Happy Halloween!!

Ahhhh...Halloween.  Not just another day with a 2 year old and an infant.  It's hard enough to get out of the house, but to do it in costumes is "trick" in itself!!  Especially when a 2 year old has changed his mind and the 6 week old is too small for her massive costume!

Mason would not pose for me in Cookie!!  I am just lucky I got him in the costume on Halloween!  A few days before he decided he wanted to be Bob  the Builder.  I have learned the hard way I can't plan ahead with this kiddo! Mason gets very involved in something and obsesses for about 2 weeks, then it's on to something else.  I let him pick the costume a couple months before Halloween because I wasn't sure I could find what I wanted later and new with a new baby I wouldn't have the time to get out and shop for a costume.  So, he chose Cookie.  I had to pull out some old Sesame Streets I had DVR'd morning of and pull out a Cookie Monster book he was done with hoping he would put on that darn costume to go Trick or Treating in!  It worked!  I just didn't get a pose!  He really decided he liked the costume then too, he wouldn't let me take it off of him for nap time.  He liked trick or treating, but I think next year is the year he'll really get into it.  He did like the candy...but he liked Nona's clementine's even more!

We went to visit Mee Maw (Scott's grandma) and this was her first time meeting Marlee.  It went well, Marlee was a very happy baby and liked Mee Maw a whole bunch!!  I think Mee Maw smiled a whole lot too, Mason was chatty and Marlee was adorable!

Marlee's panda was a bit too large, so she kept ending up in this onsie, her pink tights and her shiny Mary Janes!!!  I actually think I liked this outfit better too!  Here she is on Mimi's lap.

Trick or treating the night before as our "make-shift" Bob the Builder!  Mimi and Poppy's was a hot spot!  Thanks for the treats!Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa J Merrill's (my grandparents) were on our list the night before too.  Mason had a great time and really liked the puzzle and M and M's!
Grandma holding our sleepy little Panda Bear!!

Daddy with his snuggly Panda Bear!!  Again, I bought this outfit a couple months before Halloween and it was pretty big.  Probably would have fit better if she were a few months older, but it said 0-6!!  I'm thinking 6 would have been better!
Here's Bob walking up to the door of Mimi and Poppy's.  Poppy taught him to say "Trick or Treat, Smell my feet, give me something good to eat!!"  

October 20-24

Cute little 6 week old Marlee!!  She is such a good baby, only getting up once at night!! She is on her belly with an angel care monitor and right next to me in the bassinet, but she sleeps so much better that way!  She loves her bed, when she is sleepy I just lay her in her bed and rub her back and she calms right down!! Amazing!  She is precious!

Mason and Poppy went out for a night on the big town of Swayzee for a Pumpkin Parade (or something like that!!)  Mason realized he doesn't like clowns there.  We noticed that night Mason was a little more whiney than usual and by the next evening he was running a fever.  Monday he went to the doctor and it turns out he had an ear infection, both ears! Poor little bubby, he had to be put on antibiotics, for the first time in his life!!  He has been one healthy little guy!  Here he is with Garfield....

Yes, it may be child labor but this new mom is tired!! Someone has to clean up around here!

First Smiles!

Smiles!!!

I just love these kids!

I know I just posted but I have 2 pics I just have to share with you all.  First, Marlee is starting to smile, showing that adorable toothless grin I just can't get enough of.  Her first smile was October 8th, one day shy of 4 weeks, but today she was smiling for Mimi and Poppy too!  I am just so excited to have this sweetie smile!  The first ones are so hard to get on camera, but I got a little one today I had to share!

The second pic is Mason in a pile of leaves.  Him and Poppy (my dad) were playing in the leaves when Poppy decided to bury him--and he loved it! They played in leaves all evening!  Here's the pic I had to share from this evening!

Daddies Rock!

Making fire!

Mommy, Mason and Marlee at the pumpkin patch.

Daddy & Mason on the tractor ride.

Riding on Daddy!

First time in Jeans!  What a cutie!

We had a very fun weekend with some quality family time!  We got ready and went to the Pumpkin Patch again to ride the tractor and this time Daddy went with us!  The ride really wasn't all that exciting but it was great to get out and enjoy a beautiful fall day.  After the  pumpkin patch we went into Wabash to have lunch at a favorite spot of my parents, Market Street Grille, which of course isn't open for lunch on Saturdays!!  Go figure.  Of course as we are walking back to the car Mason has to go potty!  Nothing was open so it was the first time we have had to just drop his pants!  He peed in the parking lot, no questions asked!!  A natural man I tell you!  

Marlee's furniture finally came in so we have all spent a little more time in her room.  Marlee has enjoyed sitting in her rocker looking out her window.  Mason just has fun being with his whole family!

Some times I take daddy for granted, I think forgetting how much help he is, being so overwhelmed with the time that goes into a newborn and entertaining a 2 year old.  Scott is such a wonderful husband, cooking dinner most nights--going to pick it up the other nights:)  He gets up and gives Marlee her 3:00am bottle so I can get a little more of a sleep stretch, and I even got out of the house free of kids for 4 whole hours on a Saturday night for some much needed girl time with Lisa and Tricia!!  Mason loves his daddy, and has so much fun going on 4 wheeler rides, riding on his shoulders and making fires just to name a few activities.  Dads rock!! Especially Mason and Marlee's Daddy!!

Fall Activities

Little Pea Marlee!

Cookie Monster Mason!

Teaching Marlee how to keep that paci in!

Hazel the Hippo and Marlee-3 weeks

Porter the Puppy and Mason-3 weeks

Holy Pumpkins!

Apples on the tree!

We had our first Halloween party of the season at the Shanks'.  Mason wanted to be Cookie Monster but was against getting his picture taken.   Marlee was a sweet pea pod!  We had so much fun and Mason loved being around all of his friends and Ryan, Stella and Norah's toys!

Mason is a paci pusher!!!  Here is a picture of him giving Marlee her paci, he was very insistent and she listened--deciding to give that pacifier another chance!  This was their first unprovoked conversation:)  Mason is so sweet with her.  He is going to be a great big brother, very protective of his little peanut!

Marlee has Hazel the Hippo, and I have attached a picture of Mason with Porter the puppy.  They were both 3 weeks old when these pictures were taken.

We have gone to the apple orchard and the pumpkin patch in the recent weeks.  I really want Mason to get out of the house while we still can and try to carry on as much as possible with our previous life.  He loved both places, and there was so much for him to see.  Marlee just rode in her baby bjorn and slept through both places.  Mason ran all around looking at the tractors, the apple pickers high into the trees and the trucks at the orchard.  He loves to eat apples so we brought many home with us.   At the pumpkin patch they had many animals, including some donkeys he got to touch!  The tractors there were equally as fascinating!  He kept throwing pumpkins into our cart so we came home with quite a few!  

Let's get it started!!

Well, Here it goes!  I have a few friends who have started this blogging and it is so much fun to look at I have decided we need our own.  I'm sure my family who is not close will especially appreciate being able to keep up with us!  We just had a very exciting September.  First, Marlee Elizabeth was born September 11th, Scott and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary September 13th, and Mason Stephen turned 2 years old September 29th!  I guess October's going to be pretty boring!

I am now a believer that #2 is different than #1!  We have been so relaxed and Marlee just seems to fit right into our life.  Not to mention I am soooooo happy to not be pregnant anymore!!  Marlee is such a cutie, filling out so fast.  Already out of newborn clothes and onto 0-3.  I just love shopping for this baby girl.  I love shopping for big bro too, okay---I just love to shop!!

Mason is adapting really well to his little sister  He gave her a kiss the other night and told me this morning "I like Marlee, Mommy."  He is being a little quieter, but I think he is just letting it all sink in.  His life was definitely the most changed the day Marlee arrived.  Mason is very into trucks right now, loves his trampoline and loves to talk, talk, talk!  He sleeps in a Big Boy bed, we got him in that around 20 months old.  We also worked hard to potty train before Marlee's arrival which successfully happened around 23 months old.  It took a month of consistency, but he has it down, and despite what I've heard he has not regressed since Marlee's arrival.  He is a very sweet boy who absolutely loves his entire family!

Marlee was born 7lbs, 13 ozs and yesterday was already up to 9lbs 8ozs.  She has grown so quickly.  She will be a month old this Saturday.  She is starting to stay awake a little more and enjoys moving around when she is awake.  She is so much fun to watch and hold, and I am trying to enjoy every second because I am not doing this again!  

I'll be back soon with more to share!

Here are some pics of Mason and Marlee at birth, do you think they look alike?