Halloween fun!

This year we did a little more halloween-'ing' than last and I suspect next year we will be for the real deal.

This past weekend we went to our favorite local toy store (Mildred and Dildred) who hosts a trick or treating event around the outdoor shopping mall.  It is the perfect event for young kids. It is safe, they get to see lots of other kids dressed-up; they don't get much candy; and it is contained to a small area.

After the event we had Candice, Kevin and Taylor over for a Halloween pasta dinner (care of Candice). I think this was the first time the kids truly played together...and for an extended amount of time.  I cannot believe how big Taylor is getting, but now she is old enough to speak and Ayden just adores her....absolutely adores her.

 

Ayden was Fireman Sam this year (his choice!).

(Notice the fat lip? More on that in another post)

 

Gavin was a makeshift pumpkin....aka mommy never found time to get to the costume store in time to find a real pumpkin costume...so we improvised. And yes, he wore that topper the WHOLE time...what a gem. I could just eat him up....how did I get so lucky to have this little face call me mommy =)

 

Ayden was the perfect trick or treater....he would run into the store and get his candy, then hop right back on the stroller.  Makes the whole experience quite pleasant for mom and dad.

 

These are our attempts at getting (some) of the kiddos that were there together for a picture, with them all in the frame and looking at the camera...

 

You can see my boys in the stroller, then we have Shyla in the back in pink (Carebear), her sister Harper (also adorable pink Carebear) in other stroller and Taylor in the center dressed as a *pink* pig carrying her troth of veggies to snack on.

 

After dinner and while the parents put their feet up and watched some soccer (note - Candice and I ran 14mi that morning...the men??......well.....not so much =) ), the kiddos played hide and seek in a leather cube. 

The laughter was infectious and the screaming....while a little ear piercing...was very cute.



**Once again come Halloween night, the kids woke up sick...so we stayed in**

A little for later....

Look closely and you will see that Gavin is using his awesome orange do for food storage now.

Mini Golf

WARNING: Mini golf with a 2 year old might take as long as a real golf game....
(but way cutier)

One big big boy.....

[I should have taken a picture, but I was too shocked and darn is was early!]

Imagine this...

I wake up around 445am to run.  After dressing in the nice brisk morning  air (and dark) I open our door to head down the hall.  I see that across the hall, Ayden's door is wide open. Immediatly I think...oh great, he is up and wandering around! Then I realize I can hear his deep breathing coming from the bed...I also notice that the bathroom light is on in his bathroom. So, I set my stuff down and walk in. As I get closer to the bed I see my little boy sound asleep....with no pants on! So, I look down and see his pj pants on the ground in a ball...I follow the trail into the bathroom and see his night time diaper on the floor next to an open Potty with pee-pee in it.

Wow....I was astonished. We have never ever spoken with him about going Potty at night or learning to wake up when you feel it.

Without waking him I covered him up, turned off the light and closed the door.

I was (am) one proud mama.

The icing on the cake......

When I came home from my run, I asked Ayden whether he got up in the night to go Potty.  He explained that he got up and went into mommy-daddy's room and saw that we were sleeping, so just went by himself.

The way he said it was so matter of fact.....of course he wouldn't want to wake us....so he just went himself.

What is even more amazing is that until yesterday, he always needed us to help him get on the Potty etc...  And never once has he come in at night and asked to go....

But, I guess now he just gets up and goes on his own....who woulda thought it!

Now, if we could work on getting the pants back on before he hops back in bed.......

Rio Dancing and Singing

I have posted in the past a few (not so great) videos of Ayden singing and dancing. 

Well....finally....the moment you have all been waiting for. 

I have captured the real thing on tape. There are three videos to be exact. Each cuter than the next.

Dancing...


 
And more dancing...and singing...




Here, Ayden tries really hard to say all the words....

Define: Cute

Enough said.


____ _____ ______ ______ _____ 

This picture was taken last weekend. The adorable little blond is Taylor. Earlier that morning, Taylor's mom, Candice, and I ran a half-marathon here in town. Candice had signed up a while ago with Stacy, but Stacy ended up out of town. So....she was kind enough to offer me her bib.  While I was really not prepared to run a 1/2 marathon (that included a stint up and down A-mountain), the morning was perfect, and I was able to do it with a truly wonderful friend (who I place all blame on for my aching quads!).

After the race, we met the boys at the park with our kids, some grandparents and even a great grandparent. Another close friend, Kendra (aka Shyla's mom), and her family joined us.  Kendra also participated in the 5K race that morning fresh off her second child (Harper)  =).

It is mornings like this that make me sit back and count my blessings. To have the family I do, the friends I do, (especially all the friends that have kids around my childrens' age and also enjoy running!!), and to live where we can run a 1/2 marathon in the morning and spend some quality time at the park in the afternoon, all under a beautiful sunny blue sky.

I feel there are many more weekend mornings like this in our future.

Learning Activities

I know I do a lot of raving about this, that and the other thing....well, one person I don't raive about enough (but for good reason, since I am worried that word might get out), is our Ms. Sarah - our nanny.

Here is a great example of how simply amazing she is.

There is no doubt that Ayden is a smart and inquisitive kid. So, seeing that he was needing some challenge in his daily routine, Sarah began what they call 'learning activities'.  She has laid out a curriculum that they follow about three times a week (the days he doesn't go to school). The activities work on all sorts of skills and can be solo or interactive.

This day, Sarah set up different stations around the table for Ayden to participate in.  As you can see in the photo, he is intently working on the block activity.  One day he and Sarah were learning about senses so they walked around the house and yard identifying what they could hear, smell, see etc...  That night he and I talked about what he remembered discovering....it was quite an awesome conversation.... and certainly one I never expected to have with my 2 1/2 yr old.

Ayden has thrived (even more) since Sarah has begun the learning activities.  He requests doing them, and the things he has learned in a short month is remarkable.  When this kid is excelling in life, there will be no doubt that it started here in our kitchen with Ms. Sarah.

The love, joy, patience, creativity and friendship Sarah brings to my childrens' lives (and ours!!) is unspeakable. We are forever grateful!

"I want to learn to be a Pilot"

Ayden loves planes (or perhaps it is the idea of flying...I can't quite tell yet) but "Loves" is really not  strong enough.  We watch airplane shows endlessly, and trips like this one to the Pima Air and Space Museum are hard to end.



Here is Gavin admiring from afar.......and perhaps teething (but still no teeth at almost 9mos!).


Ayden tells us, "I am going to learn to be a Pilot"....I think that's just awesome - you go kid!

Children's Museum

Today, the boys visited the Tucson children's museum with Ms. Sarah.  Ayden has loved this museum for quite some time now.  It is amazing to me though that Gavin is now old enough to partake and enjoy himself as well. Where has the time gone??

Here are my mementos and what gets me through the day =)

Bath time in the Riley house

Oh how I love these boys.....