Halloween Costumes

Wow, Jake was an unusually bad photographer on this one. Claire looks pretty bad. BTW: it is Claire's perogative to change her mind. At a Halloween party on the 30th and at my parents' house on Nov. 1, she was Batgirl. On Halloween she was Tinkerbell.

Jake's office had a costume contest. His group went with a "sheet" theme (Jake's idea). They tore up some sheets and added accessories. Jake wore a cowbell and was Bull Sheet. Others in his group were Piece of Sheet, Oh Sheet, etc. They won the contest.

Clairespeak

Claire has a unique way of speaking. For example, this morning she pulled a cup out of the dishwasher and said, "I suppose this shall be mine." She's only three, so that seems atypical to me.

Also, she drags out some vowel sounds, especially long A: "When I was feeding Grandpa's horse's I heard a straaaaaaange sound." (She's never fed Grandpa's horses, this was part of a story she made up.)

Pumpkins

Anne. Her clothes are wet with the milk she poured on herself during dinner.



Claire with ketchup on her chin. Ketchup is a staple for her.



Damon with his pumpkin, carving designed and partially done by himself.

Disturbing

I love Halloween, but it is a weird holiday. It's strange how tightly we Americans hold onto this pagan/early Christian celebration or whatever it is.

In the store this skeleton seemed like a fun decoration, and it has been. The kids love it. But Jake pointed out that it's sick to have a child-sized skeleton. I told him that proportionally it is an adult. But he's right. It's sick.

Milestones

On Monday Anne started putting two words together: she said, "Bye, daddy" when Jake went to work, and she said, "Mommy hair" while she pulled my hair.

Last Monday was also the second Monday in a row in which I washed, dried, FOLDED AND PUT AWAY 4 loads of laundry. I can't tell you proud I am of myself. I hate laundry, but it has to be done, so I'm going to do it, by golly.

If I had been able to look into the future 6 years ago and see this day when getting laundry done made me proud, I would have been very depressed at what the future held for me.

Perspective is everything.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Please, everyone, stop telling Claire she's beautiful.

I occasionally find her staring at herself in a mirror. Today, as she gazed into her own eyes, she said, "My eyes are perfect, and my nose is perfect, and my mouth is perfect."

Love at Home

Anne was born a little too soon for Claire's comfort, and has not made it into Claire's heart yet.

Claire was sitting at a child-size table this morning having an imaginary birthday party. Anne came to sit down with her and Claire pushed her away.

"Can't Anne come to the party?" I asked.

"No. Anne is not welcome to the pahty." (Too bad we're not still back East. Claire's inability to pronounce r's would have fit right in.) "But Penelopede is welcome to the pahty," Claire said.

The pet millipede is curled up dead at the bottom of his container. Claire says he is sleeping.