Thankful for Little Birds

Thankful

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I am thankful for two little birds.

The first one arrives every morning to wake me up.  I feel a gentle thud as his little body hits mine. He perches, balanced on my upturned side for a moment and then he rolls down and cuddles in my arms.  He kisses me and sweetly whispers "let's play baby birds Mommy!"  I hold him and tell him how excited I am for my baby bird to hatch.  He pretends to hatch from an egg, more kisses, more cuddles, a few more rolls off my side.  

With in 10 minutes another baby bird arrives.  She slips in often with out me knowing.  I feel a light pressure against my back as she snuggles close.  "Are we playing baby birds?" she asks.  "Yes sweet girl we are, give me a birdie snuggle," I respond.

For the next 15 minutes we play.  I can hear the shower stop running in the bathroom and Ray peeks his head out and smiles at our usual morning routine.  If he has time he gets back in bed and gathers us all up in a great big hug.

Thankful, so thankful for my baby birds.  I have slowed down.  We have all slowed down, and we are starting most days together with this wonderful game of baby birds.

Thankful

*photo credit  http://www.etsy.com/listing/62398010/personalized-hand-stamped-sterling

Halloween 2011, the year of the homemade costume

2011 - Max came up with the idea of a Kitchen Robot Destroyer.  Base from a thrift store,
the rest he selected from our kitchen.  Caroline asked to be a paper doll.
We made the costume together with poster board and paint.

I really enjoyed Halloween this year.  We made our own costumes for the very first time!  I will admit, I was one of those women who had all kinds of assumptions and judgments about motherhood before I became a mother.  I assumed if you were a stay at home mom you SHOULD make your children's costumes, right?  Isn't that what all stay at home mothers do?  Well...then I had babies and I had no time or interest in sewing costumes.  In addition the children's resale shops were overflowing with adorable costumes for $7 or less.  So purchase I did, every year!  

This year we broke the trend.  Caroline saw the idea for a paper doll costume in a magazine and we made it together.  It was a fun project and even though I like to sew, I am glad I still didn't have to sew a costume.  Max was pretty funny about his costume.  He kept changing his mind.  I had found a Batman costume at a yard sale, but he said it was uncomfortable.  A few days before Halloween he announced he would be a kitchen robot, or a kitchen robot destroyer, it depended on his mood. Armed with a whisk and a pair of tongs the later one out on the big day. 

Just for fun, here is a Halloween retrospective.

2008 - Caroline was obsessed with Care Bears.
It was Max's first Halloween, we called him our chunky monkey, so this costume was a logical choice!

2009 - Max did not care for getting dressed up, his costume was a hand me down from a friend.
Caroline made a beautiful Snow White.

2009 - Caroline was Tinker Bell for trick or treating AND the Little Mermaid for a party.
Max was Mater from Cars.  He really got into the holiday and it was the one year he actually ate some candy.

2010 - Caroline was a snow princess.  Max tried boycotting a costume again, but came
around at the last minute and went as a Transformer, sans mask.   It was Max's first carb free Halloween and he did great.

Like last year the kids traded their Halloween candy for a non edible treat.  Last year they asked for DVDs, this year they asked for Squinkies.  I bought the Squinkies a week a head and they constantly carried around the packages looking at them.  There was quite a build up of excitement.  EVERY day Max asked if it was candy trading day.  He didn't call it Halloween, it was all about getting that candy and trading it in for the Squinkies.  This is such a wonderful way to handle a sugar filled holiday.  Max got to have all the fun of the holiday and we didn't have one worry about him missing out.  

We went to a friend's house for dinner and trick or treating.  The kids got to experience trick or treating for the first time on foot.  We still brought the stroller, so Max didn't have to walk the whole time.  They had the time of their lives and loved going door to door in a big group, instead of the usual mini van around the neighborhood with Mom and Dad routine.  They filled their pumpkins in just two streets.  Caroline was allowed to keep some of her candy, but she traded the bulk of it in for Squinkies as well.  To keep things fair, I made Max his Ketocal fudge and homemade gummie candy, so he could have treats to eat when Caroline eats her candy.

I will post a tutorial for the gummie candy soon.  It is a great candy and tasty for all kids, not just kids on low carb diets!

We have been asked what happens to the candy the kids trade in......

Ray and I eat it!  Well, we eat some of it and Ray takes the rest into his office.

Happy Halloween!