Riley and Avery

Halloween went really well this year. The girls both trick-or-treated and even Avery went up to the doors with Riley. Every time she asked Riley to protect her. She had fun. She decided a little early not to get any more candy, but was content to walk with us. She did return home about a few houses from the end (and proceeded to play with a balloon and somehow managed to gouge out a chunk of her cheek with her fingernail). When she dumped out her basket, we found that she only had 4 or 5 pieces of candy without peanuts in them. The rest were peanut M&Ms, Reece's peanut butter cups, Reece's pieces, Butterfingers, and Snickers. She was a little turned off by the candy then. I think she's only had one piece and I have to repeatedly reassure her that it was safe for her. We did the Switch Witch thing again this year. I was hoping to skip it, but Riley remembered. She is really good as self-regulating with candy so I didn't really see it as all that necessary, but they enjoy it. And we have so much of our own candy let over that it's pretty impossible to "hide" it. Especially with Rudi mowing through it and leaving the trash by the couch. Duh, the kids can figure it out. Riley has one piece about every two days and is anal about brushing her teeth right afterward. I seriously didn't think they would remember the Switch Witch.

On Halloween, Riley's school went to the Senior Center like they do every year. Riley performed the songs and wasn't too shy at all. Avery wanted her costume off half-way through and then we nursed in the corner (it's hard to find a spot to nurse in a senior center where you won't get run over by a wheelchair or a walker).

Riley was invited to Caoimhe's (pronounced "Kwee-vah") birthday party and she is beyond excited. Caoimhe is her best friend at school. Her mother says that Caoimhe talks about Riley all the time. Riley's her only school friend that she's inviting. At the ill-fated trip to the Nature Center, I think Caoimhe's mom was trying to strike up a conversation about breastfeeding. She has an infant daughter and she saw me breastfeeding Avery. I think that most people don't want to blatantly talk about extended breastfeeding so as not to offend, but since she was acknowledging that we both breastfeed, I think she was supportive. I was too overwhelmed by Riley being ill-treated by the old hag there that I wasn't as forthcoming as I usually am about breastfeeding. In fact, there was another mother there who was shocked that I was still breastfeeding. Well, not shocked per se, but very interested. Her curiosity seemed genuine and not judgmental. She is from Korea, so some things are very interesting to her about our culture. She asked if Avery eats solids too, how long Riley nursed, how often Avery nurses, asked if the benefits of breastfeeding extend into the toddler years, etc. I really should have been a better lactivist and explained about the global weaning age being 4-6 and normal weaning range or primates, including humans, being between 2 and 7. But again, I was way to angry over the old bat to educate. Now I feel bad about it (obviously, because this happened a while ago, and here I am blogging about it so much later).

Hmmm...what else? Rudi has decided to go ahead and have his gallbladder removed. It's supposed to be outpatient, but last time he had outpatient surgery to remove the lump in his back, it turned into a hospital stay. So I'm half expecting that this time too. He has a consult on December 2, which I believe will put the surgery after at least Avery's birthday and the end of my semester. That way I can take care of him and not have to worry about him watching the kids while I'm in class. I'm glad that he's having it removed, since the pain sometimes radiates into his chest and I'm afraid that one day he'd have a heart attack and write it off as gallstone pain and ignore it. So yeah...

Riley's weaning is going well. In fact, I often forget to give her her meds. There have been little tinges of anxiety (a tad bit more clingy when I leave sometimes) but it is so totally 100% better than it was so I feel nit-picky or even mentioning it. She still occasionally says that she's afraid I don't love her, but I think that's more of an age thing. She doesn't worry about us throwing her in the dumpster, and doesn't talk about her "bad thoughts" anymore. So I think we're in the clear. But, really, are we ever totally in the clear with Riley?




So I have a beef with the manufacturers of toys. Riley still has some favorite toys, but she's gradually growing out of the toy stage. She wants things that function, things with an end result. I was at a loss about what to get her for Christmas. I'm wandering around the toy aisles, after finding nothing in the girls' aisle, and I find myself among the "boy" toys. I found a bunch of stuff that I think she'll love. I found something called K'Nex (which is like an erector set) with which you assemble little creatures. Then I got her a small erector set to see if she likes it. I just wonder about why girl toys are so brain-less. It just makes me angry that they assume that girls have no interest in assembling things. Geez, I think Riley would love it. Well, as least hopefully, since I already bought them.

I also got Riley a used point-and-shoot camera. The kids ones are so offensive in their low quality, and she's used to handling fragile things (she used our SLRs, for heaven's sake!), so I thought to go for the adult model. I also got Avery a used set of Thomas the Tank Engine and Brio trains. I supplemented the train set with a few extra trains that I bought at Michael's with 40% off coupons. This train set was a bargain, I'll tell you. It has two or three bridges, tons of track, scenery, trains, etc. I think Avery will dig it. Ah, Christmas on the cheap! Eh, the kids will never know. Oh, and I got Riley some of the Calico Critters that she loves so much. (I had a coupon for that too).

Now I just have to figure out what each is getting for their birthday and what for Christmas. That's the hard part.

Ugh. Dinner is almost done, yet I'm supposed to leave for school in a couple of minutes. Rudi's sleeping on the couch and I don't like leaving him sleeping while dinner cooks, and waking him up isn't reliable because he remembers nothing said to him within 10 minutes of waking. I guess I'll be late for school. No biggie.

I swear there was something I was supposed to blog about and now I have forgotten.

Oh, yeah!! Riley and Avery had their fall series run on Sunday. They both had a blast. Avery actually ran, and Riley ran the 1/4 mile. Rudi came with us this time, since he was working last year.

Hmmm...I was just looking at Avery and she's looking like she has filled out a little. Perhaps I'll buy a scale and see for sure. Not like she'll be going to the doctor any time soon. I just noticed this today. Perhaps she's just bloated :)

Oh, yeah, and GO OBAMA!!