A few recent events + baby update

A couple weekends ago, we had a really crazy weekend! 

Saturday morning, the kids got their flu mist at the doctor, then we went to brunch with some friends, Bennett attended a friend's birthday party, then the kids and I went to cheer on Brandon at his cyclocross race.  

 The kids cheering and ringing their cowbells!

 Here comes Brandon!

Then Sunday, a few of my girlfriends took me out to brunch for a small "baby shower."  After that, Bennett had her final soccer game of the season.  Right before half time, it started torrentially down pouring! Everyone ran under a gazebo, and the kids got their special treats and trophies.  It wasn't quite how we wished the season would end, but they had fun nonetheless! Apparently that day I just hopped from one shower to the next!

 Bennett and her soccer trophies

 Bennett and coach daddy...very wet!!

We went home quickly and changed into dry clothes, then headed to Bennett's Daisy Scout pinning ceremony.  

Bennett hanging out with her buddies Mabel and Maggie.  

On the baby front, I am now 37 1/2 weeks along.  I was checked at the doctor for the first time yesterday, and discovered that I'm already 3.5 cm dilated.  Hopefully this little man will make his appearance soon!! :)

Randomness

I have a lot of things to report, so I'm just putting them all together in one.  11/3 was Bennett's 1/2 birthday, so to stick with tradition, Brandon took her to Schnucks in her PJs to choose whatever cereal she wanted.  Somehow, they came back with 2 boxes of pure junk!! ;)

Last weekend, Brandon got a lot of baby items out of the garage so that I could start organizing, cleaning, etc.  Miles decided he must try out everything!

 What a goof!

I also was able to go on a walking field trip with Bennett's class to the Kirkwood Farmer's Market.  Here are all the girls in her class.  A great bunch of kids!

We just got a new chair in our great room delivered yesterday.  Of course the kids had to try it out! (and  I had to get a picture of Miles in his mustache shirt just for daddy!)

Bennett wanted to read to Miles in the new chair too! What a good big sister!!

Today, Miles had school, but Bennett was off because of Parent-Teacher conferences.  Bennett and I had some girl bonding time.  We went to the Butterfly House (we had never been before) and it was really cool! Thousands of butterflies were flying around everywhere! They were gorgeous! One even landed on my head! You had to watch where you were walking too, because butterflies land on the ground and drink water from the path too.  Bennett really liked it! Then I let her run around on the playground for awhile after that.  Finally, we headed to the mall and I let her pick out 2 new outfits for her new baby brother, and one for her.  She was very proud of her choices! We had a great mommy-daughter morning.  

 owl butterflies eating rotten bananas

 gorgeous!

A self-portrait.  Not the best, but we had to document our time together!! :)

Happy Halloween!

Halloween seemed to be the holiday that kept going and going! Here are some pictures from just some of our celebrations.  First, we went to Kirkwood's trick or treat last week.  You walk around downtown Kirkwood and all the businesses hand out candy.  Then on Saturday night, Bennett's school had trunk-or-treat.  It was fun to walk around to the various decorated cars to trick-or-treat.  People really went all out!  The kids got tired and cold though, so we didn't make it all that long there.  On Tuesday, we finally carved our pumpkins (just in time!).  Wednesday, Bennett wore her costume to school.  Her class walked up to a retirement home in Kirkwood and sang Halloween songs to the elderly, then had a party, then that afternoon they paraded around the streets of Kirkwood.  What a day! Finally, Meredith came over and went Trick-or-Treating with Brandon, Bennett and Miles while I stayed home to pass out candy to the kids who came to our house.  As is custom in St. Louis, kids are supposed to tell a joke.  This year Bennett went with, "Why couldn't Cinderella play soccer? Because she was always running away from the ball!" Miles has been incredibly shy lately, so we didn't really prepare a joke for him.  We thought that it would be a miracle if he would tell strangers Happy Halloween.  Instead, he fully embraced his alter-ego Buzz Lightyear, and apparently said different Buzz quotes at each house.  He had people cracking up because he was such a ham! After one house in particular, he came back and told Brandon and Murph, "That house was great! They loved me!" You never know with that kid!

What a Halloween!

 A picture of Miles.  He got too tired and decided he didn't want to put his hands in a pumpkin, so this was the best we got! :)

Bennett dressing herself as a Jack-o-lantern and being silly at dinner.

 Looking at the pumpkin goo.

 This face says it all.  She was pretty unsure about sticking her hand in there!

She did it!

 Our finished products.  I carved a ghost in a window, Bennett's pumpkin was carved into a princess crown.

 Miles's pumpkin was Buzz Lightyear (obviously) and Brandon carved "Moustache is King" to honor his Movember efforts.

 Bennett's school parade.  She was easy to spot in that wig! 

Her costume is Merida, the princess in the new Disney movie, Brave.  She had to have the wig to go with it.  It cracked me up every time I looked at her!

 The wig was really out of control during the parade! :)

 Merida and Buzz Lightyear!

 With Daddy and Aunt Murph getting ready to go trick-or-treating!

The whole fam! I had to make a shirt to give the baby a little costume too! :)

34 1/2 weeks...the countdown is on!

Movember is upon us

That's right, Movember.  The month of the year where men of character become billboards for men's health awareness.  If you haven't been over to the Midwest Moustache Alliance blog, please take a moment to check it out.  My friends and I are attempting to change the face of men's health one lip at a time. 

Please visit www.midwestmoustachealliance.blogspot.com or go right to www.movember.com to learn more about the cause.  Donations will be welcome, but we're just as interested in spreading the word: guys need to see a doctor regularly, as prostate and testicular cancers are rampant.

If you'd like to see me double the efforts you see above and raise crucial dollars to fund prostate cancer research, consider passing this link to your friends and family.  Tweet it, Facebook it, email it.  Your support is greatly appreciated.

Grow a 'mo.
Brandon