Yay!

Clap your hands!

Video of Mav Clapping His Hands

T Photographing Mav Clapping

- Maverick

August 2011 Pics

Please click on the link to see an album of our pics from August 2011: August 2011 Pics of Talley & Maverick

- Talley & Maverick

Swim Day

Last weekend we went to Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village for some family fun in the sun.  It is the best park ever!  Beautiful lake view with exclusive access to the beach, pool, and park. 

We spent our time at the pool. 

It was my first time ever in a swimming pool.  I was kind of neutral on the whole experience.  I didn't smile, nor did I cry. 

Talley loved it, though!  She showed off her kicks and scoops from swim class.  She passed on the slide, though.

This summer has been so great.  I'm not ready for it to end!  We're going to have to smoosh in as much sun fun as possible before the cold weather comes back.

- Mav

Play Time in Talley's Room

The bigger and stronger Mav gets, the more fun he is to play with.  (So long as he is only playing with the toys I've designated for him, of course.)

Here are some pics of us playing together in my room:

- Talley

Surprise Aunt Joanna!

For Aunt Joanna's birthday this year, Uncle John invited the O'Neal family as well as some of Aunt Joanna's closest friends to meet up with them in San Francisco for a surprise weekend celebration.

It was so fun surprising her in the hotel lobby! She was totally shocked!

While we were in San Fran, we ate yummy food and visited the Farmer's Market.  We also did loads of walking.  Actually, the adults were the ones who did all the walking.  I relaxed in a stroller and Aunt Joanna carried Mav in the Ergo carrier.  It was a really neat city with lots of tall buildings and crazy people.  The best part, though, was just being there to celebrate our awesome Aunt Joanna.  We love you!  Happy birthday!

- Talley & Mav 

Mav at 8 Months Old

Smiling, giggling, big sloppy kissing, crawling, clapping, standing, charming, dancing, and of course, having awesome hair - that's being eight months old in a nutshell for me. 

This is a delightfully fun age so far.  I have been enjoying new things like crawling games of chase with Talley, playing musical instruments (I specialize in drums, maracas, bells, and the kazoo), and reading books.  My favorite book right now is Peek-a-Who.  I especially love the adorable baby at the end (the last page is a mirror).  I also love Baby Elmo, touch-and-feel books, and lift-the-flap books. 

I'm a born dancer too.  If I hear any sort of rhythm, I will start bouncing up and down to the beat.  When I start walking, Talley and I are going to start having some serious dance offs.

Here are a couple links to videos of me playing the kazoo:
Talley Helping Mav Play the Kazoo
Mav Solo on the Kazoo

- Mav

Puppy Love

Video of Mav Kissing Bubba

I love you too, Bubba.

- Maverick

Potty Time!

A true diva has attitude even when she's sitting on the pot.

Check me out!  I'm sitting on the potty!  Just weeks ago, I was terrified of the potty, but now that I've grown up some and read a few books about other girls who use the potty, it's become my favorite seat in the house!  The potty is strategically placed right next to a bookcase so I have easy access to good reading while I wait for the pee to come.  I wait as long as it takes or until Mommy tells me I have to get off so we can go somewhere.  For me, the main appeal about using my little potty is that I get to pour the pee that collects in the little potty resevoir into the big potty.  Transferring pee is great fun!  I love it and can't get enough!

I am still wearing diapers and I have yet to poo in the potty.  However, Mommy and Daddy are very pleased with my progress thus far.  I've only just started, but I am on my way to becoming potty trained!

Pees out!
Talley

St. Jude's Trike Race

Recently, we participated in a trike race fundraiser event to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through Mommy's MOMS Club. 

First, we had a trike wash to get our vehicles ready for race day.

Then we watched a video on bike safety and got driver's licenses, stickers, and coloring books provided by St. Jude's. 

And finally, we went to a park and raced!

It was such a fun event and it felt even better knowing it was all for a great cause.  To learn more about St. Jude's trike event or donate, please click here: stjude.org/trike

- Talley

Big Doug and Gran Bettie's House of Wonders

We recently went to visit Mommy's friends, Alyssa and Tessa, at their grandparents' house in Minden, NV.  Their house was incredible with so many interesting things to look at!  Just like a museum with all sorts of novelties and unique decor. 

The coolest part is that they have a working slot machine in their game room!  Come on, big money!

It was so fun visiting with you all!  Thanks for the lovely brunch Gran Bettie and Big Doug!

- Talley & Maverick

July 2011 Pics

Please click on the link to see an album of our pics from July 2011: July 2011 Pics of Talley & Maverick

- Talley & Maverick

Happy Birthday, Grandpa T!

Thanks for coming out to visit so we could celebrate your birthday with you!  We love you and we hope you had a happy birthday, despite being put to work to help with our move.  Btw, thanks for helping us move too! 

Xo,

Talley & Mav

Our New Home!

The last weekend of July, we moved to our new home in Reno!  We have a great yard, cool painted rooms, and an even bigger play room now! 

Big thank you to all our family who helped us with our move.  You made things go so much faster and better.  We love you!

When the house is all nice and clean and fully furnished and decorated, we'll share some pics.  Wouldn't hold your breath for that, though.  Instead, come see it in progress in person and play with us!  We love having company!

- Talley & Mav

Fire Station Tour

We're always doing cool stuff with Mommy's MOMS Club.  Play dates, service projects, local business tours, community events - you name it!

Here is a pic taken of me during a recent tour we did of a fire station in Sparks. 

The firefighters showed us where they sleep and eat.  They also showed us how they respond in an emergency.  One of them even slid down the pole, suited up, and drove off in the big fire truck!  They wanted us kids to see what firefighters are all about so that we wouldn't be scared if one of them ever came to help us during an emergency.  Lots of children run and hide when firefighters are trying to rescue them.  I definitely would have been one of those children before our visit to the fire station.  I was really scared of the suited up guy at first.  He turned out to be alright, though, and now I've decided I like firefighters.  If you visit me, please ask me about our trip to the fire station because I love talking about it!

-Talley

Mav at 7 Months Old

Seven months old marked my biggest milestone yet - mobility!  That's right, I started crawling!  Now that I've started, I will never stop.  I can hardly lie down for a moment now that I know I'm capable of doing so much more.  Nap time?  Not without a fight!  Diaper change?  Forget about it!  I just don't feel sleep or diaper changes are worthy uses of my time anymore.  There is too much to explore and discover.

Oh, and I can pull up to stand now too!  I started doing that within a couple weeks of learning to crawl.  It's so cool to have an elevated view and be able to reach up higher.  Now I can really get into trouble!  That's part of why we are a little behind on this blog right now.  Our transcriber (aka Mommy) can hardly keep up now that I'm on the move.

The picture above shows me enjoying my favorite snack - a Mum Mum.  Here is a link to a video of Mommy using a Mum Mum as a treat to get me to do my latest tricks:
Mav Gets His Mum Mum

Hey, it works for Bubba so it works for me, right?

-Maverick

Ya-Ya!

Ya-Ya (aka Aunt Janise) came to visit us July 19-21 and we had a blast!  She came in her usual adorable fashion, bearing warm hugs and nice presents.  While she was here, we toured Reno, hit the big shopping spots, ate yummy food, and had lots of fun play time.  We had such a good visit, she decided come back and see us again with Great Uncle Terry the following weekend!  Below are some pics of us by the lake.

Having two visits with Ya-Ya was wonderful, but we still want more!  Hopefully, we'll get to see each other again soon. 

XO,
Talley & Maverick