Pirates & Pumpkins - It's Halloween Time!!!

On Tuesday, the kids' Halloween Costumes came in the mail. They were so excited to play dress-up. They had NO idea they were going to be Pirates though. Boy were they excited! Here are just a few quick pic's we snapped during our "dress rehearsal". We'll get better ones as we get closer to Halloween. Still need to get their swords, earrings and Asa's eye patch. Saturday their new school is having a Harvest Celebration (aka Halloween Party). There are going to be lots of fun activities for them as well as a petting zoo. It's all Asa can talk about lately, he can't wait to play dress up in is Pirate costume and go to the party.

I got smart this year and decided to buy "craft" pumpkins and carve them. I was tired of spending all of that time carving pumpkins every year and then watching them go bad and having to throw them away. With the craft pumpkins we get to keep them year after year and add to the collection! Yeah! We will still get a regular pumpkin and carve it closer to Halloween though. Here are 3 of the 4 pumpkins. I haven't carved the 4th one yet.

Baby Johnny is finally home...

Sad and happy day yesterday. we got the call that Johnny was ready to bring home. Sad because a new sense of reality set it for me... the baby we were able to hold and feel just a little over a week ago, really is not with us anymore in flesh. Happy because the baby we were able to hold and feel just a little over a week ago, is home with us where he belongs. His urn was so much more beautiful than I imagined it would be. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but to actually see it and to know that is where he is, gave it another level of beauty that I wasn't expecting. My mom and I also ordered a charm necklace each, a teddy bear, that also holds some of his ashes. I only wish that mom was able to experience seeing it for the first time like I did, and then be able to put it on and wear it. Wearing it though is another challenge for me since Asa and Lexi are still so small. They want to pull on it and yank on it. They don't understand (nor do I expect them to) what the necklace is. Asa knows that he has a baby brother and that his baby brother lived in mommy's tummy and now is an angel and lives in heaven, but flies around us and protects us all day, even when we are asleep. He knows that he his lucky to have his very own angel. Lexi's just to young, but one day she too will know how lucky she is. Although I never expected my kids to have their very own angel like this, I am so very thankful that they do. Here is a picture of Johnny's urn. It represents the 5 of us. Daddy, Mommy, Asa and Lexi who can be seen and Baby Johnny on the inside, who although can't be seen is always with us.

In Memory

When God sends forth a tiny soul
To learn the ways of earth,
A mother's love is waiting here
We call this wonder birth.

When God calls home a little soul
And stills a fleeting breath,
A Father's love is waiting there,
This too is birth, not death.

John Allen Abbott Jr.
Born to Heaven on September 22nd, 2009 @ 6:28 p.m.
2.3 ounces

We love you our sweet little Angel in Heaven.

Our Future Rock Star...?

Look what John taught Asa to do while watching a "rockumentary" on Iron Maiden tonight. Once he got the hang of it, he was doing it non-stop all night. He makes his Daddy so proud! Forgive the messy face - I didn't have time to wash the face before I snapped the picture.

The Joy of Potty Training

Ever since we've been more on top of getting Lexi potty-trained, we have been having problems keeping clothes on her. She takes EVERYTHING off. She will not wear a diaper/pull-up/underwear for more than 5 minutes at a time. She insists every 2 minutes that she has to go potty. I love her eagerness, but it is exhausting! So at home in the evenings and during the weekend, we just decided to let her go naked. We can't keep anything on her anyway and as long as it encourages her to go potty in the potty and not anywhere else... what's the harm, right? Well today we pick her up from daycare and learn that she was constantly taking her clothes off all day, but she did go pee-pee on the potty at school twice - all on her own. So apparently we've created a naked monster who now thinks it's okay (and the right thing to do) to get naked when she has to go potty. Just when you don't see the harm in something - BAM! - there it is... naked at school. LOL. Do you think I'll (we'll) have it all figured out by the time the 3rd one gets here? Yeah - you're right - probably not...

Happy 2nd Birthday Lexi!

Thanks to everyone for stepping up at the last minute to make this such a special day for Lexi and a great party. Lexi loved all of her gifts (as did Asa) and loved the cake! Of course, her favorite present of all was her new Kitty - "Jack" from Gramma & Grampa. I can't believe she's 2 already!

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!