All Hallows' Eve

The Cooks joined us again for trick-or-treat this year. Nora got to go trick-or-treating for the first time. Unfortunately, the camera battery died just as Willis was taking her out with Randy, Kelly, and their girls. So sad. Nora only lasted about, like, fifteen minutes tops. I felt bad for Melissa and Marian: I'm sure they could've stayed out longer, but everybody stopped when Nora was ready to be done.

We had a lot of trick-or-treaters this year, and I finally had enough candy! The kids were really nice this year, too. Not one kid griped about what I handed out (and I always hand out good candy, but some kids are little punks and complain about quantity or that I handed them something that they don't like, etc.). I didn't see a whole lot of late teens, but there were still some. I also didn't see a lot of parents trick-or-treating for their newborns. I always hate to see that. It's like, "Are you really dragging your poor infant out into the cold to exploit him for free candy?"

In other news, Henry's sleeping a bit longer. The past two nights, he's done five-hour stretches! If only I could be asleep for that whole five hours (he typically does this five-hour run when we first lay him down at night at the same time as Nora). I get about three of those hours, if I'm lucky. He also sucks his thumb now! I think this is why he is sleeping for five hour stretches—he's sucking his thumb when he starts to get hungry instead of fussing. We may have turned a corner! Small victories!

He's also getting to be a really smiley, sweet baby. He coos at me a lot, and he smiles big smiles at me. He's got a cute, crooked, little boy smile—with dimples! Sometimes, he chuckles on the changing table. It's so stinking sweet! I can never catch any of it on camera, either. I think it's because he doesn't want to smile for a camera: he wants to smile at a smiling face.

Nora has been really cranky after nap time the past three days. Her nap patterns got all messed up (probably because I took her to Portage for trick-or-treat on Friday, and she wouldn't fall asleep for her nap that afternoon before my doctor appointment that was going to be at 3:15 that afternoon). I had to wake her up from her nap on Friday, and she was a total mess (I had some serious issues trying to get to that appointment that afternoon—the appointment in itself is another long story for some other time . . . maybe. It makes me kind-of sad and tired to bring it up again, so I might spare you that story, honestly. Pam, you have to know that my kid does like you. I swear it wasn't your fault that she was screaming). We woke her up from her nap yesterday, and she was a total mess then, too. So, I guess the theme here is that we can't wake this kid up from her naps if we can help it. It's not good. Not good at all.

Today, she woke up on her own accord, but she's still fussing a bit. Maybe she's still recovering? She did get to bed later than usual last night. I'm just hoping it's not a regular thing (the post-nap fit). It really wears us out.

In closing, I'll share with you some photos from yesterday. Enjoy!