A Davis Halloween

Monday night is when all the trick-or-treating festivities began here in Boone County; however, fall is Mommy’s favorite season (and Daddy’s!), so we did lots of activities leading up to the finale.  Of course, we took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch, enjoying a great fall afternoon with our little family the weekend of October 8th.  On Sunday, October 24^th, we also joined our friends; John, Ashley, Nolan and Emerson for a fun day at Hallzooween.   This is a cute Halloween celebration at the Cincinnati Zoo.  The kids get to wear costumes, watch elephants smash pumpkins and do a little trick-or-treating.  I was so prepared with hats, gloves, snacks, beverages and of course, my camera.  As per usual procedure, I pull the camera out and begin snapping shots as soon as we pull into the parking lot.  I was so bummed to realize that I left the memory card in the computer L  Oh well, no pictures of the event, but I can assure you that fun was had by all (well, the kiddos at least – it was a SUPER crowded day!)

Step 3 of Halloween festivities is, of course, pumpkin carving!  This fun experience took place last Saturday, just a few days before Halloween.  Peanut was really looking forward it!  Last year she wasn’t interested in getting her hands dirty, so I was shocked when she dug right into the mess this year.  Monkey enjoyed a little pumpkin exploring too!  Kate requested one happy face and one scary face.  After much scraping, carving, poking and pushing, we ended up with two of the cutest pumpkins on the street (if I don’t say so myself).  Unfortunately, we did forgo toasting pumpkin seeds this year since I am the only one that will actually eat them.

Monday was the big day!  Mommy picked out a Little Red Riding Hood costume for Kate and an astronaut for Hayes.  Kate, as you already know, idolizes princesses, thus I was concerned she wouldn’t want to wear this adorable costume.  No worries, I told her she was going to be “Little Red Riding Hood Princess” and she was all smiles!  Luckily, the dress was a great “spinner” and she informed everyone when they asked if she was Little Red Riding Hood, that she was not, she was “Little Red Riding Hood Princess”, of course!  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a monkey costume that I loved, which would have obviously been most suitable for our little monkey.  The back-up plan was the big bad wolf, to coordinate with big sister.  Much to my dismay, I couldn’t find anything I loved enough to pay $50 for.  So, I opted for comfy astronaut and the little guy didn’t seem to mind.  After all, he is a heartbreaker no matter what costume he has on!  So, after everyone was dressed and ready to begin, we headed out the door.  Kate quickly met up with all of her neighborhood friends and they literally ran from house to house with smiles on their faces all the way.  The experience of watching your kid trick or treat is almost as exciting as seeing their little face on Christmas morning.  Although Hayes wasn’t sure what was going on, he enjoyed the stroller ride and kid-watching.  He was taking it all in in preparation for next year!

By 7:00, Kate was getting tired (remember – my kiddos start bedtime routine at 7:15 EVERY night!), so we headed home.  Kate really enjoys handing out treats to other kids, so we sat on the front porch, sorted through her treasures and handed out what remaining pretzel bags (I know, I am THAT house!) we had left on the porch for all the ghosts and goblins.  After handing out pretzel bags for about 15 minutes, I notice Kate is giving the kids candy from her basket (even the good chocolate!).  I asked her why she was giving the kids her candy; she responded “Not all kids get candy, Mommy, so I am sharing mine instead of giving them pretzels”.  My heart melted.  We have been talking about how not all kids are as blessed as she is and this is confirmation that she is starting to understand!  I’m not sure what I did to deserve this sweet little girl (and little boy), but I thank God for both of them every night!

One of only a few pictures at the pumpkin patch

corn maze

Hayes wasn't thrilled to be there

Believe it or not, she was actually very excited to ride the pony

Cleaning out the pumpkin

Getting into it!

Monkey getting a little messy

Carving pumpkins takes much concentration

Look what I pulled out, Mom!

Littlel Red Riding Hood Princess, herself

The best picture I could get of the two of the them

Chewing gum, already!

Cheeseball

Our final pumpkins and the treats for the kids in the neighborhood

"It's the scary house, Mom...aren't you proud of me?"

Trying to keep up with all the kids

Chocolate!!!

Sharing with Mommy

Hayes' first taste of candy...and he LOVED it!

Fun times!

Growing Boy

Believe it or not, my baby boy is already nine months old!  Over the last 3 months, the little guy has changed and grown so much.  As a result, this post is all about my little Hayes J

Once this little monkey figured out how to sit up, he was no longer interested in tummy time.  Who wants to lay face down when you can sit up, see everything and use these cool things Mom keeps calling “hands”?  Smart little man, if you ask me (but, then again, I am a bit biased).  So, needless to say, I was convinced that this kid would never crawl; he would one day just take off walking.  Contrary to my expectations, sometime around 8 months, he figured out how to pull/scoot himself from one location to another using those strong arms of his.  This scooting thing; however, was a lot of hard work and it did just seem so much easier to let out a little cry and this lady that calls herself “Mommy” will carry him anywhere he wanted to go.  Slowly, but surely, around the same week he turned nine months, the scooting and the crying technique subsided and this little guy figure out a much easier way to get around…..crawling!  Most importantly, might I add, he figured out how to stand up on EVERYTHING (doors, drawers, tables, toys, couches, etc.).  Mobility opens the world up for a nine month old.  So many new things to explore and do and so little time in the day to get it all done.  It also opens up a new can of responsibilities for this Momma!  Wow this kid is on the move and boy am I in trouble!  In a matter of just a few weeks, he has bruised both cheeks, pulled tables down….and the list goes on.  The kid already climbs the stairs!!  Needless to say, some major baby proofing will soon be underway in this house.

In addition to this whole mobility thing, there are many other very cute and fun things he is doing lately, below are just a few of my favorite:

·         He signs “All done” when he is finished eating and “milk” when he wants his bottle.  He much prefers the bottle over the baby food, so I often see “all done” and then “milk” at dinner time.

·         When we say “Sooo big”, he raises his arms above his head and grins that precious little 4-teeth smile of his.  He learned this from his Nanny.

·         He has just started eating more ‘table food’ – yogurt melts, mashed potatoes (don’t worry – without milk), teething biscuits, fruit, etc.

·         He loves to clap to music.  He knows how to turn on the music in his little house and then he claps through the entire song. 

·         He adores his sleep sack.  When he is really tired and ready for nap or bedtime, he giggles quietly out of excited when he sees his blanket.

·         He has a bit of a temper.  When he gets mad he grips his hands very tightly, grunts and his face turns the brightest shade of red you can imagine.

·         He says “uh-oh”, but with a grunt.  It is hard to explain, but VERY cute.

·      He LOVES shoes.  If there are a pair of shoes on the first floor, he will find them and inevitabily get mad when I take them away.

·      He really enjoys bath time and does his little giggle as soon as he hears the water running.

·         He is a little “Mommy-spoiled”….or so some have told me J  He does tear up every now and then when I walk through the room and don’t pick him up.

·         He loves balls.  He would play with a ball for hours….rolling it, chasing it….

9 month stats:

- 28 inches – 47^th percentile

- 19.8 pounds – 37^th percentile

- Has 4 teeth, two on the bottom came first, quickly followed by the two on top

- Sleeps 12 hour nights (approximately 8-8), plus takes 2 naps a day (1-2 hours each)

- Eats 3 real “meals” a day, followed by a 7 oz bottle.  Typically a “meal” consists of a jar of baby food.  - -- He also has one additional bottle before bed at night. 

- Overall, he is a very healthy, growing little boy

My little monkey is right on track for growth and development.  I am always amazed at how these kids grow and develop so perfectly in just a short time period.  This is, without a doubt, nothing short of a continuation of God’s miracles.  I am so incredibly grateful for my healthy, happy baby boy.  I am doing my very best to enjoy every minute of his first year because it is going by so quickly. 

Below are some recent pictures of one of the two cutest little kiddos that bring so much joy into my life.

Happy boy during bath time

Having fun at the museum

Playing at the museum

Building wtih Kate at the museum

Just a little play time

Kind of "So Big", the end of it anyway

So handsome

I could eat this little grin right up

Clapping while Kate dances

Even while in the walker, he is into everything

"What, Mom?"

Getting into DeDe's toybox

Daddy giving him a taste of ice cream...bad daddy!

Mmmm, good ice cream

Cheeseball

A little bit of that temper

climbing up on his toys

Very first true "solid" - teething biscuit

On a mission to get Daddy's shoes

Gone, But Never Forgotten

My heart breaks as I sit down to write this post. I know it has been some time since my last post as I have been putting this one off for quite some time. I started this blog for many reasons, but one of the primary reasons was for my Grandmother. I knew that even if no one else ever read this blog, my Mommu would read it faithfully. Mommu loved nothing more than to hear cute and funny stories about her great-grandchildren. The best way to cheer her up on a difficult day was to tell her a funny Kate story or to let her hear Kate's sweet voice. When I would take the kids to see her, she would always be so excited to "hear the pitter-patter of little feet" in her house. And when it was time to leave and for the days following, she would tell me how lonely it was not to hear those little feet.

Three weeks ago tomorrow, my dear Grandmother passed away. She was without a doubt the strongest woman I have ever met in my life. It would probably take this entire post for me to list all of the health conditions from which she suffered over her lifetime. She always defied the odds, which is why I think I felt like she was immortal. I knew her body could only take so much and she had to be getting tired, but she always pulled through. So, while those that didn't know her would say that her death was an "expected" loss, I hadn't prepared myself at all. My Dad called me at about 7:30am that Tuesday morning with the news. Both kids were awake and I hate crying in front of them, but I couldn't hold it back. I was shocked and I was deeply saddened. Kate automatically comes to my side, snuggles up on my lap and says "What's wrong Mommy?". I proceed to tell her that I was sad because Mommu went to be with God. She then said to me "Don't be sad Mommy, you will get to see Mommu again one day when you get to be with God". All I could think was "Yes, baby girl, I will and what a joyous day that will be". Not only did Kate say the perfect thing at the perfect time, but I realized that this is the exact reason Mommu loved our kiddos so much. They are as honest as she was.

I could write all night about memories I have with my grandmother, but instead I just want to reminisce about the things I loved and will dearly miss. When you think of a grandmother, you probably think of a sweet old lady. Not Mommu. She wasn't the stereotypical sweet old lady, and to be honest, it wasn't until I got a little older that I learned to LOVE this about her. In fact, her personality is what I remember and love the most. Mommu was a very honest lady that wasn't afraid to tell you what was on her mind, whether you wanted to hear it or not. I remember the first time she met Kevin - she got mad at him for not pulling the chair out for me at Cracker Barrel. This, of course, is how a gentleman is supposed to treat a lady. The good news is that she forgave him and grew to love him very much. She wasn't afraid to tell you if she didn't like your outfit or she thought you had been gaining a little weight. I remember being anxious to hear what Mommu had to say about our wedding - I knew she and only she would tell me the truth! People actually loved her honesty. In fact, the funeral director told us that they had never had that many people at a service. Just before the service began, one of my cousin's turned to the rest of us and said "I'm surprised Mommu had this many friends". We all laughed through the tears.

I am extremely gratefull that just a few weeks before Mommu's passing, I was able to take both Kate and Hayes to see her. As she always loved to do, we visited and, of course, went to lunch. A few sweet memories I have from this visit: She let Kate take the entire bowl of seashells under the table home with us. She had her "normal" at lunch - motzaball soup and fruit salad. She fussed with Poppy about the last time Jeremy came to see her....and she reminded him that he wouldn't win. She told me she thought Kevin and I were great parents - coming from Mommu, this means the world to me. I got to kiss and hug her before I left.

Jeremy and I flew to Florida on Friday morning to be with family and to attend the service on Saturday morning. It was a short few days, but they were bitter-sweet. We all caught up on each other's lives, reminisced, and mourned together over the loss of someone so dear to us. While the loss of a grandparent is very difficult, I was extremely saddened to watch my Grandfather mourn over the loss of the love of his life for the past 60+ years and my Dad the loss of his mother. Death is never easy, but as my Grandmother told me many times "I'm getting old, I'm going to die"...and that is the story of our lifetime here on earth. We only have one, so enjoy every minute and make the best of it because you never know when this breath will be your last. 

To my dearest Mommu, you had a great impact on many lives while you were here on this earth, including mine, and although your body is no longer here, you will never be forgotten.  I love you.

Growing up, we LOVED to dress up in Mommu's clothes, make-up, etc. 
So, we decided to have a little fashion show - she would have LOVED it!

Mommu, Poppy and the boys.  I LOVE this picture

On my wedding day!

She may haunt me for posting this picture, but it was our last visit.
 Hayes' first time meeting her!

Preschool

Believe it or not, my baby girl started 4 year old preschool the first week of September. She was incredibly excited to begin this new journey of "real" school. We first attended orientation a couple weeks before school began. Kate was so excited to see her friends, Nolan and Emily. Unfortunately, Kate was placed in a different class than Nolan and Emily, thus my anxiousness about her expectations. We had been talking for several weeks about what she should expect and how much fun she was going to have meeting new friends and learning new things. She did show some anxiousness about what was to come. She asked some expected questions, such as "Will I take a nap at school?" and "What snack will I get?"(She loves snack time!); however, when she said to me in almost a whisper: "Mommy, I won't have any friends in my class", my heart broke as I had a small glimpse of what was going on in that little mind. As a mother, you want to protect and shelter your child from as much as possible.  The truth is that life is full of uncertainty and regardless of the age, we all face it.  So, instead of protecting her from it, the best I can do is to prepare her.  We talked a lot and most importantly, I listened. We talked every day about school in an attempt to ease some of her anxiety. Just as I knew she would, although she was a bit shy, she had no problem going into her new class while Mommy and Daddy went to discuss 'no fun, grown up things'. It amazes me what a mix she is of me and Kevin. When placed in a new atmosphere, she starts out very quiet and timid (like me), but quickly opens up to be the center of attention (like her Daddy). After seeing her in her class for a mere 20 minutes, I was certain she would adjust just fine.

After orientation, Kate was ready to start school. We counted down the days and talked about what fun she would have until the big day arrived. Up to this point, I had been so focused on preparing her that I hadn't even thought twice about the fact that the first day would be harder on me than it would be on her. Kate attended Goddard for 2 years, which is somewhat like a preschool. As a result, I had no concern about being emotional as I dropped her off on the first day. Was I ever wrong! The first morning of preschool was pretty typical, we hadn't gotten too far out of the routine of getting up, having breakfast and getting dressed to go to Goddard/work, which made things run a little smoother. Daddy stayed home with Monkey and I loaded up our big girl and headed off to this new chapter in her life. She talked all the way to school and got herself unbuckled as soon as we pulled into the drop off line. She hoped out of the car, gave Mommy a big kiss and off she went. As I slowly pulled away, watching her walk into the door, my eyes got blurry and I couldn't hold it back. My baby girl is growing up and it is happening so fast.

She decorated her bag all by herself!

Ready to go!  Toothpaste stain and all :)

Pretty girl

Ready to walk up to her new class

Walking up the stairs as Mommy's
eyes started to get blurry

Eating lunch after school