The Twinkies

J’s eyes really are that red rimmed, poor guy. And note the dried mucus on his face. I am mother of the year, I tell you. I try to remember to wipe their faces before I walk them into school.

Speaking of school, we had parent/teacher conferences today. I had requested to do it by phone and tried to time it so it would be during nap but F woke up right before the phone rang and proceeded to scream bloody murder throughout the whole call. I nursed her and that helped a bit and I slipped her chocolate chips and that helped a bit but she was miserable and expressing it. Later she managed to articulate that her ear hurt so I gave her Motrin (sorry twittering moms) and that fixed everything. I called the doctor and the triage nurse said if she still complained about ear pain in the morning to bring her in.

I also had a call in about James this week and was told if his cold/runny eyes didn’t clear up by Friday to bring him in.

The parent/teacher conference (Two paragraphs back I mentioned this. Keep up, there will be a quiz.) went well despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Both kids are doing well in school. The Directress (Montessori speak for teacher) will give me their report card tomorrow and email me a copy as well. You may recall that in their first report card it was suggested that J wear underwear more. They are, apparently, just about fully potty trained at school. I have let that lapse shamefully at home - did I mention I am mother of the year? - and need to get back on the ball since they will use the potty when reminded. I am thinking Christmas break will be my “potty training bootcamp” two weeks and I will sit them down and tell them they are big kids now and don’t need diapers and then just do a lot of laundry when I forget to remind them to go to the potty.

The Directress thinks they will be ready to move up to “Primary” after Spring Break in March. Primary is for kids ages 3ish - 5ish, goes 5 mornings a week and involves dropping the kids off with a teacher helping them out of the car and opening the door for them rather than walking them in. I’m weirded out about the last bit. Not walk my babies in and get kisses at the door? *sob*

Back to pictures. Today I got a new flash for the camera and was taking snapshots practicing bouncing the flash off the ceiling.

Last year J didn’t get it. He would take a piece of candy from proffered bowls than nicely give back a piece from his bag. This year he got it. When prompted “What do you say?” at one house he said, “I take two.”

F, meanwhile, has figured out she has candy in her bag and will walk up to me and say, “bag?” in her most beguiling voice.

Carving the pumpkin with Daddy:

Wearing Grandma Chrissy’s silly headband:

Ready to go trick or treating:

(better photos of at least F’s costume here)

There was an old firetruck to climb in at the pumpkin patch which was far more interesting to J than the pumpkins. There were also two small chickens to touch, hay bales taller than J to jump off, cider donuts and two slides.