Happy Halloween!

Today, we ventured out to the suburbs for our annual trick or treating fun with Austen and Peyton and their three cousins.

It was a perfect start to the day. We had pizza and cake and celebrated my nephew's birthday and then the kids put on their costumes and headed around the neighborhood. Austen, dressed as a baseball player, took off at lighting speed. You would have thought that he knew all about trying to maximize the number of houses you went to to try to get the most candy. He was literally running from house to house ahead of all the big kids. We had to tell him to slow down! We heard him asking the people handing out candy "Can I have one or five?" What? We have no idea where that came from! He did a great job of trick or treating for his sister, carrying her treat bag around too. Sometimes in his rush to get to the next house, he inadvertently got confused and headed to the back door (he's not used to seeing these bigger homes in the suburbs with corner lots and nice walkways to the backyard!). He came home with two big bags full of candy (his and Peyton's) and there were a lot of tears when we told him it was time to go.

Peyton's first halloween was a momentous one. She dressed up as a ladybug and we thought she would surely pass out in the stroller as we walked around the neighborhood, but she stayed awake the entire two hours or so we were out. Her brother filled her treat bag and I am sure will eat her candy. Just think that next year at this time, she'll be trailing these guys all on her own!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween.

One Tough Cookie

Peyton is one tough cookie. I pretty much knew this about her from a young age. Mostly because she has an older brother who is always sticking his face in hers and bumping her with his head or squeezing her extra hard. Does she cry? No. She usually squeals with delight at her brother paying her even an ounce of attention.

So I wasn't surprised when we went for her check up recently (still 75th percentile height but she is just below the 50th percentile now in weight) and she didn't even flinch during three out of four of her shots. I have never seen a baby that okay with being stuck with three needles in a row. I was amazed and wondered if she is going to be one of those kids with a high pain threshold.

It looks like it. That will come in handy later in life when giving birth and getting beat up by her brother but it will also be advantageous now when she is learning to walk!

Rock Star

Yesterday we spent a beautiful fall day in a quaint little town in Michigan called Saugatuck. Tom and I had been there about seven years ago but I didn't remember much about visiting this little town before our trip yesterday.

Not far from our land where we hope to build our future summer home, Saugatuck boasts great Michigan beaches, cute shops and more restaurants than probably Union Pier and South Haven combined (our favorite spots to visit in Mich.). Anyway, we just enjoyed the great weather walking around this cute little town with our kids and our dog.

When we bought Adler we knew that we would take her with us to as many places as we could. People told us that would change when we had kids. It really hasn't. So we all ventured to Saugatuck on Saturday. Tom and me in the front seat of our SUV, our two kids in the middle and Adler in the way back. It was a perfect day for a drive.

Adler, always the great traveler, surprisingly was up the whole two hour trip just looking out the window. Usually she'll look out the window for awhile but then goes down to sleep until we reach our destination. I think she sensed the perfectness of this day too and wanted to soak in everything she could.

We arrived in Saugatuck and unloaded our brood. We walked by the boats (which Austen loved); had Austen and Peyton drive a toy jeep; stopped in a coffee shop for some cider and hot chocolate; picked up a Saugatuck ornament to add to our collection; let Austen eat ice cream (pistachio?! Whose kid is this?); and played in the park.







Throughout the day we were continuously reminded what a rock star Adler was. Never mind our children, our dog, no kidding got about 30 compliments that day. "Is that a Bernese?" some would ask. Others would ask what breed she was and if she was good with children. Still others would ask if they or their kids could pet her. Some asked if she was a puppy (she's a small Berner we would remark). It truly was amazing how many people stopped us or if one of us was waiting outside a store with her how much attention Adler attracted. It was sometimes overwhelming as we tried to cater to our two kids' needs, answer questions and keep Adler from bumping into others on the narrow sidewalk.

But, she definitely enjoyed all the attention, all the free pets and the fresh air. And, we were reminded again, what a striking breed the Bernese Mountain Dog is and why we fell in love with them and then our Adler in the first place.

The View

Lately, Austen, Peyton and Adler have been enjoying the view from our front window. Adler was the first to enjoy the view. She has been laying there every morning and afternoon watching people go by since we moved here three plus years ago.

Austen was the next one to discover the view. He likes to bring all his cars from his room and play right by the front window too. He uses our carpet by the door and the little grooves in it as his parking lot. He also likes to look at all the cars outside and wait for his visitors there.

Peyton has just discovered the window. I think she likes it not so much for what she can see out of it but the fact that there are bars that she can pull up on like in her crib. She could stand there for awhile just checking things out and feeling like a big, independent girl. She's growing up quick this one. Pretty soon, I bet I'll be telling you she's walking!

Buzz and Woody

So like most kids (and adults), Austen saw Toy Story 3 when it came out this summer. He has the talking Woody doll and a t-shirt of Buzz and Woody that Grandma bought him and I decided to add to his collection of Buzz and Woody items by getting him the Toy Story 3 underwear.

Well, the other day, was the first day he wore it. I heard him arguing with Tom about the way his underwear should be worn. Apparently Buzz and Woody need to be displayed on the front (not his butt as the manufacturers thought). This way Austen can see them all day when he goes to the bathroom. If it's on his butt, he can't see them. Regardless, Tom made him put his underwear on the right way much to Austen's chagrin.

Well, he showed us. The next day his clothes were laid out for him to get ready for school. He got dressed all by himself and when he came into the kitchen to eat breakfast I wanted to make sure he put his underwear on correctly since I know that sometimes he puts them on inside out. As soon as I pulled up his shirt and went to grab his pants, he pulled away from me. That was my first clue but in the morning rush to get out the door, I thought he just didn't want me to double check his work. I let it go.

So after school, we came home and the first thing Austen does is go to the bathroom and wash his hands. I happened to walk by the bathroom door as he was going and noticed he was still wearing the Toy Story underwear from the day before. My first thought was gross, he didn't change his underwear! But then I stopped and walked into the bathroom and noticed he must have taken off the Toy Story underwear that morning, turned it around and put his pants on. He was going to show us! I was floored. But what really puzzled me was where was the underwear I had laid out for him yesterday? I searched his room. He was smart enough not to leave it out for me to see that morning. I checked the laundry. Nothing there. I checked his garbage. Nothing there. Then I began checking his dresser drawers and found his underwear neatly placed in a lower drawer that he could reach with his shorts and t-shirts.

I had to laugh to myself because this kid really thought this through. I give him credit because he found a way to wear his underwear his way without getting caught before school. Makes me wonder what he'll be like when he's a teenager, ugh!