Happy Birthday My Sweet Boy.

I intend to do a better birthday open letter to my precious boy later. I'm a tad bit distracted by the earthquake we just had, even though it was nothing to write well, anywhere about, haha. But I still have that adrenaline from scooting everyone into the hallway. :) It was a 5.6 and decently close, but just a rumbler.

Happy Birthday Carter!

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Is Halloween over yet?

Glazed Expressions Courtesy Candy, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

While I suppose it's nice that costumes get a lot more use these days, it's out of CONTROL how much Halloween has changed from a one night, put on a sheet or something lame that resembles a trash bag with a very dangerous mask having itty eyeholes, into a month long extravaganza. Our first H'ween party was September 29!!! Eeesh.

Anway, here are the kidlets, in their sugar-induced states from Friday when we went TOTing downtown. I must admit they're super cute kids. ;) Little Carter was mystified by it all, but he certainly 'got' that people were being really nice and giving away candy to him, and all he had to do was hold out a big pumpkin bucket!

Was it wrong that I ate a Reece's cup out of his bucket that very night? Hey, he doesn't even like peanut butter (though I guess adding chocolate to the equation may have changed it a bit).

P.S. Carter is a monkey, but he refuses to put up the hoodie part. Stinker!

A nice, laid back weekend. Pshaw!

Is October over yet? Is it?? Please?? In our house, we jokingly call fall 'birthday season' since there are a damn lot of birthdays mid-Sept thru early November, but October is by far the pinnacle. Of course, I didn't make things any easier by having a child the day before Halloween, did I? (Going with the theme, I fully expect to do into labor at, oh, 3 a.m. on Christmas morning or something magically impossible like that... I imagine myself trying to breathe through early labor while hurrying the kids through the "Santa Came!" portion and hightailing it to the hospital to deliver, but I digress.)

Anyway, counting that one party was for twins (which means it's double the fun and I count this as two), there are/were 8 birthdays in October. Plus: Bunny won that award, so we had to go to that thing. And there are Halloween festivities to get to. I was going to have C's birthday party this weekend, but another friend is having a party for a playgroup I am in, and we wanted to go, so I pushed his back a weekend. Which is a great thing, since we're going to be going trick or treating downtown this evening after the park playtime. Then tomorrow Bunny really wants to go to Lakeshore Learning to make a craft tomorrow morning. then tomorrow afternoon we have a birthday party at a pumpkin patch (please, let it be in the shade, said the pregnant lady).

Sunday I need to make my menus for next week and grocery shop in the a.m. so I can prepare a side dish for that afternoon's halloween party, which I truly am looking forward to... as long as I can sit a lot, haha. I would call Monday a day off, but really I need to finish up the tee shirts I am making as favors for C's party and probably bake a small cake for C's 'real' birthday. maybe I'll just get cupcakes. Oh, and I really should wrap his presents. Oh, and I at sometime in the intervening few days need to buy his tricycle/helmet that Mama & Daddy are giving him. Then Tuesday is his birthday. Wednesday is Halloween! I did already buy candy. Give me the strength to not eat all the Reece's cups. ;) Bun needs to wear her costume to school, and at 12:45 I need to get there for her parade and party. So much for Mr. Man's nap.

Paul is *so* taking the kids around for a few blocks of trick or treating while I hand out candy that evening. but, but, but, then I don't get to see C holding out his pumpkin bucket begging for candy! Or maybe hiding because he's not as adventurous as his big sister. I guess I can live with that, right? I will pass out candy at home, and Paul would love to see it all, anyway. He can carry C on his shoulders, it will be okay to miss it (this is me convincing myself to *not* do something here).

And then on Thursday? Rest! Unless something comes up. Oh, and Paul just told me to not overdo it tonight. Bwahaha. As if I have a choice. ;) I da mama!

I really don't need a new hobby/obsession.

Oct 23 2007, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

But I am being sucked into it, bit by bit. Bento appeals to my anal inner core, and I always used to love going to Miyake for lunch back when I was a working woman. All those neat little compartments, with stuff all perfectly tucked inside.

I have a depraved fascination with Japanese culture, as they have such a sense of order and yet also are completely, utterly insane at times (I used to collect--and use--Japanese kiddie stationery because it cracked me up how weird it was, but also how well thought out at the same time. My favorite set of stationery, which I still have a couple of sheets to, is one called "Animal Donut" with the words "This taste has warmed up our mind as well as our body." (Yay Engrish!) on the top of the sheets, and it's decorated with some odd hamster on a donut, and what look a lot like crullers which are shaped like animal heads. I never could figure: were the donuts made OF, FOR, or BY animals??

Anyway. I now seem to be morphing into a bento kiddie lunch maker. I bought all these Lock & Lock containers back at the beginning of the school year, but when they have all 4 inner compartments in them, as neat as they seem in theory, I never could figure how to use them for a lunch in toto and Bun is only 5; she eats with gusto, but it'd be overkill to give her 4 snacks and a sandwich. Then I saw an example of how someone removed two compartments and VOILA! perfect kiddie bento for the mom not wanting to buy much to start out.

Though, as addicting as playing with food is, I am sure I'll buy 'her' a couple for Christmas. ;)

My Little Award Winner

Bunny_Kinder, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

We found out today Bunny won 2nd place for a habitat preservation awareness diorama she built for class! Hers was about helping sharks, and I had to juggle her very full birthday party attending schedule so she can go get her award this coming Saturday. She's invited to a party at Blush (makeover place) with pizza at Round Table afterwards, but we're going to the wildlife preservation center at 10 and just making it to the pizza and cake part, which hopefully gives her a 2.5 hrs to go and show off her creation and get her major award. She's been to those makeover places a few times for parties anyway, and she's over it, plus then I don't have to scrub glitter out of her hair for the next week.

I'm very proud of her, and hope it's not a lamp shaped like a leg or anything. ;)

No, Pat No! Don't Sit on That!

So Carter has been enjoying a little self exploration whenever he's afforded the chance. Quite normal, though his gravelly way of saying, "I touch," is a bit odd when I am changing his diapers. Whatever.

Anyway, Paul was changing him today and noticed he was a bit red, so we decided to let him 'air out' in the back yard for a while. Usually we let him be a shirtcocker (shirt and no pants -- Burning Man phrase that cracks me up to no end), but today he was au naturel, as we were thinking he'd want to put on his swim diaper and get in the hot tub if we got in. He was running around, arching his back, trying out the sensations of 'touching' everything he can. Again, whatever. Up to a metal chair, arch back, said "touch"... and so forth.

Until: He decides to try out a lavender plant. They are kind of prickly this time of the year, since they are planted in beds that are native plants and able to handle the 5-6 mos of dryness. Up to lavender plant, arch back, says "Owwwwww." All I could think of was that line from Hop on Pop. ;)

And Many Moooore!

KRISTIANNA___BABY_ELEANOR_1_78, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

My sister is 30 today! Which makes me going on 35. Dang.

I feel like it's only been a short while since we were these little kids.

A well-balanced meal

It's taken me a couple of weeks to get around to sending this photo from my phone. This is my dessert from a playgroup family get together--berry pie with super sugary crust and a chocolate-chocolate macaroon sandwich cookie.

The baby kicked for about 3 hours after this little treat. Me? I was semi-comatose. ;)

Warning: This Boy WILL Feed You a Booger

100_4668, originally uploaded by Kristianna.

Carter's newest way to torture mama: pick his nose (which has been full of 'nose picking gold' lately), and offer a booger to Mama. He likes to pick his nose, then hold a miniscule (or NOT) boogie up to my face ane then after saying "Booger!" a few times, say, "Wan Bite?"

His sister never did this.