Growing up too fast!

Check out my sweet boy eating his breakfast all by himself. I apologize for the redneck behind the camera ;-)

Trick or Treat!

We had a wonderful, fun-filled Halloween at the Love house ... our darlings really enjoyed themselves. Rachel LOVES the dressing up part; I think she enjoys that more than the Trick or Treating.

My sweet ladybug!

Before Trick or Treating began, Rachel got to wear her costume to dance class! She enjoyed showing off her outfit there and dancing the jitterbug :-) 

My little tiger had NO CLUE what was going on. Alex was excited to have people over and all the buzz, but he was not thrilled with me putting make-up on his face. He was very much in character, though, and had a "roar" ready when requested!

Alex had trouble keeping up with the big kids, but he surely tried! He would run up to the doors to grab his candy about the time they all finished. So, he didn't master the art of yelling, "Trick or Treat" but he won hearts all over the neighborhood with his "bye-bye"!

We were lucky enough to be joined by the cousins ... a cat, a "person who you can count on" (she had numbers taped all over her), Katniss (from the Hunger Games series, complete with a bow), and a pirate! Rachel also got to walk around a bit with her friend and classmate from school who was also a ladybug. She loved that! David & Uncle John hung out at the house and passed out candy.

I should have gotten pictures of the spread of candy after we came inside. They were so funny trading and making deals to get all the candy they liked! Now, where to hide the candy? Maybe the trashcan????

Fabulous warm fall day!

Fabulous warm fall day for the family, and we needed it!

So, Alex has been sick this week; that was quite the drama. It started with just a little runny nose and a bit of a cough. It really didn't seem to be that big of a deal, but while playing outside one day this week he got real short of breath. This didn't seem to bother him one bit or slow him down, but it freaked Mama out when it didn't seem to be resolving itself.  Straight to the doctor we went. While the doctor didn't want to call it an asthma attack, it sure seemed like it. 

To help remedy the "wheezing episode," Alex had to have a breathing treatment. I'm not sure this helped any as it made him totally freak out. I was going to take a picture of sad sicky-poo with a breathing mask on, but it was not possible as I was having to use both hands and all my might (plus David's!) to attempt to hold him still and keep the mask on his face. The breathing didn't calm much during it because of the screaming and crying (Alex, not me!).  But the breathing did calm after that, and his oxygen levels were good. 

The doctor was concerned about the possibility of  pneumonia as he said that it sometimes presents with these symptoms, and he wanted Alex to get a chest X-ray. So, over to the hospital we went for more drama. Wow. Has anyone seen a 15 month old get a chest X-ray? He sat in a chair of some sort and they raised his arms and wrapped some sort of hard, clear tube around him so that he couldn't move. Luckily, I got to stay with him and hold his hands (stuck up above his head). And it didn't last long. But the X-ray looked normal! Whew!

 Today he still has the runny nose and a little cough, but we haven't had anymore "wheezing episodes" and there has been no fever. We headed outside for some fresh air and sunshine! Just what the doctor ordered! (Okay, not really, but what the doctor had ordered so far had just caused a lot of drama!)

The Pineville Fall Festival was GREAT! 

(Okay, I am starting to sound like Heather Morris.) 

Have you and your kids seen Nigel and Friends?!?! We love them!

 Check out Rachel in the Nigel mosh pit!

And Rachel climbing the rock wall!

Alex had a good time even though he was confined to the stroller most of the day. 

Rachel in the spinning strawberries!

And the slide!

Alex did get to ride the carousel, and he loved it! Due to technology glitches, we have no picture of it. Sorry. But he signed and said, "More!" when it was over. He liked the horsey :-) 

So, we're on the mend here and the sunshine helped! Feel free to keep sending "get well" vibes our way!

Episode 1: Scientist Rachel

Scientist Rachel and the Slug

(When she says "just a second" and it goes black, hang in there. She comes back.)

Crayola Doesn't Make a Color for Your Eyes.

I love this music video and just wanted to post it here so that I would have it.

"There is no way that I can possibly describe my love ..."

for you ...

Can a friend come over?

One reason that we were excited for school to start was because we were hoping that Rachel would be able to find some friends in the neighborhood who are close to her age.  We have been quickly blessed!  There are several sweet girls who are Rachel's bus buddies.  Two of them are in first grade and can read, so they have been very helpful with finding seats when things get switched up a bit!

A new family moved in across the street about the same time that a "new girl" started in Rachel's class at school. Rachel talked about how much she liked this new girl and I thought ... maybe?  So, we marched on over to "welcome" these new folks.  Sure enough!  Sable (that is the "new girl's" name) is our new neighbor!  She and Rach had a great time playing yesterday - sidewalk chalk, hopscotch, snacks!

And three doors down is the friend from her class who came over and played today ...

Yep ... a BOY!  They had a great time playing the Wii.
(Please ignore the toys all over the floor!)


Now, Alex has had a friend over to play almost every day for the past couple of weeks.  We've been watching my nephew, his cousin and BFF, Kade.  They have a great time playing "BALL" together.

Alex playing in the little house.  He loves it.  Can you tell that he played in the dirt before that?

Kade eating blueberries!  Yum!

Fun Runnin ...

The Boosterthon Fun Run for Rachel's school was today.  They got pledges ahead of time (ie. $1 per lap) and then today they ran.  It was a fun run!  Music blastin and kids, teachers, and parents dancing!  I was impressed with how serious Rachel was ... the girl booked it!  Now she didn't have many pledges because I told her if she wanted people to give her money for it, she'd have to ask people.  So, she didn't ask very many people :-)  The one night she got a few pledges, she was excited about the prize she could get the next day.

 It was hard to catch her for a picture!  For the first several laps, she wouldn't slow down to pose for me!

There!  I at least got her face in this one!

I have to confess, I was a little emotional at the fun run today.  I know, it seems strange.  But I suddenly thought about how blessed I am to be able to go to Rachel's school events.  If I were working, I would have missed this.  On the last lap, the students were encouraged to bring their parent(s) along.  Rachel wouldn't have had anyone there.  So, thank you God and thank you David for making this work.  I am so grateful.

If you are interested in helping Fort Mill Elementary, you can still donate for the Boosterthon Fun Run.  Just let us know!

For those of you who have been keeping up, this is the famous "curly haired" girl!

They slowed down a little for the video :-)

And in Alex news ... check out HAM HEAD!  If I weren't home with him all day, I might miss moments like today when he was wandering the yard in search of the doggie barking ... patting his leg, say "who, who".  I am so blessed.