My mom and sister, Alicia, came to visit this past weekend and we had a great time! We managed to pack in lots of New England-y, fall activities and in addition, the leaves are starting to change quite a bit! It really is feeling like fall around here these days.
Sunday we went to the Cumberland Fair, and just started looking at the cows when we heard someone calling Payson's name. Turns out Alison had noticed Payson from across the stables and was calling out for Payson, but then Stacy had to chime in because Alison was too quiet. We didn't know the Smiths were going to the Fair as well, so it was great for the girls to run around and check out all the animals together. We also ran into the Farringtons, and it was great to catch up with them!
Up close and personal in the petting zoo area.
Monday we took Auntie Leesha for her first apple picking experience. The trees were so low Payson could reach! We picked half a peck of our favorite eating apples -Macouns. Yum!
That evening we rolled up our sleeves and cooked a Brook Trout Matt's dad caught awhile back on a fishing excursion in Canada. Since Matt doesn't care for fish, it was great to be able to share such a treat with my mom and sister. Alicia found an Asian inspired recipe online, and it was so tasty! I learned how to fillet a fish - quite an experience (ick). We followed it up with some apple crisp with our hand picked apples.
Payson had a blast with her Aunt this visit. They bombed around in Payson's fire engine...
... and Alicia taught Payson about the functions on her Blackberry. Since Payson's not even allowed to play with our phones, this suped-up one was an extra special treat!
Tuesday morning we went to Portland Head Light. We were so lucky to have an amazing stretch of perfect fall weather.
Payson's doing well these days, and is quite the chatterbox. She's also quickly approaching two, and her actions are showing it from time to time. Matt and I are learning quickly which discipline techniques work and which don't, and we're trying to implement some techniques I've been reading about. It's quite a learning experience for all three of us!
Two nights ago we discovered what Payson's been learning about at daycare. They do preschool several days a week and it's rubbing off! Payson was loudly declaring, "September!" on and off throughout the day. Later that afternoon, I followed a "September!" by saying, "October, November, December, January." Payson then started saying all the months, in order! She says them all, but usually forgets October and November. It is so amazing and funny, especially her inflections. We did capture it on video and I'm now motivated to learn how to get videos off our video camera (which we've had for nearly a year - oops) so I can share them on the blog. She also does a pretty accurate rendition of the ABC song, and counts to 15! She skips a few letters and numbers, but it's clear she knows what she's doing. She showcased all of these feats in one night! It's amazing how quickly she is learning.
We are also now able to have conversations, of a sort, with Payson. You can ask her questions about her day and she'll say yes or no, but she'll also throw in some random facts about the day. She'll even do this on the phone. It's really neat.
So, there are some trying times with discipline, but there are also many amazing things Payson is saying, learning, and doing. It's incredible to watch her becoming her own person, and we're really enjoying it!
Payson enjoyed sliding around the deck in this very expensive and technologically advanced toy. Perhaps it also has a special cooling feature. 
Labor Day weekend we went to my friend Jami's parent's camp on Sabbathday Lake and enjoyed our last swimming of the summer. I even got to go waterskiing! Payson and Braydon, especially, enjoyed getting splashed by Braydon's Buppa on the beach (I did not, as you can see).
Braydon loving the water!
