Logan's 1st Halloween

I'm excited about the holiday season, especially now that we have Logan.  I am looking forward to all the new family traditions we will make for our own little family.  I think it will be fun to blend some of each of our families' and create some new ones all our own.

I'm not sure what our traditions for Halloween will be as our families were pretty different with their Halloween traditions and each year we've been married it seems like we do something different.

My side of the family has never really been huge celebrators of Halloween.  We did some dressing up and trick-or-treating when we were little, but later switched to having a special movie night on Halloween.  In Brandon's family it was celebrated a little more and they dressed up and trick-or-treated each year.  I think we'll just take it a year at a time and decide from there.  It sure is fun to dress a baby up, and ogle over just how cute he is :)

(Excuse the toys everywhere - I didn't bother to clean up before taking the picture)

Logan is wearing his Daddy's costume, that was hand sewn for him by his grandma - Mimi (Logan's great grandma).  Brandon was 13 months when he wore it and Logan is almost 11, so they are pretty close in age (although Logan's big head, almost didn't fit - ha!). Here are their pics.  Aren't they the cutest?

It almost looks like the same child, huh?  Brandon can't ever deny that Logan is his child.  Not that he would want to ever deny that such a cute, handsome, smart, athletic, well-behaved and talented child is his - ha! ;)

This year, since Logan isn't really old enough to get the concept of trick-or-treating, and he can't have the candy, and we certainly don't need the candy, we opted not to go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood (although we still ended up with a ton of candy because Brandon took a bunch from his parents - ha! Oh well).

Even though my family doesn't make a big deal of Halloween, I decided to give them a surprise visit yesterday.  We went during the day because they weren't going to be home last night (they take dance lessons - If you have never had the pleasure of getting to watch them, I just thought I'd let you know they are really good :) ).  My Dad was at work and that is on the way to my parent's house, so we stopped there first.  Logan did great and even let me put his headband on without pulling it off (at home when I had tried to take pictures, he wouldn't leave it on).  We surprised Papa, had fun playing at his office, and then headed to my parents house.

I had intended to show up, ring the door bell and say "Trick or Treat" to my Mom, but as luck would have it, she had gone to run errands (but we didn't know this) after her morning class that she teaches, so she wasn't home.

So...Logan, Papa and I had lunch while we tried to get in touch with Grandma.  She made it home right before we had to leave for Logan's nap, so he got to see her for a little bit, but was not as cooperative for picture time.  However, my Dad did get a picture of my Mom showing Logan how to give kisses and I think if you look closely, it looks like Logan is trying to copy her.

After Brandon got home from work, we loaded up the car and headed to Gigi & Poppy's house to surprise them too.  We rang their doorbell and Gigi answered with a bowl of candy thinking we were their first trick-or-treaters.  She screamed and Poppy quickly realized what was going on and came to share in the excitement.

While we were on that side of town we also stopped by to surprise Mawmaw & Pawpaw (Logan's great-grandparents), and one of his Great Aunts & Great Uncles (We didn't get any pictures of any of these visits because it was just a quick stop and I didn't think about it).

I think it's pretty safe to say that the grandparents were surprised and loved getting to see their little "Indian" boy.

Happy Halloween from the Todds!!

Movin' on up!

Two Sunday's ago, Logan took his very first step.  Since then he has taken some more, and continues to get more stable and confident in his ability.

I have known for quite a while that he was showing signs of being ready to walk, and I kept saying that we needed to get him what I call a "push toy."  If you are unfamiliar with what I am talking about, basically, it's a toy that he can stand behind, hold onto, push, and it helps him to walk.  We went to Walmart one day (this was probably at least a month ago), and I decided to look and see if they had any.  The cheapest I could find was $40 (AT WALMART!).  I thought there is no way I am paying that much and hoped that we could find something cheaper.

Well, I never did much other searching and I've felt very guilty that he hasn't had any toys to push around.  I especially started feeling guilty once he took his first steps that he still did not have one.

However, my smart little boy took things into his own hands and created his own push toys without any sort of prompting from Momma or Daddy.  (Please excuse the terrible quality on these photos - the light wasn't great and I didn't turn on the flash, so they're a little fuzzy).

First, he found a trashcan.

 Then, he found the laundry basket.  (Also, please excuse my underwear in these pictures, he also got into the laundry that day and every time I took them away, he somehow managed to get them back - same pair - and I promise they are clean!  Crazy kiddo!)

Isn't he creative?  Of course, as his Momma, I think he's just the cutest, smartest, best kiddo ever.

Anyway, I was still feeling guilty that he didn't have a "proper" push toy.  So yesterday, my mom and I headed to a big consignment sale near us that sells just baby, kid, and maternity stuff (www.jbfsale.com).  It is held a couple times a year I believe, but I've never been.  Let me just say, it was awesome!

It didn't take us long and we found this...

 For FIVE DOLLARS!  Um...SOLD!

Then, after I got it home and cleaned it up, I learned it did this...

It turns into a ride-on toy.  How cute is that?!

We also got some really good deals on clothes for Logan, some clothes and an around-we-go for my niece, and another ride on toy for later.  It was definitely a successful trip!

To top it all off, my mom (and technically my dad too!) bought the toys and clothes for Logan - and it's not even his birthday yet!

Logan says - "Thanks Grandma and Papa! I love my new toy!"

Can you believe it hasn't even been a week yet, and I'm already posting again! Woohoo!  Hopefully I can keep this up :)

Have a great weekend!  Tomorrow (bright and early - so I SHOULD be in bed right now) we are off to watch the Aggies BTHO Missouri! Whoop! (Don't worry, Logan will be well taken care of by his Gigi!)

Pumpkin Patch

I'm sure I have lost all 3 of my readers by now but I am hoping this post is the start of me being back to more regular posting (does this sentence even make sense? I'm sure it's not at all grammatically correct, but I'm tired and don't feel like thinking about how to rephrase it).

This summer, I got in this terrible rut because I was behind on a couple posts.  Once I got behind, I felt like I couldn't post other posts until I had published the ones I had started because some of the new posts I wanted to reference the posts I had not yet finished.  So it basically domino-ed.  I have started a BUNCH of posts, but none have been published.

However, I've decided that I am going to start posting about all of the fun things we are up to now.  I will get those unfinished ones posted as I can.  I'll post links to them when I do so those of you that are interested, can go back and view them.  However, it's really more to document for myself, so it won't bother me if no one reads them.

So on to our pumpkin patch visit...

This weekend we took Logan to the pumpkin patch.  He was in "new sensory overload" I think because he was so serious the whole time we were there.  He was very curious and intrigued by the grass, hay, pumpkins and all of the other people that were there.  We could hardly get him to look at the camera, much less smile for us!  I also sounded like quite the idiot, I'm sure, to the other people that were there as I was trying to get him to cooperate.  I was annoying myself, so I know I had to look/sound ridiculous to others.  Ha!

Here are some of the best shots we could get of my cute, sweet, little jack-o-lantern.  I might have gone a little overboard and posted way more than necessary - especially given that we did not get a smile.  But, he's my baby, it's my blog, and I love pictures of him, so I can post as many as I want :)

What most of our pictures of him look like from the trip. Ha! 

 

"How do you get this thing open?"

 

"Cheese? I don't get it.  Why am I supposed to say cheese?"

"Wow! Look at this awesome pumpkin!"

 

"What is this stuff?"

These next few pictures, I think he just looks like a sweet little angel in them.  I know - I'm slightly biased.  Ha!

 

"Hey! How many more of these pictures do I have to take?"

"Hi!"

"I want this one"

  

 "Gig'em Aggies!"

 "High five! Goooo Aggies!" 

There were no good pictures of the two of us, so this one will have to do.

Also, we failed to even attempt a family picture, so I don't have one of those either.  Oh well!

 

One last attempt at pictures before we left - still not interested in looking or smiling.  Ha! 

"Are we done yet?"

I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our "adventure" at the pumpkin patch!  Hopefully, you will be seeing many more posts in the near future!

Meet Maryellen

 Isn't she beautiful??

The new little family

 Checkin out her pretty momma

 

 

 Please excuse my ET looking finger.  I can't wait to hold my sweet, beautiful niece!!

Grandma

Auntie Crystal

Precious!

Papa

 Grandma

Maryellen is still in the NICU, but she is doing much better.  They are hoping that she will be able to go home tomorrow.  Please continue to keep them in your prayers though that the remaining tests come back with good results and that when they go home they are able to have a smooth transition.

I have not been able to hold her yet, but my parents were able to last night, so I can't wait for my next trip up so I can get my hands on that sweet girl!

It's a GIRL!

I am now the proud Auntie of Maryellen Elizabeth!  She was born today at 3:07pm weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces and she is 20 1/4 inches long.  She is beautiful!  Pictures will be coming!

Please keep her and my sister, Marlene, and her husband, Mark, in your prayers.  Maryellen is in the NICU with fluid in her lungs.  Please pray that this is able to be resolved quickly and easily.  Please also pray for peace for Marlene and Mark as they go through this.

Maryellen is a special girl!  She is named after 2 of her grandmothers.  One of Marlene's (and mine!)and one of Mark's grandmothers were named Mary Ellen.  Elizabeth is our Mom's middle name and our Mom's grandmother's middle name.

Ps.  I have started quite a few posts, and have yet to finish them, but I promise they are coming.  I know tomorrow is Logan's 8 month birthday and I never posted his 7 month post, but I will!  I have to finish it all this week since I start school a week from Monday.  Aaaahhh!!