Halloween 2016

Halloween seemed to last forever this year. I'm actually not a huge fan of the holiday, but there were a few things that made it so much fun!

1) I love how excited my kids are to decorate! I don't have a ton of decorations - just a few things on my front table, a Halloween cookie jar (passed on from my mom) that I keep on the kitchen table, a string of ghosts that Madi sewed with Boppi (which I hang in front of our fireplace), but I usually just hang up the projects the kids make in school (cause it makes em so proud)!. I did let them go to town with the window cling art (which they loved - and I still need to get a picture of)!

2) Cal's preschool field trip to Underwood Farm was super fun and always a highlight of the month!

He and Marli are the cutest little buddies! I love that they get to be in the same preschool class - especially since Cal won't be at Tierra Linda with Mar next year. 

After the hay ride, we picked out our pumpkins . . . 

Had to do the traditional height measuring. I remembered that Cal stood on the pumpkin last year, so I made him stand on it again to duplicate the picture.

These brothers together are the cutest!! 

My baby is getting SO big!

Big tractors, and pumpkins pumpkins, pumpkins galore!!!

Macee and Zuri also go to Peep - 2 days a week in Ms. Robin's class. They all get to play together outside on the playground and go on field trips together!!

The famous pumpkin house!

It was a fabulous morning spent with my boys and a few friends! 

The boys got their pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, so we stopped by Trader Joes on Friday for the girls to pick one out for $2.99 a piece! They came home, washed them off with a hose, scrubbed them clean (totally their idea), and then took a picture of course!

Saturday afternoon we carved them (with dad's help)!

Our trunk-or-treat was Saturday evening. Madi and Spencer made the invitations for it. Their artistic talent amazes me!!

We teamed up - Daddy and James as cowboys, the girls as SUPER girls, me as Maleficent and Cal as my dragon! 

Totally not in my comfort zone to dress-up, but my friend had these two costumes laying around so I went with it!

This was the first Halloween that we didn't have tears over costumes and the kids didn't change their costume for all the different parties. 

I was exhausted Saturday night and totally cool with calling it a wrap for Halloween, but Monday morning the fun started all over again! I took the boys to go watch Elle in her school parade at Tierra Linda. 

Spencer went to CAPE to go see Madi and her class parade around. 

Madi was out of school at 11:30, Cal had school at noon, then we picked Elle up at 2 and headed over to Cal's school for his party (kind of a wasted day, and Madi was totally complaining that we didn't do anything special for her half day of school!! ARG!!!)

We got there early and I was dying over Cal's cuteness out there - riding bikes on the playground. 

Elle is such a sweetheart and ran out to join Cal and Marli.

We joined them for circle time and singing . . . 

 . . . and snack time!

This dragon totally melted my heart today! He was so excited about dressing up and proud of his costume!

This year we headed out to the Thunell's around 4:45 to join them for trick or treating in their little neighborhood. It was truly magical and my favorite part of the whole night. 

They only have a few neighbors - all who never get trick-or-treaters out in their area. It was awesome watching all these kids run from house to house down Blackberry Lane.

Calvin was always trying to catch up with his cute little dragon wings flapping. 

Finally caught up - love the line to get their piece of candy . . .

And then they were off again . . . Cal looking so proud!

This handsome little cowboy slept during the trick-or-tricking out in Somis.  

I made sure I got pictures later, cause he didn't get to wear this costume very long. 

Halloween night I changed Cal into a hand-me-down costume from his Terry cousins. So much warmer and cozier for him. 

We met at the Barlow's for dinner and then trick-or-treated in their neighborhood with this group of kids! 

Big groups stress my kids out though so we hung back and stuck together as a family with James facing forward in the Bjorn. I love watching my kids running around in costume, knocking on peoples door and hearing them say thank you after handed a piece of candy. 

They lasted less than an hour and were ready to come home. We went around and hit up our neighbors before calling it a night. 

Cal LOVES candy!!

He can handle eating a lot more than the girls can. 

Elle ended up hanging over the toilet before bed, complaining of a stomach ache, swearing that she was going to throw up. Thankfully she finally calmed down and went to bed. 

Another Halloween for the books!!

8 months!!

How has another month already flown by?!? As much as we want time to slow down, James just keeps getting bigger. He continues to be our amazingly sweet, calm, easy to please, smiley, baby boy! What a blessing he has been in our lives.

Big things happened this past month for James. He started rolling and moving around - which meant lots of night wakening. He would roll onto his stomach and wake up. It took about a week for him to figure things out and now he's good with sleeping on his stomach and rolling back over if he's uncomfortable. One of my favorite things is sneaking in to watch him sleep.

James got his first hair cut this month. I love his sweet, soft baby hairs, but they were getting way too long and growing over his ears.

James gained some more leg strength and started standing with us holding his fingers. 

James has always loved his books but has become so much more interactive this month - squealing on the pages he loves, grabbing at the books, trying to turn the page on his own. 

He doesn't nap at church anymore. He'll be completely exhausted and on the verge of falling asleep, and then force himself to wake up. I'm grateful to all the awesome primary leaders and teachers who help hold and keep James entertained during 2nd and 3rd hours.

He still sleeps great in his car seat. Oh how I love a sleeping baby!!! 

James really expanded his pallet this month - trying all sorts of new foods: pizza (just gumming the crust), eggs, lemon, chill, baked potato, whipped cream, Ritz cracker, go-gurt, bread, beans, cheese. 

Is been another fun month with our handsome guy who is so happy and content doing whatever we want him to do! Sure love you sweet boy!

7 months!

It really is amazing how much happens in just one month. James is always changing. While sometimes it seems like I've been feeding him plain ol' baby food forever, I look back on his calendar and realize I just started the baby food one month ago. I took it very slowly at first, but now seem to try sometimes new with him everyday.

James still nurses every 3-4 hours, and is now eating 2 meals a day. He doesn't seem super interested in food though. He'll open his mouth but eats slow and never gives much indication that he's enjoying it.

James is a cool, calm, collected baby and spends most of the day hanging out and observing
(or just sucking on his toes)! 

He really only makes noises when he's tired or when he's laughing and being playful.

James smiles on command and will give me a hundred different expressions in one 5 minute photo shoot:

Gotta love the pointed toes, clenched fists, and whole body smile!  

He's just so darn cute that his siblings usually like to come out and take their own pictures of him while I'm trying to get a good one. 

Typical schedule at 7 months is:
6:30am Awake - always quiet in bed- I wouldn't know you were awake if I didn't go into check.
Everyone LOVES going in when you first wake up, We all just stand around your crib and you look up at us with the sweetest smiles.
7:45am Take siblings to school - sometimes drive, sometimes ride in the double Bob while Elle rides her bike.
9am nap
11am awake
(On the days we need to run morning errands, you will just sleep in your seat for an hour while we're on the go. The other day I brought you and Calvin to the dentist with me. I left you in your seat, facing me, and you were asleep as soon as the hygienist started cleaning my teeth. You never made a fuss, cry, or anything.)
11:50am we take Calvin to school
Your second nap is always different depending on when you woke up from your first. Usually somewhere between 12:30 and 1:30. We always read stories before naps - your favorites are:
*Mommies say Shhh! by Patricia Polacco
*Wheels on the Bus
*Goodnight Moon (usually save this one for before bedtime)
2pm I pick up Elle from school. It's just down the street so I leave you asleep.
2:30pm We leave to pick up Madi from Cape.
3:00pm Pick up Cal from Dos Caminos
This is your longest stretch of awake time. Sometimes we're running your sisters to activities, but we're mostly home doing homework, piano practice, reading, etc. You play on the floor with toys all around you (I love this stage where you've mastered sitting up).
5:30pm You eat dinner - usually oatmeal cereal mixed with some type of veggie(s).
6pm Bath
6:45 Stories
7pm Bed
1:30am You usually wake up once at night and usually right around 1:30 or 2am. I need to break you of this habit!

His face, eyes, expressions. . . . melt my heart!

Couldn't love our sweet boy anymore! It's killing me how fast he's growing and changing. I wish I could freeze time!