Halloween

Instead of one night trick-or-treating we had an entire week of fun. We went in downtown Spanish Fork last Saturday where business were handing out candy (I thought that would be a good introduction to the idea of getting candy). Then our ward's trunk or treat on Tuesday. A Halloween party on Thursday and finally trick-or-treating on Friday. Samantha had 2 costumes (Raggedy Ann and a pig) and traded off wearing both of them. Paul was a cow (a darn cute one) the whole time. On Halloween night I even dressed up as a farmer to take my livestock out. Samantha had a ton of fun and was amazed that people kept giving her candy. She would even say "trick-or-treat" loud enough for people to hear (even people we didn't know) when we'd knock on their door. Here are some pictures for you...

Samantha and her friend Jason (Mickey)

Sammi admiring her haul

Samantha

Here's what Samantha is like at 2 yrs 4 months

• She has a lot of energy and is usually very happy.
• She loves people and wants to play with her friends all the time. If I ask her in the morning what would be fun she'll tell me "I know, playing with my friends will be really fun for me."
• She talks ALL the time & is becoming much easier for everyone to understand.
• She can count to 10
• She knows most of her colors, although she won't tell you the right ones if she's asked. I think it might be because she feels like there's pressure on her? Who knows, but she does know them. (I watch her color by herself and she'll say "green, green, green" while she's coloring with green)
• She LOVES Paul still, but is having moments where she'll want me all to herself. She'll tell me "Mommy, I need 'lone' time with you." Luckily she will still never hit him and even when she's not happy that he's around she'll still share and be kind.
• She seems to have really good social skills. She shares without being told 50% of the time & when reminded she'll share without fighting about 75% of the time.
• She never hits & is able to say "I don't like that" if she's getting bugged (especially by Adam)
• The last month or two she has started really loving books & will ask me to read to her all the time. She really likes to read the same 1-2 books over and over. Then she'll move to a new book.
• She likes to act just like Adam & me, copying what we say & our mannerisms. (Notice the picture of her & Adam).
• She is really kind hearted & will walk up to me and tell me "Mommy, I love you really much." She also gets very upset if someone else is sad and wants to help them.
• She still can't (or won't) say decent prayers without help. She'll open her prayer and then immediately close it without saying anything in between. She will do a good job if she's being helped.
• She occasionally gets scared at night but will tell me that Jesus will help her.
• She doesn't throw tantrums very often but is a champion whiner. Any time she doesn't get what she wants she whines about it (not fun).
• She is learning what a nice voice and a mean/rude/whiny voice sound like. She'll tell me all the time that I'm being rude (whenever I use a stern voice with her or if I tell her no)
• She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES candy & asks for it from the second she's done with her breakfast until she's in bed & we've left her.
• She goes to bed at 7 but won't go to sleep until 8:30 or so. She stays in her bed and sings/reads/talks to herself.
• She is such a good kid who is really good at listening & doing what I've asked.
• She loves to help

Paul

Here's what Paul is doing at 5 1/2 months...

• He has been sitting up for about 2 1/2 weeks...I think all that extra fat helps him from toppling over
• He still isn't rolling over! That is supposed to happen at about 4 months. He has rolled over 1 time each way, he just won't do it anymore. I'm not sure if hefting all that body over is just too much for him, or if he's just happy enough however I put him that rolling over isn't worth the trouble.
• He still isn't back to sleeping through the night (little turd) although I can't realy complain. He goes to bed at 7 and wakes up between 4 & 5 to eat (9-10 hours) and then goes right back to sleep until 7:30 or 8. He also takes about a 2 hour nap at 11 or 12 with Sammi and then another short one late in the afternoon. All in all it's working pretty well.
• He's still just as happy as can be and is very rarely cranky.
• He loves Samantha and will just sit there watching her forever.
• He laughs when she comes in the room and just breaks out into the biggest grin when she talks to him. He is also doing really well with his toys.
• He's able to hold on to a toy for quite awhile and pick it up if he drops it. His attention span with a single toy can be anywhere from 5-30 min.
• He loves baths and has learned how to splash by kicking his feet. He prefers to be in the baby tub because he gets to stay in longer, but I am starting to just stick him in the big tub more often since it's easier.
• He rubs his eyes when he's tired and burries his head in my shoulder.
• He isn't clingy (yet) and is happy to have anyone hold him.
• He has the BEST smile & we get to see it ALL the time!!