Fall-ing Behind

It just occured to me that today is the last day of Fall! The days will be getting longer now. As we say goodbye to Fall and welcome Winter, I'm sweetly reminded that I'll soon have seeds sprouting in my window sill. Not long after that, Esperanza and I will be planting those seeds in the garden. I was also reminded that I've again neglected my blog. I've given my camera a break over the past couple of months, but still have taken a few pictures here and there when I remember to bring it along, or pick it up off the shelf. Here's a brief update of a few things Esperanza has been doing this Fall.

Esperanza is still overly obsessed with feeding our cat Lucy. She calls her 'big Lucy' or 'fat cat'. How appropriate.

Our collection of stuffed animals and dolls continues to multiply. Among her favorites are her 'Lion King' (which is actually a tiger), a purple care bear and most recently a big teddy bear that her aunt Naomi gave her. She loves stuffed animals so much and has a ton of fun playing with them every single day! Here Esperanza is changing the diaper on her big bear. How cute is that!

Esperanza has been baking and cooking a lot lately, in her play kitchen as well as with me in the real kitchen. When it's just her and her kitchen, the meal usually consists of popcorn being shaken on the stove then given to Lucy to eat (it's cat food that she's using thow if you didn't already guess).

We often go to near-by parks, pull the wagon with her animals around our neighborhood, go stomp in mud puddles, or take short walks threw the woods. Here is Esperanza pushing a few of her dolls/stuffed animals in the swing. Here's Esperanza just as we were heading over to my moms on Thanksgiving evening. She loves to wear her backpack (which is full of stuffed animals). The dress she's wearing is a handy-down that belonged to my sister Mary when she was Esperanza's age.

When we need out of the house, but also need a break from the cold & often wet weather, Esperanza and I head over to the library for storytime, or we visit a place called Cafe Sip-N-Play that is a lot of fun for Esperanza - and relaxing for me or we visit some of the many friends we have with little ones close to Esperanza's age where she can play with little people and I get some adult interaction.