Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf

Introducing:

Chloe as Little Red Riding Hood.  She's sweet, and innocent but yet sly.  She loves her Granny, cake and... well, sparkly red shoes.

Yates as The Big Bad Wolf.  Because he's always hungry and looking for food.  And he's the cutest big bad wolf I've ever seen.


Picking out their Halloween costumes is something I take way too seriously.  Like their birthday parties, I want it to reflect who they are in some special way- not just something picked up last minute at the store.  This years pick came from our love of reading books together as a family and the characters who reflect their personalities.  So without further ado... 

coming Halloween 2014 will be the story of Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf who stuffed their bellies full of chocolate, lollipops and candy corn while up way past their bedtime.

My Big, Baby Boy

You are almost 20 months, and while I have thought lately about how much fun you are at this age and how much personality you have grown into, I also have been sad because you are growing up too fast.

You call Chloe "ya-ya" ... and I find it absolutely adorable that you came up with your own nickname for your big sister.  You are becoming more confident about the big world around you and love, love, love to socialize.  You say "hi" to almost anyone who gives you eye contact- at the grocery store, at church, at the park, at Daddy's football games - anywhere.  You even flirt with the librarian at the library.  You are so good with people and they instantly gravitate to you.  You have a very special ability to make everyone around you smile, giggle and want to talk to you.  You still won't eat a sandwich, won't even put it in your mouth to taste.  Oh the day you finally take a bite out of a pb&j... you'll never go back.  You think corn on the cob is better than cookies or cake and make "mmmmm" sounds when you eat it.  You are asserting your own independence but are very tenderhearted and will get so upset if I even raise my voice at you.  You still love your blue blanket - the one you received when you were baptized at the same church Mama and Dada were married, Mama was baptized, your Granny and Papa were married, and your Papa was baptized.  So to see you twirl it in your fingers makes me happy - really, really happy.  When I put you to bed you always ask me to "rock-rock" you in your rocking chair and we snuggle while we say prayers, just the two of us.  I look forward to this every day.

Just recently when I tell you "I love you", you say "love" back... in a raspy, deep voice as if you know exactly what it means and you love me too - very, very much.

I am so in love with you, my big, baby boy.  You have stolen my heart and will have it forever and ever.

Lately

Lately ...

We've been busy.  As in, really, really busy.
We only had a few moments during the whole weekend to spend together as a family.  Chloe has had many meltdowns recently wanting Daddy - and at one point even brought tears to my husband's eyes when she was crying for him as he was leaving for work after church Sunday.  It's been rough, and looking at our calendar for the rest of October I've realized that we are going to have a hard time finding a morning or afternoon as a family to even take Chloe and Yates to pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.  To top it off, this year Halloween is on a Friday night, which means Daddy has a game and we won't be trick-or-treating together as a family.

I'm trying to find the moments in our weeks ahead to appreciate the small things, and to make our time together as a family seem as though it lasts much longer that it really does.  My husband works so hard- and while Chloe and Yates may not understand where Daddy is at this point in their lives, they will grow up to learn and come to respect what he does- and does well.  I wish there were more hours in a day, but for now we will make each moment together count twice, give Daddy lots and lots of kisses, and let him know how much we love and support him.