September Recap

So looking back at the posts and calendar since we returned from our summer trip to the US, we've been quite busy. We spent almost every weekend of the month exploring Azerbaijan with day trips or overnights (see link here) and loved it. The weather was still warm, but not unbearable and we took advantage of that!

We've also had some changes at home. We reduced the number of hours that we have our amazing nanny because I felt like I needed to be more accountable to spending time with the twins (and wouldn't be good about doing it with the safety net of our nanny daily). I spent part of the summer evaluating all the commitments I've done previously here in Baku and making some changes according to our family goals and priorities. It was also our last month using a driver and I've now taking over driving daily for our family (which deserves its own post explaining the chaos of driving here - ha!).

We've gotten underway with school for Madi (who is attending the same Bumblebee Montessori as last year) and she's started swimming again (but with a new instructor and is thriving after just a couple lessons) and we got her into gymnastics. The grin on her face after that first class ensured me we'd picked right and the teacher complimenting her physique and saying she was a natural encouraged her.

The twins and I have been attending playgroups, doing some learning activities (this month I tried focusing on teaching them Colors), and taking walks around the neighborhood. They are at a really fun age and enjoyable to be with 98% of the time (they are working on their terrible two tantrums and sharing struggles during that rare 2%).

It was also a hard month in that with the other changes I had to say goodbye to my very close friend, Tricia. We got a final night out together, but the time went too quickly of course. I've been blessed to have known her the past year and am going to miss her tremendously. 😢

Here's the remainder of what we've been up to in September aside from the weekend trips around Azerbaijan -

1. Madi fell in love with the cinnamon swirl bread in America and I set out to find a recipe for an egg free one that I could do in one-step in the bread machine. Success! We've been making one loaf a week the entire month.
2. Climbing into their high chairs...
3. Really? How is that comfortable?!
4. Climbing into more high chairs...in the garage.
5. Traditional Azeri breakfast with our family and Tricia's.
6. Playing in the dirt. Hey happy place.
7. Playground fun.
8. Ice cream smiles.
9. Delicious homemade tortillas from my friend Laura paired with my homemade salsa for taco night. Soooo yummy! 😋

1. Timehop gets me daily. So cute!!
2. Proof they like each other (sometimes).
3. Batch of salsa and homemade pizza dough - busy nap time.
4. Jason's expensive drinking habit. 😂
5. Madi played hooky one Friday to play with her sisters and loved it. They are really noticing her gone and missing her during the day. (And asking to go to school 😳)
6. Homemade caprese skewers with tomatoes from our garden and basil from my friend Tricia's plant.
7. Sorting bears. They don't quite have the correct names with colors, but they definitely can sort them appropriately.
8. Olivia loves all blankets to snuggle up in (she gets that from me) and of course panda. 🐼
9. Madi and her bff Clementine practicing safety first. 

1. Apparently we ate a lot this month based on the pictures... lazy morning breakfast.
2. Play date with plenty of ride-on toys for everyone.
3. Sleeping bunny (see video below - please don't judge my awful singing...).
4. Sometimes this is how you get through a meal with toddlers... 
5. Matching shirts as a going-away gift for Tricia.
6. Ready to hit the road!
7. Fall hit us quickly. As in less than a day we went from shorts to jackets and rain. There was no transition time. However, the girls loved wearing their new rain boots and getting outside still.
8. The quick fall gave me a craving for tomato soup - Norwegian-style (with boiled egg and corn).
9. Birthday party fun.

The last weekend of the month we participated in our first-ever Roving Dinner. We were assigned appetizer and made chicken tortilla soup (again with my salsa - we really love it, haha) and delicious margaritas. We had great food and company for the houses we visited for Mains and Dessert and I'm glad we participated!

It was a busy month overall and October is shaping up to be as well with Madi and I leaving on our first Mother-Daughter trip tomorrow! The weather is finally cool enough to order and enjoy that pumpkin spice latte (yes, they do have them here for us), but I'm happy to escape to a warmer climate for a few days this week with my eldest. 😉