Happy Halloween!

My Corny Candy Man.

Princess Shirley

Princess Shirley plays on the royal swings.

Viking Richard sends no text messages.

The LOOT!

Probably the best photo from Halloween.

Bath Time!

Now that the little man of the house is getting better at sitting up, he LOOOOOVES bath time in his special chair.

Look at that face. Look at THAT face!

So much fun, mama!She has to try everything we get out for the Bairn. It makes for some fun pictures.

Apple Orchard

Earlier this month we went to the apple orchard with some good friends. Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.

Concentrating hard on this strange swing!

Havin' a ball.

Miss Natalie, my god-daughter. I love her.

Chillin' like a villain.

Apple Cider.

We let the girls each choose an apple out of the bin. Of course, they chose the BIGGEST possible apples. Shirley did pretty well on hers...and only dropped it once. :)

David Hasselhoff.

Little Drummer Girl

Shirley is TOTALLY in to drumming lately. On everything.

For the record, this is the first time our wok has ever been used.

Chef Shirley

I originally wanted to take these pictures to post a cute blog about how Shirley loves helping me cook. But instead, I thought I'd show you how she now smiles for...

every

single

photo.

Many of my other friends' two-year-olds smile like this for the camera, so I have to assume it's pretty normal, and that she will outgrow it by the time it's time for senior photos. I mean, as far as I can tell, I didn't smile this way in my senior pictures...follow my logic?

Also, that first photo is classic. The stuff of future torture.

Polar Bear

It wasn't untl about the fifteenth time (truly) this E.NOR.MOUS. polar bear swam up to Shirley and checked her out that she realized that he was real and that she maybe should consider being afraid. In the mean time, I got this fantastic photo.

Major Milestone

Well...It's happened. My children have successfully transitioned into their "big beds." This milestone was really difficult for me (again). Richard stayed in the bassinet beside my bed much longer than Shirley ever did, despite his enormity, because I didn't want to have to battle Shirley to stay in bed when she may not--ahem--want to go to bed. So far, it hasn't really been a problem.
Well, one night comes to mind... Our bedrooms are connected by French doors. Richard put Shirley in her big bed, and came out her bedroom door. Moments later, she emerged from our bedroom door. He circled back around and put her back in her bed and came out through our room. She followed through her own bedroom door. It went on like this for a few more minutes until Richard had had enough and made his point clear. I watched the whole thing from the couch--it was like watching "Laurel and Hardy Go to Bed."
Overall, however, the whole transition has gone very well. I still have the bassinet at my bedside, though, because I miss my little boy. Isn't that silly?

I think it's important to note that SJ sleeps with her head at the wrong end of the bed--in the same direction as when she was in her crib. I think her feng shui is off, otherwise.Woke him up with the flash...oops.