Trick-Or-Treat!

Dear Diary,

Halloween is the best. I love everything about it - from the movies and shows on tv to the ghost stories to the costumes and the fall weather, it's perfect! And my love for Halloween has rubbed off on Addy. We've been talking about it for weeks now and she couldn't have been more excited to go Trick-Or-Treating last night.

This is our 3rd Halloween in this house, but our first time actually Trick-Or-Treating. We knew we had a lot of Trick-Or-Treaters in our neighborhood but I guess we didn't realize how many until we were out last night.

Our night started with a Jack-O-Lantern pizza from Papa Murphys, delicious. As we were eating we had kids coming to the door right and left which made Addy as excited as ever so we hurried through dinner and got into costumes and headed out. The weather was perfect. Not too cold but chilly enough to bundle Olivia in a blanket in the stroller and to really feel like Halloween.

The plan was for me to push Olivia and take pictures while Dad took Addy up to the doors. After a house or two of being uneasy, I did my Mommy magic and we started having a great time. It was like Trick-Or-Treating in the movies. Kids were everywhere, parents were in costume, houses were decorated, people were waiting for Trick-Or-Treaters on their doorsteps and someone even turned their house into a haunted house, although a little too scary for us so we didn't participate. I don't know who was enjoying themselves more - me or Addy.

I Trick-Or-Treated a lot when I was little but it was never like this. Addy absolutely loved all the kids and I think she could have stayed out all night. She earned her candy by saying "Trick-Or-Treat" at every door and she always said "Thank You" after they'd throw the goodies in her bucket. I had a very proud candy owner once we got home. She was also quick to point out her bucket this morning when she woke up.

We ended the night by answering the door for the late Trick-Or-Treaters, which Addy loved just as much. "HIIII KIDS!!!" She would say. And if I needed more proof that she was my child, she asked to watch Hocus Pocus before bed last night.

It was honestly a better Halloween than I imagined. Olivia is still too young but the rest of us will have awesome memories of our first Trick-Or-Treating Halloween. Already looking forward to next year when we will have 2 little ladies ready to hit the block!

Sincerely Yours,

Buy Yourself A Stamp

Dear Diary,

I am in the middle of a book. I am in the middle of two books actually (I know, queen of multitasking). I am reading the new Ellen Degeneres book, "Seriously...I'm Kidding" (Thank you Megan), and I read a chapter last night that I loved.

Ellen talks about the lost art of writing letters. My family can tell you that I am the queen of letter writing and if I could get or give the same gift every year for all occasion, it would be a letter. I love writing them, and I love getting them - and let me tell you, I don't get them very often, even with my not-so-subtle hints to my husband.

We have faster, easier and more convenient ways of communicating like emails, FB messages, tweets (is that what you call them? I am not on twitter and I feel like a grandma when I say I know nothing about it #whatthehelldoes#mean), etc. But what happened to good ol' letter writing?

It is so nice to go out to the mailbox and see an envelope that is hand addressed to you. It's typically a card because it is your birthday, anniversary or a holiday but wouldn't it be nice if it was a handwritten letter from someone instead? Don't get me wrong, I love a nice card so please don't stop sending them, but I miss the days of letter writing.

When I was younger I had a pen pal. I met her and her sister when they came to visit their grandparents who lived across the street from us. For one reason or another we played together the week they were visiting and even had a camp out in their grandparent's backyard. When they left we exchanged addresses and we wrote back and forth to each other for a few years. I cant remember why we stopped but I know I will never forget how fun that was.

One Christmas I decided I would write letters to everyone that I was giving a gift to. I was buying for my family, Garrett's family and the flower shop girls so I had quite a few letters to write. I think I was more excited for them to open their letters than I was for them to see the actual gift I gave them. There is just something about telling someone exactly how you feel and doing so on paper.

It is especially nice when it comes from someone who you would NEVER expect to write you a letter. I have written my husband numerous letters over the years and have received few. When we were pregnant with Addy he asked if I wanted a "push present," apparently a new trend to all the Mommy's out there having babies, and I told him I wanted nothing more than a nice letter from him. And so he wrote me one, granted it was while we were in the hospital waiting on little Addalyn's arrival, but I never said when he had to write it, just to write it. One of the best presents I have ever received for sure!

So the point of this post? Next time you are going to send someone a card in the mail, or email them a nice ecard or leave them a FB message, consider writing them a letter instead. I guarantee they will appreciate it and who knows, maybe we'll start a letter writing trend!

Sincerely Yours,

Lets Go!...to the hospital

Dear Diary,

We got an American Girl magazine in the mail. There was no keeping Addy away from it - not because she loves dolls, but because she loves magazines. Seriously, she even looks at Garrett's ESPN. Not to mention Addy has never been a stuffed animal or doll person (she takes books to bed with her) so I wasn't too worried she would fall in love and want an American Girl doll of her own.

So she is flipping through the magazine and asking me to "read" it so I do and I am surprised at what I find. These dolls don't go without ANYTHING! They have clothes and beds and highchairs and car seats and changing tables and HEAD GEAR! You can even buy pets for your doll and if you want to get super fancy you can buy clothes for yourself that match your doll's clothes!

Then we get to page 16. Here we have the "sporty" American Girl section which has a cheerleader on display. In fact it is called the "Campus Cheer Gear" set which includes a cheer dress, matching briefs, socks, athletic shoes, hairband and pom poms. Pretty standard wouldn't you say? EXCEPT, Little Miss Cheer is ready for the big game with a cast on her arm, a boot on her leg and resting on crutches! What the hell happened that landed this girl with multiple broken bones? No explanation needed - just a wounded cheerleader hanging out with a ballerina who appears to be completely healthy and happy.

Why would anyone buy that? "Here you go Susie! Lets get the super expensive "Feel Better Kit" to go along with the super expensive "Campus Cheer Gear" to put on our super expensive American Girl Doll so that way she can't really be played with because she is injured!" Who could pass up a kit filled with crutches, an arm and leg cast, bandages, a finger splint and a faux ice pack? You know, just in case there is a basket toss gone wrong and she breaks her arm and her leg, gets a giant gash across her face, jams a finger and hits her head. What's the Cheerleader Motto? Always be prepared? Okay maybe that's the boy scouts. I wouldn't know, I was only a girl scout for a short period of time and a cheerleader for even shorter.

Anyway, we won't be buying an American Girl doll for Addy anytime soon. Well probably never because she just doesn't play with dolls. But I shouldn't speak too soon because someone else I know snuggles awfully close to her dolls at night. Maybe by the time Olivia is old enough for an American Girl they will have the "Save Her Life Kit" - ambulance, defibrillator and stretcher included.

Sincerely Yours,

We'll Take 2 Lollipops Please!

Dear Diary,

Well it was an exciting trip to the pediatrician yesterday where both girls had checkups which included a variety of shots, fingers pricks, and nasal sprays. I got to take them both by myself, which is another reason I should be nominated for Mother of the Year =) ...Okay who am I kidding. When I had one child, going anywhere was "the hardest thing I had to do," and now with two I laugh at what I used to say about one. I am sure each time you add on to the family you remember the days of fewer children and laugh at how "hard" you thought you had it. Kind of similar to my trip to the store today when I had nowhere to put my grocery's so I piled them on top of Olivia's car seat and when I got to checkout I had to threaten Addy with her life to stay by my side and move Olivia's car seat to Addy's seat so the sacker had somewhere to put my groceries. All you Mom's with 3 or more kiddos at tiny ages who can successfully take them all to the store deserve a pat on the back and a parade in your honor!

Okay what was I talking about? Oh yeah,

They both received a good checkup. My favorite question of the day, "Is Olivia beginning to roll over on her own and if you put her in a sitting position is she able to hold herself there for a few seconds?" My answer, "No she's not able to hold herself there for a few seconds because she has already crawled clear across the room and has pulled herself up to the coffee table." Needless to say, Olivia is developing just fine =) The Doctor actually told me she was sorry because she can see how I have my hands full with two mobile kids already and she hated to say it but she thinks Olivia will be an early walker too. Awesome....

It was hard to take in everything the doctor was telling me during each exam. While Olivia was getting checked, I was trying to clean up the 47 books Addy got out and spread across the floor and while Addy was being checked I was keeping Olivia occupied and bribing Addy with snacks if she sat still. So when I got home, I read through their papers and I even got out Addy's old exam sheets to compare the two.

At 6 Months Addy was in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. Olivia is running on the petite side, only 25th percentile in weight and a low 10th percentile in height. Don't let those chubby cheeks fool you, she is a small little booger but small and mighty might describe her better. Annnnd don't let me forget the head. Addy's head was an issue from the beginning. She was constantly at or above the top of the charts and we were even sent to a specialist just to make sure it was nothing more than hereditary. At 6 Months old Addalyn was in the 97th percentile on head growth. Olivia is in the 10th percentile. Garrett has a HUGE head, while I have a incredibly SMALL head. You're welcome girls!

Obviously they are our children so it goes without saying that they will take certain traits and characteristics from Garrett and I, but it still amazes me.

Addy is her Father's daughter, through and through. She has the darker skin, the darker hair, the gigantic head, the wide feet and she appears to be a lefty. She can memorize a movie or tv show after watching it just once and she is crazy good at remembering the details that shouldn't have made an impact on her little mind in the first place. But, like her Momma, she has a love for reading, she is obsessed with Halloween with the monsters and "get you's" that go along with it, and she loves her coloring books which leads me to believe she could be a bit artsy fartsy.

Olivia hasn't shown her full colors yet at only 6 months but I can already tell she's more like me. She has lighter skin and lighter hair, which I had when I was her age. She has short little legs and tiny hands and feet. She is the most layed back, quiet, and happy little baby who just spends her day following that older sister around - similar to the quiet little shadow my brother had following him around when we were little. And she is a Mommy's girl, 100%. Unlike Addy who would go off with a stranger if he had a package of fruit snacks and a book in hand.

And lucky for them, they have gained something from both Garrett and I. They are extremely active and strong, which I assume means they will both be athletes of some kind. Hopefully at least one will pick up a softball glove but if not, I have no doubt they will be good at whatever they decide to do!

Besides the obvious, I think my favorite part of parenting is that there is always something to look forward to. We have so many years of fun ahead of us. I don't want time to go too fast but at the same time I can't wait for it all either!

Sincerely Yours,

In My Dreams

Dear Diary,

Olivia and I were up before everyone else as usual. She began her daily exploring while I snuggled on the couch with my laptop, coffee and Pinterest. I wouldn't say I am addicted just yet, because I honestly only jump on the website every now and again, but boy when I get started it's hard to stop! I am not sure if I should thank Megan Simmons for the suggestion or to blame her for the distraction away from doing things I should really be doing. =)

This morning, during my Pinterest roaming, I have come up with several conclusions:

I Need A White Kitchen: When we moved into our house we were moving into a "Red Hat Lady" filled space with lovely potential and a great "first home" set up. In the 3 years we have lived here we have done SO much. More than I imagined we would in 3 years. There is no trace of Red Hat Lady left and I am sure if Sandra (the previous owner) strolled on back to the ol' neighborhood she wouldn't recognize the place. That being said - Sandra's kitchen has remained the same. It's the only room that hasn't been touched besides adding a pantry and installing a microwave above the stove. While I feel like I have adequate space and it tends to "do the trick," I hate my kitchen. I dream of white cabinets, beautiful counter tops, freshly painted walls, a new sink, a lovely tiled back splash and a new island.

I Love Nooks: I think most people do. I mean who doesn't want to curl up into a small little space full of pillows and blankets whose only purpose is to be lounged and read on? I love every kind of nook - window seats, hallway nooks, small loft spaces, hidden nooks, and bunk nooks. They just give me the feeling of being little and having my own special little space to do whatever I want to do. Would I really use a nook if I had one? I don't know. I mean, let's be honest, I hardly have the time to sit on the couch or lay in bed and flip through the pages of a good book as it is. But for now, I'd like to think that if I had a nook in my home, I'd be sitting in it right now, typing away, buried in pillows, blankets and happiness!

I Should Shop At Flea Markets: I am attracted to everything vintage. This really isn't a surprise, but I do find it odd that while I love all the distressed wood, vintage color palette, and light wall colors, my house does not reflect this in the slightest. I think most people dream of what their home would look like and once the time comes you find yourself doing things differently than you thought. I think the reason, well at least in my case, is that I don't have a million dollars to buy the perfect home interior. Of course if I spent my free time shopping around flea markets and waiting for special deals to present themselves I may be able to afford the "dream" home I want, but until that "free" time gets extended, I'll stick with what I got and be happy that my kids have furniture they can beat up, curtains they can tear down, and decorations they can break. Cheap = easy to replace!

Sooooooooo I have decided that once my kids are a little bigger, once I have more money, and once time isn't an issue, I will be cooking in an outstanding white kitchen in a house full of nooks that my friends and family will only describe as a "Vintage Beauty."

Sincerely Yours,

My Girl

Dear Diary,

I remember finding this picture when Addy was this age and thinking she looked like me. I ran across it again and I think someone else I know looks A LOT like me... lucky girl =)

Me Around Olivia's Age

Olivia

Lucky

Dear Diary,

This weekend is blog worthy. Not because we had big plans or accomplished anything great, but because we had no plans and we accomplished nothing great. It was the kind of weekend where I only got out of sweat pants once, and the only time I spent away from my family was to run to the grocery store. The playroom was our room of choice for most of the weekend and the Phillies occupied our television.

Garrett got to enjoy a few drinks with coworkers on Friday night - a rare occasion - and I debated on a movie to rent - an even rarer occasion. It was between Something Borrowed, what I have been wanting to see since I heard they were making the book a movie, and Bridesmaids. It was tough to pass up but I had to go for Bridesmaids - partially because I was afraid I wouldn’t like Something Borrowed as well as the book and partially because I was in the mood for a laugh.

Bridesmaids delivered. I laughed out loud several times and I was watching it alone. And, as if they knew Lindsey Forsythe would be watching, they saved the best for last - Wilson Phillips, “Hold On” took us to the credits. Good choice.

It was also Garrett’s Birthday Weekend so we spent Saturday night doing the Three C’s: Church, Chipolte and Cold Stone. We decided it was like a date, minus the nice restaurant and plus a couple of kids. Every one of us enjoyed ourselves and with full bellies and happy memories we headed home for the Three B’s: Baths, Bottles and Bedtime.

Sunday was the icing on the cake. Birthday Boy was fixed a lovely breakfast, spend the entire day in his Matrix Tshirt and Xbox pajama pants, got a Phillies win, a few video games in, AND got to spend PLENTY of time in the playroom. He swears he turned 27 today, but I could argue it 7 instead.

My house didn’t get cleaned, I didn’t get a jump start on the orders for the week and my pantry is still waiting to be filled, but it is okay because my husband spent his weekend relaxing, my girls spent their weekend playing, and I spent my weekend smiling.

Love. My. Life.

Sincerely Yours,