October

Here we are in October and it is just finally starting to feel like fall here! We've started to wear long sleeved shirts for the first time this year. The weather here has been wonderful. As you'll see from the photos I've put in the album, we have been spending quite a bit of time outdoors, including walks and even an outdoor concert. Pierce is really eating that up.

Pierce will be 17 months old in two days. He's a whopping 31" tall...that's over 2 1/2 feet, if you do the math. He's loving every inch of it, as he can now grab things off the kitchen counter, table, and my desk (ahhhhh). His favorite mischeif is the dishwasher these days. He opens it up (while saying "no, no, no, no") and will continue to pull every dish he can out until he's caught.

We've had a pretty busy October. My sister, Maya, was here for a couple weeks while our mom is in Texas. I helped her work on a research paper and she and Pierce got to have a lot of fun. Pierce calls her "Yaya," which I think is so funny. Her other nickname is "Lamby," after the lamb lovey that Pierce sleeps with. One other funny thing between the two of them started when Maya bought some cocoa butter lip balm. Pierce HAD to have it applied whenever he saw it and Maya told him it was "cocoa butter." He would repeat her, saying "kakah." Very funny! Soon, he would ask for "kakah" whenever he wanted it, which happened to be in public several times. While Maya was here, we went to Wake Forest University one afternoon and lazed around on the field. She got to go to all of Pierce's favorite places, like the kiddie play area at the mall and Barnes and Noble's kids' corner. On her last day, we went to the original Krispy Kreme doughnut shop for breakfast, which was a sugar high for all involved. You can actually see the doughnuts going through the cooking process and being glazed and stuff. Yum!

Yesterday, we went to the Reynolda Gardens and Pierce had fun in the flowers as we walked through the estate. The weather was perfect and there was a nice soft breeze. Afterwards, we went to a McCafe, which is like a McDonald's hybrid. They have a cafe inside, with yummy deserts and coffees and teas. Pierce and I shared a "Chocolate lovin' spoon cake" Holy moley, that was chocolatey, and Pierce loved every bite.

There are some crazy things Pierce is doing these days. I thought I'd make a list of just a few of them for you. Here goes:
1. Eating food off of anything BUT an actual eating utensil (like the magnetic measuring tape that hangs on the fridge). He takes food off of the plate or fork or spoon and puts it on "x" item.
2. Teases people, making them think that he is going to kiss them and then doesn't.
3. Randomly gives out really dirty looks to strangers for absolutely no reason at all.
4. Enjoys eating gravel.
5. Thinks everything is (or at least ought to be) magnetic.
6. Loves to brush hair until he has a major afro.
7. Tries to wear Dad's shoes.
8. Says "yeah" after just about everything.
9. Fights tooth and nail to stay in the tub at bathtime, even after he becomes a wrinkled prune!

10. Must have "family kisses," where the three of us huddle and give one big smooch.

Just thought those were too silly to keep to myself :) I've posted lots of new pictures on Pierce's album. You can see some of the fun he's had so far this month.
We love you all!