happy halloween

The time in Billings...

Friday night, Aubyn and I grabbed amazing sushi at Sweet Ginger downtown (we were lucky to get a table), and she discovered a few actual sushi items she liked, much to her delight. We had time to run to Target and get snacks, then headed to the Metra. With at least 45 minutes of downtime before the concert, we got t-shirts, of course, and laughed and laughed and laughed.

When the show began, she was surprised at how JT live sounds just like JT on the CD - he really has a great voice. I got a little teary at "Sweet Baby James," which was Blake's favorite, but he didn't play "Only One," which was our song. Probably best, as Aubyn would have had to carry a mushy mess of Addie out of the Metra. Still, we had a GREAT time, and she reassured me that even though she didn't really know any of the songs, she enjoyed the concert. I will have to take her at her word.

I even got to see two friends I wouldn't normally see, and had such fun catching up on their lives. One is as ambivalent as I am about the high school reunion, and the other actually graduated with Reese but likes me anyway. On the drive down, we were accompanied by Blake's dear friend Ellese, and they were just tickled to get to be together....

They did this a good thirty minutes.

Sunday morning stroll - when in Billings, I am persona non grata, but usually he gloms onto Grammie. We went on a walk with friends Lindsey & Chad, and he found a new heart to wrap around his little finger...as if it wasn't already!

Not content with the little weenie rocks ("Those are so last year, Momma"), he grabbed the biggest ones he could move and...

"SPLASH!!!" Followed by "Whoa! That was a big one!"

My sweet boy.

Three pumpkins - that's my ace carving job!

If anyone is keeping track, there are now two tiger costumes that my son does not like. Looks like we'll be picking through what's left at Target or KMart tomorrow...unless I decide to kibosh Halloween altogether. We carved a pumpkin tonight (and when I say "we," I mean "I"), and tried on the second tiger costume, this one borrowed. He liked it for a few moments, even though it was too small: he looked like he was wearing clam diggers, and it was so tight through the crotch that, if he hadn't had a diaper on, we may very well have been able to identify his twig and berries. Moments later, meltdown occurred. I didn't even have time to take a picture.

I may dress him in brown and put his hat on, and he can go as a turd. He's so proud of this hat - any time he knows we are going somewhere, he rushes to get his Crocs on and grab his hat and coat. If it is not where it should be (which is rare, he's as fussy as I am), he looks at me and states: "I need my hat."

When asked, "What does your hat say?" he gleefully exclaims...

"POOP!"
I'll be writing a parenting book any day now.