I'm Jack the Pumpkin King

I love the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas"; it's a favourite of mine. I watch it at Halloween and Christmas. So, Jack and I sat down to watch it last week. He was utterly terrified. During the opening song he clung to my arm for dear life. Bless. Well, then he decided that he wanted to try and watch it again later in the week. He was still a little scared, but not nearly as much as he had been. He liked that the main character shared his name and walked around yelling "I'm Jack" while watching it.

This Halloween was the best Halloween I have EVER had. We had about a hundred or so trick or treaters come by our house. The streets were lined with kids. It was like I had always imagined Halloween should be. Like in E.T.
I took Jack out for about 20 mins just around our neighbourhood. Of course the house that was decked out (see pics below..that don't even do it justice!) was completely packed with people. They had added even more decorations and had the theme music from the movie "Halloween" blaring. It was insane. Jack started crying the second we got close to it.
When we got back Ryan and I traded roles and he took Jack back out and I stayed with Pete to answer the door. At one house the family were all sitting outside watching "Monsters Inc" that they had projected onto their garage door. They had extra chairs out for people to sit down and join them. It was fab.

The next day when we got back from Stake Conference at noon, every single decoration on that 'crazy house' had been taken down already! I couldn't believe it. Now I can't wait to see what they do next year.

October

Ok, first off...check out our neighbours house! They are dead serious about Halloween. At night it is pretty cool as it's all lit up. Every time we go by it on our walk Jack says "Yucky Mummy"...and I would have to agree. It's cool, but pretty scary.


I had never been to a pumpkin patch...ever. We celebrate Halloween in Scotland, but it ain't even close to the same as the way America celebrates...but that's kinda the case with everything. Things are a little more over the top here, but I love it. So, now that Jack is old enough to enjoy Halloween we've been to a couple of pumpkin patches. Jack, Pete, and I went to Sweet Berry Farms with our friends. It was a lot of fun and we kinda had the place to ourselves as we went during the week.
Then since it was such a beautiful warm, sunny day on Saturday we invited Ryan's parents to come along with us to Heiser Farm. It was great. Perfect for toddlers. Jack loved every second of it and we had a hard time dragging him down to the actual pumpkin patch as there were so many fun activities for him to do.





Here are the boys in their Halloween costumes. Jack is pretty excited about that cape of his and even when he's not wearing his costume he likes to "fly" around the house. Pete could care less of course, but I think he's a perfect pumpkin..he weighs more than most!

Cheers!

My parents left a week ago today. They came for two weeks and of course the time just flew in. I always have a really hard time dealing with my homesickness when family leaves or when I go back to Scotland. I expected the worst with my parents coming. I cried just thinking about them leaving when they had only been here for a day! Crazy, I know. Anyway, we had a fab time and thankfully when the time came for them to leave I held it together fairly well. I guess that's what happens when you have two children to take care of that could care less how you feel that day.

I'll start off with this cheeky pic. Jack is such a wee monkey. Constantly on the go. He sat still for a few minutes here to eat a delicious cake that Ryan's mum made. My mum taught Jack to say "cheers!" and clink his cup with hers whenever he got a drink. It was really cute. But of course Jack took it a little too far most of the time.

Here are my parents with the boys the night before they left. I took them to the airport at 5am. It was so sad to see Jack looking for them when he woke up in the morning...he had actually stopped coming into our bedroom first and would go straight to their room. (Notice Jack's bruise in these pics, he face-planted on a massive rock when we were at the zoo...I swear I wouldn't recognize that kid without some battle wound).


A nice picture of wee jack with my dad

Cute wee Pete on the train ride at Portland Zoo

Playing with the boys


My mum with the kids

We miss you mum and dad. I'm looking for flights...hopefully we'll come soon.

Photos of the Boys

Any Advice is VERY welcome

It's been a really long time since I last posted and to be perfectly honest it's simply because there really isn't anything of interest to post. All my friends have been taking all these fun trips places and going out of town to visit family. I feel like I haven't done a whole lot this summer. OK. I had a baby. Ha. So, I guess that counts as something. Both Ryan and I would like to go somewhere on a wee trip, but we also both agree that right now we feel like it would be a major headache trying to take the kids somewhere.

On to Jack. I had been a little concerned for a while that he hadn't been trying to talk "properly". I say "properly" because he talks a ton, but it's in his own wee language. He's finally starting to expand his vocabulary and put some words together, but I still wonder if I might need to seek some additional help. The pediatrician wants to give him more time as he's been going through a lot of changes lately, with the new house and brother. I'm pretty sure he'll get there soon enough though.

I love my Jack boy, but he is still very rough with Pete and has started to hit me a lot too. Every time I am nursing Pete he gets mad. In fact, the majority of the time I am holding Pete he is mad. I try really hard to give him as much one on one time as I can when Pete is sleeping or can be put down for a while in his bouncer, but I don't see any improvement in his behavior. He gets "time-outs" and he is NOT learning his lesson by being put there. I feel like I spend most of the day taking him to and from his "time-out" spot. It's pretty obvious he's still having a hard time accepting the fact that he isn't the only child anymore. I feel like I am at my wits end with him...any advice is very welcome.

Here are a few snap shots of Jack being nice to Pete...I cherish these brief moments!




We went to the coast for a few hours with some friends from the ward. Unfortunately, we didn't get the best weather, but Jack still had a fabulous time. He literally dived into the water! Then jumped up, shaking violently because of how cold it was. He wouldn't stay out though. I had to drag him out every once in a while because his lips were turning blue. Crazy kid.

Jack was much more of a "mummy's boy" when he was younger and I guess for the most part he still is, but lately he has really taken to his Daddy. Whenever he hears the garage door opening he yells "Dad!" and runs to the stairs to meet Ryan arriving home...it's very sweet. On the day this pic was taken Jack had to copy EVERY movement Ryan made. I like to see my boy think his Dad is pretty cool...coz he his.
(Side note - Ryan has a new blog....it's link is on my blog list...it's very interesting...you should read it.)

Last but not least, my parents arrive on Monday! I cany wait! I am so excited for them to meet wee Pete...he's my wee darling. I know Jack will have a great time seeing them again too.
Oh, and I almost forgot...I got a calling in our ward. I am the Beehive advisor! I am really excited...I have 11 girls just now and 10 moving in at the beginning of the year...I'm nervous too.

Pete's Blessing

We blessed Peter on August 2nd. It was a beautiful day and Ryan did a lovely job of blessing our wee guy. When Ryan did the usual 'lift the baby so everyone can gush over how cute and tiny are' thing, all I heard was "WOW, that's a big boy!" from the entire row behind us...it was pretty funny.
We blessed Jack when he was only 2 weeks old because my parents were here from Scotland, but we waited till Pete was almost 7 weeks old. Needless to say there is a huge difference when we compare the pictures from that day.
It was sad that so many family members were missing, but we still had a very special day celebrating Peter (who of course slept through most of it).

Wee Pete, all smiles!

Mummy and her boys

Everyone that was able to attend....Ryan's immediate family and the Teuschers

Our wee family

The men who participated in the blessing (Weston Teuscher, Ryan, and Chris Harris)

My parents wanted to come when Pete was born, but my third youngest brother, Daniel, was getting home from his mission at the end of June and, of course, they wanted to be there for his return. I wasn't sure if they would get around to coming over, but I just found out that the tickets are booked! Hooray. They come in the middle of September and will stay for 2 weeks. I am very excited.

Taking on two

Yesterday was my 6 week postpartum appointment. I can't believe my wee pete is that old already. He has grown so much and we are enjoying having him in our home.
I have a whole new respect for my own mum now though...how did she manage eight children! I am in complete awe of anyone with more than one! I've had a lot of people tell me that the initial transition from one to two was hard, but that having the third and so forth was pretty easy in comparison...I'm hoping that is the case. Because as of right now I would probably say I'm done having kids. Of course that's not the case. I want more, but I am definitely feeling slightly overwhelmed from time to time with the two. Jack is a good big brother for the most part. He likes to give lovely hugs and kisses to his brother, but unfortunately he tends to follow it up with a head-butt or a swift kick. I pretty much have to watch him like a hawk when he is anywhere near Pete, but I'm sure it'll get better...or worse.

My sister,Isabel, came to spend 5 weeks with us this summer. Jack had a lot of fun with her and it was very nice having another set of hands to help me when we left the house. Now that she has left reality is starting to sink in. I have a whole new way of thinking now... Right, so it's just me and the boys...do I really need to leave the house today? Or, can my errands wait till Ryan comes home and then I maybe only need to take one child, if any.

Peter wasn't the best sleeper for the first few weeks we had him home, but thankfully his schedule is starting to sort itself out. On the whole I would have to say that Pete is a way more relaxed and mellow baby than Jack was. He pretty much never cries unless there is a real reason. He's time consuming simply because of nursing and never-ending nappy changing, but he's very easy. I love how he seems to smile when he hears my voice after he has been held by someone else for a while. He's a very sweet wee baby. Anyway, I'm slowly getting the hang of things, but it sure takes some patience.



Here is my sister, Isabel, and I after watching the fireworks on the 4th July

Peter at 2 weeks old

My sister and Jack spending some time together

Jack in his new shirt

Daddy and Pete

Brothers

Wilsonville Murase plaza


Jack in his very cute dungarees!

Peter at 5 weeks old...getting chunkier!