Halloween

While I love this time of year, Halloween is NOT one of the highlights of the season for me. The only reason I get into it is because of the kids. They love it! So I am willing to do whatever it takes to allow them to be excited about costumes and candy and everything else.
Dillan knew weeks ago he wanted to be Batman. He also knew exactly which Batman he wanted to be, and what the costume looked like. Not the classic Batman, but The Dark Knight. He's never even heard of the movie, but obviously had this discussion with someone more knowledgeable at school.

Leah, ever since her birthday, has wanted to be Sleeping Beauty. It was the newest dress, it made the most sense. Then just days before changed her mind to Cinderella. That's who she was last year, and we made extra preparations from the shoes to the headband, to the hair (thanks to visiting Grandma). So naturally, on the day of her preschool party, she emerged from her room wearing Rapunzel. Just days later, for the trunk or treat, she put on Ariel. Whatever. That's Leah.

Drew didn't get a choice. I figure it's Mommy's right to choose the costumes while they're young and don't have a say. I wanted to coordinate with him for the ward trunk or treat, and after debating through many different costumes, I found THE shark costume I just had to have. I snagged it on ebay and was all set to be a surfer girl right along side my cute little guy, who is quite the biter with his two cute little toofies.
Of course, just before leaving for the ward party, he fell asleep and Grandma insisted that I leave him and let him sleep. Fine.

But for the big night of trick or treat, everyone was set and had a great time. Drew hated his costume, and rode in the stroller with a sucker in his mouth until conking out just a few blocks in.
I'm hoping the costume fits next year and he'll be able to walk around and enjoy himself a little more.

Happy Halloween!

It's OUT!

After what seemed like forever, Dillan FINALLY lost his first tooth. Daddy had to persuade him just enough to let him tie a string around it and yank it out. I think he was nervous about what to expect. Next time he should handle it better.
He was so excited to put the tooth in his little pillow and was visited by the tooth fairy who was maybe a little too generous (hey you only get one first tooth right?)

Enjoy your spoils, Toothless!

KC

It's so nice to know that even though your child pushes your buttons daily and doesn't always do what they are told, he is thankfully NOT that way at school. Mrs Hall says Dillan is the sweetest boy and always wants to do everything right.

He was selected to be the KC Award (Kindness and Compassion) winner from his class for the month of October. This means he took on Rachel's Challenge to do something kind for a peer, with the hope that they would do something nice for another, thus forming a chain of good deeds.
He received another dog tag to put on his chain and got to put his hand print on a huge banner that hangs in the MPR.

Great Job Dillan! We are so proud of you!

Falling

It's such a fun time of year, and we've tried to keep with tradition in visiting a pumpkin patch. This time we went out to Bates Nut Farm, since some of us had not ever been. Chris and Dillan went last year on a Kindergarten field trip.

We did the straw maze, rode on the tractor train ride and each picked our own pumpkin to bring home. Even though it was a warm day, the farm had a lot of large trees and was nice and clean.
We enjoyed our day!

Dance Class

Leah's dance class had their final class, the end of the 6-week session. She doesn't know it yet, but the next session was completely FULL when I went to sign up again, so we're not sure WHAT is going to happen next. Every morning she asks if she has dance class that day. No Joke. She LOVED it! Such a difference from dragging Dillan to soccer. (To be fair, Dillan is since past those days, he now willingly gets himself ready for soccer and loves to play).
She had said that she wanted to play soccer when she got older, now she doesn't. She was in tears the other day when I told her she was growing up and getting bigger. She thought that meant she couldn't be in the little girls' dance class anymore. She said she doesn't want to get bigger, because she wants to stay in dance class with the little girls!

She's HOOKED!

A Tooth Story

Within a day or so of one another, both Dillan and Drew have had some changes in their chompers. Drewby has cut his two bottom teeth and Dillan's bottom right tooth is loose! Drew is always so easy going and happy, so he hasn't been too out-of-sorts with those teeth poking through, but the signs of teething are there. He likes to bite now, I wonder how that is working for him with his thumb-sucking!

Dillan has been waiting a LONG time to get a loose tooth. Well, not THAT long, but he's watched so many friends and classmates lose their teeth, he wondered when it would be his turn! He was so excited to show me his loose tooth, and I confirmed it was, in fact, loose. Since that day, nearly a week ago, he hasn't really mentioned it. I think the thought of the tooth coming out makes him a little nervous, but he's not saying so. Everyday I ask him how it's moving and if he wiggles it, which I don't think he does very much, if at all. I don't remember my loose teeth ever taking very long to come out, probably because I wouldn't ever leave them alone. So we'll see what happens and how Dillan deals with it. Hopefully after this first one comes out, he'll be less nervous the next time around. It may give me some time to get a tooth pillow or pocket made!

4

Seriously, who get's to turn 4 while at Disney World??? Only the luckiest girl on the planet!
Since our trip had Leah's birthday attached to it, she was sung to and given a cupcake half a dozen times!

On her birthday we ate breakfast with the princesses, which is HUGE. Leah had no idea what to expect, and it was so fun to see her excitement every time a new princess came around the corner to our table. In a loud whisper, I'd hear: "MOMMY! IT'S CINDERELLA!"
"LOOK! IT'S SNOW WHITE!" Once she saw a princess, she didn't take her eyes off her!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY big 4-year-old girl! You bring so much joy to our family, we love you so much!