Baby's First Halloween

I've never really been a huge fan of Halloween.  I mean, when I was a kid I loved it - who wouldn't?!   Getting dressed up and collecting candy all night long?  When you are little, that is the dream!  But as I got older, the excitement waned.  Not only was it frowned upon to trick or treat after a certain age, I started to feel pressure to come up with a costume that wasn't lame.  There were a few good years here and there, but overall, I would rather stay holed up in the house and pass out candy to the little ones dressed like Batman and Tinkerbell.

This year, that all changed.  Having a little one brings back all the magic of Halloween - even if your little one is only 8 months old!  James' first Halloween began last week at the party Willowcreek Academy threw.  All the kids were dressed up and even some of the staff joined in on the fun.  James dressed as Sheriff Woody from Toy Story and he could not have been cuter.  Too bad he fell asleep and missed most of the party!

On the actual day, James had more Halloween fun.  He dressed as a skeleton during the day and got LOTS of compliments on his oh-so-scary costume.  :)

Due to some unforeseen circumstances (aka spit up), James changed into his Sheriff Woody costume for trick-or-treating.  This time he was bibbed as to not ruin this costume.  We did a little photo shoot before hitting the streets - he was more interested in eating the camera case than smiling for the camera. :)

Because we have the greatest neighbors in the world, they invited us to join them as they walked the neighborhood for candy.  We bundled Sheriff Woody up in his carriage, tucked in his trusty steed Bulls Eye and hit the road.  

The neighborhood kids had some AMAZING costumes this year.  Nate was the powerful Voltron, Connor was an adorable Thomas the Tank and Ariana was a beautiful princess.

Everyone had a great time walking around, collecting candy.  Thomas the Tank needed some assistance up and down the stairs, but luckily there were many adults around to assist!  The men of the street may have had more fun than the kids this year - they had their own kind of candy to make it through the night!

Ed was his usual self and showed more interest in collecting candy than the kids did.  He carried James' pumpkin around and made his way to each door to get his coveted treats.  I think he may have knocked over a kid to get a full sized Hershey bar!  :)

Some of our neighbors went ALL OUT and decked our their houses.  We saw ghosts hanging from trees, a HUGE Grim Reeper, a smoke machine and a clap-activated demon.  Well done Little Rocky Run residents!!

We had a great time trick-or-treating and I think James' really enjoyed himself.  The best part for him was that we were outside in the dark and he got to stay up later than normal.  Ed and I already dove into his candy loot - it's not like he can enjoy it for a few more months!

Happy Halloween!!!

James' Monthly Photo Project: Eight Months Old

Eight months ago today we were at INOVA Fair Oaks Women's Center awaiting the arrival of our baby boy.  We were filled with all sorts of emotions - excitement, nerves, exhilaration and fear.  He was an unknown factor for 9 long months and the time to meet him was upon us.  Our OB was late so our 9:30 am c-section appointment turned into an 11:09 am birth time.  But you know what, he was worth the wait.  :)

So here we are, 8 months old and a TON of milestones to report.

• James is officially crawling and doing a really, REALLY good job at it!  He is all over the place exploring every nook and cranny of our main level.  And not only is he crawling, but he is pulling up on anything that will hold him and some things that won't.  We haven't had any major falls yet.  And I stress yet because it is coming!

• As of October 29th, James is now a student in the Infant II class at Willowcreek Academy.  Because he can crawl, he graduated out of Infant I and into the bigger kids' class.  It's the same room, but a different side of the all important divider.  Apparently he was bugging all the smaller babies as he cruised around the room so it was time for him to graduate and play with the bigger kids.

• Because of all the crawling and pulling up, James' crib mattress is now at the lowest point that it can go.  It's not uncommon for us to find him standing in his crib each morning and after naps.  Because of this, Ed purchased some crib teething covers to protect the wood.  Our little wood chuck was able to chomp on the rails for a day or so, but we are now protected.

• Life has changed in the way of the food he eats.  He's now down to 4 bottles a day and up to 3 solid meals a day.  Breakfast begins with oatmeal and fruit (favs are pears, peaches, apricots and prunes) followed by a veggie/fruit lunch.  Dinner consists of more oatmeal, veggies and a fruit.  He is a big fan of carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and broccoli.  We have started introducing finger foods like Cheerios and Gerber Puffs, but so far he's not so interested.  When he puts one in his mouth, typically he gags, but we are going to keep trying until he gets the hang of it.

• James has sprouted 2 more teeth to join in on the fun.  His 2 top front teeth have made an appearance and are causing some pain for the little man.  EVERYTHING is in his mouth to help ease the pain.  His favorites - Sophie (of course!), a cold wet wash cloth, his fingers.

• This kid is GROWING!  We don't have an official weight, but he has to be close to 20 pounds.  He is now wearing size 3 diapers so we know that he is putting on the weight - in a good way.

Happy 8 Month Birthday James!!!

A New Tradition

A week ago today was a day of remembrance in the Mangiaracina family.  Last year, on October 24th, we decided to visit Arlington National Cemetery in honor of Ed's Dad who passed away in 2010.  Well, this year it became an official tradition ~ one that was even more special since this time, we were able to share it with James.  We figure it is a great place to go to pay our respects since we can't visit the actual cemetery that Grandpa Mangiaracina is resting in peace.

It was a beautiful day here in the DC area and we started it with some breakfast at IHOP in Arlington.  It was so surreal to sit in the booth with my husband and son having breakfast when a decade ago I would sit in the same booth in the wee hours of the morning binging on pancakes after a night of drinking at Carpool.  James was all smiles during breakfast - I think it was because he was able to sit at the table and see everything that Mommy and Daddy were doing.

We arrived at the cemetery and decided to take a different route than we did last year.  No matter which way you go, the cemetery is breathtaking.  Each view is more magnificent than the last and with the fall foliage, it was truly a gorgeous site.

We made our way past the John F. Kennedy memorial and up the biggest hill in creation and made it to a lovely area where the old amphitheater lives.  It was such a beautiful location and it had just enough shade for us to take a break, give James and bottle and change his diaper. :) 

James was having a ball all day.  Especially since he decided his feet were REALLY fun.  He kept on grabbing at them and playing with his toes.  I mean, they are great toes.  If I had his toes I would play with them all day too!

After our bottle/diaper break, we happened upon the Arlington House which was the home of General Robert E. Lee before and during the Civil War.  It's a beautiful house on the top of a giant hill and boasts amazing views of the city.  We tried to capture the beauty on film, but just did not do it justice.

After touring the grounds of the Arlington House, we made our way back down the giant hill and to the car.  It was a great day at Arlington National Cemetery and one that we plan to continue in years to come.