Halloween

The big day finally arrived, and everyone got into costume (well, everyone but Mom and Dad ... of course). We did a small photo shoot in the yard before heading out to trick-or-treat. Its pretty challenging to get two kids and a dog, all in costume, to sit nicely together and take a picture :)

Ryan had a hard time in the role of a scary dragon, so he had to settle for cute dragon instead. It suited him perfectly.

Brooke, on the other hand, had no time filling the role of a princess.

It was finally time to trick-or-treat! Both kids started off at the house next door. Ryan couldnt keep his eyes off our neighbors costume, and couldnt figure out what was going on. Brooke tried to fill him in, but he wasnt interested. He spent the rest of the time in the stroller while his big sister hit about 40 houses ;)

At the end of the night, Brooke sifted through her loot. She was pretty excited. Her first choice was a black-and-orange sucker, but we told her to save it for tomorrow (it was almost 8PM and we didnt want to be up all night!). Her second choice was a Twix bar. She polished that off and asked for a second. We agreed, and she chose some black and orange candies that turned her mouth and face black. She then tried to "talk about it" and negotiate herself into a third piece of candy. We shut her down and put the sugar-loaded-princess to bed.

Sunday She Said

"My mouth is on my forehead"

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"Dawn? What are you doing on your phone, Dawn?"  
(Yes, she has taken to calling me Dawn.)

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Halloween Parade

We went to the annual neighborhood parade which was followed by some trick-or-treating at some of the local stores. The "parade" is actually a firetruck, followed by a marching band from the local high school ... and then all the kids from our community dressed in their Halloween best. Brooke was really excited, and has been since last year. She remembers the parade from last year and has talked about it on and off since then. In the days leading up to the parade she practiced marching and saying "trick-or-treat" almost nonstop.



When it was time for the parade, both she and Ryan were all business.

Luckily, each one of them took a tiny moment to smile ... then it was back to marching and collecting candy.


Princess Brooke

Ryan The Dragon

A Box of Trouble

Sunday She Said

Brooke: Me and Lennox was holding hands.
Mom:  Thats nice.  Is he your friend?
Brooke: Yeah.  Sometimes he hits people.

Prima Ballerina

Brooke started ballet again today. Thank goodness, because she's been itching to go for months.

Despite the fact she hasn't been in months, didn't know the teacher, and didn't know the other kids ... She was in full force. Brooke was at the head of the class (literally) for everything they did, right behind (or next to) the teacher for every single move.

And next week, her favorite teacher takes over the class. Hope she is ready for her little shadow!

The Little Tinkerer

When Brooke was little, she was into everything. Now she doesnt tinker as much - she is more of a thinker than a doer. I'm not sure her brother will follow that same path. He's a natural tinkerer, and he is getting into all the same trouble she did ... earlier. He also is doing things that she would have never dreamed of ;)

As for his current trick? He found the light switch.

Brooke did the same thing, but Ryan did it about 2 months earlier than her!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Daddy

With 2 Bonus Tracks!

Sunday She Said

An Adele video comes on television ...

"Why does she look so sad?"


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"I have a baby at my work and he climb up the stairs by himself"

Pumpkin Patch

Went for a quick trip to the pumpkin patch with the goal of getting a few pumpkins. We were there for about 5 minutes and Brooke already had the entire wagon filled with little pumpkins, claiming they were all for "Baby Ryan". We explained to her that everyone was going to get one pumpkin, and that we would like to get a few big ones in addition to some small ones. At the end of the trips we walked away with five pumpkins, one for Brooke, one for Ryan, one for Mommy, one for Daddy, and one for Wrigley.


Brooke was very interested in the pumpkins, but even more so in all of the rides and carnival-stuff at the farm. It was fairly easy to explain to her that she was too little for those rides, but I dont think that excuse will fly next year. I think we will have to look for some other less commercial options for next year - more pumpkins, less flash :)


Either way, everyone had a lot of fun and we ended up with a great selection of pumpkins. Next on the to-do list is carving one ;)

Neighborhood Watch

Future Marathon Volunteer

Sunday She Said

"I'm cold"

(takes off pants)

"Now I'm warmed up"


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Mom: I'll get you a towel.
Brooke: I dont need it.  I'll pretend my tongue is a towel.

Brooke's 3rd Birthday Party

Today we had family over to celebrate Brooke's 3rd birthday. Brooke only had one request - a Dora cake. I thought it would be an easy feat, but it turns out there are only so many different Dora cakes you can get. She had one last year, and most of the stores only had that same one. I had to call four different stores until I found one that had the right pieces/toy in stock to make an alternative Dora cake. Honestly, she wouldn't have minded a cake repeat. I was the one who just couldnt get my kid the same cake two years in a row. I'm hoping we are out of the Dora phase by her 4th Birthday, or else I'm gonna have to get really creative in the cake department ;)

As for the party, Brooke got some great presents. While Mom & Dad were happy that both Grandmas got her some cool clothes, the disappointment on Brooke's face was more than obvious.  She received a lot of books, the one thing she can never get enough of.  Uncle Tim and Aunt Jackie made her day with a remote-controlled Barbie convertible - a hit with both Brooke and Ryan!

Brooke made a wish and blew out her candles, but wasn't too pleased with all of the attention that was placed on her.   Luckily, all was forgotten as she ate the frosting off of her piece of cake.

My Uncle & Aunt Went To Aruba...

And all I got was this dumb tshirt

Hey, where is my tshirt?

Ha Ha! Look at my awesome tshirt! You didnt get one!

Big Sister Duties

Being a Big Sister is a lot of responsibility

Bike Envy

Big sister still napping. He just tried it out for a second.
Her helmet and bike are just so cool! Shhh :)

Ryan is 11 Months Old

Weight:23.4 lbs
Height:29.5 inches

According to What to Expect the First Year, at 11 months Ryan...

should be able to

• get into a sitting position from stomach X
• pick up tiny object with any part of thumb and finger X
• understand "no" (but not always obey it)X

will probably be able to

• play patty-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye X
• walk holding on to furniture (cruise) X
• point or gesture to something to get needs met he just goes and gets it himself!

may possibly be able to

• pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumb and forefinger X
• stand alone momentarily I think he can, but he wont try ;)
• say "dada" or "mama" discriminately doesnt appear to know Mom & Dad
• say one word other than "mama" or "dada" says ball, dance, no, oh-oh, moo, hi, done and all done

may even be able to

• stand alone well
• indicate wants in ways other than crying
• "play ball" (roll ball back to you)
• drink from a cup independently X
• use immature jargoning (gibberish that sounds as if baby is talking in a made-up foreign language) X
• say three ore more words other than "mama" or "dada" X
• respond to a one-step command with gestures ("Give that to me," said with hand out) X
• walk well

X means Ryan can do this at 11months

Oh No He Didnt

Gave Ryan a nice bath today. He LOVES the water. He was going nuts, yelling, grunting and splashing. Water was everywhere and I was soaked. Then, he made a different kind of grunting noise. He stopped his crazy business and just looked at me for a second. Hmm. Then he resumed his splashing.

Thats when I saw it.

Yup, he pooped in the tub.

So, out he came. Party time was over and clean-up-the-poop-in-the-tub time began.

Sunday She Said

Mom: What do you want to do for your birthday?
Brooke: Go to Paige's house. (pause) And get a weasel ball.

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Looking at her Birthday present from Ryan on the counter...
"I wonder what he got me?  Maybe a saw flamingo!"

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(Heading home from a wedding)
I am going to get married too ... When I'm eleven.

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(Heard singing a song while from her bed in the early am)
Cow, good singing about it! I'm gonna tell my Mommy and Daddy I'm so proud of you!

Guess Who Is Getting Married?

Well that would depend on whether or not you believe in the girl-who-catches-brides-boquet-is-next-to-be-married tradition. If you do, then it would appear that Brooke is next in line to get married, as she scrambled for (and came up with) the bouquet at a family wedding yesterday.

I'm sure you are thinking, "But she is too young to get married!"


Dont worry. On the car ride home from the wedding she announced that she would get married when she is eleven. So luckily, we've got eight years to plan her wedding. Unfortunately, if you believe the tradition, all those single ladies from the wedding are gonna have to wait another eight years till they get their chance to walk down the aisle. Sorry girls!

Brooke is Three!