I still sort of can’t believe I posted that information on the web – and at this point I’m going to post fast and furiously until it disappears off the main page!

I have a week longer at my client site and then next Friday is my last day at my current job.  I’m looking forward to the shorter commute but I’m starting to get a bit sad about leaving my current company – they’ve been great to me (and I’m not just saying that) and I’m hoping I can keep in touch with the friends I’ve made.   Heck, one has decided to run the 1/2 Marathon with me in May (or so he says) so I’m hoping I can hold him to it!

We’re starting to get things planned for Blake’s 3rd birthday party – I can’t believe it’s just over a month away!  We were looking at old videos the other night trying to look at milestones (and see how crazy similar he and Hannah are!) and it seems like just yesterday he was a little guy who just kept opening his mouth for more peas.  Yeah, that’s not going to happen today!

It’s almost scary how much they look alike…  But at the same time I also think they are SO different!

Two things, really (for those of you looking for kid updates you are more than welcome to skip #2 all together):

1:  Hannah is now doing a modified crawl (not quite a military crawl but more of a flop and wiggle move).  Here’s a quick video (she was getting tired so she took a lot of breaks, this is just a quick one).  She’s only 6 months old (and change) – that’s just too darn early!!!

2:  Now that October has come to an end I’m finished with the Shredheads challenge and I’m crazy enough to post my before and after stats, with photos.  Yep, I’m gonna do it!  I’m proud of my progress and can definitely tell I’m in better shape physically – and heck, if I can win a prize then all the better!  I also have to give massive props to the group set up over there – the support and motivation is awesome so if you’re looking to get in/get back in shape that’s a great place to start.  It’s certainly motivated me – and maybe even Brian, too, because we’re going to run a 5K on Sunday!

Because my Weight Watchers weigh-in days are on Tuesdays my dates fall a little outside of the month of October but I think/hope that’s okay.  From September 29 to November 3 I lost 4.5 pounds (down from 128.5 to 124) and 3.5 inches from the places I’ve been taking measurements(1 from my waist, 0.5 from my hips and 2 from my thigh – and I’m dumb because I’ve only been measuring one thigh)

So yes, I’ve officially lost it – I have posted my weight and pictures of my bare stomach on the internet.  Let the mocking begin (Brian… I’m looking in your direction).

I could watch this over and over all day:

(that’s what Blake says when we ask him what holiday it is or what all of the decorations are for in our neighborhood – Halloween-time)

I have a CRAPLOAD of candy left over and I am trying to figure out how to save it so I have an emergency choclate stash (shut up) and also get rid of it so I don’t eat it…  If I was smart I would buy candy that I don’t like to eat – but obviously I’m not!  The reason we have so much is the first year we lived in our house we ran out of candy during trick-or-treat and ever since we have been terrified of running out again.  Seriously – I was warning Brian that we were getting low and he waited and waited until finally we had one bag left and I ran out to the store to get more (which is the WORST idea ever because they jack up the prices and I spent gobs of money on candy that cost like 1/10 as much the day before).  While I was gone he actually did run out of candy and was looking furiously around the house for things to give out and – I’m not kidding – thought of passing out free restaurant matchbooks!  Yes, he’s a genius!  Because clearly matchbooks are a better choice than the granola bars we have in the house.  I’m just sayin’…  Since that year we over-buy EVERY SINGLE YEAR and end up populating the work candy dishes for months.  But honestly I think it’s all worth it in the end because it was AWFUL to run out!

Before we went begging for candy we had swimming lessons:

Swimming Lessons

Then we decorated our pumpkins – I got this set of Mr. Potato Head-like things (monsters and animals) and Brian and Blake had fun making up different combinations and decorating the pumpkins.  It was probably for the best that we didn’t carve them because, unfortunately, some of them were rotting (gross!).

Pumpkins!!!

After naps we spent a good amount of time telling Blake that no, it wasn’t time for trick or treat yet.  But then we got the kiddos dressed and loaded up into the wagon (which, unfortunately, I don’t have very good pictures of):

Halloween-time!!!

Yes, Blake’s top is on backwards.  Yes, we fixed it before he went out trick-or-treating.  Both kids had a full-layer (plus more in some cases) of clothing on beneath their costumes because it was COLD!  Like last year Brian went out trick-or-treating with the other dads and kids in our neighborhood while I handed out candy with the other moms.  This year the food and drinks were set up across the street in our neighbor’s garage (where there was a space heater – inside – and a bonfire – outside)  so I got to hang out for a bit while Brian walked the kids in the wagon.  After a short trip around the block he dropped Hannah off with me, took a little break for all the kids to warm up, and then they went back out.  I think the fresh air was awesome because Blake fell asleep in like 5 minutes tonight!  If there was a way to trick-or-treat without candy I just might have him do it more often!

Brian’s across the street at the party while I’m monitoring the kids post-No More Trouble Zones workout (which, I did the full one instead of the “Quick” version and wow… now I remember why I usually choose the quick option).  I think we’ll all sleep well tonight!

Happy Halloween!

(I was totally going to post a ridiculously cute video of Hannah laughing but YouTube is taking FOR.EV.ER to process the video…  And I’m old so I’m getting tired!  Another day – I promise.)

I cannot believe that Hannah is 6 months old!  It’s obvious that both Brian and I keep thinking of her as a teeny baby because we haven’t been expecting her to do things like sit up or crawl – things that she is soooo close to doing right now!  This past weekend we put her in the high chair for the first time and she LOVED it – she’s so nosy that I think she liked being up where she could see everyone and everything that was going on – and last night she took a bath in the regular tub instead of the baby tub – again, loved it.  It definitely makes me sad to think that she’s not a tiny baby anymore but, just like Blake, she’ll always be my baby!  And such a HAPPY baby (who would have thought that 5 months ago we were thinking she was such a handful?!?)

I’ve got a TON of pictures from the past few days/weeks so here are my favorites (please notice that we hired the uni*bomber to rake our leaves):

October Weekend

So we went to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch last Sunday – it was great because the weather was perfect but not so great because, who’d have thought, there aren’t too many pumpkins left the weekend before Halloween.  Slim pickings but we ended up with what we needed – and since I’m thinking ahead we’re on the mailing list for next year so maybe we can even go apple picking!

Which would be great because I’ve been making applesauce for Blake in the crockpot using this recipe and he LOVES the stuff (although I’m tempting the fates by saying that…) so I’m sure it’d be fun to go and pick the apples for it.

The other big news is that I put in my two-week notice at work today.  I’ve found a new job closer to home (yay! no more cruddy commute through the congestion that is I94) so my last day is Friday the 13th and I start my new job on the 16th.  I do have off tomorrow to take Hannah to her 6 month check up (after which I’ll be sure to update with her stats) and possibly to stand in line for a H1N1 vaccine (not yet sure whether they will have it in at the Ped’s office or if we’ll need to go to the county health department and if they’ll even recommend that she get it) and I may take another day off, otherwise I’m working through!  I’m so looking forward to being home earlier each night and not being so stressed and road ragey from the commute and rushing out the door and in and out of daycare each morning.  So hooray!!!  Hopefully it means I can keep things more up-to-date on here as well…  But I’m not making any promises!!!

Ten random things that go through my mind on a daily(ish) basis – usually during the middle of the night while I’m awake with Hannah.

1. I swear that both of my children are able to sense the moment I get comfortable and am about to fall asleep.  Why do I say this?  Because that is the exact moment they choose to either wake up or make noise and the cycle starts ALL over again.
2. I cannot believe I have resorted to it but I have actually said the words, “Because I said so” to Blake.  After eleventy-trillion “Why”s that’s the only response I could think of.
3. I am currently psyching myself up to post my before and after pictures right here on the ‘main’ page (but only because I can enter myself in a contest to win free stuff).  I actually can’t tell much difference between the currently posted (and somewhat hidden) pictures and that’s okay – I can tell the difference in the way my clothes fit.
4. I should probably stop wearing a shirt that I bought and wore while pregnant – it’s not a maternity shirt but the style is one that I was able to wear while 6-ish months pregnant.  It’s a cute shirt but not very flattering anymore.
5. Blake continues to wake up at random times each night and wander into Hannah’s room to sleep (I’m still sleeping in there for *crossing fingers* a bit longer until she regularly wakes up once a night).  I have NO idea how to solve this problem…  He now quietly walks in there and climbs into bed and falls asleep so it’s not that disruptive and I KNOW it will be worse if we try and correct the behavior – and I really enjoy not having to be awake with him for more than a few minutes during the middle of the night (considering Hannah’s still waking up once, sometimes twice, a night).  But I also know that it’s a terrible habit and it’s going to be terrible to break it…  Sigh…
6. I cannot figure out how Robin is still on Top Chef.  I don’t think there has been a single dish she has prepared that I’ve been like, “That looks really good!”  Top Chef, Biggest Loser, and Project Runway are the only reality shows that I still watch – and I’m not sure how much longer I am going to hold on with Project Runway – I end up fast forwarding to the runway every week (sooo over the drama when I used to find it entertaining).
7. I have convinced Brian to run a 5K with me on November 8.  I’m crossing my fingers that the weather holds out and it isn’t too ridiculously cold.  I’m also working myself up to sign up for the Madison 1/2 Marathon at the end of May.
8. I have great plans to sort through all of the baby clothes and only keep the outfits that I truly love – and get rid of the rest.  Not exactly sure what I’ll do with the outfits but if I get really ambitious then some day I’d like to make a blanket or something of the sort…  The chances of that happening any time soon?  Not very good.
9. I really truly wished I liked salad as much as I like pasta and bread.  It would make this whole Weight Watchers thing that much easier.  I never thought I would say this but I actually do enjoy baked tofu – the teriyaki flavor in particular.  If you’ve never tired it I’d recommend it – it isn’t as scary (or icky) as it might sound.  Somewhat realted – Brian is now trying to eat healtheir and exercise more and has lost half as much weight in the last 3 weeks as I’ve lost in the last 3 months.  How is that fair?!?
10. We’re in the midst of getting things organized for  Blake’s 3rd birthday party (mah baybeee!!!  how can he be 3?!?) and I’m also working out the logistics of a baby shower for the day after Christmas and I’ve realized that if we were to win it big in the lottery (because you all know that Brian plays ALL. THE. TIME.) I would want to plan parties for a living.  That or make invitations.

And as promised – the video (it’s much shorter than I hoped but this is what he does when this song comes up – and he actually requests it now)!

Blake has taken to calling me and Brian “guys” – as in “come on guys”, “let’s eat guys” and so on.  It’s actually pretty funny.

Friday night I spent a good amount of time at the gym – because I’m wild and crazy but it’s actually sort of nice to go at that time because it’s not busy at all (shocking, I know) and multiple multiple multiple loads of laundry.

Saturday we went to lunch with Brian’s parents – they were babysitting for Makai so 3 of the 5 grandkids were together for the day.  For being close to nap time for all of them they were surprisingly well behaved!  We also went to the mall to see if Blake could get a ride on the choo choo train but it was down for repairs.  He then told EVERYONE “Choo choo train is broken” over and over and over and over…  If Blake had a newspaper Saturday’s headline would have been “The choo choo train is broken”.

And today was filled with a trip to the grocery store and lots and lots of cooking – granola, beef stew, chicken enchiladas (for dinner tomorrow night), meatballs (for the freezer).  It seems like the more we can get done on Sunday the easier the week goes – here’s hoping I didn’t jinx that!

I know I promised video but I’m still trying to edit things together – we’ve got some of Blake singing “The Tonight Song” (I Gotta Feeling) and the kids in the bath.

Instead here’s our smiley little girl:

All Smiles

Or not…  I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 weeks since I updated – whoops!!!  This will be quick because I’ve got lots of “To Dos” on my list – I swear I will write some more another time (and honestly – I have things I’d like to write that I think of at 3AM when I’m up with Hannah, I just haven’t written them yet).

But to tide y’all over here’s some pictures from this month so far:

Regarding the fuzzy boots… We have the hardest time keeping socks and/or shoes on Hannah – she’s got really tiny feet but then the chubbiest calves and ankles (and I really don’t want to call them cankles…)  I thought for sure these would work out.  But eh – not so much!

Blake is in this new singing phase – his favorite phrase lately seems to be “I’ve got a microphone so I can sing” (not as you would expect – I’m singing into a microphone or something along those lines).  Brian also taught him to say “This my jam” when a song comes on the radio that he likes.  Lately we alternate between “Tonight Gonna Be a Good Night” (the Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feelin’) and “Boom Boom Cow” (also by the Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow).  Yesterday he even yelled out “Mazel  Tov” when he was singing.  The kid just cracks me up!  We’ve got some video – I just have to find the time to edit things together so I only  have to wait for one YouTube upload.

Soon I’m going to be posting some ‘before’ shots because the Shredheads have an ExcerciseTV sponsored contest that requires me to write up some before and after info.  So I’m going to suck it up and post the pics in an obvious place for all to see (but really, how many people actually visit this site – so I’m not too worried).

Off to the gym for a quick run!

Hannah is now 5 months old – and I cannot be lieve how quickly the time has passed!

• She doesn’t hate tummy time quite as much and she”ll schooch towards something (though most likely away from something) in front of her on the floor
• She eats cereal (both rice and oatmeal with a preference for oatmeal) two times during the day
• She looooooves her brother – she looks for him whenever she hears his voice, gives him the biggest smiles – and he was the first one to get her to laugh.  If I haven’t told the storey before, and I honestly can’t remember so I’ll tell it again:  Blake was jumping on the bed (I know, I know, mother of the year) and Hannah was watching it and started to squeal and then a few giggles came out.  Adorable!
• She has 3-4 very long hairs at the back of her head (seriously, they are waaaaay long)
• She’s finally fitting into the 3-6 months clothing well and we’re retiring the 0-3 months (she was in a 0-3 onesie the other day and the poor little thing looked like a stuffed-sausage)
• Still not sleeping through the night but she seems to be back on a schedule of going to bed around 7:00, maybe stirring around 1:00 but then not eating until 3:00-ish – it’s LOVELY for me to get so much sleep in a row (and now I’m sure I have officially jinxed this so I’m going to toss some salt over my shoulder, knock on wood, and cross fingers, toes and legs to hope she continues with this trend)

This weekend we are heading to Manitowoc for Nonny’s birthday – and man, is Blake excited.  He just really wants to sing “Happy Birthday” to someone!

Now that we’re into October I’m starting a new ‘challenge’ so I’m looking to run a 5K some time at the end of the month or possibly at the beginning of November.  And there’s talk of running the Madison 1/2 Marathon in May.  One thing I’ve realized is that I do much better when I feel accountable to someone/something and/or have a goal in mind.  Similar to signing up for the 2005 Chicago Marathon – once I paid the money I knew I wasn’t going to back down.  It’s been the same with Weight Watchers – putting the money down and now I’m sticking to it (I think if I was just following a diet on my own I probably would have quit by this point).  Being a part of the “Shredheads” has kept me honest and I actually feel somewhat guilty when I don’t get any exercise in.  When I started this all I was really dreading my workouts but now I actually look forward to it.  Who would have thought!  And the fact that I’m actually seeing results (10.5 pounds since I started) is definitely not hurting, either.

Blake was SHOCKED!

Saturday we went to the Johnny Appleseed festival and Sunday we went to Art in the Barn!  It’s just amazing that we got out of the house for two days in a row – and for that I’d like to thank Tom, Danelle and Jack.  Though I will admit in true boring Erin fashion I did clean the oven on Friday night and washed the kitchen, bathroom and front hall floors (on hands and knees and everything) on Sunday morning – whoo hooo!!!

It was good to get out of the house after a week of sickness.  Blake came down with some sort of bug on Tuesday so was home sick on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I probably don’t need to say it but Tuesday night and even Wednesday night were both LOOOOONG nights.  Hannah escaped whatever particular bug this was but has a head cold (for what seems like the three millionth time in her 5-month life) so she’s been waking up more than usual.  This was combined with a busier than usual work week for me.  So yeah – the circles under my eyes probably aren’t going away any time soon!

Here’s some pictures from the weekend:

Hanging out at Johnny Appleseed

Blake was sooo impressed by the festival (I'm guessing this is the look we'll get when he's a teenager)

Getting ready to ride the spinning apples

Blake's first pony ride - it was a success!

And then this happened…  We have always known Blake isn’t the biggest fan of animals – big and small – it usually takes him a while to get used to them.  We should have known an up close visit to the petting zoo in which the animals roamed freely would end badly.  But we did it anyway.  And this is what we got:

Terror at the petting zoo!!!!

I know it’s wrong but I can’t stop laughing when I look at this picture.

Hannah was worn out!

Blake and Jack check out the fire truck

This is where Hannah has been spending a lot of her time lately.  She just LOVES to be able to stand up and look around at everything!

Chillin' in the activity center

Unfortunately I didn’t bring my camera to the Art in the Barn so all the pictures I’ve got are on my phone (and not the greatest quality).

All in all it was a great weekend (but I’m completely worn out!)!