First Halloween

The girls’ first Halloween was a big hit!  We started off the festivities with the ward Trunk or Treat.  We actually crashed our old ward’s party since Granny and Pops, Brianne and John and Aunt Caitlin would all be there.  We got everyone all dressed up and of course, Mom had to have a photo shoot before we left!  

In case you can’t figure it out C - Ash Ketchum (Pokemon catcher/trainer extraordinaire); R - Ninja; M - nerd; E - Snow White; S - Bob the Builder; G - Minnie Mouse.  This was the first year that all the big kids didn’t get brand new costumes.  We have plenty from Halloween’s past and so I had them pick through that stuff.  M and C chose to make their own which translated into Mom making their costumes.  Not bad for throwing it together at the last minute.  E and G got new costumes since we don’t have any little girl stuff anymore.  They had no idea what the heck was going on, of course, but they were excited because the other kids were excited.  They both loved carrying around their little pumpkins.  

This cute little Minnie Mouse has started walking everywhere!  It seriously only took her about a week to figure it out and now she’s walking everywhere.  She is amazing! She’s also the cutest little Minnie Mouse I’ve ever seen!  That darn headband wasn’t very cooperative though!

And how about Snow White?  So excited!!

Bob the Builder and his super cheesy smile!

Ash is very serious about is Pokemon catching,

My little nerdlet.  

Apparently ninjas don’t need shoes. . . 

They do, however, have to remove their masks for photos so that their mothers can see their precious faces.  

We made it over to the Stake Center for the Trunk or Treat.  The sky was looking pretty gray but thankfully the rain held off until we got home.  It was so fun to be at the Trunk or Treat with all the cousins and Granny and Pops.  We had almost all the cousins there - just missing Josh and Mandy’s three up in Wyoming.  They were missed!!!

I wasn’t feeding this one her chicken nuggets fast enough apparently.  :)

Josh took E and S around to the cars while G and I stayed to hand out candy.  E LOVED it and had no clue that she was supposed to eat the candy in her bucket - yay!  She just loved collecting it all.  

We had lots of fun trying Ariel’s wig on everyone.  

E was not a huge fan.  (And yes, that is snot coming out of her nose.  ALWAYS.)

Even Granny got in on the fun!

G was not a fan either. 

But could be persuaded for a lollipop, perhaps.  

We had lots of fun!  Josh took the big kids and E out trick or treating through the neighborhood on Halloween.  G and I stayed home to hand out candy, which she loved.  She would get SO excited when someone would knock and would get mad at me if I handed out the candy without her.  So cute.  She also filled up her bucket from our big candy basket and then emptied it back into the basket over and over.  She loves transferring things from one receptacle to another.  I’d say Halloween was definitely a hit!

E's 3rd birthday

Although she turned 3 it felt more like her first birthday.  The first birthday with her family.  The first birthday she ever had celebrated.  The first day she ever felt a little bit special?  The first day that was all about her?  Her first gift ever?  Her first birthday cake and candle?  So many firsts.  Happy firsts and heartbreaking firsts.  Let’s focus on the happy, shall we?  

The big kids planned the whole party.  They were so excited to celebrate her first birthday with us.  They decided on a “Finding Nemo” theme, which is totally perfect and not something I was even thinking about.  It’s the perfect theme because E’s nickname is Sharkbait.  Sounds mean but it’s really not.  when we first got home from China she started making this vocalization that sounds like the “Ooh, ha, ha!” off of Finding Nemo.  EXACTLY.  We have no idea what she’s really trying to say but she still says it all the time. Hence, the nickname, Sharkbait.  So the kids made lots of plans and it was my job to execute everything.  I searched and searched for Nemo-type party supplies but there were none to be found, which wasn’t all the surprising but I had hoped.  So we had to improvise.  I printed a few Nemo coloring sheets from the internet, got some green crepe paper, a blue tablecloth, some cupcakes and some Swedish fish to top them.  The kids colored the pictures and put them on the walls.  I used the same images to help me draw the mural on the chalkboard.  M and C helped me make the seaweed garden below the mural.  And we had the blue (ocean) tablecloth.  We also had E’s favorite - pizza - for dinner.  

After dinner, M led everyone in a few games she had planned.  A rousing game of Nemo, Nemo, Sharkbait.

 

Followed by a quick game of 'Sharkbait Says'.  

And then it was time for some cake!

I didn’t really know how she would react to the flame of the candle (might grab it?) so I held her hands down.  She definitely understood that this was something different and not something we do everyday around here.  And she was excited about that.  She knew we were all paying attention to her.  I wasn’t sure how she would react but it was good to know she understood this was something special and all for her.  (M took all these pictures for me - so grateful for her!)

She didn’t have any idea what to do with the candle but she also didn’t try to reach out and touch it.  I tried to show her how to blow on the flame.  Usually she mimics everything we do and I figured it would be easy.  

We tried and tried but it was not happening so I ended up blowing it out for her. I even tried blowing it out once and then relit it for her to try but that didn’t work either. Oh well. She’ll have lots more birthdays to figure it out.

She didn’t have any problems figuring out a cupcake though.  I was shocked at how calmly and neatly she ate it!  

G wasn’t into the cupcake as much as I thought she’d be.  She didn’t quite know what to think about.  

The other kids were all over cupcakes and ice cream though!

(Why does this child always make this face now?  Argh!)

G just wasn’t into eating the cupcake with her hands.  She was totally into it once Josh started spoon feeding her.  :)

This is E’s smile.  I usually try to smile at her to get her to mimic me since she doesn’t understand what “smile!” means.  This is always how she mimics me.  I sure hope that’s not what I look like!  ;)  Cracks us up!

I think the sugar may have been hitting her at this point.  Haha!

G finally figured out the stuff Daddy was feeding her was worth a few crumbs on her hands.  

 E finished most of her cupcake with only a few crumbs on her face.  

And then it was time for presents!  Josh was getting her shirt and I snapped this picture to set the exposure on my camera.  I normally wouldn’t post a topless picture of my little girl but I was happy to see this one.  Check out that tiny bit of belly fat hanging over her pants - yes!!!!  Skinny Minnie is putting on some much needed weight.  :)  Her little arms and legs and even her face have all filled out a little.  She still well below where she should be but I’m so happy to see some improvement.  

Again, she had no idea what a present was or what to do with it so Daddy helped her.  It didn’t take long for her to catch on though.  

She was ripping and tearing like a pro in no time!

She got a little baby doll stroller, a stacking toy and a shape sorting toy.  

I wasn’t sure how she would react to getting some new toys.  She is usually pretty good about sharing toys and these weren’t any different.  G took to the stroller pretty quickly since she has been walking on her own (yay!!) E has been really sweet about sharing the toys.  She doesn’t freak out at all when the kids are playing with her new toys unless they’ve taken it away from her.  Which is definitely something that happens (especially if S is around - little stinker!) 

We celebrated it up again on the following Sunday with Granny, Pops, Brianne and her family and even Aunt Caitlin and her kiddos.  We opened presents first this time around.  Granny and Pops got her a little doll that she could push around in her stroller and a new outfit.  

Aunt Brianne and Uncle John also gave her some warm clothes (which we were in desperate need of!).  E has definitely figured out this whole present-opening thing.  :)

M made some cupcakes and we used some blue frosting with our fishes this time.  

Q had us cracking up with the blue frosting.  Her mouth looks like Cookie Monster’s!

(Is she not the cutest little bug, ever?!)

The birthday girl tried to blow out the candle on her own but ended up needing some help from the other kiddos.  At least she tried this time though!  

 She enjoyed her cupcake and ate it very neatly as well.  

A fun time was had by all.  We’re so glad that Aunt Caitlin and her cute babies could come to Texas.  We spent almost everyday of E’s birthday week with them.  E even got to hold baby Z and was so sweet with her.  

Happy 3rd birthday E!!!