Ghosts of Halloween Past

I'm just kidding! No ghosts here, but I am going to chronicle our Halloweens.

 

Halloween '09

Skeletons(in the closet on the couch)

 

The girls were two months old. Bobby was working out of town all week. I was tired, and really missing that 5 am, pre-work feeding of his. I had planned to at least take them to Pizza Hut....but they fell asleep as soon as I put them in their carseats. I followed immediately after them. I'm pretty sure that's at least kind of a typical two month old Halloween experience. Maybe?

 

 

Halloween '10

 

 

(My favorite) Things

 

 

I was super excited about this Halloween. It was set to be their first trick-or-treating experience! Yay! The morning of I ended up going to the E.R. I kept thinking "It's not even afternoon yet. It will be fine. I will be out.". I wasn't. I thought at the time it would make me sadder that I missed it than it actually does. Instead I think it ended up turning out really great for the girls. It's probably one of Bobby's favorites too. It was all up to him, with help from Bob, Terry, and Sarah, but I could just tell how much more that memory ended up meaning to him, and maybe his parents too. I did get to hit the last block with them and that was good enough. 

 

Halloween '11

 

 

(spread your wings and) futterfly

 

 

This Halloween marked our last week of being a family of four. Barring my water breaking I was not letting Bobby or myself off the hook for missing this one even if there wasn't a blackpower buck on the ground(which there was so that ended up being a non-issue). The girls got to enjoy trunk-or-treat with the Barton's. Then they got to go trick or treating. On top of that they got to take their Aunt Sarah. Which made me feel better when a lifesize motion animated witch scared Pait, because Sarah can appreciate the humor in that kind of thing, so I wasn't laughing alone. Are there rules about sending your kids to your best friend who happens to be a therapist?! I'm asking for a friend.

Then they got to go to Uncle Trev's, and since I was having a baby in the morning they got to see their Nana and their Papa too. Maybe better yet we got to load them up with candy and live out every parents dream....drop them off to stay the night at their grandparents. Haha. I'm just kidding, but it did sort of work out that way. Since we had to be at the hospital so early the next morning it was the plan before dates were set, or if things didn't go according to plan. My In-Laws really are great!

 

Halloween '12

 

 

(The girls are good at sweet talking their Daddy)

Super Girl/Pumpkin/Bank Robber/Pirate/Badass..I'm totally kidding. I didn't dress up.

 

I had a few way better pictures, but my scanner/printer and computer can't find one another. It seriously is cramping my style in so many ways.

 

This was the first year the girls decided what they wanted to be. I'm not really sure how Raid decided on pumpkin, but after discussing it with her Aunt Hailey one thing was clear: it would break her heart not being one. Now I'm not sure if they don't make pumpkin suits in size 3T or we were just too late in looking, but 18 mo. is all they had. We made it work. She still talks about being a pumpkin all the time. And Paiten wears that Super Girl costume all the time, even as pajamas. We did trunk-or-treat last year. We got in on some prime time trick-or-treating. They got to trick or treat at Bob and Gammy's and Uncle Trev and Aunt Hailey's and see Aunt Sarah. A good time was had by all. Then, to top it all off they got to keep Bobby's pirate stuff. I'm not really sure what they thought we were going to do with the stuff but it was like a Fall Christmas. I'm glad I got to see that block of trick-or-treating a few years back. For as much as the girls love(d) trick-or-treating Brin just wasn't sure about the whole thing. Also, we were not successful at orchestrating another sleep over at Gammy and Bob's. We put a lot of thought into it joked around a lot about it, but neither of us were brave enough to ask.

 

Halloween '13

 

 

(Things you can find in our backyard)

No, really we have a fox that likes to hang out in the vacant lot behind the house.

Bumble bee/Butterfly/Fox

 

This year I let all the girls pick out their outfits. Paiten picked up a 3T bumble bee and knew that's what she had to be. There were none in her size, every other size, but not hers. She was already pretty attached, so we just went with it. I learned never to trust a near two year old with these kind of matters. I held up two outfits, a cat and a train engineer, two things the girl loves and goes crazy over trains not the  people operating them. that is.. The conversation went like this "Briney, Briney, cat or train?!". Now I realize how misleading that really was since it was a train engineer outfit and not really a train costume. There is a big difference after all. She replied with an enthusiastic,"Choot! Choooo!". Okay, so maybe it had more to do with the hat and bandana that came with it, but she was not going to spend an entire evening in either of them. So I figured cat with headband was also lost. We spent 15 minutes wrangling her into outfits while she screamed NOOOOOO! tried on a lot of different outfits from our dress up wardrobe and it hit me. DUH! The butterfly is the perfect size. Ultimately, P.J. saved the day by having wings. I would have never got them on her had Big Sis not had some too. Raiden really liked the tail and ears on her fox costume. She did think it was a coyote for the first few hours. Then a wolf. She finally figured out it was a fox. Yes, she did ask the burning question, "What's a fox say?". I responded "I wish there was some sort of song I've managed never to hear to tell us." We ended up going with howling, because she'd already been practicing so hard on it.

 

We didn't make it to trunk-or-treat this year. It just didn't work out. We also got a late start trick-or-treating. Bobby informed me pretty early on in the day he was going to be late getting in. I went back and forth about when to go in. I even excepted I was probably going to have to handle "prime time" by myself. I ended up putting our trip to town off until maybe someone could go with us. The girls LOVE Halloween and Trick-or-Treating. I knew they'd be hopping and skipping along, eager to walk farther and faster. They were asking if they could do tricks for their candy. Raid was going to ballet. Pait was going to sing, more specifically "Home is Where Ever I'm With You". I didn't want to let them down by not hitting the dusk rush. On the other hand I know my sweet baby's heart. I really felt like trick-or-treating wouldn't be her favorite thing. It involves large groups of people, strangers, and not much room for warming up to people....things she tends to need awhile to scope out. Even then I know her well enough that she might also surprise me and love it. On the chance she needed that extra time and would want me to carry her we waited until later to go.

 

As things often times do with kids, none of them even realized how late we were to get started. The older two insisted they were not going without their Gammy. So about 8 we went to pick her up, and Bobby called to let us know he had got in from work. They got to see Bob, then Sarah and Scott. We picked up Bobby. Met our friends and their baby and got at it. We didn't hit a lot of houses, but were out for maybe an hour.A lot of lights were already out, but we hit a few who were extra willing to finish off their candy supply. The girls couldn't contain their excitement. They especially loved all the company. They said trick-or-treat and thank-you. No tricks after all.  Brinley liked the candy...and being held. She walked up to one door, and also got down at houses with dogs. There were plenty of people to help hold her, so that was good enough for me. Regardless, she still had a lot of fun. It was perfect to them and that's really all that matters.

 

"Wouldn't it be awesome if our faces looked this way?!"

Apparently, the answer is: ROAR

I may or may not have told my kids that taking good pictures for your momma will ensure bringing in even more candy the following Halloween...This is the smile Pait immediately flashed me.

 

While I am admitting to lies I tell my children here's another: I also told them it would be irresponsible of me to not eat all their milk duds. They are a choking hazard. I'm pretty sure.

 

Oddly enough she was more upset with taking off the costume than putting it on.

 

"Hey Momma, do foxes eat butterflies?"

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! Today our sweet B.B. turns two! I'm going to try to find time to blog about her in between celebrating and follow up calls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four

If we were to revisit four years ago you would find me on the couch with my feet propped up, water in hand, and a fan pointing directly on me. I had a belly worthy of random strangers soliciting advice and general thoughts. I wasn't sure if I'd ever squeeze my feet into anything other than flip flops, take a full breath in, or be able to stomach more than three bites of food at a time ever again. September couldn't come fast enough. I was physically and emotionally ready to meet my baby girls.

I would spend my days dreaming what it would be like to be a mom to these twin girls. I had pictured them looking the same and nothing alike. I often wondered if I would ever be able to tell them apart. Or raise them calling them by the wrong names, which would inevitably lead to years of therapy. Aside from my irrational and rational fears I was overcome by love. I could burst into tears of joy just thinking of the moment I'd meet them.


On August 25th at 5:02 in the morning, or a few minutes of extreme worry and confusion about how my internal organs were holding up later, I knew the day was here. By ten a.m. I was a mother to my sweet Raiden and Paiten.

We spent my pregnancy thinking Baby A would be Paiten.
We had decided the first baby Bobby held would be named
that. Much to our surprise Bobby held Baby B before Baby A.

Hear me roar. This is them completely.

I can't believe our Josie and Jewels are going to be four! I can now laugh at the thought of never being able to tell them apart, and the thought of them going by the wrong names only occasionally crosses my mind. Life with these two has been a great blessing and "grand abenture", as they say. They are always challenging me to have more patience, to find what they prefer as individuals, to live life at their carefree, "Momma, it'll all be okay" pace, and to be a better example through more walk and less talk. Some days are easier than others, but at the end of the day the girls I thought I would be teaching and cheering on are teaching and cheering me on, as well.They make me strive to be a more forgiving person, to offer it as free and readily as they do. They are my reminder that a silly dance break, in an otherwise busy day, helps everything flow more nicely. They are full of hope. A sweet reminder of how big the little things really are. How riding a horse for the first time can fulfill their wildest dreams. Also, my revelation of how little some little things are. How every tiny detail doesn't have to be perfect to me to be perfect to them. They are my songbirds, who remember their favorite melodies, so they can make a drive more surprising. "I bet you're surprised I was remembering all the words, huh?". They are my smile when I cannot find my own. They truly are my sunshine . They are eager to learn and grow. They are hand holding and compromise, if it will cheer sister up...and the planets are aligned just right. They are the protectors of one another and their baby. They are each others built in best friend/all time favorite wrestling partner. They are imaginative, caring, smart, silly, beautiful, ornery, and full of life. 

They tromp around the yard clad in underwear and "glass slippers". They confidently dress in costume through the store aisles. "I'm an old time cowboy, if you can't tell", they casually mention to our cashier.  To my girls a princess is supposed to be spunky, never afraid of hard work, or doing ballet covered in mud. They are repeated talks of the appropriate times and places to wear "real clothes" and the burning question of "Girls, where are your shoes?!". They feel lovely in swirly skirts. They are a wonderful mess, a delicate mix of all girl and tomboy.

They admire their daddy to the fullest extent a girl possibly could. Doughnuts and ice-es are a special treat that tastes sweeter when bought with him. It doesn't matter if they are doing yard work, at the park, scoping out the deer woods, Jeepin', at the "work store" (Ace) or simply cleaning his shop with him it's always a good time. One that will be relived for weeks, through re-creation and storytelling. They are his reason for his early mornings and late nights. His baby girls are his gentle nudge to slow down. They are his knockdown hugs and Eskimo kisses.  They are his daddy daughter breakfast dates. His BMF arm flexers "cause I'm tough, like my Daddy". And, well, his soft spot when they maybe aren't so tough too.

They are holding on to each other, while testing out their wings. Raiden kicks a ball through the yard, while Paiten is twirling around her. They are keeping countless shared interest while declaring their personal favorites. They reserve what is special to each other for one another, while finding a balance of still letting sister in on their thing. They are discovering the art of dressing nothing alike "so people won't call me my sister's name", but only when they don't feel like dressing the same. They are often identified by their smiles. Paiten greets people with a shy, sweet smile. Raid is more likely to give those she knows a mischievous, crinkle nose grin. They have little quirks that set them apart. Raid may act like I am ripping all her hair out while putting it up, but is most likely still going to have it up at the end of the day. Pait loves having her hair put up, but may pull it down minutes later. Paiten wants to be a teacher. Raiden wants to be an animal doctor. They are figuring out what it means to be yourself, even if people can't always tell you apart. They embrace what makes them different and what makes them alike. 

Josie

Jewels

These girls are everything wonderful I dreamed, that August, they would be. They were worth random strangers odd comments, then and now, months of swollen feet, a summer drowning in sweat, and especially the wait.  Four years later I continue to be overwhelmed by the joy my big girls bring me.