Fall is in the Air

...at least in my foyer.  I might have a slight addiction to Glade Plug-ins and my house smells deliciously like apple cider.  I'm saving the exceptionally fall-scented "Pumpkin Spice" for next month.  The weather hasn't seemed much like fall with temperatures in the 90's last week (right after all the pools and spray grounds closed!) and 50's now.  Add in some rain and it's been a pretty icky couple weeks.

We did squeeze in a playground visit:

Some time in Congress Park:

And a 5k that Bob and I ran in:

sitting in a fire truck wasn't as fun as it looked.

With a playground stop afterwards:

But then during the weekend before last, MiniM.E. really wasn't herself (seen here looking utterly unimpressed with everything):

I had one of my worst "Bad Mom of the Year" moments Monday before last when I took MiniM.E. to the doctor after a couple weeks of extra fussiness to find out she had screaming ear infections in both ears.  Arg.  It was a rough couple days nice, relaxing break to lie on the couch with a cuddly, exhausted, sick toddler (even though I felt awful that she felt awful).  Unfortunately, it took her a while to get back to herself (I'm still not sure she's 100%) and we had a couple play dates we had to leave early and a couple activities that we started last week that she definitely wasn't excited about.  Hopefully this week will be better.

Last weekend we drove to NH for H.'s 2nd birthday party.  Remember his 1st?

We didn't plan much for the weekend since I made the cake this year and it took up a lot of time, but we did get to see my sister's new puppy "Crumpins" (named by MiniM.E.).

MiniM.E. helping to bake the cakes

Hi Crumpins!

THE CAKE!!

A playground break 

At the party

Crumpins in MiniM.E.'s kiddie pool

The Last Weeks of Summer: Saratoga

Fortunately, having an almost-two-year-old means that we're not going back to school, but we do have almost as many extra-curricular activities as a middle-schooler and they all start next week.

We've been trying to make the most of the warm weather and the summer-only activities.  We went to the Peerless Pool a few more times, went to the farmer's market, and spent a whole morning at West Side Rec where MiniM.E. FINALLY enjoyed the spray ground.

Sadly, MiniM.E. is sick, so part of our last empty week is being spent cuddling on the couch... but I don't get enough cuddles these days, so I feel bad for MiniM.E. but I'm secretly enjoying myself.

Last Weeks of Summer: NH

I can't believe it's September tomorrow.  Seriously?  Where did the summer go??

Before the fall set in, we wanted to make one more summer trip to NH.

We definitely made the most of it and I feel like I can start looking forward to fall things in New England- apple picking, foliage, maybe a hike up Mt. Kearsarge?

We spent lots of time in the pool:

hanging out with H!

kick, kick, kick!

1, 2, 3, jump!

MiniM.E. spent a lot of time searching for bugs.  

And we just relaxed.

Trying out some new winter PJs.

by the fire 

Bob came to meet us for a long weekend, and we took a couple day trips.  We went to Maine and saw the ocean (though MiniM.E. was terrified after the first few waves and wouldn't go in).  Since our beach trip was so short, we also went to the Zoo at York's Wild Kingdom since MiniM.E. loved it so much last time.

We also took a day trip to Boston, just the three of us, to go back to the Children's Museum, which MiniM.E. has been talking about since our last visit.

loving the turtles

lunch break! 

It was a great week in NH and we've been enjoying our last week of summer here in Saratoga.

Home Videos!

I try really hard to document MiniM.E. growing up in photos.  I take a lot.  Sometimes more than I need to, and sometimes I kick myself for missing adorable or funny moments.  I do not try really hard to take videos.  In fact, I kind of forgot that my camera CAN take videos.  Until a couple days ago.  Maybe I will take more.  I hardly ever get out the video camera, but there are some things that, as a parent, I can't not record.

MiniM.E. started singing a couple weeks ago.  It started with her belting out Ring Around the Rosy flawlessly out of nowhere.  She tends to get a little excited...

And then while we were swimming in the (cooled off) hot tub, she realized she could do this: