Banner Day

We used the potty.

Not me, or Tony, or the cat (though that would have been notable). Alice told her dad during tonight's bath that she needed to use the facilities. She hopped out and was as good as her word. Much rejoicing, the end of diapers is nigh!

Following Leanne's example

Our excellent buddy Leanne showed me how to cover unrecoverable stains on Alice's clothes with fabric paint in her great blog Kindred Design

Here is a previously blueberry stained onsie, modeled by the little lady:


Alice will point out the details:





I used a poppy pattern that I originally made for Alice's baptism announcement:


This method will salvage quite a few outfits, so my thanks go out to Leanne and her excellent crafty blog.

Ate a cheese sandwich at the Capital

A five dollar "gourmet" cheese sandwich from a vendor at the Texas Book Fair (seen behind Alice)


Of course the lady needed a little drinky-drink to go with her sa-mich:


Then she needs to break it down to the smooth tunes of a high school kettle drum band:





Good Times

Trick or Treat Ya'll!

We ventured forth and met our Texan neighbors for the first time after about a year of living as total hermits in this house. We were invited to a party on the fly and were graciously offered hotdogs and the chance to tag along with the neighborhood kids on the trick or treat parade. Alice met some of the neighborhood dogs and proudly told them that they were in fact "doggies" multiple times.

Here we are setting forth:


I finally got a candle in the jack-o-lantern and here it is in all it's Achewood-y glory.




Right now Alice is sleeping and Tony and I are pillaging her candy. I am eating a watermelon Jolly Rancher. In the late 80's, horror movies were all the rage, and every sleep-over I attended as a teen included a slasher flick and watermelon Jolly Ranchers as snacks. So I associate the two together; it's actually a little revolting. I think I will steal the chocolate Tony is currently enjoying.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 09

Initially Alice was not in a Halloween mood tonight.

But things perked up after some pumpkin carving. Mommy destroyed a few household tools to make a messy "Achewood" style pumpkin (better photos will be displayed after it gets dark).


Achewood is a comic about cats which was appropriate as Alice decided to go out on the town as a kitty cat.

Alice tried to get the actual cat to accept her as one of his own with pumpkin offerings:


Kitty was having none of it:


Until she brought out the big guns:


I don't know how much trick or treating we are going to do, as it is pretty obvious that Alice is too young to actually eat much candy. She is clearly our candy lure. That might not be a bad Halloween onsie "Candy Lure".

Anywho she is cute as all get out and is actually aware of what is happening, unlike last year when she was bedecked in all sorts of costume madness. Thanks to Grammy for getting the kitty cat duds!




P.S. This is our only concession to Halloween decoration. Perhaps the trick or treaters won't shun us this year.

New Shoes

Grammy purchased some shiny shoes for a certain granddaughter who insists that Mr. Bear be fashionably attired at all times. The shoes are a little big for the kid, so this works out fine.

Alice's new favorite word: Pumpkin

Sorry to all Grandparents that I have been so long in updating the blog. It has been a crazy month of work and I am just now coming up for air.

We finally started doing seasonal kid stuff with Alice, for instance here is our first visit to a Pumpkin Patch.






Side Story: Tony lifted Alice's bum up to my nose while we were looking at the pumpkins and asked if she needed a change. Right on cue Alice...broke wind. Tony found this more than a little hilarious: