Happy Halloween :)

Halloweeeeeen is here!!  I'm so excited!  It's my favorite time of the year...not only because Halloween is my favorite holiday but also because it's the kick-off to the holiday season...which I love all the more now that I'm a parent.  It's all the more magical when there are kids involved...maybe because I get to become a kid again...and I have a legit excuse to act like one.  I'm more excited than Chloë or the boys are to go trick-or-treating...and not just because of all the chocolate that I'll steal from their treat bags once their asleep tomorrow night...well, that IS a significant part of said excitement, but I'm also just excited for the whole act of trick-or-treating.  Like I said, it lets you be a kid again.

A few weeks ago Chloë announced that THIS year, her 3rd year of trick-or-treating EVER, and only her 2nd year of really understanding what is going on, she will be abstaining from trick-or-treating and will instead be staying at home to pass out candy.  WHAT?!?!  You are NOT my child!!  (Insert shock face).  I tried to remain calm and to access the situation (WtH are you thinking, child?!?).  After a quick interrogation I found out this was because her little friend who lives next door, no names mentioned...SHANE..., had said that he was going to be passing out candy and not trick-or-treating...  and she wanted to do what he was doing (on a side note, she also changed her Halloween costume to a Ninja Turtle after finding out that Shane was going to be one, too....so I had just spent $30 on this costume ...which she had pulled the tags off already...but assured me that she would "wear it next year" and that my purchase was not to be regretted).  Soooo, after a few quick texts to Shane's mother to see what was going on and trying to remain calm while we ironed out this "issue"..I (relievingly (is that word?)) found out that Shane was going to do BOTH trick-or-treating AND passing out candy.  He'll just be starting earlier in the evening in order to fit in both.  Phewwwww!!!  Halloween is SAVED :)

As for Owen & Elijah, they are splitting a costume.  That's a whole 'nother story.  From day one Owen has wanted to be Batman and from day one Eli has wanted to be Winnie the Pooh.  My sweet Eli :)   I started searching around for this costume a awhile back when he had mentioned it more than a few times and I knew this was "the one".... only to find out that most places only sell Winnie the Pooh costumes in baby sizes.  Not 3 1/2 year old boy sizes.  Most boys this age are into superheros/firemen/policemen.  There is NOT a big Winnie The Pooh costume market for anyone over the age of 8 months....are we surprised?  Not really.  Anyways, I did finally find one online and immediately went to order it (I am not a crafty momma, I do not make my kids' costumes, though I do realize this would be much more economical).

So, Chloë and Owen both had their store-bought costumes for days as Eli waited and waited for Pooh Bear to arrive in the mail.  Every day he'd go running outside to the mailbox or look for a box on our front stoop.  "Pooh bear??  Here yet???"  FINALLY, it arrived and I was super excited for him to get home from school to open the box, as I know how much he had been excitedly anticipating this day.  We made it a BIG deal, opened the box, pulled it out (and I was actually really impressed with the quality of the costume...for $12 (and $5 shipping) I expected a step up from two pieces of cloth sewn together with yarn)....and then we tried to put it on.  It's an over-the-head costume.  We pulled, we tugged, we strained...but we could NOT get the costume over his head.  Eli's whines turned to tears as we desperately tried to get his beloved Pooh Bear costume over his head.  When his large noggin finally popped through the collar of Pooh's shirt was up to his mouth.  Obviously, this costume was WAY too small for him.  I checked the tag and, sure enough, it said it was for 2-4 year olds.  Eli couldn't get it off fast enough.  He cried and cried as we tried pried his head back out and, moments short of having to lube him in vaseline for the extraction, his head popped out.  And that was it.  He was not longer going to be Pooh Bear.

He was now going to be Batman.

Like Owen.

(Lucky for us, Owen's Batman costume has a body suit AND an over-the-the-eyes mask, head piece and cape.  Owen does not want to wear the body suit, only the cape/eye mask/head piece...and Eli will wear the body suit, but does not want anything over his head following his Pooh Bear trauma...so there we go.  They will SPLIT the Batman costume.  I'm feeling very economical right about now!)

We later attempted to put Ella in the Pooh Bear costume 

and HER HEAD WOULDN'T FIT EITHER!!

She's 20 months old!!

So either all my kids have giant heads

 (which they do according to all their pediatrician visits)

OR this costume is not accurately sized.  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!  

My Big Kinder-Girl :)

The little sibs waiting for big sis to come out of her classroom 

It's rest-time here at the Hines Household....though the only person actually sleeping today is Ella.  I'm actually laying here on the floor of the boys' room because they won't even stay in their beds at rest time unless one of us is in here....so that's fun!  Elijah has outgrown the nap pretty much but Owen still needs it so we still at least attempt quiet time where he can fall asleep if he needs to.

Chloë is on Fall Break this week and last so we've had her home from school...which has been GREAT!  I'm really enjoying a break from the pick-up and drop-off commute to and from her school. I'm REALLY enjoying that we don't have to be out the door by 7:35am, too!  It's much more relaxed around here.  Haven't had to pack any lunches, haven't been as strict about enforcing the 7:30pm bedtime, etc....  Oh well, better not get too used to it.  I'll just enjoy it while it lasts!

We are a full two months into her kindergarten year and it's still hard for me to believe she's a kindergartener already.  What happened to my baby Chloë?  She's so grown-up looking now.  No more baby curls in her hair. No more pudgy cheeks, legs and arms.  The baby fat has left the building (hers, not mine...mine is sticking around!).  Her school photos came in and I just look at them and her classic, beautiful smile and I still see my little 2-year-old Chloë in her face...and am so proud of her.  She's really blossomed into such an amazing little girl.

Kindergarten Photo- Sept 2014

The past year she has just changed so much, both physically and just overall.  Physically, she has sprouted up and thinned out.  Her hair has been cut to a short chin-length style.  As for her temperament/personality, I guess they always say 5 is the "magic number" where things get a bit easier.  Chloë was never an "easy, go-with-the-flow" baby or toddler, so we definitely welcome this "magic" age :)   I have always openly and honestly said that ONE Chloë was more difficult than having twins...for both the baby and toddler stages.  She's always been INTENSE.... and she still is...But, again, the past year has really been different.  She's calmed down little bit.  Chloë is such a nurturing big sister and friend.  Watching her take care of her little siblings and look out for them when we're out and about just makes me glow with pride. 

(hours later...)

Agh! As usual, my blog entry and train of thought got cut short.  I need to hit the hay so I'm just going to throw some pics on here and call it a day.  

Chloë's T-Ball Team

Eli at Pumpkin Station

Owen

Tea Party!

Chloë got to join Ella at her baby tumbles class since 

she's on Fall Break this week!

Play date with a friend from kindergarten

The boys are SO into games right now.