We finally met baby cousin!

Well, one of them anyway. We have a couple....yes I said couple more on the way! Livi will be here in under 2 months and baby cousin #3 will be here in January. Kyle and Tressa are expecting baby 'Tad' short for Tadpole on January 6th, 2010(Ayla's due date was January 6th 2007 although she graced us with her presence on October 31, 2006). Whoo Hoo! Ayla is going to get lots of big cousin experience - she will be all ready for when we are blessed to make her a big sister.

We were in Boise visiting Darren's brother and sister along with their spouses and of course our new niece/cousin! She is loveable for sure. She's 3 1/2 months and smiley, she likes to be outside and to play with her hanging toys on her play mat. She DOESN'T however like to sleep :) She puts up a little fight when it's time to go down but does well once she's down. Little sweet pea just doesn't want to miss a thing.

We had a great time in Boise even though it was a bit too short. As usual, I didn't get nearly enough pictures. It seems that when I am wrapped up in watching/playing etc, the camera stays in my bag...I need to get that figured out!

Here are Ayla and Arin(pronounced R-en) sharing some cousinly love on a blanket in the park!

We brought matching outfits for them and have another for Livi...we'll get her pictures before too long

Leaning tower of baby...we need a spotter!

She's not heavy, she's my cousin

Baby hands...

Yummy fist

Blowing really BIG bubbles with Aunt Lesley and Uncle Kyle at the Science Center

Ayla loved Aunt Tressa....I think she read her Yo Gabba Gabba book to her 224 times

Ayla and Arin

Traveling cowgirl

I have 110 things to do before we leave for Boise tomorrow morning. However, Ayla napped from 2:30-6pm and Darren is at the hospital seeing patients so.... she's 'helping'. I couldn't help but snap a few shots of her though - Tinkerbell panties and a very stylish cowgirl hat, what else could a two year old possibly need for travel. I asked her if she thought she needed some clothes and she said "Nope. They're in my suitcase" I guess we shouldn't have any problems getting her through security :)

Miss Ayla-Monster...

This is Ayla's common name these days. She is such a little character, I had no idea how truly funny these crazy little toddlers are. Right nolw she is loving Yo Gabba Gabba. She has the little figures and carts them all through the house. She is allowed to sleep with, take outside and travel with only one at a time however. You'd think the world was ending if we can't find one at any given moment. This is Ayla having dinner with her "Guys" - Brobee, Muno, Plex, Foofa and Toodee... We have new Aylaisms everyday. She doesn't really know that there are bad words but she's heard a few***blushing***. I was in my bathroom getting ready a week or so ago and she was playing on my bed with the dogs. I heard a thump and then "Oh, dammit" I bit my lip and pretended not to hear. She came in and said that she fell and I asked her if she said 'Oh nuts'....she said "No, I said dammit!" I held back my smile and told her that it wasn't a very nice word and if I fell, I would say 'Oh nuts'. She shrugged and said "Okay, oh nuts!" I then went into my closet where I could laugh...I cracked up all afternoon about that one. Does she not just look like a little devil here?

We recently stopped by a few garage sales(because I love them!) and Ayla was looking around. She was standing right next to the woman who lived there and looks at me and says "They have a lot of junk." Yeppers....time to go.

I have to share one more, it happens to be my dad's favorite. Ayla needed to pick up her toys and she was standing around checking out her mess, she mumbles to herself "I need to clean up all of this crap" I've added 'junk' and 'crap' to my list of do not use words.

This is just Ayla being silly and showing off her cute litte toddler tummy, oh how I love kissing that little belly!

By the way, if you notice the scar to your right of her belly button(just slightly above) that is from her intestinal surgery as a three pound neonate. They removed part of her colon, her appendix, an ovarian cyst and an accessory spleen. That scar was an inch long but it has grown with her. Also, her belly button was an innie until her surgery, it's been a big ol' outie ever since. Just some interesting Ayla fun facts!

This weekend Darren's parent's came down to visit, it was fun as always. Ayla really looks forward to seeing them now, it's pretty cute. Carol taught Ayla to call her Grandma Carol instead of the "Grandma Camel" that she's been calling her. Grandpa John took her swimming at their hotel...she's still talking about it. They stayed in a hotel because our home is on the market and we could be asked to get out for a showing at a moments notice. It'll be nice once we move and don't have any of those worries.

Saturday night Ayla stayed at their hotel with them. She went to bed at 11pm, woke at 12:30AM AND 2:30AM then got up for the day at 5:30am. Yikes! We'll see if they ever want her overnight again!! I suppose it had something to do with the fact that she had a touch of a cold and was in a new place. John slept through most of it and Carol was a little tired on Sunday!

On Sunday we went to Chalco Hills for a picnic and fishing. My friend Holly and her kids joined us. It was a really fun day. We grilled burgers and hot dogs along with plenty of other food and hung out...relaxing and nice! The dogs came along since we had an open house and were in hog heaven, they ran and swam all afternoon. Ayla had a cookie for dessert...MMmmm, icing!


Then she crashed. She'd had a very busy night making sure the Grandma Carol knew she was there, haha!!

This has absolutely nothing to do with this weekend, but they were too funny not to share. This is Ayla going potty and looking through a circular for toys. This kid is just too much sometimes!

Aylaisms...because they're so fun to share

Silly little Ayla has been at it again. She is just plain funny sometimes, most of the time actually. Last week we'd been to the dog park, kid park, grocery store....I had Ayla and the dogs in the car(for yet another house showing) and Ayla was tired and cranky. She was fussing about everything, crabbing at the dogs and out of frustration I said "Ayla, what in the world am I going to do with you?" Her response.........................................................................................
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..............................................."I think I need my butt spanked". WHAT!?!?!?! I just cracked up, no idea what to say. She's only been spanked a few times ever so it kind of came out of nowhere. She definitely can lighten the mood though.

Not meeee Monday!

Woohoo, here we go again.

I haven't completely given up the fight of keeping Ayla in her bed. I definitely do not allow and even welcome her to our bed...every single night.

I haven't been recognized in Gymboree, by the staff, who know Ayla and myself by name.

I wasn't tempted to burst through the front door of my own home when it was being shown for the 579th time in a week screaming "BUY IT OR GET THE F*** OUT!!". This was after they should have been out 30 minutes prior and I was sitting in the van with my hungry and tired 2 year old, 2 hungry dogs and a rotiserie chicken!

I never purposely turn all of the ringers off so I don't have to bothered with the phone.

Alright, since it was brought to my attention - I''ll add this one too. I didn't ask Gracie(my DOG) who happened to be sitting in the front passenger seat while I was driving "Can I get over?" I then glanced at her and realized I was talking to my k9 and not my husband!

Living in limbo

We heard back from the realtor this morning. The couple who made the offer is still very interested. Apparently, the issue is that they don't have a big enough down payment for our asking price. Their realtor told them that there is some way to use the $8000 first time home buyers tax credit as part of their down payment, they have to work it out with their banker on Monday. I know they really want the house though... their realtor even asked our realtor to call him right away if someone else shows interest. In the meantime, we have an open house tomorrow from 1-3. Sooooo......now we wait.

Say your prayers!!!!

Our home has been on the market for 13 days. We have had 6 showings this week, 3 today alone. One of the showings this evening is a 2nd visit...they were just here last night. I am hoping, praying, fingers crossed that they make us an offer. It would be AMAZING to have our house sold and not have to worry about keeping a pristine appearance with a toddler and two dogs. Not to mention the fact that we could actually be home at dinner time instead of at the park or my parents house with our dogs and child.

Please, please, PLEASE!

*******UPDATE*******

They were supposed to be here from 6-7pm. I had to wait across the street in my car until almost 7:30pm. They brought one set of parents to look too!

******UPDATE 2*******

We got an offer! It's $15,000 less than our asking price though. We are meeting with our realtor this afternoon to come up with a counter offer. We won't go more than $5,000 lower than our asking price right now. We haven't had our first open house yet and pictures have only been online since Monday. Hopefully they want our house that badly!!! Keep praying!