Happy Halloween

Molly got all dressed up for Halloween and visited with her ghost and goblin friends (more like ladybug and pumpkins and monkeys) . She went to a friend's house for a little party and then we went downtown to walk around and see all the other kids' costumes.







The little ones wouldn't sit for on their own for a picture but when they were strapped in their strollers it was only Molly who tried to make a run for it. She wiggled and wiggled trying to get herself out and free... in the end, though, she consented to a picture with her buddies.

Push It

No independent (sorry for the earlier spelling error) walking yet but Molly's gotten progressively steadier on her feet. Her little walker is a lightweight plastic one so she often gets a little head of steam going and races around like a bat out of hell. Our living room is not blessed in the size department so this can get a little hazardous. The frustration of a 10 month old is quite a force when she's trapped like an upside down turtle against something and just flailing about trying to get moving again. Nonetheless, she usually manages to overcome her hurdles, such as her loveys, in her path and plow right through.



Outside can work better for walking because there's more space. Of course, one can't always be so dramatic in one's frustration on asphalt but she rolls with it well enough.

Baby, Baby

This little guy has a new baby brother. I think Ethan's going to be a good friend and mentor to the newest Stockwell. Welcome to little Adam!

I hope he teaches his new brother how to use the potty -- he's pretty good at showing Molly. I don't believe that this toilet seat has seen any use but I wonder how to break the news that this isn't the way that most kids are potty trained.

Mission Accomplished

This is how we get a diaper change done these days. Wriggling, unhappy-to-be-pinned-down baby gets a lot happier if we put her invisibility sunglasses on so that she can turn into a secret agent on a mission. Most of the time, it does the trick and life moves happily on. It's almost as if she likes to go incognito so that no one will know that she stayed still for half a second. It would totally ruin her rep.

Pillow Talk

We have a big floor pillow that Molly likes to take a rest on. She's pretty much commandeered the pillow although she likes it if other people flop back on it, like she's wont to do. Just please remember to get off so that she can take a rest as needed.

I have to mention that the pillow has a shoe pattern on it so I'm going to chalk it up to an early affinity for shoes. Maybe there is a little piece of me in there...

Fowl Play

We went to a Halloween party at a farm last week and got to see a bunch of kids all dressed up in cute costumes. Molly enjoyed the other party goers but this was her favorite guest.




I'll post some pictures of her in her full costume next week. She only wore the hat to her little witch costume this time because I was carrying her and she was pretty exhausted but next week she'll be in full regalia.

Our Own Autumn Almanac

It's certainly fall weather around here (I just want to clarify that for Holly and grandparents headed to warmer climates) and we're doing some of those fall things that you remember as being really fun but get to rediscover HOW fun when you get to watch through someone else's littler eyes. Last weekend we hit up the Topsfield fair and this weekend we watched our hometown boys play October baseball (NOT something I did much as a kid) with the Stockwells (minus the one who wants to stay warm and toasty inside) and did some other fun stuff outside.

Somebody loved the leaf pile. Rolling, throwing herself backwards, getting tossed into it -- these are a few of her favorite things.

Yes, eating is also one of her favorite things but this picture is more of a public plea to John to please let us turn on the heat.

Goats were Molly's favorite animals at the fair but she also liked the chickens, pigs, and cows. Bunnies were sort of "eh" on her excite-o-meter.

Ben was worried about being able to hear the Red Sox over Molly's yelling... I have no idea what he's talking about.


John's working on off-loading some chores to Molly. Don't worry, I'm onto him.

We also spent a fun few days up at my parents' house in order to celebrate my dad's retirement. Molly was having a rough day on Tuesday when we headed to a reception for my dad. She made herself known for most of the afternoon, for the car ride there, and through the parking lot. Once she hit the crowd, though, she decided that she was more interested in entertaining the assembled people than in fussing about whatever was previously putting ants in her pants. As soon as the reception was over, though, and we got in the car -- right back to her old tricks. Testing limits is a pretty fun stage to be in...