Baby#2's First Trip to NH

After our first week with just the three of us, we decided on a last minute trip to NH since MiniM.E. didn't have school Monday and it gave us four days of vacation.

We relaxed and played with all the fun toys at Gram and Grumpy's on Saturday afternoon.  MiniM.E. was most excited to see my parent's cat, Honey Bunches, and carried him around and brushed him.

Sunday we drove down to Boston for the Boston Christmas Festival, a craft fair with a gingerbread competition.  Gram and I liked shopping, MiniM.E. and Grumpy did not.  Fortunately, MiniM.E. was fairly patient while we shopped and she got a huge hit out of the gingerbread houses.

especially the Frozen one, even though she hasn't seen the movie

 To make up for dragging her around a craft fair, we walked over to the Children's Museum afterward.

pulling...

a giant bubble!

golf ball roller coaster! 

more golf balls

and more

and more!

giant building blocks

Our day in Boston was fun, but tiring for everyone.  Monday and Tuesday morning we just took it easy.  Baby#2 took her first sink bath with MiniM.E.'s help:

MiniM.E. played in a giant pile of leaves Grumpy made for her:

And Baby#2 sat around and took naps:

It was a bit crazy to make a last minute trip with both girls, but MiniM.E. had a great time (and didn't want to leave) and Baby#2 didn't put up a fuss, so she must have had a good time too.  And I got a bit of a rest since MiniM.E. had someone to play with.  I even got to go out all by myself and get a haircut!  Thanks for having us Gram & Grumpy!

The Beach in November...

Tuesday, the weather looked warmer than usual, no rain in the forecast and for once we had zero plans for the day.  MiniM.E. was still getting over a little cold, but seemed in pretty decent spirits so I dared ask the question, "What do you want to do today?".

This question is usually followed by one of two responses.  A. absolute silence.  B. "have an inside day!"

Neither of which are particularly helpful in deciding the day's activities, but I figure it's worth a try-- sometime she might come out with something good.

Tuesday was the day I've been waiting for since before MiniM.E. could talk (in those days the response was always A.):  "let's go to the beach!"

While an exciting proposition, before we could actually go to the beach, I needed to explain that the beach is much different on a 60 degree day in November than on a bright, sunny, 80 degree day in the summer.  Namely the fact that there would be no swimming.  Also the fact that likely the beach road would be closed and we would have a considerable walk to get to the sand.

MiniM.E. said she understood and was still game so we gave it a try.  

When we got there the beach road was, in fact, closed.  It's ok, we could walk.

"Mommy, did you bring my bathing suits?"  

"No, sweetie.  Remember, it's too cold to swim."

"But Mommy, I'M GOING TO GET SAND ALL IN MY CLOTHES!!!"

"We'll sit on the blanket!" As the words were leaving my mouth I realized the beach blanket was still hanging in the garage... 

"But Mommy, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SIT ON??"

Which is how the rear floor mats of my car got shoved under the jogging stroller and are now considerably sandier than they were last week.

The walk there was longer than it seemed when driving in the car and MiniM.E. complained the whole way there, but once we got to the beach, she had a blast.  Baby#2 was not as excited about being on the beach with a cold breeze:

There was also a good sized playground that we migrated to when MiniM.E.'s feet were "so cold they're freezing!"

Otherwise, our week has been pretty quiet.  Lots of caring for Baby#2, school and playtime.

MiniM.E. putting on a show at the bookstore

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!

We started our Halloween festivities Wednesday by scooping out our pumpkins.  Like most messy things we do, MiniM.E. approached the pumpkin guts as if they were alive, only touching them gently with a spoon.

But it only took a few minutes for her to realize what she was missing out on.

I want to carve a SCARY pumpkin!

 Thursday we rested up in anticipation of our big Halloween Day on Friday.  Lots of cuddles and a pretend trip to the doctor for Baby#2.

Yesterday we had a huge day and by the end of the day we'd all had it with Halloween.  But it was a blast and MiniM.E. loved (mostly) every minute of it.

Let's start with MiniM.E.'s costume.  Sometime in September I asked MiniM.E. what she wanted to be for Halloween and she said Cinderella.  I thought she meant Rapunzel since she is in love with Tangled, so I ordered her a Rapunzel dress up outfit for her birthday.  When I tried to play up Rapunzel she still insisted on wanting Cinderella, but I held off.  Good thing because mid-October this conversation took place:

MiniM.E.: "I want to be a mum for Halloween"

me: "Like the flower?"

MiniM.E.: "No, a MUM, like with a silly hat."

me: "A NUN? Like a black and white with a silly hat?"

MiniM.E.: "Yeah."

me: (Pull up nun photo on my phone) "Like this?"

MiniM.E.: "Yep."

And that is how my daughter decided to be a nun for Halloween.  Still not sure where she saw or heard about nuns, because it certainly wasn't with me...

I am so glad she chose nun because our Halloween was hilarious and everyone that saw her declared it the best toddler costume ever.

Halloween started with a fashion show and trick or treating at school:

 Then we drove down the street to the Riggi Mansion to trick or treat for full sized candy bars and a chance to win $100 every half hour.  We had been MiniM.E.'s first two Halloweens, but since then the event has grown and we started out a block away and after 45 minutes were only a few feet closer, so MiniM.E. and I got our cider donuts and pet the pony and decided to be on our way without seeing the princess.

We came home, took a quick break, trick or treated a few houses in our neighborhood and lit our pumpkins.

We jumped in the car and headed out to a Halloween Party.  It was WAY too much for us to attempt with a new baby but it went really well and we all had a great time.