dad!

POTD: October 8, 2007

22 Month update is in progress and ready for an on time upload tomorrow!

If you are bored, check out my work blog: http://shannoncunninghamphoto.blogspot.com/

I've been doing a bunch of work that I'm very proud of lately, and I'd love for you to see it.

POTD: So Helpful

This is from last week, but here is the darling one helping me unpack.