Halloween 2010

I need you to prepare yourself before you scroll down. Because you're about to see the cutest baby in the cutest costume you've ever seen. Seriously. Take a deep breath. Get ready. OK, now go.

Pumpkin Patch

On Friday Sean and I cut out of work a little early, picked Lauren up from school, and went to the pumpkin patch. Not shockingly, Lauren liked the petting zoo the best and thought the pumpkins were just "eh." We took a tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch and let Lauren run around a little, but then opted to buy the pumpkins that were by the exit and closer to our car. I think Lauren had a great time, as was demonstrated by the fact that we had to drag her away kicking and screaming.

Out in the pumpkin patch.

In constant motion.

Lauren picked out a gourd to represent new family member Stella.

Another fan favorite: the cornbox. Like a sandbox, but with corn.

Lauren at 16 Months

Please forgive me, it's been so long since I posted. And I started this post back around September and just never got around to writing anything, so now I don't have much fantastic information to report about what was happening four months ago, but rest assured that Lauren was being adorable. I know that most of you are in it for the pictures anyway.


In September we went down to Tulsa to finally clean out the storage unit that we opened after my Mom died. It was actually a fun weekend spent with family, and reliving many (mostly funny) memories of Mom. While we were at the storage unit Lauren spent the day with Grandma Kakee and Kakee's grandkids Dillon and Ryder. She had a BLAST. It's hard not to at Kakee's house. Above she's having a snack at Kakee's kid-sized bistro table.

Ah. Warm weather. I remember warm weather. This is at the playground at the school behind our house, which we visited often in warmer weather, and still visit on occasion all bundled up with our new (getting less new by the month) dog Stella. Lauren moved from the slide to the jungle gym around this time, and you'd be amazed how long she can hang there.

Aunt Arie is a showoff.

I love this photo. I had high expectations for Sean and fatherhood and he has exceeded them over and over. I am a very lucky wife and Lauren is a very lucky daughter.

Dia de los Muertos

One of the many perks of living on the Westside is the annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival about 20 steps from our yard. If that. We took Lauren to check out the festivities.

Capoeira (Brazilian fight dancing, I believe) performance.

Lauren checking out the performance. OK, she was scoping out a dog.

Lauren had to sit on the edge of the sidewalk just like Sean.

Eventually Lauren's shadow outshone the dancers. At least in her mind.

Sean's big score: street food.

The playground behind our house was in view from the festival. The playground won.