The Algeras

Look at my costumed cuties! David had a very comfortable, easy to dress a 4 month old in skeleton sleeper. And yes, that is the same costume Sara wore last year. This year it actually fits. She loves being a ladybug and has been buzzing around the house most of the day when the mood strikes.

The kids were up early today and in the mood for fun. I put David's sleeper on in the morning and Sara had fun pointing to his ribs, pelvis, spine and metatarsals. A baby anatomy lesson!

They were both very happy today, and very adverse to napping. Sara tried to convince me to let her eat muffins for breakfast, snack and lunch. It's funny what toddlers would eat if left to their own choices. But Mom was mean and made her eat her apple and carrots instead.

We went to the JCI trick or treating party at 3. Sara relearned grabbing candy very quickly. When we walked in, she spotted a cauldron full of candy. Ben took it down for her to pick one. She looked at it, then looked at her pumpkin. She put the empty pumpkin back on the chair and tried to drag off the full one. Nice try, kid! But you have to work for your goodies. She filled up the pumpkin and ran around for a while having fun seeing all the kids in costumes.

After that fun, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Sara quickly found their candy stash. We had to police the sugar stash all night or she would have overdosed pretty quickly! Ellen and Nate brought Allison and Andrew over after dinner and Ellen and I took the kids out trick or treating to the three houses with lights on in the 36th St neighborhood. I think Mom and Dad got two other groups of kids. It's a quiet neighborhood. But that was enough for one 1 year old, one 2 year old and one 3 year old. They had fun saying trick-or-treat and thank you! And Sara was done walking by the time we were five houses down the road. Those Hudsonville houses are well spread out!

The kids rampaged through the house while the grown ups visited or "were on the computer" (that's all I'm saying about that, Ellen!) Grandpa taught Sara a new game, jumping off the footstool into Grandpa's lap. It was good Grandma didn't see that! She was taking a quick walk with Mrs. DeBoer. They are suspects in the great crime of Hudsonville; the mystery cement sidewalk defacer. The cops were out measuring the footprints in the new cement. The circumstantial evidence is mounting...

David fell asleep on the drive home and Sara nearly did. Ben is giving her some night time cuddles and soon she'll crash. She didn't take much of a nap, ran all afternoon and is coming off a sugar high. She has discovered the wonder of 3 Musketeer bars. It's the first real candy she's eaten. She got 2 snack size bars and begged for more from whoever would listen. I figured she could be spoiled one night of the year, right?