October

Beyond welcoming our darling Eliza, October 2012 will mainly be remembered for the following: Enjoying my mom's help for two weeks, falling in love with New England Fall, and viewing the excitement of Halloween from the perspective of a two-year-old.

Favorite memories from Grandma's visit:

Cookies

Playing at the park 

(and in general Mom wearing John out so he would nap well!)

Brooksvale Park

Pumpkin Picking at Lyman's Orchards

We sure miss you, Mom!

Our first New England Fall:

John LOVES jumping in leaves!

I have never enjoyed Halloween as much as I did this year!  John and I were immersed in the world of pumpkins, ghosts, candy, and Trick-or-Treating as we read books, drew pictures on paper and outside with sidewalk chalk, played with stickers, drew faces on little pumpkins, carved big pumpkins, made Jack-o-Lanterns out of Play-doh, made sugar cookies, celebrated at a preschool parade, and of course indulged in Trick or Treating at church and in our neighborhood.  John loved it, and we had so much fun with his enthusiasm.

John was very interested in helping Dad with the pumpkin carving 

But left the gooey stuff for Dad

Poking in the shapes

And he was so pleased with the lit-up final product!

Our Play-doh Jack-o-Lanterns

Best part of the month, by far: Any excuse to dress up as Cookie Monster

Halloween night, Eliza and I dressed as milk and a cookie to accompany the cookie fiend 

John deemed Eliza's oreo as better suited for his cookie monster toy

And ultimately himself!

John loved Trick-or-Treating, stopping periodically to hug Matt's leg and exclaim, "Thank you, Daddy!"  Effusive attention from strangers plus candy handouts... does it get much better?

What a great month!