Happy 1st Birthday My Little Man!

You are one year old today my sweet boy... you came into this world so very fast and the first year of your life has already come and gone! You and your sister are quite a pair and together you fill this house with laughter and oh so much love. You love to cuddle, grunt and dance. You copy everything that your big sister does. When you smile at me with those big blue eyes and a tilt of the head, I melt. When there is something that you want, really want, you are sure to let everyone within a few mile radius know by belting out your manly scream. It makes me cringe every time! I love how you giggle when I chase you, and when you walk right up to me and wrap your arms around my legs for a hug :)

Your party was the most fun! Our little house was overflowing with family and friends. Grumpa played the accordion while you and all the other kids were dancing and clapping and singing happy birthday. You grunted your way through an entire piece of lasagna and dug right into your monster cake. You played ring around the rosy and red light green light out front with all the big kids, and ooed and awed at all the balloons we decorated the house with for you! Yet again, we are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends to celebrate with.

Love ~ Renee

Halloween! (wait... what month is it?)

The last time I had a chance to sit down and post a new entry was just after Norah's birthday party. Now all of a sudden it's chilly out and the days are short again. I'm still beyond amazed at just how busy we are with every day life and how fast that makes time fly by. Really.

This past weekend was supposed to be the same... On Saturday there was to be a costume party in the morning at Norah's friend from preschool's house, pumpkin carving with the kids and a chance to hang with girlfriends in the afternoon. On Sunday there was a trick or treat trolley ride that we were one of the very lucky ticket holders for and plans to have my family over to celebrate my little brother's 21st birthday party. Oh, and of course the usual chores and errands. We are always stuck with those :)

But our weekend was nearly canceled this time. We spent the days leading up to the weekend giving middle of the night baths, washing every set of bedding that we own and trying to comfort our miserable sick babies. They spent all day Saturday lying around the house watching movies while they recovered, and as our luck would have it, Colin and I got sick just as they got better! It could have been worse. We could have all been sick at once and that would have been a real disaster... Nona & Grandpa ended up taking Norah on the trolley ride, and we actually made it out for trick-or-treating!

Halloween on our block is straight out of a movie. Neighbors sitting on their front lawns with bon fires, houses decorated with cob webs, spiders and goblins, strings of orange and purple lights scattered all along the block. One of our neighbors even throws an annual Halloween party for everyone on the block. So after everyone's all trick-or-treated out they all meet up at the party with the kids to chow down on some warm yummy chili and chat with neighbors. That was the most fun I've had on Halloween since I was a kid :)

I was in no shape to snap any photos this weekend, but Colin managed to one with both of them all dressed up together! This year Norah dressed up as Dora and Clark as Boots the Monkey (Dora's side kick):



As for the last couple of months, let's see if I can remember what happened...

Vacation! We went up north to the cabin for a week with the Landers. We all had a blast, especially Norah who spent all her time cooking with Nona, swimming in the pool or fishing with Grandpa. Every time we asked her what she wanted to do she said "Fish with Grandpa!!" Grandpa bought her her very own Dora fishing pole and she was in heaven. She caught more than Grandpa and daddy combined I think. She grabs those slippery fish, holds them like a pro and even digs those little squirmy mealworms out of the dish to bates her own hook (with a little help)! I am so proud :) There is no way I would do that myself!









There were visits to apple orchards; one with Grandma Renee & "Grumpa" and one on a field trip with school. We went to the pumpkin patch with friends, took a couple of epic bike rides, and did lots of playing in leaves and trips to the park.




























Love ~ Renee