We are a family of six residing in Southern California. Andrew and Jocelyn have been happily married for ten years and have four kids: Jason 10, Beth 9, Adam 7, and Jillian 5. So here's our chance to talk about our adventures and our fabulous kids because, well...we can!
This picture was taken after she took the book out of the bench, set it up, climbed onto the bench, and began playing. She's ready, and if you've seen her super long fingers, you'll know how happy we are that she's eager to begin playing, too.
I was singing a silly made-up song to Jill, "you're my baby, baby girl..." and she says, "No, I 2!" So that's it, she's no longer a baby, she's 2.
Many call this the "terrible twos!" (This is Jill refusing to take photos on her birthday. I gave up and fortunately that night after dinner she was more than happy to smile. See top photo.)
Me, I love this age. It has it's challenges but it is so much fun! Every day she discovers something new, says a new word, or surprises us with how much she understands. We went to Sea World yesterday. That night when Andrew got home, Jill ran up to him and said, "ale, ale." One of her siblings interpreted for us - whale! She was telling Andrew about Sea World. I was impressed because we had been home for over 2 hours. 
Jill is not a big talker. She wasn't saying much at all at 18 months, and although she has tons of words now, she uses them sparingly. But if you spend some time with her, you will soon realize she communicates very well and understands everything you are saying...even when you don't want her to. For example, I can ask Andrew if we should do cookies for dessert and she'll run over to the pantry, open the door, get out the stool and start looking for cookies!
Her current favorite things include Elmo, baby dolls,
coloring with markers, 
and her pacifiers (aka papi).
She uses her pacifiers for downtime if she's tired, needs a cuddle, or when she's mad. She's been known to put herself in a sort of timeout just her and her paci.
It's time to accept that Jill is growing up. She can climb onto this equipment with absolutely no help...and get back down. (That really freaked me out!) 
She sleeps in a big girl bed (although it is with her sister, which was both their choice).
I did buy shirts for Andrew and I since it's been years since we've dressed up 
although Andrew ended up being everyone by the end of the night... 
Beth wanted to be Pocahontas last year. We bought the material and then realized that not only do neither Andrew nor I really know how to sew, but the machine we recently had been given wasn't working. We ended up borrowing a costume from a friend so she was Pocahontas. But this year she wanted us to make the costume we were supposed to make last year. Well, the sewing machine is at Grandma's being fixed (turns out it just needed a good tune-up, and we'll all be learning how to use it very soon) but we can't let her down two years in a row so Andrew got out the hot glue gun. I cut, he glued and wow, we did it! 
For Adam, I was really rooting for a fourth year of Nemo, and he was all for it until we found the Buzz Lightyear costume I bought some months back. He not only wanted to be Buzz for the Harvest Fair but he slept in Buzz Saturday night and wore it to church! 
At least he had Nemo face painted on him :) 
And then there's Jill...she has a few hand-me-down costumes to choose from but it took her no time at all to pick, "mooooo." She was very excited to be a cow. 
She was not as excited to meet a cow (that's our pastor in there). 
In fact, in the great jousting battle between cow and chicken, 
she was rooting 100% for the chicken! 
In Conclusion, whether we were getting a hole in 6, 
jousting with dad, 
riding the swings, 
screaming on the pirate ship with friends,
or bouncing down the bounce house slide, 
we had a fabulous night! (And here we are all sugared up and exhausted! Good Night!)
Sorting through pictures recently, I realized I have a lot of pictures of Jill wearing other people's shoes. I know this is common toddler practice but I just had to gather them all and laugh...
Sometimes she even has a partner in shoe stealing...
Peek-a-boo!
We didn't buy this pumpkin but will hopefully go to a real pumpkin patch and pick our own pumpkins soon!
and the Longs.
In case you haven't heard, this summer in the southeast was hot! It's always hot but this one was particularly hot! So what do you do with all these kids in the heat? Well, here's what we did - Play video games...
And then use said video games to illuminate a card game during a storm-caused power outage...
Wrestle Uncle Alan...
Go to the mall and pretend to ride the kiddie rides...
Try on your cousin's clothes...
Lounge around with family...
Play dress-up...
Did I mention play video games (that happened A LOT)...
Eat popsicles...
And on the rare days that it was tolerable...hit the pool!
Or if you're a Georgia Peach like our Jill, you sit on the porch in the overwhelming humidity and enjoy an afternoon storm.
