Happy Halloween!

Nina had quite the Halloween season this year: a party at the club, concert at the Cincinnati Pops, and trick-or-treating on our street. Lots of fun and "cookies!" for her. Too bad she never wanted to wear the duck costume I bought... Maybe next year!

Fall is Here!

With all the amazing fall colors we couldn't pass up an opportunity to go frolicking in the leaves... and get lots of cute photos of Nina!  There are some contenders for the Christmas card here.  See all the photos on Shutterfly.

Hayride at Turner Farm

Right near our neighborhood is a local farm, so we finally visited for a perfect fall hayride to the pumpkin patch. Along the way we saw pigs and chickens and also stopped to pull turnips and feed sheep. Nina loved carrying her own pumpkin and was happy to go bumping along in the horse-drawn wagon.

Nina at School

When I pick up Nina from school the first thing she says is "Juice!" Then she decided she needed to hug everyone goodbye... And when we got back inside she decided she needed to read one more book before going to the car. Can't complain that this girl is social and nerdy!

Silly Girl

This weekend Nina was as silly as this fall weather. We spent a drizzly Friday afternoon at Summit's Fall Festival, played in the house on Saturday, and got out in the sunshine on Sunday. Don't ask me why Nina likes to wear my robe or roll in the grass... She's a toddler!

Big Girl in her Booster Seat

Nina seemed so happy in her high chair, but all of a sudden she refused to sit in them at restaurants.  We finally got a booster seat for home and now she is always ready to hop up and chow down.  *The left-handed fork use is purely coincidence: she still uses both hands, and shoves food in with her fingers too!

Playing Outside

We've been so lucky with beautiful fall weather the past couple of weeks, which means spending every afternoon outside until dinner time! We love to swing, go for bike rides, and even pull weeds.

Playing Around the House

Most days when Nina comes home from school we check the mail and then play inside.  She loves to copy Mommy and Daddy so naturally she wants to eat snack on the couch, write with her fancy pen, and put on our shoes.

Nina at School

With my return to work Nina also gets to go to "school."  Her toddler class at the JCC has nine kids and three teachers, and loads of great activities every day.  Nina is such a big girl and leaves binky behind while she explores the classroom, playground, and eats snack and lunch.  Of course binky helps with nap time, and then it's more snack and play time in the muscle room or playground until Mommy comes to pick her up.

Playground Adventures

We went to Stephan Field near our house to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. Nina was super adventurous and wanted to go on the slide again and again. Check out how strong she is climbing the big stairs, and listen to those giggles as she runs through the grass!

https://youtu.be/C5CsuX9ok_E

Sent from my iPad

New House

We finally got to move into our new home, and Nina is already feeling very comfortable with the change.  Any time we lay out a rug she plops down and says "Night, night."  And what better way to meet the neighbors than to splash around in just a diaper??

Michigan

It was the longest drive ever getting up to Michigan, but we had a great time once we were there.  Nina wasn't the least bit bothered by the cool beach breeze, and she took full advantage of vacation life to snuggle with Mommy and Daddy in bed every morning.  She was mesmerized by the Fourth of July Parade, had quality bonding time with her cousins, and even rode in the kayak!

Hanging in Cincy

The summer has been filled with packing and organizing, but we still make time to have fun at J Play, the park, and even the farmer's market in Hyde Park.

Happy Father's Day

Apparently moving into a new home puts other tasks aside, so now  it's catch up time for Nina's blog...

Our newest summer ritual is going to the zoo every Sunday morning, so what better way to start Father's Day?  Nina loved seeing the giraffes up close, and was more than happy to walk around like a big girl.  That night we had dinner at Nanna and Papa's house - yum!

Rainy Days in Houston

We did not get to spend much time in the pool, so instead Nina hung out with Kenna, her new best bud. She also got to have some sushi, drive a sports car, and help Mommy pack up stuff to send to Cincinnati. Nina loved all her time with Grandma and Poppy!