Happy Halloween, Mama!

The costume originally had a 'head', but it wouldn't stay put on this little Pteranodon's head

Yes, I'm well aware that we are discussing Halloween on December 5th. Westin got into Halloween this year, and he will still run up to me and say, "Happy Halloween, Mama!", almost immediately followed by "Happy Christmas!" or "Happy Honnah" (Interpretation: 'Honnah' = 'Hanukkah').

Noni made this costume for Webb. It was perfect! Thank you, Noni!!!

This year Westin chose his own costume. We were a bit surprised that Westin passed up a T-Rex* costume, for a Tiny, the Pteranodon** costume, but it worked and he was super happy!! Webb was a dinosaur egg.

It was a beautiful and mild night and Westin really got into 'Trick-or-treating'! He would run up to houses saying, 'Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Oh Boy!'. He was so cute that many folks gave him extra candy***. And for those bold houses that had non-candy treats, he would stand there and ask, 'Where's the candy?'....clearly, we have to work on that. But he said thank you for everything and we almost made it completely around the block before he asked to go home. It was a great time and we were so happy that Aunt Shannon could share the evening with us!

*T-Rex is Westin's favorite dinosaur. He often stomps around the house, roaring and yelling, 'I'm a T-Rex!'.
**For those unfamiliar, Tiny is a character in PBS's Dinosaur Train. Whoever thought to marry dinosaurs and trains into one cartoon are pure magical geniuses!!!
***Seriously, extra candy for a two year old??!! Well, it gave us plenty bribes rewards for potty training.....

Aunt Shannon visits...a post of pictures.

Aunt Shannon helps Westin get ready to be a Pteranodon for Halloween

Westin loves to cuddle with his Aunt Shannon

Aunt Shannon might be showing Westin how to use Pinterest on her iPad.....

Westin reads Aunt Shannon a book

Slackers....

We are trying to pull ourselves together folks....it just takes some effort.

Well, I can't seem to pull myself together to get some blog posts out..Sorry, fans of Westin and Webber. I'm hoping that in the coming days that I can get at least one post out a day....we still need to talk about Halloween, people! Webb is growing like a weed! Westin is clever as ever.

Quick story-At his 3 year old appointment, our pediatrician asked Dalen if Westin knew that he was a boy. Both Dalen and I were curious, so we asked Westin the question:

D: Westin are you a boy or a girl?

W: I'm a gahwrilra (translation: I'm a gorilla).

There you have it. Aunt Shannon's post is coming up tomorrow.......hopefully

Look whose smiling

I've had my head stuck in a grant and lectures and all sorts of other things. Related: writing a grant with a two month old and an almost three year old is not for wimps! But then when I see this little smile, how can I be stressed?

Happy Native American Day!

Last week, Webb turned 8 weeks, and it was time for his 2 month doctor's appointment. He has grown to 12 lbs (70%) and 23 1/4" long (68%). I'm starting to pack away all the 0-3 month clothes...this little guy has outgrown most of them! Needless to say Webb is healthy and happy. He also had a Big Brother to hold his hand during the shots. It was so sweet of Westin! Both boys were champs, and Westin got a sticker for being so patient during Webb's check-up.

Last week during one of our neighborhood walks, we came across this teepee. Fall has come to South Dakota, and with it means Native Amercian Day, known to the rest of you as Columbus Day. In our neighborhood, there is an elderly couple who sets up a tipi (Lakota word for teepee) in honor of their late son and for the 2nd graders who go to school across the street. Luckily, these folks don't mind random two year olds checking out their digs. Anywhere else, you would have been run off the lawn. In Vermilllion, we got the whole story on the tipi AND were offered tomatoes from their garden. Gotta love it. Also, it's neat to think that Westin (and Webb) will get to enjoy this when he is in 2nd grade...

This weekend was also D-Days, USD's homecoming celebration, complete with an epic 2 hour parade. We did not stay 2 hours. But we did stay long enough for Westin's hands to go numb and for him to start shivering--it was cold this weekend! He also collected enough candy to effectively stave off all efforts to nap later. Westin, 1; Parents, 0. Westin thoroughly enjoyed the floats and, of course, the candy. Saturday was also mine and Dalen's anniversary....6 years and counting!

You can't see it, but Westin is roaring like the lions in this picture...'Wions, Mama! Wook at tha Wions! Roooaar!!'

What else is new? One smiley little guy:

Ah, Outdoor Restoration

  

 

Since we've been here in South Dakota, we've been struggling to find that outdoor paradise. A place that fills you up and helps to make you feel whole. In Montana, that paradise was literally outside our back door. Here, we have to drive a little further, but only by about 20 minutes to the Adams Nature Preserve. This place has historic South Dakotan homestead buildings and miles of trails that make you feel like you are out in the middle of no where. Also a lovely Cottonwood grove, which helps feel like we're back in Montana, even if we know that we're not.

 

This past week, my doctor gave me the go ahead "to do whatever I wanted". Considering how anemic I was, this was a huge win! And this was our first expedition that wasn't going for that adventurous 'walk around ye ole blocke'. Fall's arrived! Get out and enjoy it!

So, we really walked FAR on our first outing. Westin took every opportunity to rest on the way back to the car.

Webb: that mysterious little 7 week old bundle.

Also a special congratulations to Aunt Shannon and Uncle Blaine who are now officially ENGAGED! Welcome to the family, Mr. Blackwell!!

Also a special thank you to my dear husband whose dogged persistence and tough love kept me from doing anything other than nurse Webb. My doctor was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I rebounded....and it's entirely his fault! :)

Westin Not Fly

Yesterday started out as any other day. Westin swaddling baby Pup-Pup in his bwanket (that Westin named 'Beat'). After some morning meetings (we have a faculty search going on-so I'm telecommuting), I thought wouldn't it be groovy if we could all get out of the house and go to the park?! I can't handle a lot of walking, but I can handle some good ole park time. It was a lovely morning, a little warm, but Westin was having a great time and headed for the big boy swides. As the words were coming out of my mouth to 'Be Careful', he stepped to an open area and was reaching up to grab a bar overhead...and completely missed...tumbling about 7 feet to the ground (which is covered in mulch stuff which is a grade A playground covering...and you are about to hear why). It was terrifying! Dalen and I RAN* over to our little boy, who miraculously landed mostly flat on his shoulders...so his shoulders and back took the brunt of the fall. Dalen (who is EXCELLENT in crisis situations) calmly asked Westin not to move so that he could check for broken bones...happily there was no blood or bones sticking out. Then we picked up our little boy and held him for some time. Westin could count and say his ABCs, and was very alert, so we decided to got get some ice cream and calm down before going to see the ER or a doctor. Westin wanted to climb into his car seat..and could all by himself. We quickly got ice cream and got home. It took a bit to calm him down-it was a scary thing. For all of us. But then Westin sat there and said, 'Westin not fly'....I guess we all gotta learn sometime. As a mom, I totally could have done without this teaching moment. Needless to say the rest of the day was moomies (movies) and whatever Westin wanted....today he woke up just fine, and promptly took a header off of the sofa. Yup. Lesson learned. Clearly. And yes, we will totally be helicopter parents when we head back to the park......

Despite the fact that there was no evidence of swelling, he was favoring his left arm, so we put ice on it.

Webber's first bath

Tummy time!

You gotta catch sleep while you can....

*Um yeah, so I ran too. When Dalen realized what I had just done, I totally got a lecture. 'What!? Now I have to take both of you to the ER??!!'. For the record, I didn't split open my incision OR keel over due to the exertion. All I can say is that adrenaline is a truly powerful thing, and a mama's adrenaline is not to a trivial thing.