Halloween!

We have made it through Halloween! Annah announced it was her favorite holiday - it was definitely something to watch the kids, dressed as a dinosaur and princess and with crazed expressions likely not dissimilar to those of crack addicts about the score their next hit, gleefully run about the neighborhood collecting their cache. We had three days afterwards of doling out after-dinner candy, then they pretty much forgot about it. Thankfully.

The outfits they wore were not my first choice. We had spent about a month working on a knight costume for Gavin, at his request, only to have the knight turned down for a Dino costume given to me by a friend. And Annah was not wearing the superhero costume that was really more fitting her personality, but I managed to capture those. I forgot to take Halloween pictures of what they were wearing that night. The dog ate our chicken. Not that this is an excuse - I just hope you feel bad for me and consequently forget to be annoyed that I don't have actual Halloween pictures.

Gavin is doing amazing in school. We got a complement from his teacher that he always offers a really unique and different perspective, which I think is an awesome complement. He is tethering on the edge of really starting to read on his own, which makes me proud, but also makes me want to cry at the same time. Being a momma is hard. So I'll tell funny stories instead to distract myself. Gav is definitely a sensitive soul, especially compared to his sister. Ryan the other night was pretending he was a chicken, and I told Annah to get the chicken out of the house before I cook him in a pot. Gavin starts crying and telling me not to say such things, and Annah gleefully runs off to fetch the largest pot she can find.

Annah is also turning into quite a character. She turns three tomorrow, which also feels bittersweet. She is getting a Disney Princess cake, and from us she is getting 5 Disney Princess dresses. Her head may just explode. She is quite the princess herself - while cleaning her room the other day, she placed all three of her crowns on the ottoman, and Christened that her "crown section" of the room. We got the kids suitcases that they can ride (see above) for our upcoming trip to Disney. Annah also discovered that they make excellent platforms to dance on as well. Heaven help her daddy.
Annah also loves her brother. She pretends that she has more of them. Hugh we are not totally sure she gets the concept:

Annah: my brothers make my belly feel better.
Me: who are your brothers?
Annah: one is Gavin, and then baby Aila, and then my cousin's sister.

Uh, yeah.

Here is a picture of the kids at the half marathon that I ran with a friend of mine. They were very supportive, but Ryan was the real champion. He took care of them all that day and into that night, as I recuperated. And of course he's taking the picture, but major props to him. Thanks, honey!