Happy Halloween!

Yep, I went back to work this month. Apart from feeling completely ineffectual due to poor sleep and forgetfulness, it hasn't been as bad as I thought. Of course it helps tremendously that Chris is at home and has taken over weeknight wake-ups so I can sleep between 11:30 - 6 most nights - without that I probably would have melted into a puddle. Rather than dwell on work (blech), let's catch up on the fun that is October....Lily's birthday, our anniversary, Halloween...lots of good stuff that doesn't involve treking over the 520 in traffic.

The month kicked off with Lily's birthday,which turned out to be a weekend-long event. Her actual birthday was on a Friday, so we brought stuff for her and her classmates to make masks at school and then brought cupcakes to her soccer game in the evening. On Saturday we decorated the house for Halloween, which was an adventure in itself with Lily arbitrarily putting decoration around, eyeing her handiwork, then declaring it "perfect!" followed by "this will be the best Halloween ever - everyone will totally freak out!" Saturday evening it was family dinner with Aunties Mary and Katie, Uncles G and Tommy and cousin Marion. She did get a bit sassy, but I was told that was ok "because I'm the birthday girl!" The next day was Nutcracker rehearsal and her kid party at Salmon Bay - super hero themed - complete with masks and capes for all her super friends. It was a little bittersweet knowing that it would likely be the last time she saw most of the kids from ELDC, but for Lily it was a bouncing, cake-filled, new toy extravaganza.


And speaking of the Nutcracker...Lily will be in the Arc Ballet Children's Nutracker this year, playing the part of a Gumdrop. She's been madly in love with ballet ever since she could walk and is thrilled to pieces. At first I worried that Arc would be too hard-core for her with the strict uniform/hair policy, the focus on form, the many MANY rehearsals involved...but NOPE. She is loving every single minute and in fact often asks to stay after class to watch the bigger girls, especially if there are pointe dancers. Since the day she was born I've been adamant that I will encourage sports over ballet and tumbling for fear of eating disorders and injuries, but clearly this is her calling and passion....and really, if they turn my tasmanian devil into a principled and controlled dancer a few hours a week, who am I to interfere?

The next big event in October was our anniversary. We made a feeble attempt at finding a sitter then opted for family sushi at Rain. Chris got/made what has to be one of his sweetest gifts to date (see pic - very apt for Seattle, no?) and both kids were troopers at dinner, with Lily polishing off 3 orders of eel. She did tell me that the eels in her tummy were lecturing her. When asked what the lecture was about she proclaimed "don't eat me!" Well, sorry eels, you happen to be Lily's favorite meal.

Finally we wrapped up the month with Halloween. Per the usual our street was transformed into a big block party with the kids running everywhere, Michelle and Ronnie passing out hot buttered rum for the grown-ups, Kelly hosting Trick-or-Shot, the annual haunted house at Scott's...followed by the annual Lily freak out and Lily refusal to leave the house. This year we went to the Loyal Heights carnival on Friday night and a party at neighbor Deb's on Saturday before Halloween on Sunday. Lily wore the costume we bought her only on Friday - every event after that it was back into the dress-up box for another princess look, accompanied by lots of glo-sticks so she could be "a light up princess." She also chose costumes for the rest of us...Angry Bird for Chris, Mother Nature for me (never got around to actually wearing it), hot dog for Matteo and cow for Paco. Clearly no theme other than humilation and amusement.

Yep, it was busy...but not so busy I didn't take time to write down a few additional gems....
- While at Rain Sushi...Me: I like eating in restaurants Lily: I like pooping!
- When requesting something of us and being told she could easily get it herself: "You guyses legs aren't broken!"
- When asked to pick up some spilled Hama beads: "I'm not a cleaning lady!"
(In case you were worried she is getting too sassy, she also helpfully points out when I do not yet have my glasses on, will find them, then walk them over to me while "cleaning" them on her jammies)
- "Oh! I didn't know that!" Lily's new de facto expression when informed of anything from the current weather to why cars need gasoline to run
- "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" said with exasperation when she feels Chris hasn't done her bidding properly
- "It's not good Avery, not good" her personal exasperation when it was time to leave school and her belongings where not where she thought they would be
- "Twinkle, twinkle little star..." spontaneoulsy singing to Matteo when he started to fuss while I was trying to get dinner ready. As he is madly in love with her, this instantly did the trick.
- "It's ok, little buddy....poor little dude" - see above
- "Aye, aye, aye....mi nino, que lindo!!" - the ladies at Matteo's daycare when I drop him off. They tell me how "fresh" he is and the "talk of the block" sharing his beautiful, genuine smile when the talk to him and give him cuddles. It sucks having to turn him over in the mornings, but if I have to, I'm very grateful his gentle sweetness is appreciated.
October survived - now onto November!