Trick-or-Treat!

My favorite holiday began with pumpkin pancakes...mmmm. The blueberries did not quite represent the facial features I had hoped for, but they tasted just as delightful!

We had many opportunities to dress up in costume this year...and as a result, far too many chances to trick-or-treat. Candy overload!!!

The festivities began as we visited Clay's office to trick-or-treat his co-workers. The kids did great, given that they were surrounded by a bunch of adult strangers doting over them and taking pictures. We arrived at the tail end of the event, and as a result, people were eager to rid their desks of the sugar before it was over. Hence, each person dumped a handful of candy into our bucket as we passed. Yikes! Halloween was still three days away!!

Next we went to PEPS, where the kids showcased their costumes before playing. Koen had a plethora of costumes to choose from thanks to his new dress up stuff from Nana & Papa. He mostly rotated the knight, the giraffe, and the pterodactyl.

Although Koen didn't wear the clown out in public, I had to include a picture of him as 'Bobo'. I know, I know....clowns are creepy and nobody likes them and all that. But you have to admit, he is quite possibly the cutest clown you've ever seen, right (even with broccoli in his teeth)?

The following picture is evidence of the first time Koen has EVER willingly sat with his friends for a photo op moment. He actually looked at the camera and smiled! I nearly passed out from shock. This is true progress, folks.

Finn made a darling little monkey, didn't he? He was so precious, too, learning the ins and outs of trick-or-treating. As people held out their candy buckets for the kids to take a piece, sweet Finn would either put his stuffed banana (from the costume) into their bucket, or he'd give them the candy that he'd just acquired from the previous stop. He doesn't get it yet. :)

Below is a shot of the kids (with baby Xander as Darth) as they managed the chaos of Wedgwood, trick-or-treating the business strip. Finally, ON Halloween day, they went trick-or-treating in Kirkland with Collin and Shandy. We spent the evening over at the Whitelock/Heindel household for some serious relaxation and fun. Love those guys.

The Jack-o-Lanterns:

Koen requested one happy face and one sad face. The small one was the pumpkin that Koen actually planted and grew in our garden over the summer.

Happy Halloween!!!

Finn speaks!

All in one day, Finn has said the following words for the first time!

Wah-wee = Water

Bee-bee = Baby

Owie! = While Koen was doing a bulldozer type move over him.

Hot = as in, 'the eggs I just shoveled into my mouth hurt my tongue.'

Bat = referring to the halloween head band I wore today....didn't even know that he knew this animal!

He has also started 'counting' with us. As we say '1...2...3...' Finn says 'fow...mah...ooo!' or 'woe...bye...hah!' or 'moo...nah...tai!' It's never the same, but nonetheless, he's counting in his own way.

3 Things...

3 Things Koen:

• He loves his new preschool teacher, Teacher Sandi...so much so, he announced today that he wants to be her for Halloween. Hmmm.
• He asked me the other day if I was going to have a bowl of 'cold' for lunch. He was referring to the turkey chili I had made the night before. Get it...chili...cold? Sweet.
• He makes his bed, brushes his teeth and gets himself dressed every morning. And he always makes sure to ask me beforehand, "What kind of day is it today, mama?" This is how he decides whether to wear shorts or pants, a T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt.

Koen's first day of preschool.

Just moments later, he threw the world's largest tantrum as I had to leave him there. It was traumatic for both of us. Luckily, the goodbyes have greatly improved! No more tears.

3 Things Finn:

• Finn loves his socks to be off of his feet, and anything resembling a hat to be on his head (books, baseball mitts, trick-or-treat buckets, small boxes, etc.). When he puts an object on his head, he then drops his arms straight down to his sides and says "Haa (Hat)!" while he waits for anyone to notice.
• He loves to say 'no' to anything and everything you ask him. Sometimes, he'll even whine/sing the word over and over. Imagine the word 'no' strung together six or seven times, and put to a whiny tune that spans an entire octave. Pretty funny. And he's trying to talk more every day. But on his 'off' days, he resorts to pointing a crooked little finger in the air and saying 'Sssst'.
• He's all about giving hugs and kisses right now. And let me tell you, if his skinny little arms, stretched as wide as they can go, with his tiny fingers clenched firmly around your shoulders isn't the most precious feeling in the world...I don't know what is. To make it even sweeter, he's now coming in for the hug (without prompting) and saying "Awww" while he holds you. Love that baby to pieces!

The Trick-or-Treat bucket doubles as a hat.