this morning, we went to the gym and then spent the day at home waiting for grandma val to get here! we went out to chili's for dinner. malloy picked exactly what she wanted to eat - a corn dog, corn on the cob, and orange juice. rex picked chicken crispers and chocolate milk. he refused to pick anything from the fruit/vegetable section. when we'd ask him what he wanted, he would just grunt. he did NOT want anything besides his chicken and chocolate milk. we had a yummy dinner and then we got a nice birthday song (a little early, i know) form the staff and some dessert. i figured the kids would eat the free birthday brownie and ice cream so i ordered a piece of cheesecake. malloy saw the cheesecake and wanted that instead. she LOVED it and ate half of it. so i had the brownie and ice cream instead. when she was going to bed, she was talking about the cheesecakse and said "i was dying on that cheesecake". that might be my new phrase!! 

rex was reading this book, and said "look it, cookie monster bugs. that cookie monster bug's in space" i love hearing his perspective on the world! 

rex was making the toys do the hula hop (he was using one of my hair ties)

reading books with grandma before bed

besides going to the gym, we had a stay at home day. rex is getting much better at puzzles. he can put together the faces and pictures that he recognizes. he's growing up so quickly now! 

it was an open house day at the gym, when we were leaving, the counter was full of halloween cupcakes, donuts and coffee. the kids were SUPER excited. they each got to take a cupcake (which might be the reason that rex didn't nap!! you think i'd learn!) 

the rest of the day, we just hung out, played, and watched some halloween shows. 

reading to a sleeping daddy. 

the kids had school and then we went to visit daddy at work and have lunch with him! it was a very exciting treat! this evening, we went back to school for a pj and pizza party! malloy was SO excited for this!! she was very excited that charlotte was going to be there - we haven't seen her in a long time! she colored and chatted with charlotte for a bit, then ran around like crazy with abby and some other girls she didn't really know. rex ran around like a madman most of the night with the occasional breakdown when he lost sight of me or neal. when we had enough of children screaming everywhere, we headed home, had a snack and read some books and then it was off to bed! 

random - i noticed today that malloy has some very dark hairs on her head! i thought she had one of my hairs in hers, went to pull it out, and it was attached! as i braided it this afternoon,i noticed a lot more!! looks like her hair will be dark soon!!! 

this morning, we had a fun halloween playdate at gianna and kenadee's house. malloy picked out her outfit to wear. she was a ballerina bat. it was a hot day today and the kids would have been too hot in their costumes. malloy had so much fun that she didn't want to nap!  

google eye fingernails

jack-o-lantern toenails

playdate! 

this morning i co-oped in rex's class. he loves when i'm there and he did much better about being less clingy. phew! after school, we had a pretty uneventful day at home! both kids napped, then they played while i got some things done around the house. neal worked late tonight so it was just me and the kids for dinner and bedtime. they're so great about going to bed now!!!! having them in their own rooms is so much better!!!

see-sawing with his buddy morgan!

mrs. messina: how does the pumpkin feel rex?
rex: good. 

i'm calling it. rex drew his first face. i won't let it bother me that it's sad. 

my little ducky

just reading on the couch after nap

we went to the gym this morning and then to wegmans. the kids had a lot of playtime and played very nicely together today! while dinner was cooking, we had a super fun glow stick bubble bath!!! they loved it! 

on a completely different note, rex has started standing up and peeing in the toilet. it's cute. he does a great job!! he's doing much better with potty training but still has accidents if i don't have him go every so often! he was dry after nap today! 

pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

glowstick bath!

friday

we had school, rex napped, malloy was too excited and then we drove to grandma tappy and grandpa gary's house. the kids did great on the ride home. malloy didn't sleep at all!! 

school on friday

malloy made me a birthday card <3

pretty trees on the drive to newark valley

malloy LOVED this workbook - she's getting so old!! 

lite brite is a favorite for night time car rides

 saturday

we had a nice relaxing morning at the chapman's and had an early nap (the kids were up a little after 5!!) in the afternoon, we went to visit with grandma val and grandpa don. the kids love going through the toys in their toy dresser and playing with everything!! aunt amy came over for a quick visit and brought the kids some halloween treats. they loved them! we went back to grandma tappy and grandpa gary's for pizza with uncle ryan and kari. the kids were SO excited to see them!!

we spent the morning coloring and relaxing. this took malloy  a half hour to do. she's been so focused on coloring in the lines lately. 

deer at grandma tappy and grandpa gary's

having a yummy halloween treat from great aunt amy

malloy got an amazing new doll/bassinet/clothes set  from  our family friend, (grandma val's bff) cindy.  malloy loves this toy!! she has so much fun taking care of her new dolly! 

more coloring! 

sunday

the kids played in the morning while neal and i got everything packed up and in the car. 

we went over to grandma val and grandpa don's for breakfast with roro and papa hank. malloy spent a lot of time showing everyone how she can do puzzles by herself. she's so proud of herself! we had a nice visit and then had to head back to buffalo! the kids did great again! i don't know if it's because they're older now, but they've been so good while we travel! we stopped at a rest stop that was serving hot dogs and treats. rex ate a hot dog and malloy got some cookies. after that, the kids slept until buffalo. 

they were happy to be home and immediately went to their rooms to play! 

"look at me! i'm cozy!" 

today

malloy was asking to wear her "rits" this morning. i had no idea what she was talking about. she kept describing it and i figured out she meant "barrettes". we call them clips - she must have heard the word over the weekend and tried using it! grandma val made malloy some halloween clips over the weekend. malloy picked the pumpkin ones out! she got a lot of compliments on them! she went to school and rex played at home while i cleaned the bathrooms. he did a little handy work on the white blanket on the couch. i came down and he had colored blue all over it. woops - mommy's fault for leaving the markers out and trusting that a 2 yr old wouldn't get into trouble! 

this morning, rex came into the kitchen and said "i need a snack mom. i have too much sugar in my mouth." i have no idea where he came up with that one! 

when malloy got up from nap, she went in and went potty and while on the toilet she says "i know what i want for christmas this year. i want a 'siamee'. i can have one and rex can get the other 'siamee'. " it took me a bit, but she meant the siamese cats from lady and the tramp. she wants stuffed siamese cats. then she told me "i can have lady and the siamee and they can fight." she's a nut! 

school pictures! 

jack-o-lantern grilled cheese