Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween Part 1: Music Together & Mall Trick or Treat

Oliver got his first dose of Halloween on Friday when we crashed a mother's group party at our bestie's house.  Saturday morning he was very happy to once again don his "arrrrr" (Oliver speak for pirate costume...not to be confuse with "garrrrr" for bear...any bear- teddy, panda, koala, grizzly, polar) to wear to music class.  Owen was happy (as far as I'm concerned) to wear his Mickey Mouse costume.

Music class was wonderful as always!  Luckily, the freak October snow held off long enough for my mom to make the drive up from NJ since BDNP had to work that morning.  I don't know what I would have done without her help.  Well I know I would have been stubborn and brought both boys to music class solo, but I'm glad I didn't have to... I'm not ready for that just yet! 

I'll just post a pic or two now... I have a feeling I may put more in another post because once I get going about Music Together I can't stop!



From class we drove over to the mall where Nate met up with us for the safe trick or treating.  It seems like fewer and fewer stores participate in this every year, which is a bummer because there are a crazy lot of kids who attend and the candy runs out way too quick.

It took Oliver a few times, but he warmed up to the idea of trick or treating.  It was so beautiful.  My heart broke just a little bit watching him go up to get candy and hold up his bucket... big brown eyes wide and shining with wonder at this new experience.  Nate says he even said trick or treat a few times... well his version of trick or treat, which is "Cheek-chee"...kinda.








He's just getting so big.  So independent.  It's happening way too fast for me.  The ride home from the mall took longer than normal (nasty slushy snow!  With the precious babies in my car you can be sure I took my time!).  As expected Oliver fell asleep in his carseat, and my heart broke even more gazing on that sweet little face- safe, secure, content and chubby.  I love how cute he is sleeping in the car (hate that it screws up his nap schedule, but love the cute!).  But it makes me so sad looking at the smoothness of his cheeks, listening to the adorable sound of his breath in it's sleepy rhythm... because I can't keep it.  That face won't be there forever.  That cheek will be rough and stubbly someday.  That sleepy inhale will be a man's deep snore.  And I will love that man because he is my baby... but you can bet your life I will miss that baby with all my heart.  I already do, and he's still right here.


Owen was there too... but he had no idea.  Sleepy kid.



Happy Hallow-versary

Today is the 2 year anniversary of the most beautiful and perfect Hallowedding. 

On October 31, 2009 Nate and I were married. 
I have nothing but happy memories about our wedding. It was wonderful, it was fun, it was...well...perfect.

Before you have visions of The Corpse Bride... here is a glimpse of our wedding.  Just a small taste...there are so many pictures and I love them all... which is amazing in itself since I usually hate being photographed.



My inspiration was Victorian Gothic.  Did that happen? Not quite as much as I would have liked;  I had haunted mansion in mind (not ghouls and monsters haunted, but candelabras and cobwebs...like the decor walking through the Tower of Terror in Disney).  Our colors were burgundy and champagne, NOT black and orange.  I would have loved to go all skulls and gargoyles with the wedding, but Nate is too normal and his mom (my mom too, actually) would have died!

Whenever I mentioned we were getting married on Halloween people responded with: "I went to a wedding on Halloween once! It was the best wedding I've been to! Everyone wore costumes, it was so fun!"  We aren't doing costumes at our wedding.  "Oh."

As much as I would have liked to go more "halloweenie" with the theme... I'm glad no one was in costume, that was never going to happen.  I would hate to have a friggin' power ranger or something in our wedding pictures.  Overall, I don't regret that I was reigned in with the Hallowedding theme because I think one day I would have regretted the gimmick and wished for a "real" wedding.  Well I got my "real" wedding and it was fairy tale quality.

BUT...someday...when there's money to spend...we'll have an awesome anniversary Halloween party and no one will stifle my crazy!  I'm thinking something along these lines...







When I was planning for the wedding I searched for Victorian Gothic and came across THIS on Offbeatbride.com.  HERE is their Flikr album...I absolutely love what they did and wish I was cool enough to do something like that... but I'm really pretty lame.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Party Crashers

We crashed a mother's group halloween party on Friday.  BFF hosted her group's party so we scored an invite.  We've joined in on a few of their get togethers already.  A very nice bunch of moms and a very adorable bunch of kids.


and that's not even all of them!


my two little pirates

she's not too happy abut the arranged marriage situation...
we're working on it.  She has very little choice.

Blackmail picture!

Ol's homemade pirate costume.

It is very hard to get a full body picture of a very fast toddler.  So there's no good head to toe picture of the costume I worked so hard on.  By "so hard" I mean that I cut a pair of his pants, layered two of his shirts and cut my red shirt for a sash.  It's no award winning costume, but it was cute enough for a kid who has little interest in dressing up...and it was free!

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Touch of Pink

My brother in law and his wife welcomed their beautiful baby girl to the world a little while ago.  She is absolutely beautiful... so tiny and dainty and feminine.  Such a gorgeous contrast to my totally boyish boys.  We are so excited to have a niece so we just had to get up to NH to meet here ASAP.


We never would have traveled this early with Oliver, but being second time around parents we realize now that a newborn is actually not too hard to travel with...seeing as they sleep, ALL THE TIME.  We just had to make a pit stop so I could nurse Owen.  The ride up was great...the ride home...well, that was awful (traffic...yikes).

The visit also allowed us to introduce Owen to his uncles and great grandparents.  It was also the first time we stayed as guests in my bro and sis in laws' house and it went well...Oliver slept much longer than I expected him to, and he loved their cats (still getting used to their young dog, though).


Watching football with the guys.

Snapping pictures with Mommy

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Made for each other


Oliver was blessed with a best friend from birth.  It's so amazing to look back at their side-by-side growth and development.  What started as a big 5 month(ish) difference has become a hardly noticable (except that one talks and the other...ahem, Oliver!.... refuses to use real words) age/size difference.

The most beautiful thing about this friendship is the innocent and genuine love they have for each other.  They give each other hugs and kisses and light up when they get to see each other (even though they don't actually play together...Oliver is still at the side by side play stage in development, not so much co-play yet). 

 Us mommies were laughing the other day with the thought of the future embarassment we can dish out when we get to remind a pair of too-cool teens how they used to hug and kiss right on the mouth... we need to make sure we capture that one of these days, what's better than a blackmail photo!?




 












Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Monday, October 24, 2011

O. M.Y. Goodness

I've been thinking for a while now about changing the name of my blog.  I'm working on creating a banner but I've decided on "O.M.Y. Goodness" to be the new name.  I think it captures very well what the point of my little blog is:  it is me sharing all the good and cute moments (and on occassion the not so good and cute) that come with these two little boys of mine... and both of their initials just happen to be O.M.Y.

So be prepared to update bookmarks if you must... in the near future I will be officially making the change.

And here is a little taste of today's goodness:

They just make their mommy's heart smile!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

2 weeks

Itty Bitty is 2 weeks old today.  Already!


In two weeks...
  • I have fallen in love.  Not only with my new son, but I have also fallen in love with Nate and Oliver in new ways as I see them step into new roles.

  • I have cuddled like there's no tomorrow... because I know my todays are numbered.

  • I have melted.  Over and over again.  My home is full of love and I see it in every one of Oliver's discoveries and every one of Owen's gassy smiles.

  • I have been surprised.  By Oliver, by Owen, by Nate... by myself.  We are four amazing people making up one incredible little family.

  • I have appreciated the little things.  I have a wonderful life

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