High Flying Halloween

When I asked Dash what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said he wanted to be an airplane. Well, actually he made his airplane sound. Assuming his answer was just a fleeting whim, I asked him a few days later. This time he responded with "Airplane!" and Liam took up the cause, answering the same when I asked him. Same thing a few days after that. So airplanes they were! The rest of us are aviators (and really, they are pilots too).

Sean loved making the costumes (and he did an incredible job) and the twins love wearing them. I loved not sewing anything.

They're a little cumbersome to wear indoors, but outside they're just awesome.

This one Sean labeled as the Red Baron.

This is some other American plane that Sean knows the name for and I don't.

Grey got to be a pilot in an aviator hat that's much too big for him.

He really didn't like it.

Here's a little behind-the-scenes action for you. It's all made of diaper boxes!

So much fun to play in!

And apparently a good place to meditate.

We went to the church's trunk-or-treat over the weekend. They caught on to the idea of gathering candy real quick. Dash liked to plop the treats in his bag but Liam liked to hold on tight until his little hand couldn't hold any more.

I stayed at the car and passed out candy to all the other kiddos.

2012-10-30 001 trunk or treat from Katie Bradley on Vimeo.

There was someone dressed as Santa Clause and now the boys constantly talk about Santa giving them candy for Halloween. I think they might be a little confused come Christmas-time.

My three boys sure are having a high flying Halloween!

Divine

Playdough 'Stache

The Pumpkin Patch, Part the Second

These pictures are by Sean so I'll narrate as if I was him.

Look at my beautiful wife, she sparkles like a diamond. I love when she wears her hair in the middle of her face. They're riding in the big tractor trailer while I pick out some pumpkins. Then she randomly ran into a girl from her home town- what are the odds!

Dash get's his GQ look from me.

Liam gets his sneer from his mom.

This reminds me of when I was the shortest kid in my grade. Didn't pass 5 feet until sophomore year of high school.

I love these boys' playfulness. We strictly enforce playfulness.

Everyone gets a turn. Liam gets to be a cow...

Dash gets to be a cow. Everyone's equal.

Liam's a natural up there.

Katie's dad learned to drive on the farm when he was nine. My boys have got him beat!

After a fun filled visit to the farm, Dash drove us away into the sunset.

The Pumpkin Patch, Part the First

We went to Dewberry Farm over the weekend. So very many things went wrong.

1. I overexposed most of my photos. It was sunny.
2. We all dressed in pants and shoes but it was WAY TOO HOT. Ugh, I can't stand being hot while wearing shoes.
3. I didn't drink enough water and got a big dehydration headache.
4. My bangs went everywhere with the wind. Tragic.
5. The pumpkin patch wasn't even pumpkins on the vine, just a bunch scattered throughout the field. No better than from the grocery store.

And yet, it was still wonderful. There was a ton to do which distracted us from our extreme sweatiness. And we got ourselves some pumpkins! Here's some of the things that went right.

There was a fantastic playground area with a "spider's web" net and a slide made of spinning PVC and sandboxes filled with corn kernels. It was a nice, sweaty way to start our visit.

This trike was juuuust a little too big.

Dash managed to move it while standing. But it was s l o o o o o w going.

Hydrating. They were hot.

That hairs partly sweaty, partly wetted. I wished I could have dunked my hair in some water.

There was a mini barn to check out. When we later asked what their favorite part of the day was, they both said, "piggy!"

They got to feed goats with the food other scaredy-cat kids had dropped on the ground.

Oh they were so happy to see so many trains. There was a real, though not running, little train. Then a playground type train, and...

A cow train that we all got to ride. Those boys were in bliss.

There was a flower patch!

I have such sweet kids.

Dash is SO happy the be there.

My worst overexposure offenses came at the pumpkin patch.

Plus, the kids were so hot and tired (and anxious to ride a tractor) that they only sat for about 4 seconds.

But look, I still got, a good one! Well, an okay one, with everyone in it, despite the forlorn faces and crowded background.

Coming tomorrow, the pictures that Sean took!

A Month In

I'm a mom of three, isn't that bizarre? That's been my status for over a month now. What kind of changes have there been, besides the sleep disruptions that I apparently can't stop talking about?

Well, the car configuration has changed, for one. The best way to arrange all the car seats was to put Liam and Dash in the way back, which we've taken in stride. We just have to talk extra loud now. And apparently these boys become baby birds when offered a gummy worm.

Surprisingly, we've been able to go out and do things petty often. It has to be a little more scheduled, yes, and it's only possible because Sean's been home so much, but I'm rather proud that I haven't been as home-bound as I expected. On the days that I've been on my own with the kids though, the most we've managed was to go on a little walk around the neighborhood. Little steps.

Dash and Liam are very understanding of Grey's needs, but they're still speedy two-year-olds. They're zipping around all over the place. We don't have many pictures of all three kids together because it ends up like this photo- always on the go!

So far, so good!

One vs. Two

It sure is easier raising a newborn this time around. It helps that I kind of know what I'm doing this time. I swear, with the twins, I thought babies just fell into a sleep pattern on their own. Ha! It helps that I don't worry so dang much this time and can just enjoy my sweet little babe. It helps A TON that there's only one baby. So easy to focus, so easy to make decisions, so easy to follow a sleep schedule.

Grey's started to smile and it's spectacular. Sean's especially good at coaxing them out of him. Get this, he even laughs a little! I mean sort of, it's in his sleep- it's sort of a repetitive gasp with a big ol' smile, followed immediately by waking up with a huge jerk of the head. It's delicious!

Yes, it was harder to take care of twin infants than one infant (duh) but right now, it's still the twins that are harder to take care of. Chiefly because of sleep. We did resolve the escaping the bed issue by standing guard in their room. But that makes a lot less time for myself when I have to do that for 30 minutes twice a day. And sometimes they don't even fall asleep for their nap.

But the worst offense is that they wake up an hour and a half earlier than they did when they were in cribs. As sweet as it is to have them climb into our bed, it's less cute at 6am. Plus they occasionally come into the room in the middle of the night. It's made for much less sleep and a much grumpier mom.

I have to say though that Liam and Dash are otherwise so fun. I love how much their talking and understanding. It just amazes me how they've grown their own personalities. How did that even happen? They act so silly and make me giggle at every turn. I love them so.

Just sleep in a little longer, okay?

Love Wishes

These boys love each other.

Can you tell? They really do.

That's the magnitude of love we wish upon Rachel and her brand new fiance Tim! Congratulations, you two, can't wait for April!