Christmas Cookies

We have recently engaged in a new Christmas tradition. Santa has sent us a Elf, who we named Polo, that reports to him whether Bella and Becca have been naughty or nice.  Of course Becca is too young to understand, but Bella has caught on, and her behavior is much improved since Polo came to visit us, all we need to do is remind Bella that Polo is watching. I just wish Polo would stick around all year long. However, Polo's magic does have its limits. Last night Bella was tired and not feeling well, a dreadful combination. Bella told me that she didn't want Polo to watch her and could I send him home. I decided to drop the conversation at that point. Clearly, she wasn't even capable of being a good girl. I can understand that. 

Thanksgiving Turkeys

We had Thanksgiving at my house this year. It was just the cousins and Popo and Grammy. I have to say the food this year was not all that tasty. I made the corn casserol and the mashed potatoes, and they weren't that great. Oh well, there's always next year.  This year Bella ate absolutely nothing. She has become REALLY picky. I'm afraid she is going to waste away to nothing. And unfortunately Becca was suffering from a stomach bug, so we tried to hold her back. I just hope she is still an eater next year, so that she can enjoy the food, and then hopefully next year the food will be better.

The girls made the head dresses at school.

Bella the Biker Chic, Spider and Princess

This was an interesting Halloween. Initially, Bella did not express a desire to be anything in particular for Halloween. I mean, I'd ask and she'd want to be everything from Dora to "The Map" to a spider to a bunny. So, since my mom's Halloween party this year had a 50's theme, I decided, after seeing a cute jacket, that Bella would go as a Biker Chic from the 50's. There - done. Only not done. As they started talking more and more about Halloween at school, Bella consistently and adamantly started saying she was going to be a spider. So, not wanting to spend too much on another costume but wanting to be the indulgent mother, I decided to make her a spider costume. Well, she loved it. She wanted to wear her spider shirt immediately. What a happy little spider she was. There. Done! Only not done. She was a spider for the two festivals we had on the Sunday before Halloween and for Friday at school. But as soon as she walked into her room, I suspected her spider days were over. She went dancing into school, so proud of her outfit. And then she walked into her classroom. Once she saw the other little girls dressed as fairies and princesses, her face drop. She even walked over to a little girl and petted her shinny cape. So, when I picked her up on Friday guess what - she was no longer wearing her spider outfit, and she did not want to talk about it.  So on Saturday when it was time to go to her school festival, she said she wanted to be a princess and refused to but the spider shirt on. Ok, so we put a tutu on her, one of my necklaces and a crown that she made at school earlier in the year. There. Done. She was a princess and loved it! (On Monday I sent Bella's teacher a note asking if something had happened with the spider outfit. She said that perhaps it was the fact that all the little boys were telling the girls how pretty they were in their princess dresses. And that one little boy wanted to hold one of the princess's hand. Ah well, and so it begins). 

Pumpkin Cuties

Well, the pumpkin patches this year were a no go. We had to have had the rainest October ever. But we did manage to go by a church that is on the way to Bella's school that had pumpkins for sale. We went last year. This year both girls go into the fun. They had a bounce house the night we went, and any place that has a bounce house is ok with me, although Becca has a hard time leaving them. 

Grocery Shopping

Yesterday the whole family went grocery shopping because Todd and I both had chili cook-offs we were competing in.  So, we go to Kroger because Todd had seen a little girl there pushing a miniature shopping cart, and he thought Bella would like that, so off to Kroger we go.  And wouldn't you know, she did like the shopping cart. If fact she got carried away and began shopping for herself. Unbeknownst to us, she put a can of Bushes Kidney Beans in (she loves beans - and especially the kidney beans out of Olive Garden's Pasta Figoli) and she put in a bag of yogurt covered raisins (also another favorite). Silly girl. Todd and I had a good laugh when we were unpacking the groceries. 

Becca the thief

Caught red handed. Becca has the bad habit of grabbing food and drinks off the table. I'm sure Bella did it too, but back then, there was no big sister's food to grab. A lot of time Becca is just reaching to see what's there and make a mess, but sometimes I truly think she is hungry and looking for food. This would be one of those times. Becca really seems to be digging Bella's pancakes with syrup. We don't put syrup on Becca's pancakes 1) because she's a baby and would make a mess, but 2) she doesn't usually like the really sweet stuff.  Becca's what you'd call a good eater.  Her report from school always says, "Your child ate EVERYTHING today." Like I said, she's her daddy all the way. 

Fall Festivals

Sunday we had two festivals to work and attend back to back. It was a bit hectic, but I think the girls had a good time. Although in between all the madness we didn't get around to feeding the girls until after 7:00. I think Becca ate her weight in Wendy's nuggets. Wendy's nugget. Not even the gold standard Chick-Fil-A nuggets. I made Bella's costume because I had already bought her one when she decided she wanted to be a spider. I had no idea she'd have a preference. I figured I'd have one more year before she started telling me what she wanted to be. Oh well. Even though Bella is very social, she was somewhat hesitant at the Mom's Club Festival. Meanwhile Becca was just going and exploring. She didn't care. I tell ya, these kids will surprise ya. Bella was thrilled to pieces with all the suckers she got, and when I told her that she couldn't have another one, she was ok with that. I was so proud of her. I dressed Becca in the ladybug costume Bella wore for her first Halloween. I tell you Bella was a big baby at first. But boy did she put the brakes on that once she turned about 15 months.