Happy Halloween.... Oink, Oink

Happy Halloween! Wow! Did my mommy really carve this pumpkin? What is the light coming out of the pumpkin?!? We started off the morning by using my new Halloween plate for breakfast and playing Halloween music from the ghost/bat that Grandma Rose sent me. Before we went out trick or treating, we started a new tradition of pizza and milk for dinner. It was yummy!

 This is my neighbor, Bonnie. She gives out the BEST Halloween treats. Full sized candy bars! The pumpkins behind me are the contest they have every year. Each trick or treater votes for the pumpkin they like best. The family member who wins gets bragging rights for the rest of the year. 

This is my neighbor, Jackie. She LOVED my costume and thought I was so cute. I always love her hugs and I got a good one tonight!

 I was all bundled up in between houses to stay warm. 

 Daddy proudly pushed the stroller from house to house. 

Trick or Treat... I truly enjoyed trick or treating. I loved ringing the door bells. Towards the end, I was taking off my gloves to ring the door bells and was not shy about putting my hand in the candy dishes to get my share of candy. My treat bucket was so heavy towards the end that I couldn't carry it. I would have kept going if mommy and daddy would have let me. 

 Look at all of my goods! Mommy was teaching me what she used to do growing up... sort the candy into like candy piles and count how many of each kind. Then, she would trade with Uncle Jeff what she didn't like. My favorite kind of candy I got tonight was M&Ms by far! Uncle Jeff introduced me to them last month when I was in Omaha, and I've wanted them ever since. Guess what the majority of my bucket is filled with? M&Ms! 

 Look at my squiggly tail... Oink... Oink... 

Halloween Parade

I was in a parade today! There were so many people lined up at Best Buy to see me! Of course, my best friend, Ellie, and I were riding in style in the back of the buggy...

 I was so excited to see Mommy, but then I wanted to go with her and cried for most of the parade. 

 This is my teacher, Miss Essi. I LOVE her so much. She is so loving and caring! She was an African Princess, but I think she is one every day!

 Whatcha lookin' at? Yes, my mother dressed me up like a pig!

The Princess and The Pig! The love between these two girls never stops. They just decide to hold hands and hug throughout the day... 

18 Month Check-up

We had Kate's 18 month old conference at school last week. In a nutshell, she is doing great! Miss Essi was giggling as she told me that she loves to walk around the room and pick up the tiniest pieces of "nothing" on the floor. Kate loves to be clean and ensure everything around her is clean. Miss Essi gave Kate a great report summing it up as: she sits in the library often flipping pages in books, enjoys music class where she can type on the keyboard and sing, shares/gives more than she takes, has little patience, and is a very caring, loving little girl. 

We conquered drinking from a real cup last week after conferences. We are moving on to potty training!

Daddy took Kate to her 18 month doctor check-up yesterday. Kate is 24 pounds 2 ounces (50th percentile,) and she is 32.5 inches tall (75th percentile.) 

Happy Halloween Eve!

We stopped at Lund's grocery store on our way home from school today. They were having a "Boo Blast." They dressed up the high school employees and placed them throughout the store  handing out all kinds of goodies (milk, pencils, erasers, candy, Cheetos, etc.) Kate got a little freaked out by Tigger, She was giving the witches and vampires high fives... go figure! One of the goodies for her trick or treat bag was a Lund's Halloween cupcake. Daddy was jealous - it is his favorite cake!

We found the perfectly round (and gigantic) pumpkin this year. 

 Kate was not a big fan of the goop inside the pumpkin. I accidentally flung a pumpkin seed into her, and she freaked out wanting me to get it off her. She comes by her "cleanliness" honestly... We've started calling her Rose, as she picked up this trait from Grandma Rose... 

Unfortunately, I couldn't coordinate Kate's costume with the pumpkin carving like last year with the ghost. We resorted to a witch on a broom. 

 Right when we were ready to have the unveiling of the carved pumpkin, Daddy was sleeping. Hope he makes it up for trick or treating tomorrow night. 

Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium

Nana came up to visit this weekend, while Papa was at the Nascar race in Kansas City and Daddy was hunting in South Dakota. We had so much fun going to the SeaLife Minnesota Aquarium at the Mall of America. 

I was very interested in watching the seahorses and eels in the tanks. 

 The stingrays made me a little uneasy, so I didn't get too close.

I got to touch real live starfish and coral. 

 The snake eels were putting on a show. They would pop up and down in the sand. 

Watching the waterfalls so prim and proper with my hands folded

 Did you know that jellyfish are 95% water?

 Nana and Me

 The jellyfish were so cool! I loved watching them glow in the dark and swim.

 Say cheese...

Apple Jack Orchards II

Our family tradition of picking pumpkins and apples took place at Apple Jack Orchards with the Edstrom's this year. Ellie and Kate had a ball running around in the hay bails, climbing on the John Deere tractor, seeing how tall this Fall they were, chasing each other through the pumpkins, riding the Apple Jack Orchards wooden school bus, and eating apple donut holes and warm apple cider. Kate especially enjoyed her wagon ride with her Daddy....

Best Buddies

Who knew that kids could have best friends and truly love each other like they do at 17 months old! Ellie and Kate have been in the same room at school since they were five months old. Thankfully, they have been able to stay in the same rooms as they move up. When they see each other in the mornings, they literally run up and hug each other tight and kiss. When we were walking into school last week, Ellie and Kate grabbed hands in the parking lot and walked in together. 

We hit it off with the Edstrom's (Summer and Bryan) right away and enjoy hanging out outside of school! Summer and I are really like two peas in a pod. We have way too many similarities. This weekend the six of us are headed to an apple orchard and pumpkin patch in western Minnetonka. We'll put the girls down for bed and have an adult campfire in the Wagner's backyard...

A day at Como Zoo

I recently read that a parent only has 942 Saturdays in their child's life from the time they are born until the time they leave the nest for college. It is hard to believe that we've already had 75 Saturdays with Kate. People were not kidding when they say that before you know it, they will be leaving to college and then getting married. We have been trying to get out to experience as much as we can in Minneapolis on the weekends. 

We have been treasuring all the time we can get with Kate, especially while she is so cuddly and wants to hang out with us. This past weekend we went to Como Zoo and Como Town. At Como Zoo, Kate was so excited to see the apes. She really loves monkeys and started making monkey noises when she saw them! 

Como Town is essentially a mini Valleyfair for little, little kids. She rode the carousel and the train. At the end of the train ride, she wanted "mo..mo..mo" or "more" as we might say. 

Officially a Toddler

After four weeks in the Toddlers room at school, we have a Miss. Independent little girl on our hands.  She is so grown up after just a few weeks of hanging out with the older kids. She is telling stories through babbling, exploring everything in site (typically has everything out of all cupboards in the kitchen on the weekends), pretend playing (making us coffee and stirring it up is her favorite), reading books to her Lovey (Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed is her favorite), dancing and singing to any kind of music, etc. She refuses to sit in a high chair and is all about the booster seat to be like the adults, loves to help pour her milk, loves to wash her hands, and is starting to take her plate and cup from the table to the sink! This week we are transitioning from a sippy cup to a normal cup. Miss. Essi says its time!

Kate is a very loving, smart little girl. We are so blessed... She shows her love through her kisses and positive, cheerful personality. We really do have the happiest baby on the block! We hope you enjoy these videos as much as we've enjoyed capturing the memories firsthand.