Happy Halloween 2008

Halloween was always my favorite holiday.



So I could barely contain myself when I realized that Eleni & Zoe might actually participate in the festivities this year. I spent more time than I care to admit pondering costume options. My brilliant ideas thwarted at every turn by the simple fact that my children prefer to select their own attire, and that it better well consist of comfy stretch pants (preferably polka-dotted), and a comfy stretch cotton top (preferably polka-dotted) and footwear of their choosing.



Tweedledee & Tweedledum would have to wait for another year, but when I spotted these adorable ladybug costumes I couldn't resist.



The key to this ensemble is the red glitter shoes. We saved them for over a month to reveal on this day, and they were blinded by the sheer gorgeous glitterosity just long enough for Zoriyana and my mom to somehow get them into the black tights and leotard/tutu combo.



We drove out to Kostas' aunt and uncle's house in the suburbs to go trick-or-treating with the girls' cousin, Gia (a gorgeous little Snow White), her dad Dean and her very pregnant mom, Kathy, and Eleni's Godparents (also Kostas' cousins), Terry & Sofia.



Sadly, the glitter shoe effect did not last long enough to get Zoe & Eleni into the antenna and Ladybug wings, which are the KEY TO THIS COSTUME. And it was not for lack of trying. Without wings and antenna, the costume looks a bit more like "trapeze artist."



I admit I was briefly devistated, but found mommy strength enough not to pout (much).



And it all got better when, out of nowhere, Zoe decided to let us put her antenna on and wore them for an hour straight.


At the first house, the girls decided they wanted nothing to do with this whole trick-or-treating business. But after watching Gia walk up and knock on a stranger's door and get greetings and stuff to put in her bag, they decided to give it a whirl. The key here was the "stuff to put in her bag." Though they have no concept of candy yet (wish I could say the same for their mom!), they are HUGE fans of stuff to put in their bags.

It started to get colder and eventually Sofia and Terry headed home. Later, Gia and her posse were ready to pack it in.

Eleni & Zoe were undeterred...this was the most exciting discovery of their lives: They could walk up to a house and knock on a door and get stuff to put in their bags.

I tried to distract them to get them back to the house, to no avail. They were not to be deterred and began approaching houses, knocking on doors, and holding their bags open all by themselves while mommy and Nana watched in amazement at their newfound boldness.

Fortunately, gravity finally won out -- candy can get heavy.

When Eleni began to take a break every few seconds to squat down and rest her bag on the ground, we knew we'd make it home for dinner afterall.

Flowers in a pumpkin

Mom, Jay, and Betty sent me an autumn floral arrangement for my birthday. The flowers came in a pumpkin. IN a pumpkin. What will they think of next? This had me tickled pink for a week, making me realize, among other things, that I have miraculously become less and less jaded as I have grown older.

Today, smitten by flowers in a pumpkin.

In ten years, awed by the cute little artwork they put on stamps.

Deliciously unjaded...how truely lovely it is to not be a teenager...

Halloweenland

They said it would be a pick-your-own pumpkin farm with some kiddie activities. I envisioned just such a place from my childhood. Good for an hour, at least, right?

When we arrived, the grass field held more cars than the Lollapalooza concert I attended in 1990. There was a multi-acre field full of pumpkins perfect for photographs of Zoe, Eleni, our Godchild Angelika, and her brother Andreas.

There were a plethora of handmade animated singing and dancing chickens...and skeletons. There were hog races. There was a haunted barn. There was a hayride and a pumpking launcher that sent pumpkins soaring over a pond where they splashed down and disintegrated. And, best of all for Zoe, there was a little train ride which, unlike at the zoo, let 2-year-olds and their parents on board.





There were also some piles of pumpkins.

And rabbits.









And fresh grilled corn on the cob.

A jolly good day was had by all.

Cuddly time

I envy our marvelous nanny, Zoriyana, many things.

But at the top of the list is "cuddly time."

Immediately after waking up from their afternoon nap, the girls are at their most cuddlyicious.

It's a wonderful thing.

So wonderful we might even let them get away with having their papillas (pacifiers) OUTSIDE of the crib.

Which is unheard of.

And yes, we haven't weaned them off the pacifiers yet when they're sleeping. I know, I know, but we're wimps. Seriously...do YOU want to be the one to take away Eleni's papilla?

I didn't think so.

There's always braces, right?

What's in it for me?

When I'm writing a communication at work, I make it a policy to consider the reader and to answer the question "what's in it for me?"

Being sure to include the answer to this question in the communication significantly improves its reception.

It should come as no surprise this policy applies to child rearing as well.

I've been battling with the girls to get them to pose for the camera for months now, to no avail.

But today, they realized that if they pose for a photo, they get to see it right afterward -- and they really really really like that.

So much that they often forget the part where we have to take the picture and want to skip right to the viewing.

Which doesn't work so well.

Today however, we had some success.








For this one Zoe ran across the room to pose with her strollers. I think this is the toddler prelude to the "posing with my car" shot.


















Eleni clearly surprised Zoe with this kissy attack, as evidenced by Zoe's lack of defensive posture.




















Eleni went to pose with the strollers as well, but didn't quite have the patience to wait to have the picture taken. This is her mid-stride rushing back to see the picture we never took.

A picture of BOTH girls looking at the camera (we can get to the smiles later)...this new policy shows all the signs of success.

If you receive a Christmas card with two children in the same picture, you'll know how it happened!

Bathroom Reading Material

We seem to be headed in the wrong direction with potty training.

For a while, Zoe would actually sit on the potty and read. She has since decided, however, that a preferable variation is to sit BEHIND the potty and read, which she does multiple times a day. With her legs kind of wrapped around the potty.

I guess we get points for being in the general vicinity.

Household help

Zoe & Eleni will go toe to toe with each other -- and me -- for the honor to use the Swiffer.

Sadly, I hear this particular phase does not last into the teen years.

Childproof locks

Yes, Eleni, childproof locks were invented for a reason.

A reason that was not entirely about child safety.