Trick or Treat

I love Halloween. It is one of my favorite holidays. I am so happy that I have two little girls to dress up and take trick or treating. Gracie wanted to be a Gabba this year, but I vetoed that (umm, over thirty dollars for a costume-I don't think so). After a lot of consideration she decided that she wanted to be the tooth fairy and that Ruby D needed to be a tooth. Adorable! Gracie's costumes was pretty easy; I gussied up a cheap princess outfit with teeth I printed out and added glitter too. Ruby D's costume wasn't hard, it was just a pain. I drew a tooth on cardboard, Andrew cut it out, I sanded the edges, glittered it, punched holes in the sides, and then we used ribbon to attach it. I looked everywhere in town and couldn't find white pants (if you sell white sweat shirts you should at least have the option of white sweat pants-I get that kids are messy, but my girls have always ruined their shirts way before their pants.) So Ruby D ended up just wearing white tights, but her tooth mostly covered that up. I glittered their hair and put makeup on Gracie right before we went out. Gracie was so so excited. She kept asking to go to another house immediately after we would leave each doorway. We went around both our neighborhood and Mimis. They both came away with a huge loot! Their pumpkins got quite heavy. Ruby wanted to walk everywhere in our neighborhood so it took a long time to get from house to house. She was so funny picking out her candy, because she would just randomly pull something from the bowl while staring at the person giving out the candy. She was most excited when we walked by a "doggy!!!" After trick or treating we went to a friends house and put the girls in their pjs. Poor Gracie wanted to wear her costume "for the next three days." She woke up this morning and wanted to pick a piece of candy from her bucket for breakfast. Silly girl. I think I have all of the glitter out of their hair, but my bathroom is sure sparkly right now. 

Gracie was not sure she wanted to help scoop seeds out of the pumpkin. Daddy will carve, but he also won't touch the insides. Maybe Ruby D will help me someday. I finished scooping all the seeds out, and Gracie informs me that we need to roast them. Umm, what?! I have never in my life done this and have no idea where she got this idea. So I ask her, and she tells me, "Paula Deen did it on tv the other day Mommy." Oh of course, if Paula Deen did it then I guess we must. I Googled what to do real quick and shoved a baking tray of some in, but they came out pretty tough. Luckily Gracie mostly just wanted to "feed" them to her ponies.

She may not have wanted to touch the "goo" herself, but she sure thought it was funny watching Mommy.

Our finished pumpkins! Gracie picked out square eyes, a square nose, and a heart mouth. She also wanted a pony pumpkin, but we are not that talented in this house. She loved her pumpkin so much that she kept kissing it.

Ruby D is ready to get some candy!

The cutest tooth ever!

 
The beautiful tooth fairy. Although she told me and everyone who asked her what her costume was that she was, "a scary Tooth Fairy." I don't think giving out money makes you scary, but she was rather insistent. 

 
Mommy and her girls. Our neighborhood apparently has a ton of trick or treaters, but my treat bowl must have lasted for awhile. When we came home for the night there were two Whopper packages left in it and one on the ground. So far I have been very good about not stealing the girls candy except for Snickers which Gracie doesn't like and are too chewy for Ruby D. I don't want their candy to go bad though so I may have to help a little more. ;)

Ruby D at Fifteen Months

At fifteen months you:

-have three new teeth! (9/30 upper left lateral incisor; 10/5 upper middle, right; 10/14 upper right lateral incisor)
-have potty trained yourself for poop. If you need to go you start running down the hall to go to the potty. You hate going in your diaper and start yelling if you need to go and you are in your car seat/high chair/etc. When you are done you tell me "wipe." Genius baby. Most of the time you pee when you are done pooping, but you haven't started taking yourself for pee yet.
-weigh 20 pounds 1 ounce (10%) and are 29 3/4 inches tall (25%). Apparently you have dropped percentages in weight, and your doctor wants us to add butter to your food, Carnation instant breakfast to your milk, etc. I think you are just going to be a tiny girl like your sister. Remember when you were a baby and growing so fast that everyone thought you were going to be huge? You certainly proved us wrong!
-wear mostly size twelve month and a lot of eighteen month hand me downs. You wear shoe sizes anywhere from a three to a five depending on brand. You love shoes but most especially you love your boots.
-have around fifty words in your vocabulary. You also say short sentences. You are incredibly verbal and pick up new words all the time. Recent words you use a lot: book, bubble, eat, "I need my milk," "I want that," "I need Minnie", MoMo (Elmo), Mommy, color.
-love to give kisses all the time. So so cute. You kiss me, your sister, Minnie, and Sissy.
-try to steal toothbrushes and run away brushing your teeth.
-breastfeed after waking up, after nap (only one side usually), before bed, and once during the middle of the night. If you wake up you start telling me, "I need my boob."
-take around a two hour nap in the afternoon (1-3ish).
-love other babies. You love to point at/kiss their pictures in books, play with your baby dolls, and see babies at stores.
-can scribble on paper (and walls and the table, etc.) You love to "color."
-like to dance to Taylor Swift music and can sing along to some songs.
-Are a good eater. You try anything. Some of your favorites: kiwi, cheese, Mandarin oranges, bologna, noodles, baked apples, and suckers.
-Start each evening in your crib. You have started to prefer sleeping on your back and seem to do much better that way.
-Love your sister's plush Minnie (you've basically claimed it as your own). You carry it around everywhere and ask for it when we get in the car/get to places. You don't really want it at night or when you go to sleep though.
-if I ask you "Who do you love?" you tell me, "you." You also told Daddy the other night when he asked you, "I love Mommy." Oh how I love my Mommy's girl.
-already love shoes, dress up, glitter, and pink. Another girly girl. :)
-Love bath time especially bubble baths or if I blow bubbles for you and your sister.

Oh Ruby D D. I love you in the morning and in the afternoon. I love you in the daytime and underneath the moon. I love you when you're cranky and I love you when you smile. I love you when you're clingy and I love you when you giggle. I love you when you're naughty and I love you when you cuddle. I love you you all the time sweet girl.

 

My Litty Pony Party

Dessert table. I made sherbet punch, vanilla and chocolate (Smooze) cupcakes, truffles, chocolate dipped and potato chips. We also had a fruit tray. Gracie was most excited about the Smooze cupcakes. She specially requested that I figure out how to make Smooze from the My Little Pony movie.

Close up of a Smooze. Devil's Food cupcake (I also use a mix for cake, and I like frosting in a can better than homemade frosting). I dyed vanilla frosting purple and used marshmallows with candy pieces for the eyes. They look silly and make me smile. I have a cupcake holder (the white one) that only works with the large cupcake liners so I made about sixteen. The vanilla cupcakes were in normal liners so we had twenty four of those.

The birthday girl!

Crazy Lady! She was waiting on her "boyfriends."

Gracie's pinata. Poor thing got pulverized by Uncle Nick and Uncle Joe. 

It wasn't a very big party, but Gracie was happy which was all that mattered. She got pony gifts from everyone and chased all the boys around. After her party we got pizza with Auntie Ann and Uncle Nick and they stayed for her bedtime. Her favorite presents are her My Little Pony storybook and her big pony which came with a hairdryer/hair accessories.

Gracie's Birthday Letter

Dear Gracie,

          How is it possible that my itty bitty tiny baby is four years old? You are still my itty bitty big girl. You have such a huge personality in your little body. You are such a joy to be around, and you make me smile everyday. You are such a people person. You have never met a stranger, and you love to hug and play with other children. For weeks you have been inviting random people that you talk to at the grocery store, Wal-mart, etc. to your party. Silly girl. You just very recently ended your Yo Gabba Gabba obsession (which lasted almost an entire year-you certainly are dedicated to the things you love) and fell in love with My Little Pony. You are such a kind hearted individual. You love your sister so much. You make sure that she is included in everything and always think of her. You share your food, your toys (mostly), and make sure she gets lots of hugs and kisses. Every night when we tuck you in you have to make sure you get your kiss from Ruby D. You are busy busy all the time and always always thinking. You are smart as a whip and have a mind like a trap. You remember everything. I love to watch you "read" your favorite books to your babies or make up stories of your own to the pictures for books you don't know. You know all your numbers (up to twelve), letters, shapes, and are starting to recognize some sight words. You are also a pro at opposites, singing, and helping me cook. You are a very good eater and always willing to try new things. Some of your favorite foods are kiwis, peanut butter crackers, cheese, noodles, lemon yogurt, and "green" ice cream (mint chocolate chip). You love "play dates" with Mimi and Uncle Nick. You would go to Wal-mart every single day if we let you. You are such a good girl at the store. If we tell you you can't have something you have never gotten upset or thrown a fit. You are fine with just looking. You go to bed every night without a fuss after you have two stories, prayers (you have learned most of the Our Father, Glory Be, parts of Hail Mary, and Angel of God), kisses, and we turn your radio on to 105.3. You sleep with Bun Bun, Foofa, Alice, and Strawberry. Your bed is just a little crowded. You still take your nap with Mommy and Sister every afternoon for at least two hours. You love to cuddle and are such a sweetheart. You try so hard to be a good listener. Three was a difficult year at times with you trying to assert your independence, but you have always been such a good girl. You want to be good and do the right thing. Sometimes you get a little mouthy and talk back, but you always apologize and try harder the next day. I'm so proud of the person you are and the person you are becoming. You are such an amazing little girl. So smart, so sweet, so funny, so crazy, so loving, so beautiful, so mine. I love you a bushel and a peck Gracie Lou MaGooGoo.

One year ago at your third birthday party (Yo Gabba Gabba themed)

At your fourth birthday party (My Little Pony themed). You were very involved in picking out your desserts. You told me your favorite part of your party was your Smooze cupcakes.

Some of my favorite pictures of you from the last year:

Your very first haircut.

One of my very favorite pictures of you and your sister together. I did not pose your legs at all-you both put them like that at the same time. :)

Girls Only

Andrew has Marine drill this weekend (Thursday night through late Sunday afternoon.) I hate Marine drill. I didn't mind Navy drill because it was only for one weekend a month. Marine drill involves going to the field and is usually at least three days if not four. On Sunday they have to check in all of their gear before they are able to leave so they typically don't get done until after five. Andrew has an over two hour drive to get home so he usually isn't back until either right before or even after bath time. He left on Thursday night right after supper so I have four nights/three days alone with the girls. It amazes me that I was alone with Gracie for almost a year (November through October while Andrew was gone for training with the Navy) and at the time I really didn't see it as that big of a deal. I was even in school for half of that time, and I still got everything done. My parents were a huge help as far as taking me for groceries/to church/school/etc., but I was home alone for the majority of that time. You wouldn't think it would make a big difference from one to two children, but let me tell you, it does! Of course Ruby D is a much higher maintenance baby than Gracie ever was, but still. I'm crossing my fingers that I get to take a bath tonight without Ruby D waking up five minutes after I get in. Gracie at least was contained in a crib if/when she did wake up at night (Gracie was not a good sleeper either, but she usually went down from 8:30ish to 12 in her crib without stirring. After that it just depended on the night). Of course with Gracie I was crossing my fingers that she wouldn't wake up while I was taking a timed test for my online courses so in that respect it is easier this time around. Andrew will be gone for four weeks (he will be home on the weekends) for training for his new job so I suppose I had better get used to it. Now this isn't to say I don't love being a stay at home mom or that I don't love spending time with my babies. I know how lucky I am that I get to look at these two cute faces everyday. Mama just needs a break every once in awhile.

My helper girl. My best girl. My sweetie pie. My smartie pants. My tiny lady. My Gracie Louiseers.

My baby girl. My stinker pants. My Mama's girl. My cuddle bug. My Silly girl. My Ruby D.

Random

Zooey Deschanel is starting to annoy the crap out of me. It isn't cute when everything you do is literally screaming out in capital letters "Look at me, I'm so CUTE and ECCENTRIC and CHARMING." And her bangs look like shit.

My mums look like crap this year. Because I left town for a week after I bought them, and my husband apparently doesn't know how to water flowers. Sigh. They have been regulated to the back porch.

Why do people have to broadcast all their drama on Facebook? Seriously, grow up. So you have problems. Doesn't everybody? Fighting with your significant other or trying to elicit sympathy just smacks of highschool to me. I have a much higher tolerance for drama from teenage girls then from married women with children.

So it's October 10th and it's still in the eighties and sunny. I pretty much hate it. I love summer, but once it hits mid September I'm done. I want to make hot chocolate and burn candles and wear slippers. My house gets so much sun during the day that we wake up from nap freaking hot. I actually turned the air on the other day. Supposedly it is supposed to cool down by next week. I hope so.

I have to look for My Little Pony party stuff online. I thought it would be so much easier than a Yo Gabba Gabba party, but no, no one in town sells their stuff either. At least you can get the toys in stores.  I still haven't figured out invitations and Gracie's party is in less than two weeks. Does a Facebook event count?

Ruby D and I are currently having a huge fight numerous times a day over her unwillingness to drink milk from her cup. Unless she is in her highchair for lunch or supper she thinks it needs to come straight from the tap. And if she accidentally bites herself while eating lunch, then she thinks I need to get her out of her highchair for "boob." I disagree. Hence the fighting. We'll get there eventually. Maybe. Someday.

I am getting really tired of killing at least one (sometimes six) spiders a day. I infinitely prefer spiders to mice though.

At the Pumpkin Patch

What is up with this weather? Eighty five degrees and sunny in October is not my cup of tea. I bought chai tea to make at home (it won't be as good as the pumpkin chai tea I have been getting, but it will be a lot cheaper), but I'm not going to make it in this weather. I'm freaking hot you all. Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch with our good friends, and it was in the high fifties. That was almost a little too chilly. Poor Miss Gracie was "fweezing." Hopefully in two weeks when I go to the Covered Bridge Festival it is around sixty and cloudy. I have been to the Covered Fridge Festival when it was ninety degrees and when it was around thirty (I prefer somewhere in the middle). I haven't bought much for the past few years because my space was maxed out, but now that I am in my house I'm hoping to pick up some fall/Christmas items. I have a lot of Halloween stuff but not much for Thanksgiving. Next year I am hoping to decorate my china cabinet for the Fall season (if I can find discount orange or cream plates) so I need to get some fun things to put in there. Now if only Fall weather would come back.

Even after waking up every hour the night before (we're in the midst of teething) and a cold she is still just the cutest thing ever.

Gracie's solution to being cold? "Zip me up in your jacket Daddy." Smartie pants girl.

Off to go pick out their pumpkins.

Oh how I love my silly monkey girls.