Trick or Treat!

Zoe went Trick or Treating tonight with some neighbors. She was very excited to see the other children, but not very excited to wear her piggie hat. After a while, the hat became acceptable and it was just fun for her to watch the kids running around. It was past her bedtime and with no afternoon nap today, we made a short trip of it. We did our rounds of cuteness earlier today and visited Daddy at work in her costume - she was a hit! (of course!)

Don't tell Mommy

It's a conspiracy! Daddy and Gramma keep peer pressuring Momma into feeding Zoe "big girl" food! Ice cream, banana puffs (a weird toddler food), and now baby cookies! I'm officially out numbered. I am serious people - This baby WILL BE healthy! Well, at least mostly! Until she starts eating at other people's houses! At least let's stick to organic junk food....:)

Fashionista

Sometimes we get lucky and get to go to a Baby's-R-Us and pick out some really cute baby clothes! Thanks Papa John!

Family Visit

We had some unexpected guests yesterday! Auntie Edie, Cousin Patty, and her friend Sheila stopped by on their way back north. It was SO great to see them! With the exception of my wedding, I hadn't seen Aunt Edie (Zoe's great great aunt!) or Patty (my Mom's cousin) for about 15 years! The afternoon was like old times - easy conversations, funny stories, and the feel of love in the room. It was a great feeling! Times like these I realize how much I miss being around real family and how important that is for Zoe. There is nothing like family so we are going to make a better effort to stay close with the family that we have left!

Baby It's Cold Outside

We have to break out the winter gear, it 60 degrees! OK, maybe our blood has gotten a little thin these past few years, but the mornings are starting to get a chill. Granted the days are still 70-80, the evenings and mornings can be pretty cold! So that means bundling Zoe up for our morning walks and getting good use out of all the winter hats and sweaters that loving relatives have knitted for us and vests and jackets that friends have handed down. I won't hold my breathe for snow here...but maybe we'll get a New England Christmas sometime in the next few years!

Cheeky Monkey

Shooters Anyone?

Zoe loves to drink water! Every time we go out, she is obsessed with drinking water from our cups - either from the glass or from the straw. If we are in the car and have a water bottle, she grunts energetically until we give her a sip. One day Gramma had the idea to try a small glass and it was a hit! We tried a shot glass as a joke and it worked perfectly. It's small enough so that she can drink out of it without having to bend over backwards to get out the liquid. She chugs it happily down and is immediately ready for more! Hopefully she won't remember this in college when it's time to pass around the shots!

Pumpkin Patch

We took Zoe to her first Pumpkin Patch today. It was more a photo op than an actual pumpkin picking experience this year, but next year she'll definitely be ready to pick out her own pumpkin! She was more interested in eating the hay she discovered on the ground at first, but loved watching the other kids, too.

Look at me!

All Zoe wants to do is stand up. That is really ALL she wants to do , ALL DAY LONG. Anything she can get her hands on she will hold onto to stand. She loves to hold our hands and "walk" across the room, over and over! She will scoot around this foot stool for hours if we let her. I'm thinking once she starts walking, I'll have no problem loosing that baby weight because I'll be chasing her for the next few years straight!

Zoe Loves New York!

Zoe and I went to see my friends Angela and Holly in NY last week. I've been friends with Ange since we were in 6th grade and Holly came along a few years later and then it was pretty much the three of us together all through high school. It was thanks to Holly that Zoe and I were able to go to Ange's Baby shower in NY and surprise her. Angela is due in November and is having a little boy -I can't wait to meet him. It is SO cool to meet the children of people you have known forever ! We had a great and very busy weekend... Holly was amazing - she thought of EVERYTHING. She brought out all of Theo's (cute boy in pic) baby things so I wouldn't have to lug our caravan through the airport. She had playpens, diapers, formula, toys, clothes, you name it ! And on top of that, she even had vegan food for me! I've never been "hostessed" so perfectly! Though we never made it on the subway or to the Empire State Building, we did drive by a few of the must sees for Zoe's first trip to the Big Apple. Most importantly we went to Theo's favorite hangout - this playground. Theo is about a little over a year older than Zoe and was a great friend considering the chaos we brought with us. I'm sure he was very confused about the new little baby in his house, but as long as his Mommy and Daddy didn't get too cozy with her he was all smiles. Zoe couldn't get enough of him and cracked up every time he would run by. The kids rode around in high style in the double stroller, with both of them loving the sights, and periodically checking each other out. It was so much fun! Can't wait to go back...

I love my Husband!

So I fell in love all over again with my husband these past two days. I was sick with the flu and Keith had to take care of Zoe completely - all by himself. And he did! He even took her out both days - his idea! He got up in the night when she was crying and up in the morning at 7 am. He even took the day off today to take care of her! He is really getting this Daddy thing. I know I always say how he is rarely around, and when he is, I throw Zoe at him so I can get other things done. Because of this I rarely get to see him in Daddy - Mode. These past few days he has really been forced to figure it out. She has been well fed, clothed, bathed, and highly entertained the whole time! I won't mention the dishes and house cleaning and laundry I will have to catch up on this weekend, but I really don't care. Knowing that I could relax and get better and my baby was being well cared for meant the WORLD to me! I know Zoe loved EVERY minute of it (can you say "Daddy's Girl"?!). Hopefully nobody else will get sick and we can get back to normal. Though, now that I know how awesome Daddy is at this caretaking thing, I might be "sick" a few more days here and there..:)