The REAL Halloween

We had a fun, busy Halloween yesterday! It was full of what have become some Toledo traditions! Sam was shocked and elated to find out that he got to go trick-or-treating again...and not just once, but twice!

We met up with ward friends in Perrysburg in the afternoon for our first trick-or-treating adventure. I LOVE this tradition! All of the stores and shops lining main street hand out candy during the afternoon. It is so fun! We had a much smaller group this year, but it was still as fun as ever. Sam's little pumpkin was packed with goodies.

Then last night, I had not planned on taking Sam trick-or-treating again (he has TONS of candy!), but Eric insisted! He wanted to be part of all the fun, too. We went to a neighborhood just around the corner from us and Sam and Eric had a blast, and I loved watching them have so much fun together!

And what could top off Halloween night better than Chipotle?? We met up with friends again this year for free Chipotle! I completely forgot to take a pic...but just picture aluminum foil. YUM!

I want candy!

We're still loving Halloween at our house...even though it's still a good 5 days away! Last night was the ward Trunk-or-Treat...it's always such a fun night! Sam loved, loved, loved getting candy! He had to sleep with his candy on the foot of his bed last night...just to make sure it didn't go anywhere! (I must admit that I snuck in a couple times to steal a tootsie roll and a kit kat...he'll never know)

When Sam woke up this morning he thought that Halloween was over. He looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Momma, I miss Halloween." He also stated (well actually yelled/screamed/demanded) that, "I wanna eat candy ALL the time!" So do I Sam...SO DO I!

Here's the little frog man in a candy daze...

Looks like my jack-o-lantern belly costume wasn't so original...but that's what happens when there are 10 pregnant girls in your ward!!

And I can't forget Eric's jack-o-lantern masterpiece of 2008. He goes all out when it comes to carving his pumpkin. It's a serious artform and even requires a photoshoot upon completion. Nerdy? Yes, I'd say so!

Getting ready...

We were able to cross a couple items off of our "To Do Before Baby #2" list this weekend.

Item #1... a REAL date for Eric and Lindsay.

We didn't exactly want this giant horse in the picture (nor the fluorescent sign) , but our "walk-by" photographer did the best she could. Anyway, we LOVED eating out with just the two of us! It's something that is extremely rare these days! It felt like we were back in our dating days... minus my giant pregnant belly.

Item #2... a night at the movies with SAM!

We took Sam to see Wall-E at the dollar theater on Saturday night. He was SO excited to go, as we had been talking about this ALL week! We stuffed my purse full of treats and ended up having SO much fun. Sam got nervous as soon as the lights were turned off and kept asking if we could go outside, but once the movie started he was in heaven! He's been talking about "Wall-E the bobot" ever since.

There are just a few more things left on the "To Do" list, but we're feeling ready for this little boy to make his debut! If he wanted to come early, I say by all means let him! The clothes are washed and the crib is ready and waiting! Here's to less than 3 weeks....!!

And I just had to add these last pics from a beautiful walk we took this morning. Autumn time in Ohio is absolutely gorgeous and the parks in Toledo are fabulous!

Frogs, Firefighters, and Fartkey

Sam is becoming more and more excited for Halloween with each passing day! I love how excited he is about it all!

Just a few weeks ago I tried this frog costume on him and he absolutely hated it! He freaked out and wanted it off immediately, but this weekend it was a different story. He fell in LOVE with it! He hit up some of the neighbors again for some early trick-or-treating and the whole costume/candy thing seemed to click. He refused to take off his frog costume that night....so he slept with it on.

Another new found passion from this weekend is FIREFIGHTERS! We went to Barnes & Noble on Saturday for a special story hour with firemen and the Maumee City mascot "Sparkey"...also known as "Fartkey" by Sam. He LOVED Fartkey and couldn't stop giving him hugs and high fives. He got to sit inside the fire engine and got his very own fireman hat. Let's just say, he was in little boy heaven!

Random thoughts and fears!

It's starting to hit me. We are going to have a baby....like soon! I now look down at my huge belly and get a little nervous about the thought of actually having to push this little boy out. I've even done this once before, but for some reason I'm terrified! Perhaps, it's because I have done this once before and this time I know what to expect.

I've been extra sensitive lately too...even more than usual, which if you know me at all is hard to believe. I have all kinds of emotions going through me at this point. Feelings of fear, and then those of complete excitement about finally getting to meet the new person that will be part of our family.

I'm feeling bad for Sam...his world is going to COMPLETELY change. I feel worried about him not getting attention or feeling like I've abandoned him! Then I start feeling sorry for the baby because I know he won't get as much attention as Sam did when he was a newborn! Ahhhh...what a dilemma!

I feel inadequate and stressed about the new responsibility that I'll have here so soon! Then I find myself worrying about dumb things like having time to clean the house and do the laundry with 2 kids. Is that even possible?? But then, thankfully, I'm usually able to stop and laugh at myself because there are families out there with FAR more children than me and they seem to manage just fine. But how do you all do it? Did you or do you have the same fears that I'm having?

It has been SO fun to pull out the baby clothes and get them all washed and ready for our new little guy. I really am thrilled about having a newborn again...just worried about adjusting to it all! Tell me it's not going to be that bad...please!

Fantastic Fall Fun with FAMILY!

We had such a great weekend with family in town! My parents and youngest sister, Ally, were so great to travel to the exotic Toledo for a little fall get away! We LOVED having them here! (but we missed the Kelseys and Josh and Trevor!)


I, unfortunately, did not do a very good job with the picture taking while they were here! I only took pictures on one day. But it was a great day, so that makes up for it a little bit! These pictures are all from Saturday when we went apple picking at MacQueen's Orchard...one of my very favorite spots in Ohio!Sam, of course, had to have a tractor in hand at ALL times!

Here's Sam taking a little jaunt on "Mr. Muffin" while at MacQueen's. He didn't seem that into the pony ride...his face was pretty much expressionless the entire time. But several hours later we were driving around and Sam piped up from the back seat, "I ride a pony! I ride a pony!" I guess all of the excitement just took a while to sink in.

And of course we had to make a stop at Handel's! This is a classic stop if you come on the Toledo tour with us. Who doesn't like icecream named "spouse like a house?"

We miss the Morgan clan already! It's crazy to think that next time we see them (in just over 5 weeks!) we'll be a family of FOUR!! AHHHHHHH!

LISTEN!

"Sam, listen to me."

"Sam, did you hear me?"

"Sam...what did I just say?"

"Sam, be a good listener!"

If you were to put your ear to my front door, phrases like those above are what you are most likely to hear! (Along with" don't jump on that" or "climb down from there")

But Sam proved me wrong tonight. It turns out that he has been listening! Our efforts at good parenting aren't being wasted after all! Listen for yourself:



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