Little Ms. Thankful

Ah, the end of October...when halloween has officially passed and it is finally the "holiday season." Anyone that knows me at all, knows that my love for this time of year borders on obsession. I'm so thankful for my little girl who gets more intelligent and "grown up" every day.

This last month has brought so many changes. We have very much settled into a routine with children's day out. Zoe seems to really enjoy school, and has a strong bond with her teachers and classmates. She does pretty well at school, but is pretty sassy, and has a hard time sharing with her friends. I'm excited for the new year when she gets to move up with the big kids!

We also recently learned that my sister and her family (who lives only 10 minutes away) will be moving to Florida in December. I'm super bummed, because our kids are super close (E and Z are only 9 months apart), and because I spend a LOT of time with my sister (she stays home too). We have been helping them prepare their home for the move, and soaking up every last second of playtime for the kids.

On another note, halloween was a blast this year. Z was too young to really understand what we were up to last year, but this year she totally got it. She dressed as a little black kitty (complete with a tutu dress), and Andrew and I dressed as a mouse and cheese. We went to several halloween events, including trick or treating with my sister and her kids around Norman. The kids had a blast, and Z totally loved when people let her choose the candy to put in her basket.

Annnnd....what I am most-excited about this month...FAMILY PICTURES! We try to have pictures done at least once a year, so we can document how our family has changed. We had these done by Christie Mellor this last weekend, and I'm in awe. I seriously need her to mentor me, because this lady has some serious talent. Here are a few favorites:

 

So now we are on our way to Thanksgiving in a few weeks, with a chance of snow this weekend (eeek!). For Thanksgiving this year, we will be going to Chickasha to my mother-in-laws. It's always a good time, with lots of laughter, kids playing, an over-abundance of good food, and we always top it off with some black friday shopping. I'm really looking forward to it this year!

Then, the week after that is Zoe's birthday! I'm in shock that I almost have a 2 year old!
Here is what is new:

Favorite Thing to Do: She has been asking to play with my sister's kids pretty often these days. She asks for G and E almost every day.

Favorite Food: With the colder weather, we have been enjoying Pho pretty often. Z LOVES the noodles and "soup."

New This Month:  She wags her finger and says "no, no."

Growth: At the doctor this month (for another ear infection) she was still only 24lbs.
Sleep: Anytime she is sick, she doesn't sleep, so that's rouge, but she does pretty well when she's on schedule.

Speaking: This kid cracks me up...She's like a little adult! She now counts to 10, knows her first and last name, knows her age, most of her colors and shapes, and pretty much never stops talking!

Movement: She is really good at soccer...she can dribble a ball with her feet better than I can. Her and daddy play all the time.

Behavior: She is definitely a diva, and one of the sassiest little people I have ever met. We are going to need to crack down though, because she tells us (and everyone else) "no" and "stop it!" wayyy to often. I kept thinking it would go away, but it has definitely gotten worse.