Ayla Has No Personality What-so-Ever...If You Can't Tell ;-)

Thanksgiving/Partial Christmas in Salem

We went to Salem for Thanksgiving this year.  It was nice to be home for a couple days rather than rushing for just one day!  We spent Wednesday night hanging out with Nini and Pappaw.  On Thanksgiving, family came over to the Huff House and we at the usual Thanksgiving Big Dog Feast....you honestly can't beat it.  :-)  We got to see Cousin Casey and Cousin Shelley's families too.  On Friday we spent time visiting Mammaw Mary, Shelley, and Teri at work.  Needless to say, it was a busy, yet very satisfying trip!

 



Eating Thanksgiving cupcakes with her daddy

Aunt Mary Beth got Ayla a baby stroller....needless to say....she was ecstatic!

Nothing says "Entertainment" like jumping up and down on the fireplace tile!

Silly cousins pretending to go "NiNight"

She has the opening gifts thing down pat

She loved the new purse that Great Grandma JuJu got her for Christmas

Such a silly girl in her glasses

Visiting Great Grandma Mary - She wouldn't really go to her, but she would let Daddy hold her next to her.

This Little Girl is Growing Up Too Fast!

Miss Ayla has such personality and pizzaz.  She is definitely her own person and she always knows what she wants.  Life with an almost 21 month old little girl is never slow, and always surprising.  She can do so much now that impresses us both, yet it seems so natural to us now that we fail to notice it at times.  For example:

• She feeds herself with a fork and spoon
• She's learning the difference between hot, cold, and warm
• She is getting better at singing her ABC's
• She requests prayer time at dinner and bed time regularly
• She runs, and is attempting jumping
• Her swim instructor Samara said the other day that she was impressed with Ayla because she puts her mouth in the water and breathes out of her nose on her own
• She loves bath time
• She likes to take care of others
• She wants to get everything for herself now
• She loves the snow, Christmas trees, pumpkins (holidays in general)
• She's working on counting
• She's cutting like 3 teeth right now and is always in a good mood
• She wants to help us do everything
• She loves to give hugs and tell people that she loves them
• She requests to call her Nini and Pappaw frequently
• She's easily puts together who goes with who "Nini, Pappaw, JuJu, KK, LeeLee", etc
• She's got a remarkable memory
• She wants to know how everything works
• She's strong minded - she'll tell you to "GO!" if she wants your seat or you make her mad
• She likes to trick you, joke with you, and she wants you to be proud of her
• She loves to color
• She likes to sing
• She steals Mommy and Daddy's chap stick from our room every day and takes it for herself
• Likes playing with Stickers (earrings, or regular ones she can put all over her hands and face)
• She's still obsessed with Sesame Street, The Mother Goose Club, and Mickey Mouse Club House
• She makes us laugh on a daily basis.  God has definitely blessed us with this little girl.  And she's going to be a remarkable big sister soon enough

One of the Many Facial Expressions we get from her on a daily basis

Such Personality in this one!

Celebrating Kinsley's 4th Birthday

How in the world is she ALREADY 4?  It's crazy how fast time goes by.  This trip was a pretty quick one.  We had Ayla's swim class Saturday morning, and as soon as she finished, we hopped in the car and booked it right down to Salem.  We hung out with friends and family at Kinsley's house and celebrated with her in all her glory.  We ate cake, drank drinks, watched her open gifts, and enjoyed watching the kids play in the Ginormous Princess Bounce House....well, we all watched except for Blair. ;-)  It was fun to just get together to laugh and relax for a bit (I'm sure Lesley didn't get to relax much though - the host never does).
After the party, we went back to Nini and Pappaw's house.  Ayla refused a nap for the day, and she did great playing with Macy and just hanging out.  Later that evening, Craig, Lesley, and KK came over and we at yummy lasagna for dinner.  Afterward, Kinsley helped me give Ayla a bath and then the girls danced to music.
Church was on Sunday.  Ayla and I went down to the kids' Sunday School room in the basement.  This is the 2nd time we've gone down there.  She really seems to like it!  Miss Marcella is a natural.  I told her that she should have been a teacher at some point in her career.
Ayla took a super long nap when we got home and Nini and I Christmas shopped online.  We finally had to wake up Miss Thang so that we could get home in time to do "Whole Chicken Sunday" and watch The Walking Dead with Fancy, Grand Dude, and Dean.  I'm so glad Dean came over to eat.  Kim is in Nicaragua right now with their new little adopted girl named Vivi.  She should be home before Christmas with her, but until then, someone has got to feed the boy at least once a week!  :-)

At Ayla's Swim Lessons - I look like a blimp, but she sure is sweet!

Getting ready to go down the slide - She's so fearless! 

Gavyn in the Bounce House at KK's birthday party

Daddy and Ayla bouncing everywhere!

Love this Face

Getting Beat Up by Gavyn

Taking a Quick Break to Relax

She Loves Helium Balloons right now

The Girls Dancing for Jesus!

What a Party Animal

Silly Nini and Pappaw

Princess Ayla