Fall-Leaves-Pumpkin Carving-Halloween

 I love fall.  

 

I love bundling up my babies for the first time.

  I love the hats, and the gloves, and the warm cozy clothes.

  I love having a fire in our fire place and the pretty fall colors.

The colors were absolutely Beautiful this year.

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My kids love to be outside.  In fact, a certain little boy asks to go outside first thing in the morning.  He has yet to realize that Mama isn't up for outside playtime before coffee.  

Fall is the best outside play weather.

Plus...it is just so pretty out!

I though I could sneak a fall picture of Miss Ellary in my Mom's flower garden.

She had other priorities than smiling at Mama...

...like trying to eat leaves.

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All those leaves eventually fell off the trees.  And they fell fast.  DJ would pick up the leaves in the front, move to the back, and by the time he was done, the yard was covered again.  We had a beautiful 70 degree day, with freshly fallen (dry) leaves a few weeks ago.  Perfect for playing in.  So much so that we skipped nap to get as much time outside as we could.

My outside loving babies were in Heaven...and Ellary tried to eat as many leaves as she could.

I am sorry Sweet Girl...but as a Sister to 3 brother...you are doomed to a lifetime of getting leaves thrown over your head.  Just wait until he throws you off the front porch into the snow...

I love when I catch a glimpse of them paying attention to each other.  It has taken Karson a while to decide he likes being a Big Brother...

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I am all for traditions, and doing Holidays BIG.  Halloween is not my favorite, but I am beginning to love it with kiddos.  And, thankfully, they have a Daddy who loves carving pumpkins.  Because, well, their Mama doesn't.  I love watching...but you will never find me with my hand in a pumpkin...not gonna happen.

Karson was content to watch with Mama.  He didn't like the "ickies." We couldn't keep Ellary out of the pumpkins.

DJ convinced him to try and touch the "ickies."  We immediatly washed his hands.

 

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Halloween was cold.  And rainey.  And cold.  DJ kept reminding me to be thankful.  We still have a house.  We still had power.  The only impact we had from Sandy was a little rain on Halloween.

Ellary went as a ballerina to Story Time.

For Trick or Treating...she want as a baby in a snowsuit.

Karson went as a Choo-Choo Driver.  Complete with his very own Train.

DJ converted a water heater box and his wagon into the best Halloween Train for my Choo Choo Driver.

 

He even had a working light...

Trick or Treating at Nana's.

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And with that my babies who are so messed up with this time change are up... 

Comfort

Before I tell you what happened today...a little back story.

 

I only nursed my sweet boy for 8 weeks...8 long, hard, sleepless, tear filled weeks.  I wanted it  to work so bad, but you can't force a newborn to nurse.   And while I am confidant that it would have worked had I have known where to go for help, I didn't.  I cried every time I gave my sweet boy a bottle...for a long time.  Ellary was a different newborn, and I was a more determined Mommy.  I didn't give myself the option; nursing would work this time around.  I knew where to get help, and I sought it out numerous times.  Ellary has always nursed well, but that doesn't mean we haven't gone through our set of challenges.  We were not nursing, pain free, until Ellary was 6 weeks old.  I can not tell you how many times I cried through feedings in the early weeks.  Or how many emails I sent to a friend asking questions.  I had two different lactation consultants come to the house, two times each.  I called our hospital's lactation consultant line all the time.  I started going to LLL meetings when I was only 4 months pregnant.  All that to say...yes...Ellary was a good nurser from the very beginning...but we still both had to work hard at it.  And to be honest, it is an accomplishment I am proud of.  I love nursing Ellary, and she loves it so much she still wakes up every few hours at night to nurse....at 6 months old. :)

 

So today....

I called the pediatrician about a concern I had with Ellary.  Nothing big, and I figured they would tell me..its normal...but they wanted to see her.  Even after I said I didn't really want to bring her in...they still wanted to see her.  We saw the PA whom we  have only seen a few times.  She asked me how many times a day Ellary eats...I explained I nurse on demand, and she nurses every few hours, including throughout the night.  She stopped, looked at me with a disgusted look and said sternly, "She is 6 months old, that is not necessary.  She is only doing that for comfort."  I promptly told her I was ok that she was nursing for comfort.  That I am a Mom that believes that if she needs to nurse for comfort..then well...it IS necessary. The appointment could have ended right there...and I learned that the PA at our office and I most certainly do not agree.

My problem with her comment...Why is it a problem that my 6 month old needs to nurse for comfort to fall back asleep at night?  Why is it unnecessary?  Why is her need for comfort not important? Yes, I am tired...yes I walk around a bit zombie like...yes I wish she would sleep better...but isn't that part of being a Mom.  Basically what she was telling me was to let Ellary SCREAM so that I could sleep...not gonna happen.  Ellary and I worked too hard to make nursing a comfort, for me to deny her that comfort and make her scream herself to sleep.

...which brings me back to this post from last year.

When are we going to stop viewing our babies as a bother...and obligation...an unnecessary need to be comforted (it feels wrong to even type that)

This morning, after nursing Ellary, she was wide awake, so I set her next to me in bed.  She crawled up on my chest, and just wanted to lay on me and cuddle.  All I could think was, how cool is it that I am what she needs? 

 

So yes, my 6 month old us up all night long...to nurse...for comfort...and I am proud that something we worked so hard at in the early weeks is such a huge comfort to my girl.  

 

InstaFriday

Happy Happy Friday!  

After celebrating a fantastic night of sleep yesterday on FB, Ellary got up a million times last night, and was up for the morning at 4:30am.  Tired.  And please know, fantastic night of sleep means she only got up to nurse six times and immediately went back to sleep each time.  My views on sleep are obviously a little messed up.  I don't even want to know what her sleeping habits will be like as a teenager. 

Onto our weekly Instagram's...

He has a fire/police station like doll house.  He loves it, and listening to him pretend play is my favorite.  His fireman was sleepy, and needed a nap.  But, not before he went potty.

She tried pulling all nighters at the beginning of the week...not going to bed until after 1am.   Seriously...she may be absolutely adorable, but she stinks at sleeping!!!

That dog drives me crazy.  Absolutely crazy.  Until I find her like this.  She is never far away from the kids.  

Yup...he fell asleep picking his nose.

Busted!

She grew out of all her jammies...and I will only buy Hanna Andersson pjs.  Only on clearance at the outlet.  Because they last for.ever.  So until they go on clearance, Miss Ellary is sporting her brother's blue hand-me-downs...with pink socks of course.

Helping Bumpa drive his BIG "Bumpa Truck."

my dad drives semi...karson thinks it is the coolest thing ever

DJ had the leaves completely picked up the day before...

"hi Mom...I got here on my own"

My back yard was absolutely beautiful this week.

This is how she feels about nap time...

She chased that ball around all morning...

Not happy unless she is standing...or chasing a ball around the livingroom.

A beautiful day to play in the leaves.

He picked up the leaves again...a few hours later our yard looked like this.

Linking up with Jeannett at life.rearranged for Insta Friday.

The Pumpkin Farm

I like coffee.  A lot.  Not because of the caffeine.  I just love the taste of coffee.  I crave a cup of hot, strong, black coffee.  Decaf coffee tastes bad.  Yes, I can tell a difference.  In college I drank coffee all.day.long.  Probably a few too many cups.  Occasionally, I would get a caffeine buzz.  My body telling me I have had a bit too much caffeine.  This morning I had two cups of coffee.  Strong, black, Keurig, a.ma.zing coffee...and all morning I had the i had too much coffee jitters...the same ones I got when I had pots of coffee in college.  Not 2 cups...pots. All that to say, I am losing my coffee tolerance.

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We went to the "Pumpin' Farm" last week.  It was a beautiful, sunny day  We decided to throw our plans of cleaning the house aside, and take a family day making memories instead.  We were taking risk.  A 2 1/2 year old with no nap, comes with no guarantees of a good time, and an increased likelihood of a major meltdown.  He surprised us.  He loved every second of it.  And Ellary, she is terrified whenever she is in crowds.  I always put her in the Ergo with the hood up and she immediately calms down.  Combine the Ergo with her love of being outside, and you have a content, sleeping Ellary.

First up on our trip to the farm, was the hayride to the pumpkin patch.  We rode behind a tractor.  My little boy was in heaven!

We picked out four pumpkins.  One for Mommy, Daddy, Karson, & Baby Ella.  

Karson instructed us "Baby Ella 'dis one...riiiiiiight here."

Proof that Ellary was, in fact, at the pumpkin patch for the first time.

Next, a visit to see the "horseys."

And just like last year, I was nervous to put my little boy on the Pumpkin Train.  Put Train behind anything, and it has Karson written all over it.  But the rides at the town fair did not go over well...and landed us with a sobbing little boy that we couldn't get off the ride.   I asked before it started for the driver to keep an eye out for him to c-r-y.  Of course, he surprised me with his huge smile.  He even rode it two times.  

We ended out trip to the Pumpkin Farm with pumpkin donuts and the best apple cider around.  

So, so yummy!

And after Miss Ellary woke up, we got a few quick family pictures.

"baby ella have pumpin' tooooooo'