Halloween part one

Landon's school had a Halloween party today. All the kids dressed up and paraded through the building and got a lot of goodies. Too many goodies for the first of four trick or treating events this year!
Then after the parade there was a party! The parents were asked to help with the food. I was the lame Mom and brought fruit. However, I did make the fruit somewhat festive. There were homemade caramel apples, Cookie Monster cupcakes, cupcakes with candy pumpkins and witches hat cookies. Fun times! Ollie even got some treats just for being Ollie.
More to come for the next Halloween events.

Little things

Ollie is starting to grasp the concept of asking for a toy and not just grabbing it from someone else. Reinforce. Reinforce. Reinforce.
He mimics Landon and says he will have a dairy farm when he grows up. He will also have horses and sheep and pigs. He is very knowledgable about why he will need specific equipment.
His language has shot off since we moved. We have been working on speaking about how a situation makes him feel and the hitting and pushing has really decreased. I think it's adorable when he tells me he's frustrated at something.

Clara seeks me out and grabs my hand to take me to what she wants. She's gotten good at grunting to speak her mind. She turns your face when you aren't paying attention to the book she just plopped into your lap. She is desperate to make constant eye contact with Craig at dinner for affirmation that she is adorable and sweet.

Landon is adjusting to life in Ohio. Most days are good. He has made good boy friends at school. Griffin makes his Grandmother wait at pickup to leave until Landon is walking out the door with him. He is still going to marry Amelia. However, she will have to move to Ohio to live on his dairy farm. (Last conversation with Amelia's Mom, Carmen, she said Amelia is all for the idea of moving to Ohio.)

My View

All three. Happy. Playing together. Happy Momma.

Explore

Ollie went right up to the fireman's pole at the park and didn't even hesitate with thought about how to accomplish it. He grabbed ahold and went right in down! The boy is determined to not let anything stand in his way.

New town

We discovered a new park within a park we have already frequented. It has big rocks and sweet gum trees placed in a star pattern. The boys were pretending the rocks were ships and they were pirates on board. Can you guess which 'mate was ordered to walk the plank? He then crewed his own pirate ship.

Clara Margaret

Clara is all over the place these days. She is very independent, plays by herself as long as she can her noise from another room knowing she wasn't abandoned. She loves to help with laundry, she's gotten into trying the clean clothes on. She trusts Landon unconditionally. She loves to laugh at Ollie. Will wave at anyone even if they don't notice it. She is starting to feel the groove to music and dances. She went to her first bobcat volleyball game last night and LOVED it, the cheering, the game, and the pep band. She is standing independently and very proud of it. She waves at us with both hands when she wants picked up.

I can't believe she is almost 11 months old!

Siblings

I'm pretty sure that as of this time in their lives, Clara would go anywhere with Landon.