Finishing up October and running into November.

These past few weeks have been jam-packed ones. Steve had his 34th birthday. Payte had her 21st (!)birthday. I took, and failed, my comprehensive exam so it's back to studying (ugh, but I guess the good news is I can retest in a few weeks....also somewhat comforting on review to realize I knew all the right answers, I just didn't chose them for some reason). Hudson had his first urgent care appointment (nothing too thrilling, just a spreading rash on the weekend that turned out to be...drum roll please....sensitive skin). Hudson at said appointment weighed 14# 4oz. We watched the Head of the Charles. I had a weird week-long stomach bug. Steve and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with a meal out without the kids. That was a big one. We never left Henri with a sitter until she was, um, 18 months? Allie most generously offered/was guilted into coming down and allowed us to frolic off without a care in the world. Delicious steak dinner with some corny but much appreciated gestures by the restaurant (flower petals, champagne, yummy desert) and a rousing game of Monopoly on our phones while we waited for our seating. And Anna won the VT state field hockey championship game. Their team went through a lot this year and I am so very proud of her (a wee more bragging: she was team captain. Also the most beautiful one on the team. Also the smartest. Also the most fun to watch).

And as you've no doubt come to expect, the camera just isn't getting pulled out a lot. Hud is heavy to hold one handed and simultaneously operate the camera (and no, I can't put him down, he screams and pouts. TOTAL mamma's boy!), and Henri is just plain old uncooperative when it comes to taking photos. So here's a smattering of what was on the card:

Going to have to move the shoulder straps up soon

We thought Gram Schoeffler would get a kick out of the "car" driving down the river

Watching the men's 8s

This was a grand thrill for her. Train, walks, playing by the river...she loves an adventure

She loves her daddy a lot

Supervising a bike rack install

Love those eyes

Walked in on her reading in her new favorite nook. She has a scary good memory for books and after a few readings of a story will "read" it back pretty word perfect

My little night owl. He's very happy when he first wakes up (7ish) and then late at night. Rest of the day is rough.

Could not get both to smile simultaneously. But they were cuddling on the couch. He just adores everything Hen does.

Probably last time he can wear this *sniff*. Little porker belly

Hen is getting a lot of mileage out of her ladybug costume

First time carving a pumpkin! We didn't trick or treat this year (it was pouring and she's still pretty young) but we did the pumpkin and read a few Halloween poems and ate a brownie. I was happy :)

Real dads wear necklaces (also headbands and barrettes...)

It worked!

Playing with modeling clay. And she mixed all the colors. I can not tell you how irritated that made me...but I let it go. It was her clay after all

And she had a really really really good time with it. Almost 2 hours of fun. I'll be stocking up on this stuff next time I see a Crayola sale!

And of course Hud wanted in on the action

The matching was unintentional. He's finally lifting his head! Tummy time still doesn't last long, but he's getting better.

And speaking of tummy time, poor Hudson has a bit of a rug burn on his forehead. I left him on his blanket on his tummy to go in the kitchen and heard him screaming. Nothing too alarming there, the boy could be rented out as a foghorn. Anyway, on my return he was almost all the way across the rug. No rolling yet, he just propelled himself with his feet cause he was mad he'd been placed on his stomach. And being mad, he had his face buried in the carpet. So he gave himself a rug burn. I can see that the bruises are going to come early and often to this squirt.
The next two months are already booking up fast so hopefully there will be more to report/comment on here. For now just trying to fit in some study times and figure out the best way to keep the kiddos warm and entertained in this in-between weather. :)