Happy Birthday Elizabeth, Round 1

Since we aren't sure that we will get back to NW Iowa before Christmas, we decided to celebrate Elizabeth's birthday with her cousin Jenna's birthday. Elizabeth always loves a party, and so she gets at least 2 a year.
Elizabeth with her Papa and Grandma and cousin Jenna

Jenna (7) and Elizabeth (3, soon to be 4 in November)

Somebody had the giggles. Elizabeth has started that awkward phase where it is difficult to smile on command. So I tickled her. I figured the punishment fit the crime.

The Cousins. Good thing I have a high speed digital camera that allows me to take hundreds of pictures and delete the ones that are horrible. Eventually I get one good one. The four in the front row were all born with in one year. What a year that was!

Again with the tickling. Thanks everybody for the great gifts!!

Swinging

Before the weather turns very nasty and winter is upon us, I wanted to take one afternoon to play outside as much as we could. I love fall photos as the light seems just right. We recently got a swing set that the kids have enjoyed, and of course no afternoon is complete without Elizabeth and Josiah tackling each other. It usually starts when Elizabeth either has her own idea of how things should be done, or Josiah is not listening to me and ELizabeth thinks she is the Enforcer. Anyway we had a great time. Please excuse Elizabeth's "moon face" as she was on her steriods when these were taken.

First black eye

Even though these pictures did not turn out the best, Elizabeth got her first black eye a few weeks ago. I first thought she had come home with it from daycare thinking she had probably walked into a swing (she does these things from time to time) but instead, Chad confessed that she got it rolling down the slight slope in front of our house, and stopping by rolling into the utility pole in the ditch. At least she stopped rolling before she hit the road!!