Halloween

Halloween festivities started for Elliott and Rosemary on Friday with the annual party at our daycare. This year, we skipped the celebration at Alina's work since Alina is on maternity leave.

The party started with yummy cookies, cupcakes, brownies, chips and crackers set out at the table for the kids. It's amazing how the kids all sit properly and patiently.

Rosemary is the tan puppy!

Elliott LOVES his green Dragon costume! Leading up to Halloween, Elliott informed anyone who asked that he would be a green Dragon with wings. This was before we even had a costume. When Nana and Auntie Em came to help after Gretchen's birth, they found the perfect costume for Elliott.

Rosemary is lucky to have 3 other two-year-olds at daycare to play with every day. It has been fun to watch this foursome grow up together.

Alina brought Gretchen to the party.... her first social outing. Gretchen spent most of the time in the Hotsling until she was hungry. After eating, Paulina had a chance to snuggle Gretchen. She is looking forward to taking care of Gretchen! (She loves babies.)

Halloween fell on a Sunday this year. Just like last year, we had the entire day to celebrate with the kids and prepare the pumpkins and costumes. Elliott and Rosemary decorated their pumpkins with stickers.

Elliott happily applied all the stickers himself. He loves stickers!

Rosemary's attention span is not as focused yet... Alina helped Rosemary apply the stickers. Rosemary also knocked half the stickers on the floor and alternated between working on her pumpkin and begging for more candy. She is definitely the type who will keep asking even after hearing "No" for an answer.

The kids both helped decorate Gretchen's pumpkin (she was sleeping).

After naptime, the kids ate an early dinner and then put on their costumes. We organized the camera, put the pumpkins on the front stoop and set a big bowl of candy by the front door to give to the trick-or-treaters.

Alina and Steve attempted a photo shoot of all three kids... Elliott pouted, Gretchen screamed and Rosemary tried to comfort her. Very typical these days!

After nursing, Gretchen calmed down a little bit and showed off her Baby's First Halloween onesie, originally worn by Elliott and a gift from our friend Chani. Gretchen loves looking at Rosemary.

Steve put on his Ghostbusters costume, complete with proton pack. The kids almost posed with Steve... almost....

Steve set off with the kids for trick-or-treating. Alina stayed home with Gretchen to pass out the candy. Gretchen stayed warm in the wrap.

The kids both love the tails on their costumes. They excitedly knocked on doors! After a while, Rosemary ran out of steam so Steve carried her bucket. All that candy can be heavy.

By 6:30pm, Elliott, Rosemary and Steve returned home to finish out the evening giving away candy to the older trick-or-treaters. And... another fun Halloween finished for the year!