international super spy

Most have guessed mad scientist or even crazy waiter (who dresses as waitstaff?!) BUT YOU ARE ALL WRONG.  

Clearly, THIS KID is an International Super Spy (who wouldn't let me make him a name tag).  The INSPIRATION for this getup came from a super-obscure episode of The Backyardigans. 

For those of you who don't know (how could you NOT?!), Pablo (who is a bright blue penguin) plays a Bond-esque character (AGENT SECRET!) with a boss named T who must keep three coffee-like containers (of chocolate milk) away from The (evil) Lady in Pink.  There's a lot of singing and dancing and general spy-like merriment. 


Obviously, he likes his apple juice boxes shaken.  He also has a hot dog that turns into a  phone, a cherry sno cone hologram machine and a car that turns into a boat (I was unable to procure any of these additional props this year.)

You guys.  He's wanted to be Agent Secret for MONTHS.  And he didn't change his mind ONE TIME leading up to Halloween.  (Trust me, Karl and I half-heartedly tried as we were unsure of where to procure a bright blue penguin dressed as an international super spy costume.)  Also, when I showed him his beanie, he asked if it really cut glass (like in the show).  I MEAN REALLY.   How could you not smile at this getup!?  

I hope all his future costume requests are this entertaining. 

duck it all

The littlest one this Halloween:

She wasn't a fan of the hood (read: she screamed bloody murder), which allowed me to snap this gem of a Halloween classic.  Can you say FRIDGE MAGNET?!  

 She didn't completely hate it.  (No, but really, mostly she did.) 

 

MY PEOPLE!!! 

Halloween gets a little crazy around these parts - trunk or treats, parties, costumes to school.  Mostly, I'm down with costumes and candy (candy rationing arguments being my least favorite part of the holiday though, at this age, thankfully, they don't notice if they have a few pieces of candy and I throw the rest away.) 

Plus, I mean, COME ON.  HOW CUTE IS THIS LITTLE DUCKY?  

ICE CREAM! BASEBALL!

I NEVER used to be a sit on the couch and eat ice cream person (Honestly, ice cream tends to get all freezer burned in our house.) BUT as I sit here typing this, I am polishing off a pint of Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup.  I blame my sister who purchased it last week while she was in town (and so nicely took two bites and left it in my freezer).  I also blame it on the Cardinals who are FORCING ME TO STRESS EAT.

Since October continues careening along it's crazy path I present:

MORE PICTURES! 

(Words soon?)

The aforementioned ice cream (This was actually from a few nights ago - I KNOW.)
Another birthday party with Aunt Jenny holding the ice cream with candle (Hmmm... I am sensing an ice cream theme throughout this post.  I SWEAR I am not knocked up.)   



I know it's SHOCKING that Nate is obsessed with baseball lately (we've been watching a lot) but I find it HIGHLY amusing.  Yesterday, we were playing baseball in the front yard and, after scoring multiple runs, he pretended to pop some champagne and spray me with it.  Ahhhh the life of a 4 year old Cardinals fan! 

Ms. Priss:

My sister leaves and the insane baseball texts resume:

I probably should be watching the Presidential debate instead of blogging about baseball and ice cream, huh?

what day is it? october.

Birthday girl.

Parents.

The continuation of obsessive booty shaking on camera.
Sister. Aunt.

(Red) October.  (Seriously Cardinals!  #12in12) 

Soccer strategizing.

  Bingo.  (Real daubers!)
Pumpkins.  (And glittery shoes.) 
 
Random owl decor.  

Kung fu. 
A random frosty beverage here and there.

 Crazy photo shoots for work.

AHHH!  

What's up with you? 

wake me up when september (2011) ends

I've been doing a little REFLECTING about this time last year.  It feels (alternately) like a REALLY long time ago and just like yesterday.  (Since, ya know, the BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY is THIS WEEK.) 

I scrolled back through some of my phone pics and this is what I found and remember as we prepared for my labor and Nora Kate's arrival.

Late September 2011:  

1.  Our house was REAL clean.  And there was always a candle burning. (Citrus and Sage Yankee candles were my obsession at the time; my candle budget then rivaled my magnet budget as of late.) 

2. The obsessively cleanliness did NOT, apparently, translate to putting away the laundry.  

3.  I went out for things dressed in disguise, in the middle of the night.  This was my friend Katie's birthday party.  I skipped the dinner portion of the evening and snuck in (ha.  like an elephant.)  for drinks later.  Please note this was SEPTEMBER 16th (Trust me, I looked it up.) and NK was born OCTOBER 4th.  Holy belly.

4.  I was obsessively taking my blood pressure.  (Perhaps 4 times a day?  Maybe more?  Nate was an excellent cuff helper in those final weeks).  My BP was consistently higher at my midwife's office; always pretty on-target at home.  It made me feel better to have SOMETHING to measure.  

 

5. I was preparing the nursery (and reading a lot of chick lit).  HAHAHAHAH.  Sorry, Nora.  You totally didn't sleep in here anyway. 

6.  I was forcing my family to walk around my neighborhood obsessively (again at all hours of the night and in disguise; we used a lot of blinky runner lights that month so we didn't get run over).   Nate was allowed the iPad for extensive periods of time so as to avoid hearing his mommy cry hysterically about getting the baby out.   

7.  I was definitely NOT pumping in an effort to start labor.  Nope.  I would never do that.  Do NOT tell my midwife or any other labor and delivery professional. 

8.  I also was NOT drinking wine in an effort to relax myself enough to start labor.  Nope, wouldn't do that either.  (More chick lit!)  (Also, seriously, why do I share the WORST PHOTOS EVER with you guys?  Please focus on my belly shelf and my under-eye circles of exhaustion and schmeared mascara.) (Also, this activity was midwife recommended and approved.  Drinking?  Yes!  Pumping? NO!) 

9.  I think this was about a week or so out and, also, perhaps the point I stopped taking pictures and videos and crawled inside my hidey hole to wait her out!  Please note the yoga ball.  I was also NOT bouncing on that thing for hours.  

 

(Clearly, none of the "tricks" worked.)  

Mostly, I just remember the waiting, the grieving of losing my grandmother and the inability to be with my extended family.  It made for a strange, teary September and, compared with the business and the LIFE of September this year, it's hard to recall exactly HOW crazy I was at the time.  Thankfully, I have these photos to remind us all.  (Ha.  As always, YOU ARE WELCOME!)