Collins is Thankful...

for her partners-in-crime at the park. I am thankful to watch these cuties grow up together!

Potty Training is Happening

The official potty training has begun. We have gone round and round on when we should start this momentous change and finally decided the time was now. It has been two long days at home with LOTS of time in the bathroom, but Collins has done relatively well. 

Number one has come easy- number two not as much (which is pretty typical). Our first accident happened this morning in the backyard while kicking the soccer ball. You should have seen the look on her face when the trickle headed down her legs! Once back on the potty, she explained that she was busy playing soccer so didn't want to stop to use the bathroom. We still have some work to do! 

Bake Sale is in the Books!

The big project I've been working on for the past three months is officially in the books- hooray! I really enjoyed co-chairing the Bake Sale at church for the first time, but man, it was a lot of work. More than you would envision for a church Bake Sale that is for sure! Meetings during preschool time, cooking parties at night, and lots of communication about the coveted lemon tarts and yeast rolls has occupied a lot of my time lately. I was happy to get through this one!

The Bake Sale went great logistically, and women were lined up an hour before our doors opened. We survived the initial surge where determined women with large shopping bags grabbed up every soup, casserole and baked good in sight! I was proud of how smoothly everything went, but was disappointed when I got our initial numbers. It wasn't as much money as I hoped to raise. I have yet to get the final number, but I know it is a significant amount of money that will all go towards helping people in the community. So for that, I am thankful. I am also thankful that I can now focus on the upcoming holidays and the baby who will arrive right around the corner!

A Big Transition

Big news- Collins slept in her big girl bed for the first time yesterday! She took a really good nap in her new fluffy white bed and didn't put up a fight about it at all. I was so excited for her to take this successful first step in transitioning to her big girl room.

But she was not ready to sleep there overnight last night- choosing instead the safety of her crib- so we will give her time to get used to the idea. Hopefully, she will be a permanent resident of her new room soon!

Love for a Pig (and a Wuf)

At the Carolina/State tailgate party, Collins was caught being very ladylike with the food on the buffet...

As we waited for the team to arrive at the pep rally, Collins got lots of bonding time in with Mr. and Mrs. Wuf.

A twirling showdown...

Poor Missy (the other Tar Heel brave enough to come into enemy territory) got swarmed by the wolves...

but did I mention that the good guys won the game? :)

A Halloween Fit for a Princess

Collins was THRILLED with the pink princess costume Donna made her for Halloween. She told everyone she came into contact with about it, she beamed and primped when she put it on, and now post-Halloween refuses to take it off!

The Halloween festivities started last week at church's Fall Fest. Collins could not have been more excited to jump in a bounce house, decorate her own cookies, and hang out with her cute friends.

On Halloween, her class at school did a parade and party.

Our neighborhood had a parade and pizza party, and then the trick-or-treating began! We had a great time hitting the houses in our neighborhood with Collins's friend, Livie, and her parents. Watching the girls jump out of the wagon, run to the front doors, attempt to say "trick-or-treat" and "thank you", and get so excited made the holiday so fun! They gained momentum and excitement with each house, and probably could have gone on all night if we had let them. When we got to Gigi and Pop Pop's house, they answered the door and Collins announced, "I am not here to play!". :) I will always remember the excitement Collins experienced this Halloween!

 

Pumpkin Patch

We had to get one more pumpkin patch visit in before Halloween and visited a really cool farm in Durham. Collins got to feed goats and cows, run through a hay maze, swim through corn, take a hayride, and pick her own pumpkin. It was such a fun morning!