And the Best Costume Goes to...

OF COURSE Patrick wins-look at those ears! He also enjoyed his first ever lollipop which kept him occupied until Tom finished up with his costume. Patrick was Mickey, I was a Minnie Mom, and Tom went as Walt Disney. Tom's costume was a pretty good likeness, I thought at least.

Grandma Jeanne came over to help out- we'll have to work on getting her into a costume next year.

The highlight of my evening-spray painting Tom's hair.

Walt and Mickey heading out for some loot.
Patrick's first door-to-door Halloween!

And at the end of the night, a family tradition: we wound down with some classic Charlie Brown.

Look, Patrick, it's the Great Pumpkin...

The Power of Four

About a month and a half ago, one of the moms in our neighborhood had the idea to organize a kid's neighborhood costume parade for Halloween. Three others, including myself, jumped aboard our informal planning committee and voila- a successful Halloween block party, complete with firetruck (thanks to Daddy and Fireman Brian). What four moms can achieve!


Patrick is Mickey this year (not a bumblebee??? as someone at the parade declared), and he actually didn't mind the costume on once we were somewhere with lots of distractions.

I loved his little tail...

The truck was a huge hit- the kids got to sit in driver's seat and explore the interior a little.

Baba came over to help wrangle Patrick in his costume-we also figured out that this year we wouldn't be able to drive Patrick to visit anyone before trick-or-treat because the Mickey costume was too bulky for car seat and there was NO way we were putting this costume on a squirming screaming child more than once a night.

Mickey and Minnie Mom

The two girls carrying the banner are the organizer's daughters and my next door neighbors!

Patrick marching like a pro.

Patrick and one of his playmates, Ella

Patrick and his Buddy Ben.

Type A Personality Meets Basement Clutter

We started out with this...

Which my husband organized here...

And leaves us with a much more manageable pile to tackle! Unfortunately, the carpet is now visible, but that's another project for another day!

Some days, Tom's type A tendencies drive me bonkers, but this weekend it actually came in handy! Tom has been doing double duty as lawyer by day and handyman by weekend. I don't tell him enough, but I know how much he does for us and love him for it.

15 Weeks-and Growing!

This is roughly a 15 week photo of an obvious belly. Patrick is constantly giving kisses to baby and I can't wait to find out in a few more weeks whether he'll be having a little brother or sister. I bought all the necessary tools to start the wallpaper stripping project in the nursery and pray that this stuff comes off fairly easily. I read online that you can use a clothes steamer, which I already have, on stubborn areas if needed. As soon as I start feeling better, I am ready to tackle that job.

The Laws of Physics

1. Plan something at your house, send out invites, and then get sick (along with child) two days prior which results in cancellation of event.

2. Can't find flipflops nearby so decide to venture into basement barefoot for the first time to fetch something from basement fridge. Step on stink bug. (Basement carpeting very well may have been installed in 1970's-therefore the importance of footwear)

3. Go to the store, only to discover the very next day that you now need one more important item (second humidifier for above referenced illnesses). Go back to store with sick child in tow.

4. Sick child sleeps less, not more. Sick Grown-up needs to sleep more.

On a positive note, as I changed Patrick's diaper yesterday, I glanced out his window only to see three young deer curled up under a tree in our backyard while it drizzled. We have been seeing them more and more.

I hope P and I kick these colds soon enough. Not sure which of us is more miserable.

Oh, to be Organized!

Here is our newly finished storage room in the basement. We had it waterproofed, Tom painted the cement floor, and shelving completes it.

Now, we just need to put ALL of THIS in there and reclaim our basement.

I have graciously decided to appoint this corner of the basement as Tom's Man Cave. You're welcome, Honey.

When the Stars Align

It is a small victory for me today-all puzzle pieces are accounted for and in place, something that has not occurred in weeks. There is always some absent piece-taunting me from their secret hideout. One I found in my swim bag hanging on a low hook on the coat rack, one behind Patrick's crib, another in our newspaper bin buried beneath a week of papers. Finding one is like winning the lottery, but then without fail, the next one disappears.

This weekend is home improvement weekend. Slow progress, but we are moving ahead on some long awaited projects- the last bit of the fireplace has been stripped and is in the final scrubbing stages. The final coat of paint went on the storage room floor and my hunky husband is shopping for the shelving as we speak. Could it be that we will reclaim our basement soon??

I was scolded (rightly so) by my husband who caught me eating candy yesterday. The conversation went something like this:

Tom: Why did you even buy candy?
Me: Because it is for the trick-or-treaters.
Tom: But is isn't even Halloween yet, and didn't the doctor tell you no Halloween candy?
Me: Yes, but in your own admission, it isn't Halloween yet, so this isn't Halloween candy,
it is just candy, and the doctor didn't say anything about just candy.
Tom: Argued like a lawyer.

Happy Sunday.

The Bump is Back

Well, to be truthful, the bump never went away after I had Patrick, but is is definitely bigger now that week 13 has come and gone. We just completed a check-up yesterday, and my little girl is doing great. No, we don't know what we are having yet, but I have convinced myself that there is a girl in there this time. We should find out the sex either just before or just after Thanksgiving.

I have gained 5 lbs so far, which is much closer to what I should be gaining rather the first time around (60lbs with Patrick) when I went a little overboard. According to my doctor, I should be gaining only a pound a week from here on out. That means (gasp), no Halloween candy, take it easy on the pumpkin pie, and daily exercise-straight from the doctors mouth. My goal is to gain NO MORE than 40lbs, with 35 being the ultimate end number. No more C-sections for nearly 10lb babies! All I have to do is make it through all the major holidays.

I joined an aqua exercise class at the high school and am convinced that in the last trimester when I am swollen and uncomfortable, the class will be saving grace to staying within my goal weight. Here we go, Second Trimester!

Crazy Week

Not so much for me, but for my hardworking husband who has been hitting the books hard for his clients. I know he can't wait for the weekend, and neither can P and I. Luckily, unlike myself, T can go days on little sleep and a crazy schedule and never gets cranky. How is that possible?

And thanks to a friend for making this perfect fall wreath for our new home-Our front door is finally not quite so plain anymore.

and look who turned up the other day-Digger out for a mid afternoon snack.