Happy Halloween!!!

Warning--there are a ton of pictures here. But I've been a bad blogger lately, so I had to catch up somehow. We had THREE Halloween/costume events in the past 5 days. So we dressed the kids up THREE times! Here are the pictures of our crazy but fun outings--Emily was Cinderella, and Ty was a mouse (specifically, Gus from Cinderella according to Emily). My mom made both costumes. Didn't she do a fabulous job?

We started our Fall Festivities last Saturday by attending a birthday/Halloween party for 2 of Emily's friends. This is Emily and Ty at the party.

Emily did the cutest thing when we walked into the party--she saw another little girl and immediately said "Look, Mommy, there's Snow White." She was too excited. I really think that Emily truly believed that she was Cinderella and that the other little girl was really Snow White.

They live out in the country, so we went on a hayride. This was Ty's 1st hayride and Emily's 2nd (her 1st was at the same party 2 years ago).

Emily saw a magazine at Dee's mom's. There were pictures of Halloween cupcakes on the cover, and she asked MeMe if she could have the magazine. And then she begged me for a week to make the cupcakes. So this was our big project last sunday. This is Emily's marshmallow cupcake.

And this is her pumpkin cupcake--isn't she creative?

Dee and I made some too! Emily calls them the funny cupcakes.


On Monday, our class at church had a Halloween party. We set up the church's bounce thingy for our kids, and Emily had a blast! Of course, she was jumping in the princess castle!




Ty was content in his high chair after a full belly of sweet potatoes!

This was this evening. We went to the big carnival at church and then Trick or Treating to a few neighbors. Emily got a kick out of Trick or Treating. After each house, she would say "Let's go to another neighbor's house, so they can give me some more candy." She said trick-or-treat and thank you or your welcome to everyone. She sometimes gets confused on which one to say.



Well, with Dee at fb practice, I had to get them ready all by myself. And I had to try to get a picture of them all by myself. I told Emily to hold her brother up and crossed my fingers that she would. And she managed to keep him upright. She's such a big girl. When I was getting ready for the evening, I had propped Ty up on the couch, and he apparantley spit up. When I walked in to check on them, she was wiping up the spit-up with baby wipes---about 50 of them! She loves to "help."



Ahhh, my little princess. I treasure these moments where she is fully convinced that she is Cinderella. I know that sweet innocence won't last long.

Wow--now I need to insert a picture of an exhausted Mommy. I am SO GLAD all of the festivities are over and we can get back to normal.

6 Months Old--New Teeth and Starting and Stopping Solids!

Ty's half birthday was Friday, and we spent the day home due to a stomach virus. The poor baby was throwing up and having diarrhea. I was constantly changing diapers/Ty's clothes/my clothes. We did go to the doctor and find out that he was not dehydrated and that there really wasn't anything we could do until the bug passes (it made me feel better to have the dr say he was going to be ok). On Friday, I also got the privilege of giving him a suppository--so much fun! On Saturday, the throwing up was pretty much done, but the runs were still "running." And today, he seems to be better although the poop isn't normal yet, and his appetite isn't 100% either.

I did discover on Thursday night that his first 2 teeth had finally cut, so that was exciting. Emily got her first tooth on her 6 month birthday, so both of these kids are together with that milestone. The following pictures are from the past week of Ty starting solids. I am a mean mommy who makes Ty wait basically the full 6 months recommended by AAP. I also hate rice cereal--I think it's a pointless bunch of carbs and has little nutritional value. Instead, he has had organic oatmeal and homemade banana puree. Isn't he a lucky boy? Next he will have homemade sweet potato puree or squash puree, but with the stomach bug, we had to temporarily stop feeding solids. I think we will try oatmeal again tomorrow if today continues to go well.

Enjoy!


Yummy--thanks Daddy for the bananas!


See, I can already feed myself this yummy cereal.


Emily didn't want to be left out; she can feed herself spaghetti!

Ty has recently discovered two entertaining items--water bottles and remote controls.

His #1 talent--drooling

Some people! (warning--breastfeeding is discussed)

Don't you just love the personal questions that people ask you when you are pregnant and have babies? I know I have been shocked to hear normally rational people ask me such personal questions such as...

Was the pregnancy planned or an accident?
So when did you get pregnant?
Have you been peeing all the time?
Did you have hemroids?
Are you taking a stool softner?
When are you going to have another baby?
Are you getting your tubes tied?
Have you started your AF yet?

And, of course, these things are so no one's business. By the way, I am not talking about close, personal friends asking these questions. I am not even referring to conversations with my girlfriends in which we compare pregnancy/birth experiences. These questions have been asked by random people in Wal-Mart and people I barely know!

Now that we are starting Ty on solids (he had his first "meal" of real food tonight--pictures tomorrow hopefully), I am bracing myself for the are you still breastfeeding questions. I don't know why some people think it's so weird to BF your baby for 6+ months. And I don't know why it's anyone's business either. But the "minimum" according to AAP is 1 year and WHO is 2 years. I have no intention of going to 2 years, but I congratulate anyone who does. Now if the kid was Emily's age and nursing, I would think that was weird in my head, but I would never say anything to the parent--it's not my business.

I nursed Emily until she was 1 year and 3 days old, and we stopped because she was ready. But when she was around 6 months, people just started assuming she was weaned. And even if they didn't ask the question, you could still see the "weirded-out" look in their eyes. This is not everyone--most people, by the way, gave me props. I'm just talking about a few silly, uneducated people.

Speaking of uneducated people...this happend to my husband (and he is not the uneducated person to whom I am referring). Dee was telling the female science teachers (can you picture this conversation?) that I was sad that we were having to supplement 4 oz of formula daily when Ty is in daycare. Although I have no supply problem when I nurse him, with pumping, I struggle to keep up with his gy-normous appetite. One of the BIOLOGY teachers said, "Well, I don't see why she's upset because it's actually healthier for them to get breastmilk and formula." I love that my wonderful husband told her how wrong she was! He told me she was an idiot--how could a biology teacher think that something artificial was better than something natural? Go Dee (I love you)! Sorry for the tangent...back to the subject...

I came across these (mostly sarcastic) responses to prep myself for any you're still BFing questions/comments as Ty enters the 2nd half of his 1st year. Some of them really made me laugh, especially because I love sarcasm!

Are you STILL nursing?

Of course, I wouldn't dare ask someone else to do it for me!
Actually, he's the one doing the nursing, I just sit here.
No, I'm not, my mother lives too far away. Ty is, though.
Yes! (then hold up your hand expecting the other person to high-five you)
Right now? No, he's over there playing. I need him to do it.
I was never a nurse. I don't like needles! I'm a teacher, remember?
Everyone asks that, it must be because he's so incredibly healthy!

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO WEAN?

I weaned a long time ago, when I was two I think.
(pause) Oh, you were talking to me? I thought you were asking him...he can't answer you yet.
Oh...sometime in the future. (be vague, it gets them every time!)
I suppose whenever he stops nursing, that would be a good time.
That's funny, I was going to ask you when are you planning on going vegetarian (or something equally as ridiculous to ask)
When his mustache gets in the way.

HE DOESN'T NEED TO NURSE AT THIS AGE!

Maybe not, why don't you read up on it for me. Maybe you can find out if there is an expiration date for my milk.
And you don't NEED to eat that doughnut, but you still are.

HE SHOULD BE DRINKING COW'S MILK FROM A CUP BY NOW

He likes human milk from these cups better at the moment.


and my favorite.........




ISN'T HE A LITTLE OLD FOR THAT?

Aren't you a little old to be wearing those jeans?

Hope you enjoyed! And if my brother or any other male read this, that's what you get! You can't expect a Mommy of 2 children to have "bodily function-free" posts all the time :-)