In the Spirit

Despite continued shenanigans with getting moved in, it's - pardon the blatant Bing Crosby reference - beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house. Charlie has been very excited about Santa this year, and asking the usual questions: "Does Santa get burned in the chimney?" "Is tomorrow Christmas?" Thank goodness for the Advent calendars, as they're keeping him some what straight in terms of when Christmas day will arrive. His one and only Christmas wish? A dinosaur cookie, preferably an Argentinosaurus large enough to give him, mommy and daddy a tummy ache.

Opening up the Lego Advent calendar (which was as much a gift for me as it was for him)


Headed downtown for Winterfest - ice sculptures, Christmas tree cupcakes . . . what more could you ask for?








The boys wait patiently for the tree lighting . . .




Signing his letter to St. Nikolaus (his first dino cookie request, from which he has not wavered)


We actually went to see Santa this year at the Pullen Park Holiday Express. Charlie wouldn't sit in his lap, but got close enough to make a second impassioned plea for the dino cookie.


A bit of Christmas boating


After a LONG wait, we are finally aboard the train




Our favorite scene from the light show


Getting the house spruced up

And So it Begins . . .

Baby #2 is already suffering from being photographed less than his/her big brother, and hasn't even made it out of the womb! I remember painstakingly documenting belly girth from week to week with Charlie, and last Friday we finally got our act together with this one - 30 weeks into the pregnancy! Sigh. Sorry kiddo!

Trick-or-Treat and a Wedding to Boot

We had a fantastic, if busy, Halloween! Our friends got married yesterday, so we planned some H'ween activities for earlier in the day. First, a trip to the museum, where Charlie's T Rex costume fit right in with the exhibits:



When we bought this costume, Charlie said, "Mama, this is not a T Rex! See, he has 3 toes, but T Rex only has 2!" So we decided that he was really Acrocanthosaurus, who also has 3 toes [claws].




He really got into the spirit of his costume!


Then we met up with Gabe and his family for a little early trick-or-treating with our neighbors:


Gabe's little brother was Yoda, and since he was passed out in his stroller, we couldn't help ourselves from: "Tired Yoda is. Sleep he must."


Then, off to the wedding! The bride & groom had a lovely favor table set up with all kinds of candy for trick-or-treaters of all ages.


Checking out the fire pit while waiting for dinner


Our home at Table K


Our lovely hosts


Dinner was delicious NC barbecue, but Charlie was way more into the cake!


The C-man was a dancing machine - here he is rocking out with mama, Donald & Lucy


The happiest boy on the dance floor

Halloween, Family Planning Style

My co-workers and I spent the better part of this week honing our family planning-themed Fall Fest costumes.

My boss = Crownover the Contraceptor (a take-off on Bob the Builder)
Our family planning nurse consultant = The Contraceptive Queen
And I suppose I am a cautionary tale for what happens when you don't contracept carefully!



Note the toolbelt filled with various birth control methods, which we found in a random cabinet in the conference room. Some of these were from 1974!




In addition to Cheryl's CopperT IUD scepter, she also sported these lovely IUD earrings:

State Fair

My folks came up this weekend, originally to help us move back into the house, but since that plan got de-railed we opted for funnel cakes, overpriced rides and all the livestock you can stand at the State Fair.

With me being pregnant and Opu and Daddy being so tall, Omi gladly took on ride-along patrol. Charlie's favorite ride was the Caterpillar Coaster.




Charlie's newest prize possession is a little blue unicorn he won playing this fishing game


This Brahman was pregnant, and due to calve and day


Checking out the baby chicks with daddy


At the antique tractor exhibit


Headed home, hopped up on funnel cakes

Kitty Sitting

My co-worker was out of town last week, and Charlie and I went over to hang out with her kitty, Haley. Charlie was a little freaked out by how mobile she was - like jumping on the back of the couch by his head! - but also really excited about playing with her.









On the way home, Charlie asked where Haley's mommy and daddy were - her kitty mommy and daddy. I started to tell him that she got lost from her parents, but then realized that might be vaguely terrifying - get lost from your parents, then get taken home by random strangers. So I changed course midstream and tried to explain that animals don't live with their parent as long as human kids do. So Haley struck out on her own, and then decided to live with my co-worker. No nightmares so far.

Charlie then told me I was a mommy kitty. I said, "How so?" He looked at me like I was a fool, and answered, "You don't have a penis." Hard to argue with that.

Asheville

We spent the past few days in Asheville - I was there for the NC Public Health Association Meeting, and the boys came along to play! We had a great time, and with the leaves just starting to change, it was gorgeous.

At the Western NC Nature Center




Lounging poolside


View from the Grove Park Inn's patio


Outside the Grove Park's spa


At the Pack Place Science Center - I was so amused by this! Where in the world did this child learn how to iron? It certainly wasn't at our house . . .