Tiners x 2

Hello...hello...hello...hello... <---that was echo effect since there might not be anyone out there anymore who checks this thing. It has been quite awhile. Updating this thing really does get overwhelming when you don't keep up on it everyday. I can't believe it's going on 2 months since our last post and for the first time we had a month (October) where we didn't post at all! Ah well - hopefully Ayla will just start remember things so we don't have to keep writing down all her memories...haha.

It's been a nice Fall to say the least. As most of you hopefully know by now, Ayla will not be the only "tiners" running around this place come next year. Well, I imagine she "technically" will be the only one running around as her little brother or sister will only be 7 months old by the end of next year. We found out early September that we have another one on the way - due date is somewhere around May 11th I believe. Ruth just had a dr appt on Monday and everything is going well. She is 16 weeks now and schedule an ultrasound for Dec 22. However, this time around we're not planning on finding out boy or girl. And yes, it's just A boy or A girl not that anyone would expect more. This pregnancy has hit Ruth a lot harder than the first go round. She's finally starting to not feel yucky and tired ALL the time. She is showing sooner as well. Maybe we'll get a picture of her up here soon.

Ayla has taken the news as you would expect - in one ear and out the other for the most part. But I think she's starting to understand it a little more as she was talking about mommy's baby earlier today - and I honestly can't remember in reference to what - sad. It's just because I'm trying to think of 100 other things to write in here right now! When I ask Ayla if she wants a brother or sister sometimes she just says no. It's kind of funny. ; ) She really hasn't been talking too much about either one though - although I think she will take too it - as most kids do I suppose. But Ayla is REAL caring with her animals and baby dolls so I think she'll make quite the caring big sister.

She has days where she very much wants to be the "big girl" and other days where she's happy to "lay like a baby" in my lap still. Can't say I mind that. It's hard to think she won't be "the baby" in the family although as I told her a couple weeks ago "you'll always be my baby" and she said "no, I'm Ayla Warren Germann".

In other Ayla news - we've had a bit more introduction to potty training - but she still hasn't taken to it. No rush - just good to have it out there. Developmentally Ayla actually had a couple weeks run of a developing stutter - very concerning to us at first considering how well she has always spoke. But, we've done a lot of reading and talking with my sister in law Mandy (speech therapist) and supposedly it's all quite natural. And sure enough, as of late Ayla has been back to her usual talkative self. We'll keep an eye on it but otherwise it's all good.

Ayla has developed a LOVE of dancing like a ballerina lately. Mana Sue bought her a pajama set that has a ballerina dress attachment thing - come on, it's Jake here, I don't know? But she has pretty much worn it 24-7 (even at nap time) since mom brought her home the other day. It coincides with one of her favorite books "Angelina Ballerina" that we've read, oh, 100 times I'm sure to the point I'm getting quite versed on ballerina terminology - go on, test me!

Along with her ballerina book Ayla just LOVES to "read" books. Obviously we read them to her a lot but she quite often will take one (or 5) and just sit down and page through them generally reading the story line as she goes. She even got a paper cut last night from turning pages - need to get her one of those thimble things....you know...a thimble? Or is that for sewing? I'm lost here.....hey, I was wearing a "dress" earlier" as much as I tried to convince Ayla that boys, daddy's, papa's, etc don't wear dresses. It was just a blanket so I don't feel too emasculated. Too which you might think I want a boy with the next one - but, while the prospect of what kind of toys that would bring is tempting, I'll be very happy to continue "wearing dresses" as well with another girl. We just want a healthy happy one. : )

I really wish I could recollect a bunch of the things Ayla says and does, but my mind is going overload. HOPEFULLY we'll just start posting shorter blogs again when those things come up. She really is becoming more imaginative and fun though and while we have our challenging moments (for example washing hair!) all in all she is so sweet. A few other items of interest:

We had a fun Halloween - Ayla dressed up as a Packers cheerleader for her first really costume. We didn't go out trick or treating and instead she helped me hand out candy which consisted mostly of her playing in the dark in the other room with glow sticks. Not sure if I'll get pictures up but Ruth and I outdid ourselves with pumpkin carving this year as well - I did a kitty and Ruth did Diego (Dora's cousin).

Ayla has taken to helping Ruth bake from time to time - she really gets her hands in there! Along with baking Ayla likes to get her hands "dirty" painting as well!

Ruth and I both took different trips this Fall - Ruth to Michigan with her mom to visit family and I just returned from another unsuccessful year of deer hunting. : )

Ruth and I celebrated our 8th anniversary in October - I guess we still like each other considering another kid is on the way....ooh, TMI? : )

Here are some more pics over the last couple of months.