Halloween Festivities 2017

Having a newborn in October pretty much meant that the month flew by without us doing anything remarkable. Poor Sof. I have already promised to do better next year.

She is following in her sisters footsteps and has become so alert! I fear for our future.

We made it to our new ward's Halloween Party, and it turned out to be pretty fun. They had food and games for the kids, and a candy cannon. We left too early, but I guess they let the dads chase candy out of the cannon too. I now wish we would have stayed to see Greg do that. 

Courtesy of Greg.

She loved this cake walk. She would run around the circle counting off the numbers as she went. She was a hit, and everyone loved her, as is the trend with our cute Sofi loaf.

The candy cannon!

Greg's Dad and Kathy had their annual Witchey-poo party. I failed to get pictures because I left my camera at home, but suffice it to say that it was fun.

Decorating Haunted Houses with baby Leona (her kitty).

Chubby Claire.

Sofi refused to eat lunch and dinner October 30, so we refused to let her carve pumpkins. Let's just say that she didn't really care. She was content to sit, watch and spin circles in the kitchen. Although it was annoying, her ability to shake off the negative can be pretty inspiring.

Spinning and jumping.

She ended up eating a good breakfast Halloween day so I let her carve her pumpkin. She could've spooned guts for hours.

She loved it.

On our way to feed horses. I thought she looked so cute in her puffy dress pushing her stroller.

She ran up to this horse without any fear. I now know the heart attack my mom used to have when I would be surrounded by my Grandpa's horses when I was just tiny. 

Kisses

Running back to "give hugs." That paint may have just found its new best friend in a 2 year old. We may be giving away a lot of carrots in the near future.

This is before we went trick-or-treating. She was the cutest Belle I've ever seen. I left a bowl of candy on our front step and I'm sure the kids had a heyday when they saw the abandoned bowl.

This Grimm Reaper was out strolling the streets of Farmington. He was freaky! (just ask Sof). Greg almost hit him on his way down the hill to get donuts - he was standing in the middle of the road. That would've been a fun Halloween experience.

Sof wanting to eat her donut.

My cute girls!

Claire is exhausted!

What fun we had this Halloween Day! I thought Sofi was fun during holidays as a baby but she continues to be much more so the older she gets. It's so fun to be able to explain things to her and have her share in my excitement. I loved that she was able to choose her costume this year and was so excited to be a princess. She sure has a zest for life. Claire continues to be a bump on a log - we love her.

We Survived

I, as in we, survived the first week of being a parent  to two, and it really wasn't as bad as I thought. I have come to the conclusion that adapting to the first child was harder than adapting to two; a happy realization on my part.

I think over the 2 weeks of Greg's paternity Sofi was drowning in the extra attention and started acting out. Happily, she has returned to normal. However, she does still only let Greg put her to sleep at night and asks every day if "Daddy put me nuh-night" for naps. It never fails. And, she doesn't like me to sing to her - she prefers Greg's voice. I don't know whether to be insulted or relieved.

Good Morning!

This happens every morning. No joke.

We made a trip to to the West Bountiful park. She didn't want me to play in the sand with her (a first). Instead, she pointed to the bench and said, "No, sit over there." I happily obliged. 

Soaking up the sun on my bench.

Well hello Miss Claire.

Sof, "Can I lay by her?"

She let me do her hair all fancy one morning. She was so excited to have her first play date at the new house!

She is getting really good at her smiley faces.

She has embraced the wrap.

Sometimes I think she's a better parent than me.

I was ambitious one morning and gave Sof her first haircut.

It turned out a lot better than I thought. Thank you Kung Fu Panda.

After 3 months, Sof will finally wear this cute cape we scored from a parade back in July.

I've got to say my favorite part of the day is being able to hear Sof sing herself to sleep while I feed Claire down the hall. She knows both verses to "I Love To See the Temple" and her little voice is just the cutest thing ever! Even if she is awake for an hour singing, I continue to love it. Greg's opinion may be different though.

Starting to smile in her milk coma's.

The ultimate entertainer.

Paternity Leave

Greg survived his Paternity Leave - and I like to think he went back to work a little wistfully. The first week he may have overstayed his welcome, but by the end of the 2nd week, I found myself wishing he could work from home, or at least be around more often during the day. I really enjoyed having my husband around. Weird, I know.

1 week old!

Sof loves helping her Daddy mow the lawn.

Claire has fuzzy ears like her Dad. Sofi is like me and likes to pet them. 

I was able to get back in the swing of things much quicker than usual with Greg around. I could take Sof shopping without a newborn, and even take her to the park. It was glorious.

 

Greg ditched Claire and I one night to take Sofi hiking with his family, so Claire and I got to hang out. It seems like right as he closed the door to leave, I looked at Claire and thought, "Now what?" I'd become so accustomed to people being around that it was lonely having them leave. 

Just hangin'.

But Sofi came home so excited to have gone hiking that their absence was worth it! She was so excited to pack her own backpack with her dinner because she's too picky to eat hot dogs (I don't blame her).

Greg came home so excited about the leaves this year that I felt is was necessary to include the pictures he took. Mostly, because Greg doesn't really take pictures.

Greg likes to put Claire in Sof's bed with her. Sof agree's. I love how well she has embraced being an older sister.

 

I went on a walk with Sof and she insisted I take a picture of her sitting on this "green thing." 

On our walk we also had to give each of these skeletons a high five. Sofi actually took this picture and I think she did a great job!

My family came back up north for a baby blessing and took the time to come show my grandma and Dad our new house, and Baby Claire. 

4 Generations.

I made the decision for us all to go down to my niece's baby shower. I didn't much feel like staying holed up in the house.

Greg took it upon him to quarantine Claire up in one of my sister's bedrooms. I found them both asleep.

My cute grandma. She sure loves her posterity.

We finally moved Sof to a big girl bed, and you can tell she's only a little bit excited ... :).

It's a big deal for Sofi to let someone else sit on her couch. Just 2 cute sisters watching Moana.

Greg power washed our house and sidewalk. The dark part is where he hadn't cleaned the sidewalk yet. I'm guessing he got up 40 years worth of filth. Nasty.

Sof inherited this wagon and Greg took her on the maiden voyage, in her Ariel wedding dress.

We made it to Pack Farms one afternoon to pick pumpkins and can you say Holy Mosquitoes?! They are bad every year, and I don't know why I told myself this year would be different, because it wasn't. We lasted long enough to pick pumpkins and take some pictures. Poor Sof. We doused her in bug spray and she still managed to get bit through her long-sleeved shirt and jacket. 

She was content to sit and play in the dirt.

Cute dirty bum.

Running to catch up with her Dad.

My two girls with their pumpkins. Can you see Claire's?

Watching more movies.

Sof found my eyeshadow one night. It happened to be right before we went to play at Arctic Circle.

I didn't wipe it off good enough and am now realizing she looks abused.

Good morning/afternoon from this little chub.

Running on the Lagoon trail. I'm lagging behind, as has been the case for months.

Paternity ended bright and early for Greg as he has to get back on schedule, but boy was it nice to have him around to help out. I have become a firm believer in Paternity, simply because I may have self-destructed without it.