Halloween

So, Caden started walking earlier than any of my other kids.  Probably to keep up.  Pretty much, the second you stuck his feet on the ground, he would take off running.  And fall flat on his face.  But he was persistent and got it.  Talking, however, didn't have quite the same drive.  That is, until we scared it out of him with a gigantic pumpkin with a face bigger than his own and huge, evil, glowing eyes (and mouth, for that matter).

The night of the carving, he had wide eyes and kept pointing at the pumpkin, asking, Uh'daa? ("What's that?" for those not fluent in baby talk.)  His first words besides Mama and banana- and a two word sentence, at that!  Now, all day, every day, I hear Uh'daa? Uh'daa? Uh'daa? Uh'daa? Uh'daa?  Chinese Water Torture comes to mind...

Uh'daa? 

I never get good Halloween pics, so this year, I was determined.  Well, apparently, it also depends on cooperation from the subjects, and they must have been on a pre-sugar high, because this is the best we could do:

Liv made me feel like I was living in E.T.

 Minus E.T., of course.

Oh, and yes, those are handcuffs Elias is wearing, in case you were wondering.  A little trick-or-treating treasure.  He also came home with a small metal stake.  Most people just go for plastic spider rings and pencils if they don't want to give candy.  I took this pic two days after Halloween and about two minutes before they were beelined for the trash.  That's right- I threw them away myself (pumpkins, not kids).  I usually like to leave them on the porch until Jeff can't take it anymore.  In fact, this Halloween has inspired a lot of firsts.  Normally, I carve a pumpkin for everyone in the family, including Jeff.  This year, you're looking at the lot.  Although I did draw eyes on a gourd.  And normally, we (I) can't hold back and carve them so early that they're extra-scary by Halloween, with wilted-in faces or even a moldy patch (admit it- you wouldn't want to touch them, either).  Notice how crisp and fresh they still look?  Even if I am the Halloween scrooge, it's probably better that way.  Caden was scared enough as it was.