Trick-or-Treat

We had a fun Halloween in Hagerstown this year. We were a bit lazy about getting pumpkins though. We went to a pumpkin patch and everything, but alas it got too cold for us to stay for the actual "pumpkin-picking" part (too many other fun things to do, according to Abby.) We did go to the grocery store on Halloween and found their last two pumpkins, one of which is pictured below. Obviously, their pickings were slim at this point!:) Abby did enjoy decorating it with a black marker while wearing her Raggedy Ann outfit (I let her wear this hand-me-down costume from her cousin Paige during the day and we saved her warmer costume for trick-or-treating.)

Abby was a cat this year. If you recognize the costume, props to you!! It's actually the same costume she wore last year. It still fit, we couldn't find anything cuter, so there you go!

Landon was our little turtle this year. I thought he would hate this little get-up, but he actually wore it the entire time we went trick-or-treating. What a cutie-pie!!

My two cuties together!!

We actually didn't get any pictures of the actual trick-or-treating event. Abby really wasn't all that into it (very surprising to her parents since we know how much she loves candy.) I think after she filled her bag a bit, she was just ready to go home and eat it. It was an absolute gorgeous fall evening though, so it was still fun to be out in our neighborhood and see all the kids dressed up.

• In other news, is it just me, or is anybody else ready for this election to be over? I enjoy politics and all, but it just seems like it has been dragging on for years (oh, wait, it has been!!) so I'm glad that after today (hopefully) we can end this drama. I did vote this morning, with the two kids in tow. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes which was nice. I'm not a huge supporter of either candidate, but I'm sure we'll watch a lot of the election coverage tonight. I think I know who will win, but it will be interesting to see how close it really will be.

• I have to agree with my brother-in-law though in that I really think that whoever ends up winning this election will only serve one term. I really believe the economy will tank in the next few years. The current mortgage crisis is just a drop in the bucket to what we may be facing soon (credit card defaults, baby boomers retiring and pulling money out of the stock market, etc.) The president will likely be blamed (like always, even though he really has little control over what actually happens) and he will lose his bid for a second term. Just my little prediction though.

HAPPY VOTING!!

Williamsburg Reunion

We had a great time this last weekend in Williamsburg, VA for the Cleveland Family Reunion. We all met there on Friday afternoon (my parents and sister Tami had flown in the night before and rode up with Lara & Ben's family, the rest of us were able to drive.) We spent Friday evening visting Colonial Williamsburg which we all really enjoyed (I'll have to get some pictures from my mom since we forgot our camera that night.)

We spent all day Saturday at Busch Gardens. It was absolutely gorgeous and we all saw firsthand why it has been ranked the most beautiful theme park in America for the last 18 years. Jason and I were really impressed with how many rides they had for kids. A lot of the amusement parks we have been to were geared more for older children and adults, but Busch Gardens had a great mix of rides for all ages. Abby especially loved riding all the kiddie rides with her cousin, Paige. With their blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin, Abby and Paige look more like sisters than cousins!

Some pictures from some of the rides at Busch Gardens...

This was how Landon spent most of the day (he was an absolute angel during our trip!) We went to church on Sunday morning and then spent the afternoon and early evening wandering around Colonial Williamsburg again. It was a fascinating area, appearing very much as it did back in the 1700's. There were people dressed up in costumes from that time period and horse and buggy rides that you could use to tour the area. We also visited the campus of William & Mary (the second college built on American soil in the late 1600's.) I even used the bathroom in the oldest college building in America, the Sir Christopher Wren Building (my new claim to fame!!)

The next day we headed to Yorktown for a brief visit before heading home. We got some neat pictures of our family and of just Jason and I in front of the James River while we walked along the sand.

We had a fabulous time in Williamsburg. We would highly recommend it as a great place for a mini-vacation if you ever come out East. The best part of all though was spending time with family again. We love you Cleveland Family...thanks for the great memories!!!

Mother of Two

I read this online the other day and it really resonated with me. Since I know that there are other readers of this blog who either...a. Recently added a second addition to their family...b. Are about to have another child...or c. Are pondering the idea of baby#2, I decided that I would share it here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...

LOVING TWO

I walk along holding your two-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship.

Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited.

And I wonder, how could I love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you.

I watch as the pain you feel at having to share me as you have never shared me before.

I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me" and I hear myself telling you in mine "I can't".

Knowing in fact that I never can again.

You cry, I cry with you.

I almost see our baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared.

A relationship we can never have again.

But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty.

I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying him -- as though I am betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.

More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine.

The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.

But something is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just us two.

There are new times -- only now we are three.

I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.

I watch how he adores you, as I have for so long.

I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments.

I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you.

I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you.

I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong.

And my question is finally answered to my amazement.

Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you, only differently.

And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I know you'll never share my love.

There's enough of that for both of you -- you each have your own supply.

I love you both and I thank you both for blessing my life.

-Author Unknown

Pumpkin Patch 2008

We had a great time visiting Summers Farm in Frederick on Saturday. We met Tasha, Jeff and Coldon there and enjoyed a chilly but sunny few hours on the farm. Abby really loved seeing all of the animals, sliding down the huge slides and getting lost in the corn maze. Her favorite part however, had to be the giant pit filled with corn kennels. It took us about 20 minutes just to get her out of there!! Landon and Coldon were quiet observers of the festivities this year, but I'm sure they will love running around along with Abby next October!

Getting up close and personal with the animals...

Enjoying the makeshift slides...

Almost 3 feet tall!!

Getting lost in the burlap maze!

Enjoying the "Oh, so fun" corn pit...

She loved husking the corn so much in the corn maze that we thought we just might hire her out!

A Family Photo (notice Abby can't be bothered from husking for a silly picture!!)

Landon's Four!!

Four months that is!! I can't believe my little man is growing up so fast. He is just so darn cute and I can't seem to kiss those adorable cheeks enough! He loves to roll around the room now and has tried scooting with his strong little legs (I'm very discouraging of this however, I still enjoy his limited mobility!!) He can tripod sit for a little while and loves to put things in his mouth so that he can slobber all over them. He is even sleeping in his own room now. Ahhhhhh, where did my little newborn go?? And he definitely isn't so little anymore...at his 4-month checkup he weighed in at 16 lbs and measured 27 inches. He is long and plump, just the way we like our babies!!

And for your enjoyment, I will throw in a funny "Abby Story." (This actually happened a couple of months ago, but I don't think I ever blogged about it.) Abby loves going outside and bringing me all kinds of fun treasures that she finds out there (rocks, sticks, dirt...you get the idea.) Well one morning she was having a grand old time playing in the dirt under our deck when I heard her calling me. I go outside and she is standing there with her little hands outstetched showing me her newest find and declares, "Look Mom, a kitty!" Ummmm, it wasn't a kitty...it was a tiny dead rabbit she was clutching in her hands (We have a lot of wild rabbits that roam the fields behind our house. How this one died, I am not sure, nor do I care to find out!) I'm sure you can imagine the chaos that ensued as I quickly made her drop the rabbit and did my best at killing all the possible germs I could imagine were crawling all over her hands. This whole incident grossed me out beyond imagine and I still get the "heebie-jeebies" whenever Abby talks about her "kitty" from outside!!

Twin Cousins

I cannot believe that it is already October. I do enjoy the fall so much though, so I'm looking forward to all that this month has to offer (pumpkin patches, family reunion in Williamsburg, and of course, Halloween!!)


Last week I watched my sister Tasha's little boy Coldon for the day. She only works one day a week and usually her husband Jeff is able to watch him during that one day, but when he has to travel for work, I get to try my hand at experiencing what twins would be like (Coldon is just 7 weeks older than Landon!!) I was a little nervouse about how everything would go but it actually went a whole lot better than I thought (although there were a few hairy-scary moments when both were crying to be fed and I wasn't quite sure what to do!) Coldon is such a cutie-pie and I was able to get a few cute pictures of the cousins together. I do have to admit though that I have a newfound respect and admiration for those people who do have twins. I don't know how you do it everyday, especially with newborns...my hat goes off to you!!





I thought this was a pretty funny picture sequence. During our little photo session, Coldon became quite fascinated with Landon's ear...

• Coldon: "Hey, I think I got somethin' here!"
• Landon: "Ha-ha, that's funny!"
  

• Coldon: "This is truly quite fascinating..."
• Landon: "Uhhh, what's this kid doing?"

• Coldon: "I gotta get me a better look at this thing!"
• Landon: "Hey kid, do you see this little fist?"
  
  

Funny Story

We've had a pretty low-key couple of weeks since Jason's parents left. We are enjoying some slightly cooler weather by taking lots of walks and playing outside. I do have a funny Abby story to share though...

Abby's friend Georgie came to visit with his mom, Kim this week. Georgie is in the process of being potty-trained and he was very excited to use the potty at "Abby's house" when he came over to play. After using the bathroom, Kim gave Georgie a little piece of candy and gave one to Abby too, just to be nice (Abby has shown no interest in the potty herself, except she does love to sit on it, unroll the toilet paper, wipe and flush the toilet. She still hasn't actually DONE anything in the toilet though, and I'm in no hurry to train her either.)

A little while later, Abby asked Kim if she could have another piece of candy and Kim explained to her that it was special candy and she could only have another piece if Georgie went to the bathroom on the potty again. At that moment, Georgie walked into the room. Abby immediately went over to him, grabbed his face between her two little hands and said, "Georgie, look at me." Then very seriously she told him, "You NEED to go poop." We all cracked up at how Abby had figured out a way to get an easy piece of candy...let others do the dirty work for you! Oh, my too-smart-for-her-own-good little girl. She's a hoot!!


Landon is growing way too fast and we are really enjoying him. He is rolling all over the place now and grabbing at anything within reach of his two little hands. We love watching him discover the world around him.
So that's it for now. Nothing too exciting, but we are enjoying life with our two little munchkins!