October...20 out of 350 pics from the month

I have no idea why this month was worthy of 350 pics...but these are the best of the best...

We started the month in my home town of Franklin, IN at the Heritage Festival and parade with Uncle Matt and Auntie Jill...it was a good time for Milo..but a few too many marchers and not enough fun fire trucks etc. He was still recovering from a scuffed nose sustained in an "incident" on the pontoon up at the lake. Lets just say that baby noses and astroturf don't mix.

Milo also began learning to feed himself., which is a little sad for me...he is getting so independent now, and it is amazing how fast it is all happening. But enough of that. Here he was slamming Ranch dip...he was supposed to be dipping his cucumbers in the Ranch, but he forgot to eat the cucumbers....he enjoyed the Ranch too much. He is also a BIG yogurt fan...and was working on his spooning skills.

He is also perfecting his block stacking. My favorite part of this picture is that you can see the reflection of the beautiful fall leaves in our backyard in the fireplace.....

October also brought our friends the Anderson's back to Cincinnati...Milo was so glad to see his buddy Evan. We made a trip to the Newport Aquarium... and took the opportunity to take some WONDERFUL family pics. It was so great to catch up. We miss the a lot and hope to see them again in March....such a bummer to have such great friends live so far away.

One of Milo's new favorite places is the Children's Museum here in Cincinnati. In fact, after one visit we decided that we would get a membership for the family and make that his Christmas present. We are holding off on the big extravagant Christmas gifts until he really understands what is going on. That will give us time to save up for the gifts right? Anyway...we try to make the trips to the museum center a once a week event, and we often meet up with some of Milo's friends from our Hypnobirthing class. Milo and his friend Josie have a specific affinity for the Grocery store. Milo really has a knack for shopping.


Time with dad is still one of Milo's favorite times....He is truly a little mini-Ben and I LOVE to watch them together. Ben is an amazing dad. He never too tired to play games, and is really good at making Milo laugh with that wonderful, carefree belly laugh of his that seems to make even the worst, most stressful days better. It is funny that we are the ones that are supposed to be helping Milo learn the ways of the world, but there are so many days when he is the one teaching us....

We had held out as long as possible, and finally this month we had to close up the cottage for the winter. We were hoping to get back for a couple of visits during the winter, but it was a sad day. Even our dog Oliver was depressed. The cottage is an amazing place for Milo to grow up in the summers. He get to be close to all of his cousins, and has such wonderful adventures. I already can't wait for next summer!

At Halloween, one of Milo's clearest words was "Cracker" so we thought it would be funny for him to be a parrot. Conveniently my aunt had given us a parrot costume that was my cousin's before, so his outfit was a given....Though the black eye was not supposed to be part of the fun. Milo and the coffee table had a run in a few days before. Ben and I on the other hand had to get creative. After finding two leather vests at Goodwill, we actually scavenged our closet for the rest of our pirate outfits...including Ben's PJ pants seen here. He wore the riding boots I bought last year to be the Pumpkin farmer, and at the end of Trick-or-Treating (which was all of three houses for Milo) we had to cut them off of him, and retire those boots.

Halloween night was also the annual Sweaters and Cider party at our neighbor's house. This was Milo's second appearance at the party, and as usual he looked great in his sweater. Ben and I really got lucky with our sweaters. Ben's sweater had men in bikini's on it, and mine had HAND BEADED ice cream cones on it....these went down in the history book of the party, and we were winners of the most disturbing sweater for a second year in a row!

First Steps in September!

This year we were lucky enough to be able to spend some extra time up at the lake since my classes at UC don't start until the end of September...Labor Day was a fun filled lake weekend to end the season for a lot of the families there....

Milo is a BIG vegetable guy! He ate cucumbers like popscicles and probably had enough corn to last a lifetime...but how can you say no to that smile!

This is one of the greatest pictures of all times...we have blown it up and it is in our bedroom at home...how classic!

On September 2nd Milo decided to walk...and that is exactly how it happened...one day he was cruising around using furniture to get everywhere, the next day he decided to take a couple of steps in between the furniture, and then he TOOK OFF...here is a little video...he was really in rare form here showing off ALL of his tricks. (Movie to come....)

We also took a GREAT trip out to San Francisco to see my aunt, and Milo's cousins, Brooke, Matthew, Sammy and Will...

Our first step was In-N-Out burger...they are the GREATEST burger...and Milo had his first....what a wonderful moment for our family. I had about 8 of these during my 6th month of pregnancy with Milo while I was out in California for a conference..so I guess if that counts he has already had a few.

We got to spend a long weekend out at the beach house at Stinson Beach....It was BEAUTIFUL weather.

Those new walking legs were not always 100% on the sand...and his first touch with the ocean was with his FACE! I probably lose the "Mother of the Year" award for taking a pic first, but it was a little funny!

And if you can believe it Milo also got to have his FOURTH 1st birthday party...he had a great time with his cousins, and was a professional with the cake by then.

The Clark family took a trip back to my home town in Franklin, IN to celebrate all the September birthdays in my family, including my 32nd...before the party on Saturday we went to the Heritage Festival, and Milo saw his FIRST parade...


On Sunday, my brother Matt taught Ben to change brakes...and Milo was QUITE the helper in the process....it was one of the cutest father/son moments ever.


Milo also went through an interesting phase of needing to walk with something in each of his hands, and while at his grandma and grandpa's house he decided he could get yet ANOTHER item in his MOUTH! That is my lipstick!

At the end of September, Ben participated in an art show with his pottery here in Cincinnati called "A Fair of the Arts." He took the Best in Show award. Milo had a great time playing in one of his pots. He was yelling into the pot to hear his echo...what a little comedian.