Kung-fu babies

So we had to size the girls up since their birthdays are so close. What we got was a Kill Bill throwdown.

Although it looked like Maisie tool the brunt of Lenora's abuse, she appears victorious in the end.

Lenora's first playdate!

With cousin Maisie! Sure, only Maisie was barely awake for any of it, but we can tell they are going to be great friends. After all, they are the two cutest girls born in 2009, so they are natural for each other.
Ernie and Kitt helped out with gift opening before running off to play with the dudes.

Then all the ladies played baby-swap.

Jeremy saw this picture of Toby with Lenora and had to remark that he never got his turn with Maisie. So we have to see her again soon!

Can you see that adorable haira?!

Two girl cousins only five days apart. Both moms feel really lucky.

Gentleman in Training

Ever since Ernie found Johanna's toy teapot during a playdate at the Walshes, I've been thinking about needing to prepare him for tea parties with his sister. So here are a couple shots of him after I showed him how to tie a real bow tie--just like a real gentleman:

Craft Time at the Hall House

Maybe it's a bit dark, but hey, we're still crafty. A couple of our recent projects include Play-Do zombie hands ("Does it look like a 'Disembodied Hand of Doom,' Ern?" "Yes it does.") and pumpkin painting with ONLY black paint for creepy result:

Celebrity Look Alikes

Maybe it's the round cheeks . . . Maybe Curly looks like a child . . . Maybe it's the hairline . . . You're call, but I think there's something there.

Halloween

This has been destined to be Ernie's favorite holiday since before he was born, based on Dad's purchasing habits alone. And lucky for us Grandma Bonnie is always willing to create the costume of his dreams. For months, when asked Ernie would say he wanted to be a "scary jack-o-lantern. Now, kids have their imaginations, and a lot of Ernie's understanding of what a scary jack-o-lantern is and does came from a Halloween sound-effects CD that we listened to in the car CONSTANTLY! He decided the growling was the pumpkin from the cover, who was creeping around and looking for cherries (? yeah, I dunno why) and he wanted to "climb inside that pumpkin, and go up the steps, and say 'Hell-o!'" So luckily, Grandma Bonnie created an outfit that did exactly that for him.
One of our neighbors offered a trick along with a treat - she was a juggler!



And we stopped by Rob and Becky's before the party started. Ernie tried to walk right in most of the houses he trick-or-treated at, but this one we actually let him go inside.

Before we set out, Ernie had Grandma Bonnie read one of his favorite library books: It's Halloween by Jack Prelutsky. He was very sweet and actually let her read some of the words.

Author, Author!

We've always read to Ernie a lot. And books have always been his favorite toys and ways to pass the time. It's recently begun to hit home how much he likes his books when he started reading them back to us word for word after only hearing new ones once or twice. He's also encorporating words he's picked up from them and plugging them into his daily life (e.g., "Ernie, would like some milk?" "Oh yes, I can't resist" or "'Blah, blah, blah' he added" or "she asked" or "he replied"). He's even been running off at the mouth with long complicated plot arcs so I've recently decided to start taking dictation when I have my computer handy. This is Ernie's first story (inspired by a Johnny Tractor puzzle that he was given as a gift), which I have tried to capture as best as I could, though he sometimes talks very fast:

~Johnny Tractor's Oil~
"Oh, hey, Johnny Tractor. What's wrong, Johnny Tractor? Do you want to come to my house, Johnny Tractor, so I can change your oil?"
"Okay."
So he comes to my house. And I go out to the street. And I cross the street to change his oil.
"Now you can go out to the fields, Johnny Tractor."
***
Now we're going out to the fields.
Whirrrrrrrrr. Whirrrrrrrrr. Whirrrrrrrrr.
We don't see the fields yet.
We don't see the fields yet.
We don't see the fields yet.
And then we'll see the fields!
Whirrrrrrrrr.
***
Chester was out in the fields. And he was lonely because he was by himself.
"Don't go under my tractor [chair], Chester."
"Don't go under my tractor, Chester."
"He's just sniffing my wheels."
"Thank you for the riiiide!" [says Chester.]
I waved as the tractor takes off again.
I waved bye-bye as the tractor takes off again. Cuz I push the on button.
I checked out the sheep and Chester in the fields--all of my pets. All of my pets were in the fields.

Len's first cashmere!

Lenora got an adorable little scarlet cashmere hat from mommy's friend, Nancy (psst, it pays to be friends with artists, they have really good taste). And it just so happens to match a cute little newborn coat I found for her at the consignment sale. We all went for a little walk around the neighborhood to show her off.

Lenora's room

We finished this just in time, folks. Of course, she's not sleeping in it much yet, but she really seems to like being in it. When we change her, she opens her eyes wide and looks all around, and when I nurse her in her rocker she loves to look out of the window behind me.

Lenora's own post.

Just cause she's cute.

Pumpkin Carvin' Erb-Style!

The Erbs generously offered to host the Pumpkin Carvin' Par-Tay this year, since they figured we might be a little pre-occupied with a new family member this year. THANK YOU ERBS!!!
Moran liked the new baby, but didn't so much like her mommy holding her.
Jeremy handled most of the knife work. Ernie really enjoyed the pumpkin guts. He keeps saying "Charlie Brown hit me in the pumpkin guts." We don't know what he means.

Stab, stab, stabby help.

Natalie made some adorable spooky cupcakes! This doesn't highlight how cute they were, but how much they were appreciated.

And back at home, Ernie shows off the AWESOME pumpkin face daddy made based on his requests for "round eyes, and a pointy mouth."

Spooky Fun!

Boo at the Zoo, this year everyone met at our house and we walked down together. Beautiful evening!
Lenora was dressed for it, but the little pumpkin was all tucked up in Mommy's sling so hardly anyone knew it.
Morgan was the first to arrive. The Handsome Fireman was very concerned about the Puppy's hood being up.

Ern and Jonathan rode down together.
Ernie got some extra candy from some real firemen. I think they liked his costume!

The best view of Lenora from the evening.

And the lineup!!

He'll hate us for this someday

But it was totally his idea, we just requested a repeat for video.
Enjoy.

He also gave her the nickname "Tiny."