It Is Already December

Doug's Visit to Phoenix
December is bringing us lots of company! Our good friend, Doug, came for a visit at the beginning of December. We think he also brought the cold with him. While he was here we had a great time just hanging out, watching football, and even taking in a few sites. As engineers of course the main site Shaun and Doug wanted to visit was the home of Frank Lloyd Wright (Taliesin West). This was also Larkin's first guided museum tour. Overall, she held up pretty well.

Here we are are at Taliesin West just beginning our tour.

Here is the cabaret where Wright would show movies and entertain. It was a hexagonal room that was partly underground, and if you ever took acoustics class (you engineers) you would have been quite impressed with this room. In fact I think all of us were impressed at how well we could hear in there.

The end of our tour. It sure wore some of us out!


After a day of adult site seeing, Larkin wanted to see some of her own favorite sites. Here she is leading Doug to the park and getting ready for another thrilling time at the slippery slide!

Thanksgiving Day
This year we spent Thanksgiving in Arizona. We had a great day of eating, playing, and decorating the Christmas tree.

Larkin eating some of Daddy's DELICIOUS cinnamon rolls

Admiring the tree after all the ornaments had been put on

Getting ready to watch the "choo-choo" go around

Time to Start the New Nursery

We have also been busy getting ready for baby boy. In November we got all of our furniture ordered, found bedding and curtains, and decided how to decorate the nursery. Shaun has been busy working away with a little help from Larkin!

Cheering Daddy on

Getting ready to paint


It Finally Got a Little Cooler!

It took until about November, but things have finally started to cool off in Arizona. Larkin was all excited to get to pull out her "winter" hat and hit the park.

Larkin's favorite hat.
We have found that she will wear this hat EVERYWHERE, even when it is not cold outside. She wears it with just a diaper, with just shoes, at the dinner table, even during daycare. One day I went in to pick her up from daycare and there were about 10 kids just sitting at the tables all eating their snacks. Then there was Larkin, snacking away with her winter hat plopped on the top of her head. She is a bit of a character!

Playing at the park


Hailey's thought is "Anything you can do, I can do better!"
Actually Hailey has come out of her shell a bit since Larkin has been around. She is finally finding that inner dog and not being quite as much of a scaredy cat.

Halloween Fun

Happy Halloween

This year Larkin had lots of fun dressing up for Halloween. At daycare they had a parade and then she also got to go trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. She made an adorable little ladybug!

Our first real trick-or-treating

Checking out the pumpkins

Trying on my costume

Helping Daddy carve our pumpkin

Our Fall Break in Kansas

Back to Kansas!
Well this year we headed back to Kansas during fall break. It was no Hawaii, but we had a wonderful time seeing friends and family. Larkin finally got to meet her Grandpas and we spent time with Grandma and lots of friends. It was a a bit chilly, we had to buy WINTER clothes first, but it was great! When we got back we also found out that Larkin will be getting a baby brother at the end of February. Hopefully she took some lessons while playing with Noah.

Grandma and Grandpa's House


Larkin had lots of fun "Mooing" at the cows at Grandma and Grandpa's and they mooed right back at her.


Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy and Larkin

A little play time before bed


Back in Kansas City

While we were back in Kansas City we had some time to catch up with old friends.

Here is lunch at the Golf Club with Katie, Jack, Lucy Mae, and Mrs. Martin.

Getting in a little t-time with Jack

Lunch with Katie and Lucy Mae

Enjoying the autumn weather


All Those Cousins!

It was so nice to see Aunt Tara and Uncle Dan and all those cousins. Here is Larkin checking out her Cousin Kaycee's hamster.



The Pumpkin Patch!

I don't know who was more excited, Mommy or me, to go to the pumpkin patch, but we had a great time. We got to go for a hayride, help pick out some pumpkins, play in the corn fields, and even find our way through the maze. We had a great time with Heather, Jenny, and Noah, and BJ and Mia.

Noah on the hayride

Playing in the corn

Still playing in that corn

Noah searching for the perfect pumpkin

BJ and Mia

Taking a rest

Fathers and Daughters

Lunch with Grandpa

A final picture after our yummy lunch at Smokestack with Grandpa


Fun with Friends!

While we were back in KC we got to stay with Mommy's great friend, Heather, and Larkin had a playmate who was her exact same age (They are a day apart).

It is building time, sort of.

Story time with Daddy

Go Wildcats!
Larkin went to her first K-State game and they won! It was a great game and we got to spend the day with Abby and Aaron, BJ and Mia, and Heather, Ted, and Noah. What a perfect day!

KSU vs. Iowa State at Arrowhead

BJ has trained his daughter well

Enjoying game day

Larkin, Mommy, and Abby

Look at those cute kids

August & September Fly By

Well it has been a busy few months in the Grimm household. Mommy went back to work at the end of July and I went back to daycare. It was a little rough getting used to the one year old classroom routine, but I adjusted well. The biggest change was that they took away my morning nap! I was NOT a fan. However, now things are going great. I spend my days making animal sounds, doing art projects, naming body parts, and learning colors and shapes. I get to go outside and play on the playground and I DANCE, DANCE, DANCE! Life is good. Mommy and Daddy are also impressed with all of the things I am learning these days. At home things are going great too. I am very helpful with throwing things away, picking up my toys, and trying to act like a big girl.


Fun at Home
Here I am being just like Daddy. I don't know how he can walk in these things!

Reading my favorite book "Moo, Baa, La La La"


Having fun in the tub!



Traveling
We also took a few trips in in September. That meant more airplane rides and seeing more friends. What a great time!

Texas
Over Labor Day we went to Dallas for a wedding and to see all of Mommy and Daddy's old friends. I got to meet all sorts of babies, which was lots of fun and good practice (keep scrolling to learn more about that one) and I got to do a lot of dancing at Nathan's wedding.

Here is Daddy having fun with Uncle Doug and Michael playing the Wii. I guess grown-ups like to play also!


All dressed up for Nathan's wedding


The wedding was outside at a vineyard and I had a blast!


Checking out the dance floor


Showing off my dance moves. If you could only see me in action!

California
After our exciting trip to Dallas, we came home for a weekend and then it was off again on another airplane. This time we took a much shorter flight to California to see Uncle Gary and Aunt Jackie and their wonderful kids. Again I met another baby and still thought they were pretty okay. Although we did get to leave that baby back in CA! Mommy and Daddy even got to have a date night. I hear they went to a K-State game. Unfortunately, K-State lost to UCLA, but they still had a fun time.

Check out my ride!

Our morning at Laguna Beach. It is beautiful!

A family picture at the beach.

Keeping up with Daddy and Aunt Jackie

Breakfast at the beach

That weekend I got to hang out with Aunt Jackie and Uncle Gary while Mommy and Daddy went to see a game at the Rose Bowl. I tried to find them on TV, but they sat WAY up at the top.

KSU vs. UCLA

Finally it was back home. Although we have one more trip coming up tomorrow. We are headed to Kansas City to meet some more family and see some old friends. Should be fun!

At home things are still going great. I have noticed that Mommy is getting a little bit chubby these days. I keep hearing baby talk and I don't think it is about me anymore. Actually they told me I am going to have a baby brother or sister at the end of February or beginning of March. We get to find out on Oct. 8th if baby will be a brother or a sister, either way it should be lots of fun and BUSY around our house!

Baby's first picture