Christmas Tree Tagging!

On Sunday, the family took a drive to Rehoboth, MA and the Pleasant Street Christmas Tree Farm where we got to walk around and tag the Christmas tree we'll bring home in December.

Here are a few favorite images of our day...

 Daddy saying hello to the goats and the bunnies...

 Claire wondering if she can eat the feed that Mommy just fed to the goats...

 Christmas tree tagging is serious business...

 This really isn't all that exciting...

 Here, Dad, I saw a good one over here...

 Those are some big wheels...

 Aw, we found the perfect tree!

 Now let's go home...

 But first I need to touch all the trees on the way back...

 Come on, Mom and Belle-Belle...

 An attempt at pictures of the Griffith girls...

Who knew it would be so hard to find the perfect tree, one that wasn't too tall or short, too fat or too crooked.

The girls lasted about 30 minutes on a beautiful, brisk Fall day before we headed back to the car with the promise to return for the tree cutting by the elves and a sleigh ride!

Mommy's Little Helpers!

It's remarkable how much the girls have both grown and changed these past few weeks. Not only are they quickly transforming from baby faces to preschool kids but they are starting to help around the house.

Claire loves to clean up and throw things out while Belle for her part enjoys feeding Reilly, letting him out, loading the dishwasher and helping to fold clothes, though it's more like laying on the warm clothes on the couch (her favorite phrase is, "Mommy, I love laying on the couch in warm laundry!"). Time for allowances already?

They love to have picnics on the floor and are having a blast playing with straws. Claire, for her part, would rather pop the straws and tops off lids and make messes on the floor than drink but hey, she's having fun!

Belle seems to be taking an active interest in my training for Team Challenge, always asking when I'm going to work out, if I'm sweaty from my run and if I need to take a shower - cute kid. Of course, I think she just wants to be sure she has an opportunity to walk around in my sneakers.

Claire is still obsessed with Cars to the point where she insists on wearing Cars pajamas every day and sleeps with the empty case. Good thing Lightning McQueen isn't a person or he might have filed a restraining order by now!

The sisters are starting to enjoy playing together and are becoming fast friends, except if one is tired and then, watch out! Of course, they are also two different people when someone other than Mommy's around. We've learned through OT sessions that Mommy gets played A LOT at home and school but Belle's teachers, daddy and Nina are able to accomplish more with her.

That is, except when it comes to potty training. Belle's now afraid of the potty at school and won't even go upstairs. She told Nina the other day, "Potty too big. I'm afraid I'll fall in.!" Claire, on the other hand, is renewing her interest in the potty chair.

Here are a few more of my favorite pictures from the last couple of weeks!

Another Week, Another Farm...

Last week was Belle's first day of school. Wednesday got off to a bit of a rough start because she didn't want to wear shoes or a jacket but once she got to school, she did very well. A couple of tears here and there but a big smile on her face come pick-up. We cuddled on the couch for a few minutes after school before I had to go back upstairs to work and Nina captured these sweet pictures.

Friday's drop-off was much smoother and she had a fantastic day! Here I was trying to capture the first day of school picture that I missed on Wednesday but Claire stole the spotlight - which somehow I don't think Belle minded.

On Sunday, Belle wanted to go see animals and get pumpkins so we took our first trip to Lookout Farm. The girls seemed to enjoy riding the train to the orchards and kids play area. We didn't pick apples because we had just gotten a big bag the day before but we explored the grounds, peeked at the animals and bought apple butter, apple cider donuts and apple pie.

We also picked out pumpkins which proved to be a very difficult decision.

By last night, we were all pretty tired so it was fun time on the couch. Belle tried on Daddy's baseball hat and Claire rocked her Cars jammies which I had initially bought as a Halloween costume but which have since been turned back into jammies since Belle would now like both of them to be giraffes - anyone in need of a Curious George costume? ;-)

Davis Farmland

It's Fall, which means it's football season! In between college games on Saturday and the NFL games on Sunday, we took a drive to Davis Farmland on Saturday, to see the animals and check out the scene. Belle was a little scared of having a strange person try to put a bracelet on her but once she calmed down, she really enjoyed all the different animals, especially the cows and the goats. Of course it figures that once she got comfortable enough to pet the animals, a goat mistook her hair for straw and started to eat it!

Claire, for her part, stuck her fingers in every gate and fence she could find so we're lucky we came home with all of her fingers!

On Sunday, while Claire napped upstairs and Mommy worked out, Daddy and Bellle assumed their standard football-watching positions - too cute for words!

We looked up this week and both girls looked so big and so grown-up suddenly. Claire loves to run around the house and watch movies, particularly "Cars..."

It's only appropriate, then, that she enjoyed a bowl of popcorn with Daddy while they watched Nascar!

Belle now wears a different pair of sunglasses every day - she's quite the fashion maven!

Preschool orientation was this morning so hopefully I can post a first day of school picture from Wednesday as part of my next blog post...