Halloween Festivities

This year's Halloween was probably one of the best ever. Last year, Jacob couldn't quite grasp the concept of trick or treating, and used Halloween as an opportunity to sprint up and down the street wearing a lion costume. At only 2 months old this time last year, Alex was too young to trick or treat. So he wore a pumpkin onesie and hung around the house. But THIS year was great. Jacob understood that we were not just out for an evening jog, but that we actually had to knock on doors. And while Alex needed occasional prodding to approach the door with his bucket, he did a good job of following the lead of the big kids.
The boys were able to trick or treat twice this year. Grandmom's & Granddad's community host a neighborhood trick or treating session at their clubhouse. Instead of going door to door, the adults sit on the curb around a circular drive, and kids go from person to person. It's simple and fun, and the kids enjoy getting dressed up in their costumes. During his first trick or treating experience this year, Jacob opted to dress as Superman and save Spiderman for Halloween. Alex was disguised as the Incredible Hulk. A fitting costume choice as sometimes they seem to have matching tempers (which I'm allowed to say since I'm pretty sure he inherited his from me). :)
In addition to trick or treating twice, Nan & Pop Pop joined me and the boys on our excursion to a pumpkin patch on Halloween day. We had a good time, and after we got home, Jacob played with the guts of the 2 pumpkins I carved.
Here are some pictures from our week of Halloween festivities.

Superman & The Hulk.



Who's under that witch hat? Superman & the Hulk recognized Grandmom.



After they went trick or treating, Granddad continued his annual tradition of carving pumpkins with his grandkids. Jacob loves pumpkin guts. Even Alex braved the pumpkin gut texture, hence the scrunched up nose.



The final product and a picture with the pumpkin carving artist.


Fast forward to Halloween Day, and here we are at the pumpkin patch! First stop: the Bumpy Slide. Jacob slid down approximately 38 times. Even Pop Pop & I joined in the fun. I can't say for sure whether Alex enjoyed the Bumpy Slide. He didn't crack a smile during any of his rides down, but yet, he kept wanting to go again.




The pumpkin patch also had several barnyard animals, including chickens, goats, and cows. There was a wooden cow you could pretend to milk, and water (I think- I didn't get close enough due to my disinterest in faux milking) came out of the "udders".


Alex & a goat having a staring contest. The goat looked away first. Alex wasn't sure what to think about the animals roaming around.


The hay ride was a little bumpy, but the boys enjoyed it. Initially, Alex wasn't sure about the texture of the hay, but he eventually relaxed on Nan's lap.



The boys with their Nan & Pop Pop. I was glad they joined us, not only for their extra pairs of hands & eyes to help with boys who like to run around, but also for their company.


We also walked through the corn maze. This is another moment I was grateful for Nan & Pop Pop's presence. With my sense of direction, who knows how long the boys & I would have been roaming through stalks of corn.



A monster in the corn maze.


Jacob enjoyed feeding the baby goat kernels of corn.


Who is that with the boys? Oh, that's their mother! The one who's almost always the one behind the camera!


After we got home from the pumpkin patch, and I carved 1 happy pumpkin & 1 mad pumpkin (Jacob's requests), it was time to head over to Scott's & Tricia's for a traditional Halloween spaghetti dinner with them, Grandmom, Granddad, and Nani. First, the boys had to try on Daddy's costume. Every year, Jeff wears a wig. I'm not really sure who he's supposed to be.



After dinner, I wiped off orange spaghetti faces, and the boys were transformed into Spiderman & the Incredible Hulk!


Our trick or treating buddies. Daniel & Lainey going incognito as Batman & Batgirl. (Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)


Spiderman & Batman. There were moments when these two handsome superheroes battled it out over whose turn it was to ring the doorbell, but they enjoyed trick or treating together. (Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)


Two little cuties. (Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)


Nan & Uncle Chris stayed at our house to answer the door while we were trick or treating. Pop Pop joined us on our quest to ring the doorbell of every single house in the neighborhood whose lights were on. Mission accomplished. We came across many other familiar faces, including Grandmom (who also braved the chilly air to walk with us), Granddad, and Aunt Kerri & Uncle Matt.
(Photo Credit: Uncle Matt)


Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)

(Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)



4 Superhero trick or treaters. (Photo credit: Aunt Tricia)


Spiderman on the move.


The Incredible Hulk, doing his best to match the speed of Spidey & Batman. All of that muscle weighs him down just a bit.


"I love you, candy."


Spiderman's best buddy is Batman. And I think Batman likes Spidey, too.


Aunt Tricia captured this sweet moment between two cousins. Alex loves Lainey, and I know Lainey loves her "Allie".


Can you see why we've had so much fun this Halloween? Two opportunities for the boys to wear their costumes, get twice the candy, enjoy the pumpkin patch, and then get to trick or treat with their cousins/best friends, who also happen to be their neighbors?
Hope everyone had as happy of a Halloween as we did!

Jacob's Little Buddy

It's a sure bet Jacob likes you if he informs you that you're his "little buddy". Several people have had the distinct privilege of falling into this category. Please don't be offended if you are an adult and you have not been referred to as this. So far it seems to be reserved for fellow children and certain stuffed animals. And as of today, a certain fruit has jumped to the top of the list of Little Buddies.
Allow me to introduce you to Jacob's newest buddy. When I selected him from among his peers, my mission was to find a pumpkin suitable for a preschool project. There was no way I could foresee that I was also choosing my son's new friend.



Little buddy is only an affectionate nickname. The real name given to him by Jacob is Daniel Scott Higdon, Jr. Name sound familiar? That's Jacob's cousin. I hope Daniel is honored that he has a namesake in Jacob's pumpkin.
Daniel the Pumpkin is cute, isn't he? Jacob decorated him at school. I'm unsure what the nail above his left eye is supposed to represent. Jacob said he doesn't know either. My guess is a cool eyebrow piercing, perhaps? This is one edgy pumpkin. I can explain the rubber band around his eyes, however. Those are his spectacles.
Me: "Jacob, is your pumpkin wearing glasses? That's so silly!"
Jacob: (very serious) "Mommy, some punkins have glasses and some don't."

Poor eyesight is never a laughing matter.

All evening, Jacob has carried the pumpkin around with him.
"Mommy, can my punkin come upstairs with me?"
"Mommy, my punkin wants to watch TV."
"Mommy, can my punkin sleep with me?"

I told him Daniel the Pumpkin couldn't sleep in his bed, but that he could watch Jacob sleep from the dresser. Before we could even head to his bedroom, though, snuggling with Pumpkin put Jacob right to sleep.



Goodnight, little buddies! I wonder what games Jacob & Daniel will play tomorrow?

Short & Sweet

Attention! As of just 2 days ago, we are free & clear of fevers, viruses, nausea, vomit, and diarrhea! How long will I be able to say that everyone in the house is healthy? I'm enjoying it while it lasts.
I just had to share a few recent Jacob quotes. This post will be short, but I'm pretty sure I can guarantee its sweetness & cuteness.

This week it seems Jacob is experiencing a growth spurt. Naturally this would happen after he's just gotten a bunch of new fall & winter clothes since last year's don't fit. I can't seem to keep his belly full for very long. So, one day this week, he requested yet another snack. I offered him strawberry yogurt, and he eagerly accepted.
He hurried to his seat at the table, but in his enthusiasm, missed the chair, and landed smack on his butt. It was a hard thud, and he cried for a minute or two. A little bit of comforting from Mommy and the reminder that his yogurt was waiting to be inhaled did the trick. He climbed up in the chair (successfully this time). A few bites into it, he said, "Dis yogurt makes my butt feel better."
Behold, the healing powers of yogurt.


In our house, we have 4 stuffed Curious George monkeys. We have an old, well-loved George that was my favorite stuffed animal when I was a little girl. And then we have 3 Curious George dolls that all look exactly alike, except vary in size. Think small, medium, and large; the small one is a mere 6 inches tall and is one of Jacob's favorite stuffed toys. His other favorite is a sea turtle wearing a blue hoodie. We found it at the beach and he immediately took to it. Sometimes he'll sleep with one or both of them, and other times he'll just walk around holding them. Sometimes, he has to do what all daddies do, and breastfeed them before putting them down for a nap.
A few days ago, he walked up to me, holding one in the crook of each arm.
Jacob: "Dese are my babies."
Me: "Aww, that's sweet, Jacob."
Jacob: "Dey were in my belly."
Me: "Really?"
Jacob: "Yes, You know how dem got dere?"
Me: "How?"
Jacob: "Jesus put dem dere."
So sweet.

This morning, as I was packing bags for our day trip to Grandmom's & Granddad's lake house, the boys were playing, and Jeff was serenading us with his falsetto version of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". We all endured many, MANY high-pitched repetitions of "Ooohhhh, I wanna dance with somebody! I wanna feel the heat with somebody!". Finally, Jacob stopped playing with his toys, approached Jeff, and said somewhat begrudgingly:
"Otay. I will dance with you."
I guess Jacob was also tiring of Jeff's Whitney impression.

Just had to share. I'll update soon with a picture post!

Sweet Ending to a Long Day

Children have a way of effortlessly lifting the lowest of spirits and making you smile in spite of your frustration, sadness, or bad mood.
Today was a long day. It's a hard job taking care of kids all day, especially when one of them is sick. And, that job is made harder when the caregiver isn't feeling so well herself. Our day started early (way too early for my taste) and involved lots of whining, fatigue, fevers, coughing, runny noses, misbehaving, and tantrums. But tonight, as I'm getting ready to go to sleep, I'm thinking of a few sweet things the boys did that made my heart melt.

I was sitting on the floor in the family room, surrounded by toys, thinking of the housework I needed to finish and the dinner I hadn't started yet. Every time I got up to leave the room, Alex threw a fit. He has been especially attached to me lately. So, I was feeling a little tired & grumpy, wondering how I was going to get everything done in time, when I look up to see a pair of big blue eyes gazing at me. Alex was watching me, and when I looked up, he smiled at me. Impossible not to smile back. Then, he walked over to me, put his arm around my neck, and leaned in to press his cheek against mine. It was like he was thanking me for staying in the room and playing with him & Jacob. All of his whining was forgiven & forgotten in that moment.

And Jacob, even though he's sick, still managed to be his usual sweet self. He is usually a very polite little boy, but today, he was the king of etiquette and a regular Mr. Manners.
Because of his fever, I was pushing fluids this morning, offering him everything I could think of. When I suggested "white soda" (probably known to you as Sprite), he nodded. I ran downstairs, made his white soda just the way he likes it (Sprite on the rocks and topped off with a little bit of water), ran back upstairs, and handed him his cup.
Jacob: "Fank (thank) you for my white soda, Mommy, but I don't need it right now." At least he turned me down politely. And he did end up drinking it 2 minutes later.

I press my lips to the boys' foreheads in order to determine whether I need to check for a fever. My hands are unreliable. Every time I kissed Jacob's forehead today, he looked at me and said, "Fank you, Mommy."

And my favorite...I did get around to cooking that dinner tonight. It was stressful because Alex was clinging to my leg and crying and the meal took longer to bake than I thought it would. After we finally sat down to eat, Jacob melted away all of the evening's stress & frustration and made me smile.
Jacob: "Yummy, I like dis chicken, Mommy. It's so good."
Me: "Good, I'm glad you like it, buddy. I like it too."
Jacob: "Fank you for makin' dinner, Mommy." And when I looked up at him to smile and say, "You're welcome", he was looking at me with such a loving expression and genuine appreciation.
So sweet. I wonder if he'll remember to thank his wife one day? :)

I love my sweet boys.

It's That Time of Year

I love fall. I love the temperatures, the weather, the colors of the leaves...and by the time summer is ending, I'm eager to see the boys with their cute little jean butts. This season also means I'll get to see the boys in their Halloween costumes trick-or-treating together, and that Thanksgiving & Christmas are just around the corner.
But I HATE that this is the time of year when we all start getting sick!
Alex was sick first with some sort of virus. Luckily, the only symptom appeared to be a fever, and it was over after a couple of days. Next, I'm dealing with a bad cold, leaving me with a fun sinus headache, fatigue, congestion, and a voice that decides on its own when it wants to function properly. It likes to take a break when I'm telling Alex to stop playing in our new kitchen trash can. But that may be because I have to repeat myself 18 times. We used to keep our trash in a bag on the floor of the pantry, but Jeff splurged last weekend, and bought a nice, tall trash can to keep in our kitchen. It's one of Alex's new toys. Countless times, I've looked over at him and he's holding junk mail, a paper plate, a balled up tissue, or any other number of different types of trash. Today, I found Jacob's shoe and Alex's sippy cup in the trash. I have a pretty good idea how they got there.
But, I digress...back to illnesses. Yesterday, after Alex & I picked Jacob up from preschool, I noticed he had a high fever. Ever since Jacob's febrile seizure in March, I get a knot in my stomach every time he has a fever. So far, the only symptom seems to be the high fever and lack of appetite. Hopefully, it's the same little virus Alex had, and it'll be over by tomorrow.
Jeff is the only one who has dodged the bullet so far. Last year, he got us all sick with the flu. I told him recently that this year, we're ALL getting the flu shot. Maybe that can be one illness we avoid this winter.
Alright, enough about symptoms & illnesses. This isn't WebMD.

Anyone looking to hire a babysitter? Jacob can help you out!
Jacob is the extra pair of eyes that I need around this house. He has become quite skilled at pointing out when Alex is being mischevious. He doesn't tattle on himself, of course. But he'll let me know in a heartbeat when Alex is up to no good.
Alex has good timing. He knows to wait until Mommy is in the bathroom to climb on the computer desk. Or to wait until Mommy has stepped into the kitchen to do some dishes to climb up on the back of the chair. His new thing lately (aside from digging through trash) is to climb up on top of the kitchen table and have a seat. Or stand and try to reach the chandelier.
Suddenly, I'll hear, "Mommy, LOOK!"
In the beginning, I'd respond with, "What is it, Jacob?"
Jacob: "Alex!!!"
But now I've learned that whenever I hear this exclamation, it means Alex is doing something he shouldn't. And when I approach Alex to correct the situation and thank Jacob for his help, I can almost hear him thinking, "All in a day's hard work. She should be paying me for this."

Jacob is also the Poopy Police.
"Mommy, smell Alex's diaper. He pooped."
A few days ago, Jacob declared dramatically, "Peeeyeeeew! Something stinks and his name is Alex!"

Earlier this week, I was summoned to the family room by Jacob.
"Mommy, look at my hair!"
His hair was drenched and plastered to his head. What in the world?
Me: "How did your hair get wet?"
Jacob: "I washed it."
Me: "You washed it with what? A wet wipe?"
Jacob: (smiling and cocking his head to the side) "No."
Me: "Then what did you use?" And then it dawns on me. "Did you use spit?"
Jacob: "No, I no use spit. I licked my fingers like dis and den did dis." (and he proceeds to demonstrate by slicking his hair down with fingers drenched with saliva)
Me: "Well, that's spit. Don't put spit in your hair because that's dirty."
Jacob: "No, it's not. Dat's clean water." (points to his hair) "My hair look good?"
Me: (laughing) "Not really. I don't like hair with spit in it."
Jacob: "How 'bout now?" (and runs his fingers through his hair to spike it) "It looks crazy?"

So you can see the latest trend in hairstyles, I've included a picture. It's a style so easy to maintain, a 3 year old can do it himself.



Yesterday, since Jacob & I were feeling sick, the boys' aunt Tricia offered to give me a break and take Alex off my hands for a little while. Have I mentioned lately how awesome it is to live right up the street from them? So, brave Aunt Tricia took my wild little climber, and my niece & nephew, to our neighborhood playground. It was great for Alex to get out of the house (he loves being outside) and nice for me & Jacob to be sick buddies together and get some rest. I guess Tricia decided while she was there to have an Alex photo shoot. I'm glad she did because she got some great shots. I have to share these, and all photo credits go to Aunt Tricia! By the way, she confirmed that Alex is an avid climber.

"Heehee, I wonder if Aunt Tricia knows what she's gotten herself into."

"I saw my cousin, Daniel, do this, so of course I have to try it too."

I told you he can climb everything!

"Wow, look how high I am! I had no idea I was such a good climber. Must be from all of that practice at home."

I love this picture! Tricia asked, "Where is Daniel?" He knows his cousin, that's for sure.

"Hi."

No words come to mind except, "I am so stinkin' cute and I know it. Let me sit here and pose."


I did mention how great it is to live so close to them, right? :) We all love Aunt Tricia, Uncle Scott, and their cousins, Daniel & Lainey.

And speaking of terrific aunts & uncles, we're lucky to have another set of them. We love Aunt Kerri & Uncle Matt, and are also really enjoying living on the same street as they do. Jacob especially likes when Aunt Kerri drops by and he can rope her into playing Power Rangers with him. The boys love their Aunt Kerri & Uncle Matt.

A loving gaze.

Alex discovered he has the power to make people clap if he claps first.

Aunt Kerri makes a good frog.

Boo! Jacob had to try it out, too.

"Aunt Kerri has the most delicious nose in the whole world."


I'll write again soon when we aren't so busy being sick!