Happy Halloween!

Well she did it! She dressed up and looked as sweet as sugar! River looked as handsome as can be!

I loved being close to family because I got to see the tough on crime cop, Maggie! The scary, cuddly monster Deakan and his mommy's little pumpkin, sweet Kenna. It was the best Halloween ever!

We only hit up a few houses but when we came home I was able to see my daughter's loving spirit as she happily passed out candy to each child who approached. She smiled and waved saying, "Happy Halloween, Everybody!" And "that's the best costume ever!" She was happier to give than to receive and it was precious.

River could barely get to bed because he was so happy to see costumes and be social. It was a blast and I know this house wishes we could do it every day!

Halloween!

This year I am happy to announce that my girl is so excited to wear her cupcake costume she is beside herself.  After last year I thought we would be scarred for life after our wrestling match to get it on.  So, stay tuned for pictures. I can't wait!

And, if the anticipation is killing you....River is going as Alvin, and he looks SO HANDSOME!

Wordless Wednesday

8 Months Old!

Sweet Baby Laughs

Kisses

Reese has always been a lover. She gives kisses. Blows kisses. Squeezes tighter than a vice. She's probably the kid germaphobes fear. Enter River....

Reese obviously loves him and gives him tons of kisses. She's always going up to him saying, "hi piggy piggy!" (I assume that's what she's saying....it's her pet name for him.) So now Riv is interested in getting in on the action. He's started giving kisses left and right. He hasn't gotten the memo that kisses are closed-mouthed but they're still sweet. He will grab my face so he can bring me over for a kiss. It's doreble!!

Sorry to the germaphobes in my life, my sweet baby boy might crawl around on the floor or go eye to eye with the dogs but I'm going to let him kiss me anytime he wants!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

The Countdown!

Birthdays are getting to be a big event in our house. Reese finally really gets it and she is so excited for her pahrtee. Every day she works birthdays into conversation and she is just beside herself with enthusiasm.

Tonight we got a shirt I ordered for her in the mail. It has a big 3 on it and it has been so hard for her to understand that it's just not quite time yet. Here's how the conversation went down:
"Mom? Tell dad to bring in the candles."
"What candles?"
"The birthday candles!"

(Enter dad)
"Dad! Where's my birthday cake and candles?"
"Reese, we still have lots of days time til your party."
"Okay! Wait dad! My cake is so hot, we can't eat it til it cools off! The candles might burn you!"
"What cake? It's not your birthday yet."
"Okay! Mom? Can you get River's CD player and play songs at my party so I can shake my booty?"

She's excited.

So we are marking days on the calendar and trying to keep the anticipation fun but manageable. She's asked that I please get cups and napkins for everyone(Um, OCD?). And can I please invite all her sugar muffins? There is only to be pink, strawberry cupcakes as well.

And as I write this I hear I am to be buying balloons too. She's following us around telling us to blow the balloons up please!

So here's to the exciting anticipation of birthday #3!! Lord help this month go quick!

Sibling Love

My kids love each other.  Like really love each other.  Totally. 

They do such sweet things together and it makes a Mama's heart feel good.  The other night in the car they sat and giggled all the way home.  Reese would scream, PEEK a boo!  And River would laugh and laugh.  Then they'd both look at each other and cackle.  It was precious.

Another thing they love to do together is sing.  Okay, maybe not together.  Maybe Reese sings and River laughs but it's cute.  Reese is really into Doc McStuffins and she sings a song called I Feel Better.  Reese loves it and really gets into belting it out to the back row.  Last night she was singing to River and really got down by squeezing her eyes shut and thrusting her arms in the air on the last note.  He looked at her like she just won American Idol.  So did I.  She's DORble!

He loves when his big sister feeds him at night.  He pats her face as he crawls across the floor.  And no one can make that kid laugh like his big sister. 

Having two kids has been hard.  I still am not completely confident to have them both to myself for a long time, even though we do it a lot.  But this sibling love, oh dear, it's the best.  Watching requited, pure, and whole-hearted love is life's greatest gift.  Receiving love is wonderful.  Giving love is better.  But watching the two most beautiful beings in your life give love to one another....well, it's beyond words. 

My River-Monster

My sweet boy gave his Mama a huge scare yesterday.  Part of the difficulty of being a baby is the inability to communicate to your Mama.  You can't tell her your tummy hurts or that you are tired and need a nap.  You can't say that you have a poopy diaper and that you would like a clean one, please.  And most of all you can't tell her that a wasp has gotten ahold of you and that dammit, it hurts.

Yesterday as we were leaving for our day, River suddenly screamed and caused me enough alarm to rush in immediately to see what was up.  His hands were swollen and red and I couldn't figure out why.  I consoled him and ended up taking him to the sitter hoping Children's Mercy advice line would ease my mind by the time I got to work.  This did not happen.  In fact, they called me (once I was in another county) to tell me they thought I should take him to the ER immediately.  I got to work, found a sub, and headed out the door.

After a long wait and a skeptical doctor, I found out that he reacted to something but we were unclear as to what it was.  I got home, dug around where he was for any allergen-rich items and found a wasp right where he was.  We quickly summed up that he probably had been stung or had some kind of contact with the venom and that he is allergic.  Great.

I wish he could've told me what was wrong.  I wish I would've looked around harder when it happened.  I
wish he wasn't allergic to stings, because what a bummer that is going to be in his life. 

The good news is, the swelling is gone. My baby is happy and at least we know what happened. And that's what really matters.