Where did November go?

This month has FLOWN by ....... as I'm noticing that my last post was Halloween. Bear with me, this may be a long one. Brent and I started the month with a trip to Cancun but Tropical Storm Ida decided to join us, and we only saw one day of sunshine out of five. BUMMER! Banks had a great time staying with KK, Pop, and EJ in Rock Hill, though. He saw lots of family and friends. Banks took one step two times while he was there. We're still waiting for him to walk. Here are some pics Mom took while Banks was there. Looks like they had fun, and Mom appeared to still be sane after juggling two kids for six days.

Here are some pictures we have taken over the last couple of weeks.

Banks has learned that there is always a bag of cheerios in his diaper bag. Brent found him in a pile of cheerios one night when the bag was on the floor!

Banks loves Jeanie Adickes' broccoli bake!

Bath time! Looks like we have another Thomas the Train fan!

Latest stats:

He went for his 12mon check up back in October and was 23 lb 13oz. He's 60% in weight, 75% in height, and 90% in head circumference.

New tricks:

Banks is pointing at everything..... things he wants, lights, fans

He has found his tongue and knows how to stick it out and wiggle it around. He loves to look at himself in his mirror in the car while he's doing this.

He loves music and loves to clap his hands while a song is played or sung.

Likes: Eating(!!!!!), climbing onto chairs and climbing stairs

Dislikes: The end of meals (I'm going to try to get this on video) and diaper changes

He has taken one step a handful of times. He is standing on his own all the time and can stand up without help.

Banks doesn't cry now when I drop him off at school and he watches me leave. He also started sleeping on the mat at school so he doesn't have to sleep in the classroom anymore! Whoo-hoo! Hopefully he'll take longer naps now.

Happy Halloween!

Check out our monkey!

It was fun seeing the cousins in Clarksville! We went to visit Granny Pennington and Jim and Gayla before heading back to Gran's for dinner! Banks gained another cousin this week, Andrew Alexander Muiznieks born on October 26. We did not get his picture amidst the chaos from the other three!

Mia (17 months)


Banks (12 months), Ella (3 1/2)

Here's a blast from the past......October 31, 2008 ...... 16 lbs lighter and a lot sleepier! Wow, it's hard to remember having a child that still.



The Three Muskateers. It was a lot easier to get a picture of the three of them last year!

Banks (2 weeks), Ella (2 1/2), Mia (5 mon)

Happy Birthday Banks

Sunday afternoon at Honeysuckle Hill Farm

We had such a fun afternoon at Honeysuckle Hill Farm with Gran, Clair, Ella, and Mia! We saw pigs, chickens, ducks, cows, goats, sheep, and rabbits. There was a pig race where we cheered for "Swine-ina Twain", "Leanne Pork-rines", and Kevin Bacon. Banks even enjoyed a ride on the cow train. The sky finally cleared today so we could have a sunny and cool fall afternoon of fun. This place was great!

I thought this picture was too cute. Cousin Ella and Banks looking at the animals!

Banks and I rode on the "cow train" that pulled us around the pasture.

Banks and his cousins Ella (3 1/2) and Mia (17 mon)

What a funny bunch! I have a feeling this picture may sneak out at a rehearsal dinner in twenty years or so.

Banks had his first day of school last Friday in the Lamb Room with Ms. Mandy and Ms. Terry! He had a great first day and was so excited to be there that he didn't cry at all when I left and couldn't manage to close his eyes for a nap with all the excitement! He finally fell asleep on a climbing toy and they just put a blanket over him. These are the best pictures we could get. Notice the lunch box is half the size of Banks......he has to take all bottles and cups already made so he basically takes a small cooler!

My days of putting Banks on the floor with a toy to play with are over. Banks the Explorer is all over the place trying to stick his hands in the toilet, climbing into the walk in shower and finding any and all dust bunnies and leaves to munch on! Here he was busted climbing out of the shower!

Here are some pictures from the last week or so........

This was taken after I let Banks hold his spoon to eat his spaghetti.....we haven't tried it again since.

I love to laugh!

Brent came and got me in the middle of this! He said at the beginning that Banks laughed so hard he threw his head back and fell over backwards. Too bad we don't have that on video! Don't you wish we could all have this much joy from the simple things in life?

Almost 11 months.....

"Wild hair"

One of his favorite places is still the bottom drawer of the pantry. Always good for 20 minutes!








New trick: drinking from a water bottle when he goes for a run with Brent!





"I love bathtime!"




"Waiting on the plane"

We just got back from a Labor Day family reunion in Myrtle Beach. So fun!