Patches? We don't need no stinkin' patches!

Name that movie......


Troop Beverly Hills!!

It's been a busy few months here.  Lots of traveling for everyone.  Cayce's been going in and out with his ship, family trips around the region, and finally one loooooong trip home for Lily and me.  Now we're all home, and going to live a slowed down life for a while... as slow as the holiday season allows that is.

One of the things we've done recently is make a trip to DC to visit friends and meet their super cute new baby, Kyrie.  On the way home from said visit we made a family stop back at the Queen Anne Farm in Mitchellville, MD.  Last year we made this very same trip, and loved the pumpkin patch.  So while we were in the area we thought we would try to capture some of that joy again. 

It was a whole lot different this year.  The torrential rains the east cost experienced this summer drastically cut down on their crop.  They raised their per lb price to help make up for the loss, from .49 cents to .59 cents a lb.  A totally justifiable price hike.  The staff at the farm were just as pleasant and friendly.  The only big complaint was that we apparently showed up a week early because they didn't have their sheep there or the pumpkin houses set up, yet.  :-(  It was still fun, and Lily loved running through the knee high (on her) grass.  Smiling, posed pictures are so hard to get of Lily, as friend also mentioned in her blog.  At this age (17 mos at the time) stopping and standing (anywhere) is just not an option.  Lily being a late bloomer to the walking world apparently has created an intense drive to run and explore everything.  In other words:  enjoy the action pictures. 

We stayed at the same hotel on Andrews Air Force base.

Pumpkins!

Chicken!

"Lily, don't you want to pose with a sunflower like you did last year?"

"Nooo."

Look, standing still, smiling, and with mommy! BONUS!

"Alright, enough of this I'm out of here!"

"Is she still following me??"

'Freedom!"

"Can I sit on this one?'

"No!" Did I mention she's not a fan of hand holding?

Off again!

Captured!

"How can I get all these home?"

While Lily and I made our trip home we went with the family to another pumpkin patch.  Growing up we always went to Carmichael's patch in Bixby, OK.  I can still see myself climbing all over the piles of pumpkins hunting for that perfect gourd.  I wanted to take Lily to play and share that tradition with her.  The operation has grown a bit since my childhood.  What was simply a roadside stand with mountains of pumpkins and a few petting zoo animals is now something closely resembling a county fair.  While pumpkins were to be had we focused on the animals!  Lily is the biggest animal lover.  She has no fear of them, and must love and cuddle them all.  We have to be very watchful of her with strange animals, but the joy she gets from interacting with the animals is worth any anxiety on my part.

Llama Llama Red Pajama with her cousin Benny. (my goal is to convince Al to add a llama to the barnyard at home)

"Hey sheep, how can I get in there with you?"

"Ooooh goats.  You're friendlier than the one's at Oma's and Grampa's house."

Hungry. With Great-Aunt Randy taking a picture from the other view.

Benny'll help ya.

The trip to Carmichael's had a dramatic beginning.  We stopped at the original road side store first, and crossing the parking lot Lily fell and skinned her face.  It was pretty bad.  She actually got over it quickly, but mommy didn't.  Once it all got settled and got to the right place it was fun, and Lily loved the animals.  Lily and Benny got pumpkins and, this little experience was great for me to share with Lily.

Banana Fanna Fo Filly, Lily!

We've had a busy month!  My mom visited for a couple weeks (yay!), we cleaned out our garage (yay!), Cayce finished a great school for civilian life (yay!), I was accepted into a grad program at Drexel Univeristy (yay!), and Cayce didn't make chief (boooo). 

In the middle of all these things our home life has gotten crazy busy.  Since Lily learned to walk she has not stopped.  At all.  Right now she's doing her nightly laps while eating a banana. That's what we call fast food. She's working on learning to run.  Yay!  That'll be super fun!  Actually it will. We like to play tag.

Lily's the proud new owner of three new teeth.  One canine and two premolars.  They were all so kind as to come in at the same time... yaaaaah pleasant for everyone.  I am excited for these premolars though. We can work on more big girl food.  Right now the only whole foods she'll eat willingly are fruits.  She's real charming about taking food like chicken or beef in her mouth chewing on it for a bit, and then thbbbbt spitting it out.  Perhaps I should take on this technique to further my weight loss?

We had our first real date with a non-family baby sitter.  It went swimmingly.  The babysitter is this great girl who works in the child watch provided while you exercise at the Y.  Lily's in there about 5 hours a week so she has had a lot of exposure to the girls.  I was trying to decide if I wanted to ask one of the girls if they would be able to baby sit for us occasionally,  and about a week after Lily started walking my mind was made up for me.  Dropping Lily off one afternoon the girl who is usually really excited to see Lily was there, and as soon as I sat her on the ground Lily bee-lined it straight for her.  That was the first time Lily had walked to anyone.  I figured if she's comfortable enough to leave my arms and head straight for Bre than we can give this a try.  It went great, and my hope now is to do this at least once a month. 

While mom was here we joined the church we have been attending regularly, and Lily was baptized.  It was beautiful.  I was bawling (granted I really tried not to), but when I saw the pastor's wife in the front row crying (she absolutely adores Lily), my composure was lost.  We belong to such a wonderful church, and never since my years at the Cleveland Nazarene church have I felt so welcomed.  I'm even counting the great time I had with the BCM at NSU.  Once all their programs start back up for the fall I'm really hoping to get involved.  I'm really looking forward to getting out into the community again.  The baptism was a simple affair, and I didn't feel the need dominate the scene with a camera so we took a few before and after photos with Cayce's iPod and let that be.  The church made a wonderful baptism book for Lily, and once we add our pictures it will be a very special book for all of us.  Here are the few pictures we have. 

Cayce's not crazy about this picture.  He says he looks like he doesn't want to be there.  Beggars can't be choosers.  Mom was taking the pictures... with a regular camera that is a challenge.... on and iPod...ehhhh :-D

Not that Cayce's camera skills were any better.... I actually love this picture b/c it sums up my mom and me.  Can't keep our mouths shut.  Lily's happy as can be though. 

Another Cindy Howard special.... That's George our lead pastor.  Lily was a well behaved baby, and even managed to not take off his mic piece.  Even though she was eying it like a favorite new toy. 

Lily's dress was given to her by her great-grandma Carolyn Bain.  She gave Lily this dress when she was only a few months old. Clearly we were meant to find this church in Portsmouth, and grow to love and be loved in the congregation because at 16 months old the dress fit absolutely perfectly.

Now for a little personal pat on the back.  I've been working very hard on losing weight.  I want to get healthy before we have another baby... and I want to look nice at the Navy Ball in October.  Cayce owes me a do-over from my senior prom, but that's another story.  So anywho.  I've been diligently going to the gym 5 days a week (with the exception of the time my mother was here) taking spin classes, step classes, and a weight resistance class. I just also started a weight training program, and I'm looking forward to seeing even more results.  I'm not doing so well on the diet end.  I have improved my eating, but I know it needs to get cleaner.  I have an appointment with the nutrition clinic at the naval hospital this week so I'm really hoping to jump start a better diet with professional help.  Anywho so I've lost almost 20 lbs and 11.5 inches total since I started this journey.  I have a sort of before and after thing to show.  The dress I wore for Lily's baptism I also wore for Easter.  There's a bit of a difference in the way it fits now.  I actually didn't realize how baggy it was on me until I was posting these pictures.  Anywho, so I kinda feel good about it. 

That's it for now.  Cayce's giving me a dirty look b/c he wants to watch Big Brother, and I'm holding up the show....  Expect the unexpected!

Too excited!!!!!

There are no words!!!