Halloween Preparation and Practice

We did some pre -Halloween activities, Vivian's costume came so she wanted to try it on.  She choose to be a vampire, I painted her face and she put the whole thing together.  Then she looked in the mirror and said, "no mom, I wanted a butterfly on my face."

I said, "so this is usually how people dress up as vampires."

She just looked at me.

"Viv?" I asked, "do you know what a vampire is?"

"No," she said.  

I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised.  She went through the catalog that came in the mail and "chose" several costumes, until I figured out she was choosing only the costumes in which the models were wearing high heels.  We had a long talk about how the costumes didn't come with shoes and how she was not wearing high heels on Halloween.  I think the vampire costume was just the next best choice to her.

 Lanie by default is either Curious George or an owl (costumes we currently have in the house).  She wore the owl costume to go to a Halloween celebration with her caregiver.  Ironically she is currently scared of monkeys but loves Curious George.  However, looking in the mirror with the hat on also alarms her.  It just seemed like a warm choice for Halloween night.  Sam wants to be a mummy, which is fine as long as the gauze stays wrapped.  We went with gauze instead of toilet paper in case it rains.

Practice round to my parent's neighbors, MaryEllen and Mark.  Sam is half wrapped.

 On another note, they actually participated in carving pumpkins this year, I guess I complained enough about getting left with the pumpkins that they did it.  Vivian wanted a skeleton with flames, we settled for just a skeleton face and Sam pretty much did his by himself.  Lanie choose the littlest pumpkin she could find and then got distracted because we got "Booed" mid carving and she started to eat candy.  She drew "numbers" on hers (I think she was copying how Sam does his homework), but I carved a smiley face. 

Finished products.

 There's a street in our town where every house has a skeleton dressed differently with props.  It's really fun to walk down and check out.  Unfortunately I'm pretty sure Lanie dropped her prize Barbie somewhere on the street, she had earned it potty training and would not put it down.  Of course it's now long gone.

Jack's Attire

Until we can rectify the situation, Jack is wearing Sam's old shirts.  Good to have extra old clothes on hand occasionally.

Jack's Haircut

It was getting to the point where Jack possibly couldn't see through his fur so I booked him an appointment at local groomer. 

He returned looking like a whole different dog.  I might have thought he was a different dog until he pooped on the floor, perhaps to punish us for taking him, perhaps to prove it was really him.

When Lanie woke up from her nap she was sitting on the couch with him and I asked her where Jack was.
"Oh, he at store getting a hair-cut."
"Oh," I said, "who's that?"
She regarded Jack, "a doggie."
"What doggie?" I asked.
"Dis doggie momma."
"Is it Jack?" I asked.
"No, this is different doggie."  Not at all perturbed that she was hanging out with a strange dog in the living room.

Poor little patchy guy, now we need to find him a doggie sweater and jacket.  Vivian keeps wrapping him in blankets.

Lanie's Fan Club

At dismissal at the children's school the other day, I was trying to finish something up on my laptop, so Lanie went to hang out with a mother we know.  She was loving the attention and a little group of children proceeded to gather around her.  She ended up bossing them around, "you run!" and they'd do a lap around the playground.  "You fall!" and they'd drop to the ground.
She thought this was great fun.

Spinning at the Playground

We find it way too funny when the kids get off the spinning equipment and can't walk in a straight line. 

Autumn Walk

I was taking a walk with the girls at a local cemetery and trying to get them to take some photos for me with the foliage (video below).

A woman happened by with her daughter and offered to take one of the three of us.  She only took two, but it was probably the best two photos I have for the past few years.

When mom tries to take a photo.

"Um, um,...."

Jack and the Doll

 It appeared innocent and cuddly, but he likes to chew up plastic and cuddly toys.  Lanie was not thrilled.

Apple Picking

 Apple picking and fall activities last weekend with my mom.  The apples weren't perfect, but everyone enjoyed.  We also ate lots of donuts and have made a bunch of applesauce.  Hopefully we'll get around to making an apple pie this weekend.

 

When They Get the Phone

Toddler Soccer

Fast forward through a a chaotic and exhausting beginning to school to mid fall and the chaos of toddler soccer (using a credit that needed to be used before it expired).