I'm not sure how it happened, but our sweet baby girl Nelle turns ONE tomorrow.  

I'm convinced the poem "sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of" was written specifically for her 

because she is the sweetest, smiliest, little lady we could have ever dreamed of.

 

We celebrated her birthday with family and friends on Saturday post afternoon naps, and I caught myself saying multiple times, 

"I think this is my favorite party yet!".  

Mainly because I think I've finally found somewhat of a formula that lets me DIY most of the party ourselves, but still enjoy it.

 (Which is why there are literally zero partying photos to share because I was having too much fun!) 

We picked a time that worked with our kids' nap schedules AND doesn't fall during a meal time.  

It is exhausting putting a meal together for 30+ adults and kids.  

Since we've already hosted two of Ham's birthday parties, 

we're starting to accumulate some super basic decor that can be interchanged between theme after theme.

And...I scaled back.  

I just came out of my busiest fall photo season ever (hence the weeks and weeks of silence on this blog), 

and do not have the energy to go above and beyond.  

We had cake for adults and cupcakes for kids.  

A serve-yourself hot cocoa bar.

 

A combo favor/activity to keep little toddlers entertained.

And a birthday girl who maybe looked like she had already done this cake thing a time or two.

 

Oops.  

#therewasthaticecreamconeonce

#andpumpkinpieatthanksgiving

#andmaybeafewothertreatsbutwhoscounting

 

And that's it.

 

Well, that, and a gorgeous rocking horse that Andrew made in a satellite North Pole workshop called our freezing garage. 

 

Just the perfect simple setup to celebrate our sweet Nelle.

 

 Tomorrow's your day, girl!  Love you so.

Can we go back?

To that Monday a few weeks ago when there was no polar vortex and my kids didn't have long pants on outside and that was okay, let alone hats, gloves, coats and boots Nelle kicks off the second I finally get her strapped in her car seat with all of her gear?  The same Monday when I had friends and their littles over after I bought donut holes from the grocery store the night before and just moved Henry's toys outside and called it a leaf party.

 

I feel a batch of cookie baking coming on for this afternoon.  

Mainly because I want cookies.

And also because the errands I wanted to run aren't worth bundling up the kids again to get them in and out of the car.

Stay warm friends!

 

 

My alarm clock isn't working well.
Instead of going off between 6:30 and 7am it's been starting to sound around 5:30am and just keeps getting louder and louder the longer I let it talk.

"Mommmeeeeeeeey.  I awake!  Where are yewwwwwwwwww?"

If nothing else, Henry is consistent.  

On our third year of time changes with him, I've come to expect that he doesn't adjust quickly.  In fact, I think it gets worse before it gets better as moving his bedtime back has always produced inverse results from what would be expected: a later wake-up time.  

And, on our third year of trick-or-treating (years one and two), he didn't waver, continuing to be stoic.  

Bearing (yep, on purpose) the hardship this year of wearing the too-small bear costume for the sake of others' enjoyment.  

Mainly mine.  

I mean, don't feel too badly for him.  I think he ate candy for 30 minutes straight after we got home checking out his loot and then just stealing directly from our candy bowl and having the nearest adult open it for him after Andrew and I tried hiding his in the coat closet.  (Until the candy bowl made its way outside onto the lap of a Halloween staple...Andrew in his gorilla costume.  Then all toddlers took turns being completely confused and scarred by the gorilla lingering on our porch.)

We inducted five new trick-or-treaters to the group this year.

 After three years, I'm sure they'll find their place in the group, just like Henry has.  And maybe learn to sleep past the crack of dawn. 

Does tying a pink ribbon on a pre-made bear costume then qualify it as maybe semi-homemade?  

It's a wee bit of a stretch, I realize.

I've pieced together Henry's first two years of costumes 

and then had grand ideas of making get-ups for my two littles to be Green Eggs and Ham this year. 
(I think you know who would be the Ham.)

But about two weeks ago as I was figuring out the logistics of it all, 

I panicked a little and didn't think Henry would wear a huge homemade clunky ham around trick-or-treating
especially when his little friends were all sorts of cute characters.  

Andrew has always called Henry Bear, and once Nelle came along she easily became Sister Bear.

When we put their costumes on for the first time a couple of days ago, Nelle couldn't stop looking at Henry and giggling.  I can see why.  

I think cuddling with these two little cubs and sneaking their candy once we're home tonight from trick-or-treating 

is going to be a lot better than a plateful of green food.  

Happy Halloween to all!

Our pumpkins are carved, the candy is bought.  

And hidden because I have zero willpower when it comes to fun size candy goodness that I manage to avoid the rest of the year. 

We've done a dress rehearsal with costumes...one is too big and one too small, 

but I'm telling myself that just adds to the charm of a baby and toddler dressed up in head-to-toe trick-or-treat gear.

 

If our Halloween tomorrow is anything like our trip to the pumpkin patch a couple of weeks ago, 

we are going to have the best time tomorrow with these littles.  

It's really wonderful seeing the world through your children's eyes.  

 

Such grand adventures and pleasure out of the simplest things.

 

Does parenthood just get better and better as your children get older?  

 We told Henry he couldn't ride the hayrack ride tractor wagon back if he didn't sit and take a picture with his sister.  

I think I read somewhere that consistency is the number one rule in parenting and bribery is the second.

 

Girlfriend wanted the biggest pumpkin she could find, but Andrew squashed her big pumpkin dreams next to the pay price/pound sign.  Sorry Sis.  We'll work on him.

 

I remember thinking last year how much fun Henry had at the pumpkin patch 

(the pretty one, not the closer one that we ended up at this year due to a little schedule/timing issue), 

but this year he really had fun.  

I would imagine next year ups the ante again.