Happy Halloween

Last year I found out I was pregnant just before Halloween.  At the Halloween party we went to Ghostbusters was on.  I saw the Marshmallow Man and decided that it would be the perfect costume for baby this year.  I've had a whole year to plan this.  I even borrowed the white puffy snowsuit back in April (besides that costume it will come in handy during the snow season).  So why were Rob and I using the hot glue gun to make the felt pieces at 5pm today.  After the long trip and the long day today a part of me wanted to say "forget it".  I'm so glad we didn't. 

Our neighborhood is an awesome place for kids and trick-or-treating.  Many neighborhoods in NYC have all the stores hand out candy.  The stores here do that, but there are enough single family homes that kids can go door to door too.  Watching the kids knock and yell trick-or-treat, and seeing the decorations and costumes people have while handing out candy, makes me excited for when Simon is old enough to walk and talk and have some idea of what is going on.  As it is we got a handful of candy "for the baby" which I didn't expect, and some great pictures of the first Halloween.  Isn't he just the cutest!

Madison

Poor Simon has spent so much of this trip in the car seat.  He kind of hates it.  There is lots of fussing, but some sleeping.  My mom got an infant seat for her car.  And while I do see the benefit of being able to pop out the seat and take the baby in, or put the seat into a stroller, I find the seat heavy and cumbersome.  We've hardly used the Ergo.

On the trip to Madison we got to spend a couple of days with my Grandma Frazier and Dad.  Emily took a day off to spend some time with us too.  Auntie Em brought Yumi, Simon got his first encounter up close with a dog.

We took a trip downtown to eat some lunch at Hinkles. Then we walked around downtown and on the river.  We stopped at the playground.  Em took him on his first slide.

And then we tried the swing.  Again.  He's got enough body control to sit in the swing now, but he's still to little to really enjoy it.

Papa loves Simon.

 And while we were walking we found our family brick from 1987 when they first put in the river walk.

 Family picture.  I kind of like this one.

 Aunt Patty came to visit.

And before we left we had a little family dinner.  This was the first time in awhile that all siblings and Dad have been together.  Clint was a little embarrassed that we had the waitress take a picture because "we live here" but I'm glad we got it.

Three Months, Two Goals

After Simon was born, and maybe a bit before, I had two goals for mid-October.  First I wanted to have lost enough weight to wear my suit for a presentation I had for school.  I met that goal.  I still have about 6 pounds to go to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I'm right around my wedding weight, which is when I bough the suit.

The second goal was to be able to walk over the bridge to Simon's 3 month pediatrician visit.  We used to walk the bridge to Manhattan several times a year when it was nice out.  But this past spring I was too pregnant for a 4-5 mile walk.  And then I was recovering this summer. I thought 3 months would be a good length of time to give myself and the weather would still be nice.  Honestly I think I probably could have walked to the 2 month appointment.

 So we loaded up the stroller, had some coffee and our water bottles and took off.  We usually walk Queens Boulevard, but this time we walked a block over to avoid the noise of the 7 train.  There has got to be a prettier street to walk.  Maybe next time we'll find it.

There has been construction at Queensboro Plaza for the past couple of years.  It's been so that they could put this park and bike/walkway in.  I have to say it's nice to no longer have to climb over the construction barriers to cross the street.

We made it across the bridge and to Dr. B's upper east side office in about an hour and 15 minutes.  Not too much slower than our pre-stroller average time. Pushing a stroller makes the bridge a tougher climb. Simon slept most of the way.

Simon did great at the appointment, only fussing a little for his shots.  He didn't pee on the doctor this month.  And he likes looking at the fish in the waiting area.

We saw the Northern Lights

Back Home Again

Last Thursday we got up very very early (2:30am) to go to the airport so that we could fly to Indiana and meet some very important people.

Simon did great on the plane. He slept on the first flight.  He was a little fussy in Atlanta, but slept and looked out the window on flight number 2.  We got to Indiana, ate some lunch.  The Rob and I handed Simon off to grandma and took a nice long nap.  I didn't get a picture of Simon on the plane, but here we are waiting in the airport at 5am.