Halloween practice

Here is Millie modeling the pieces of her outfit before we made them into an alligator:

I thought she would like to help make it, so I tried to work on it while she was awake. Big mistake. There was much angry baby protesting, felt pieces all over the floor (picking up dog hair no less), and a certain Mama having a nervous breakdown/ temper tantrum. Millie and Sunshine Bear ended up in their room for a few minutes while the blue alligator and I regrouped. Luckily we both agreed to forgive each other, and Millie enjoyed a special treat of watching a Halloween show on the computer while I finished the alligator's head. But you won't get to see until tomorrow night!

After tubby time we practiced Trick-or-Treating. It started off a little shaky, but ended very well.

Round 1

(Millie knocks on the "door")

Mama: Well hello, little girl! What is your costume?

Millie: A pig.

Mama: Oh my. Ok. Would you like some candy? What do you say...?

Millie: Halloween! Soap! Pumpkin!

(Much coaching ensues)

Round 2

(Millie knocks on the "door")

Mama: Hello little girl! Don't you look nice. What is your costume?

Millie: A new, blue, green, white, pink, sofa, alligator!!

Mama: How lovely! Would you like some candy?

Millie: No thank you.

(Hmmm)

Round 12. Or maybe closer to 15-ish.

(Millie knocks on the "door")

Mama: Hello, who's there?

Millie: A new blue alligator!

Mama: I have some candy here, what do you say...?

Millie: Trick-or-treat!

Yay!!

We were in hysterics by the end. I was pretending to be shocked when she "ate" the imaginary candy instead of putting it in her imaginary bag. She loved that. I also taught her how to say "I need another piece for my Mama".

When Brady came home he took over being the person in the house. After she went to bed we worked on the costume together. Tomorrow afternoon we have a neighborhood party to go to, which will be adorable. Stay tuned!

A Snippet of Toddlerhood

You know how they say that when a toddler is being quiet you should check on them? You know, because usually they're up to some no good mischief like coloring on the walls or emptying shampoo bottles onto the floor? Well, Millie Bea did not get that toddler memo. Usually when she's in another room being quiet it's because she's concentrating on something- like tying a knot or wrapping a doll in a blanket or filling a bag to take to M&M beach. Now that she's talking, her non-mischief is getting out-of-control adorable.

Today we had the kids here for Toddlergarten and we baked pumpkin cinnamon buns. Here is Millie putting maple syrup and cinnamon on her dough:

After this she must have needed some alone time, because she went upstairs to use the potty in her bedroom and didn't come back down for a while. When she reappeared I asked her what she had been doing upstairs. Her answer? "Folding clothes. Listening to music (on the radio)." Sure enough when I went up later she had taken her clothes out of the clean laundry pile on our bed and laid them out on top of one another in a neat stack. The radio clock was moved, but naturally she had turned it off when she was done.

~ filling the bird feeder ~

~ adding leaves to the compost ~

Another "better check on the quiet toddler" moment from today was when I was getting dinner ready after the other kids left. I found her changing Duckie's diaper. 

Then she set up a picnic for herself and Duckie, feeding him while he sat in her lap. 

I believe it was tomato/potato/M&M soup.