Oh the injustice!

At the MSU Homecoming parade Etta refused to get out of her stroller. Just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the view. By sitting in the stroller she could not collect any candy. But some kind souls next to us were giving her most everything that they got.

We were also next to two middle school girls. At one point they wanted something that was being thrown but didn't get any. Figuring that Etta wouldn't care - seeing as how she was in the stroller, not participating, and not eating ANY candy even though I kept offering - I gave the older girls some of the candy that I wouldn't let Etta eat anyway (hard candy and gum).

WELL.

That was NOT acceptable and she let everyone know.

It was actually quite hysterical. In that "my-kid-isn't-happy-but-I'm-going-to-laugh-anyway" kind of way.

[Check out the bottom lip. We get some serious pouting around here.]

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving!

Our little turkey.



Thankful for Baba.



Thankful for Uncle.





Thankful for family.

Marching Band

Do we have a future marching band member? I think so!

Where's my instrument?



Sheesh, how many buttons, snaps and zippers are there?



Ready to march!!



[This was Bob's marching band uniform from high school. Last fall the music department got new uniforms and in turn sold the old. Grandma Cathy picked it up for Bob.]

...

...and then she woke up.

Football!

Last Friday we went up to Steve and Cathy's to watch the BSU vs. UI game. Etta was VERY excited about the game...



for about two seconds. And then off and about. Besides the football game it was a pretty fun night!

Baking with Grandma

Last week Bob had three late nights in a row. So one night Etta and I mixed up a batch of dough to make gingerbread boys, girls & trains. She loves the story of the Gingerbread Man. We actually got the recipe off the back of the library book that we currently have checked out.

The next night Grandma Cathy came down to help roll and cut. And Baba Steve came to supervise. It was just about the funniest thing I have seen in ages. We just wish Aunt Molly could have been here!

Roll it out like this. Exact quote from Etta: "Teamwork Grandma! No I DO IT MYSELF!" Steve was rolling at this point.



Push on the cookie cutter.



Peel back the extra dough.



Going in for a thank you hug.



On the cookie sheet.



Out of the oven.



Note the extra flour. Etta kept wanting "More flour!" Thanks to Baba Steve for that one too...

Snuggles

On some mornings we have a chance to snuggle. The first time I took Mae in I asked Etta if Mae could lay down with her. After an affirmative answer I laid Mae down. Etta's next comment was, "Don't spit up Baby Mae!"

Hi Sister!



Look at us!



I'm in bed, I get my Soothie!



Fine daddy. Is that better?

Smiles!

[The next few posts are going to be out of chronological order. I have to transfer pictures on a more regular basis...]

But these pics are new! And pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. Mae is much more cooperative than Etta was.

Sleeping

Sleeping and babies. Do the two really go together? For the first six weeks of her life Mae had to be held and/or lay on somebody to sleep. Usually that pleasure fell to me. Don't get me wrong, having a beautiful newborn to cuddle with isn't awful. But when you haven't "slept through the night" in a bed for oh, about three months, you start to go a little crazy.

So this:



was a big deal.

When we got home from Spokane I fed Mae and then we put her on the floor to stretch out.

And she feel asleep.

By herself.

Alone.

And we left her there and got ready and went to bed. It didn't last long, but it was a start.

And the next day I decided to take the plunge and let her cry it out in various locations. Ie: the pack 'n' play, the crib and the bassinet. It wasn't too bad and we got this:



And now she has been getting up once at either 1:30 or 2:30 to eat, goes back to bed in the crib in the girls' room, wakes up at about 5:45 and lays on me to sleep for another couple of hours. I am getting much better sleep and can fully enjoy this snuggle time that I know will be gone sooner than I would like.

Meeting

A couple of weeks ago we got a chance to visit a couple of our favorite service people. Molly & Jim were in Spokane for a Gonzaga reunion (for Molly) so we loaded up and headed north.

[On a side note: On the way to Spokane Etta kept asking, "I go on a plane?" We kept telling her "Not this time..." Her response? Etta: "On a train? On a boat?" This girl really likes her transportation!]

Took most of the pictures with Molly's camera, but I did get a couple...

Mae sleeping through lunch. It's what she did most of the day...



Etta with her "ponies" - just for Aunt Molly!



And trying to get a photo op at the end of the day.

Seriously?



Just. Sit. Still. For. One. Sec. Ond.



One baby. Much easier.

Trick or Treat!

Since U of I Homecoming was on Halloween last year we did not go trick or treating. So this year it was a whole new experience. Even after a few houses I don't think Etta quite understood what was going on. But that was okay with me as we only did about eight houses and were done. And she didn't even mind.

Our first stop was Great Grandma Barb's.

Etta wondering what the heck is going on.



Well, who do we have here?



Candy for me? Really?!



When Etta went by this window she noticed sports on the TV (the World Series). She started yelling "Football!! They're watching football!"



Then to Grandma Cathy's for stew and pie.

Pumpkins!!

Grandma Cathy and Baba Steve went on a cruise to the Panama Canal for TWO WEEKS and Etta was going through withdrawal. So the day after they got back we had them down for dinner. And pumpkin carving.

What are you guys doin'?



What's in dere?



Eeeeeeewwwww! (She's not much for "yucky" stuff I guess)



Cheese!



What should we carve Etta?



A grumpy face? Okay. (She actually asked for a grumpy face...takes after me I guess.)





Bob's happy pumpkin.



Etta coloring her own pumpkin.



Definitely cool. And those are ears. Because Etta wanted them.

Etta's first race

Two years ago Etta was in her first race. As a passenger. Last Saturday she was in her first race. It was free, but there was a huge line of people and I didn't think that the college students doing the registration would appreciate me filling out a form for a 2-year old and having to put a timing chip on her shoe. Oh well. There will be a lot of chances for races in the years to come.

The race two years ago was my first post-Etta. But Christine and I actually ran it. All 4.65 miles of it. This time we walked it as a family. The two-mile. And what was I thinking most of the time? "Haven't we gone a mile yet? This has to be farther than two miles".

Seriously?

Am I the same person of two half and one full marathon of last summer? And I was SORE the next day. Wow. Have I got a ways to go until the Portland half next October. And the Chelanman Sprint Tri in July. Having pregnancy "recovery" be during the winter is going to be a bit difficult. But we have started going to the gym. Up to twice a week! And slowly increasing as time goes by. It will come back. I know it will.

Back to the star of this post. Etta was very excited for this race. "Just like mommy!" And she was quite disappointed she didn't get "for MY shoe, mommy!" and "Where's MY number?" I am hoping that this will instill a life long love of activity in her.

She had been practicing her running. Around and around the dining room table. And when we got there she did run.

For about 50 yards.

"Up on da stroller mommy".

Just fine with me. She gave it a shot!

Waiting to register. Etta up on her sweet ride.



Playing at the playground between registration and the start of the race.



The big finish. She finished strong. And there were people who took note and were cheering on the "baby".



Miss Mae who slept from the time we left home until we got back home.



Etta wearing my race number after we got home. It's now her "race shirt".