Mommy's Little Sweatshop...

A few weeks ago we had a routine follow-up appointment with Katy's developmental pediatrician in Spangdhalem, Germany.Nothing was truly unexpected about the appointment except that the doctor finally figured out why Katy trips all the time. She's knock-kneed and her left foot curves in pretty significantly, so she's always tripping on herself! Of course, there's nothing they can do for her except let her grow out of it (by the time she's 8 or so, she said), but at least we know WHY she's so clumsy.

After the appointment we ran over to see Shannon, Ella and Jackson and play before we headed home again. I had brought up some craft supplies and salt-dough ornaments that I'd made the night before. We set the kids to work - have to get the elves started on the Christmas gifts earlier and earlier each year!!!



Look at that concentration....



Of course, one shirt came off to keep it clean, then they ALL had to.....





You'd think we were slave-drivers with the serious expressions....

I'm in Paris with my friend Shannon. As a thank you for everything she did for us while Katy was in the hospital our husbands have graciously agreed to watch the children and I am taking her to Paris to see the sights!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this:

Class is in session.

We dropped by IKEA one afternoon while we were out and about (actually, we mostly just stopped there to eat lunch) and wandered through the kids section. While I browsed, Katy painstakingly took every chair on display, lined them up in a semi-circle, found a stuffed animal to go on each chair and left two empty. One for Daddy and one at the front for herself.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year.

We're thankful to have Katy alive and healthy. Thankful for all the health care workers, both American and German who worked together to make that happen. Thankful for the support and prayers of so many who helped us through one of the most difficult times we've ever endured.

We're thankful to be surrounded by friends and family who love us. Even if the people who surround us are sometimes thousands of miles away. We know they are there.

We're thankful for the opportunity to live in Europe and travel.

We're thankful that Katy is finally beginning to talk. How wonderful it is to hear that voice, even when it's too loud!

There's so much for us to be thankful for every day. We have been truly blessed this year and hope you all have been as well!

A week before our actual anniversary we went out in search of our "anniversary gift." Since we eloped when we got married originally we bought the first set of rings that we could agree on. Plain and functional platinum bands. They've worked well but we've discussed numerous times over the years replacing them. When better than on anniversary number 10?

We decided that we wanted to buy them in Idar-Oberstein, the gemstone capitol of Germany. It's less than an hour's drive from us so a fun day trip anyway. It's a cute town filled with small jewelry shops and cafes. The leaves were just falling so Ryan and I would each take turns darting into a store to check it out while the other played with Katy outside.

These leaves were HUGE.



And they made great masks.

As we wandered further along we passed a group of dogs in obedience training to be guide dogs. The "guides" were all standing behind us nervously watching to see how their dog stacked up with the rest. We only saw one break with the ranks and run over, tail wagging.


In the summer this is a fountain, but it seems to be just as much fun in the winter (check out the link - that's the pictures from the last time we were in the same spot well over a year ago - how Katy has grown!).




We were successful and found rings at last. They were ordered and we have since picked them up. We had hoped to "re-elope" back in the US this winter when we went back, but the TDY we had been hoping Ryan would be going on has been canceled (Katy and I would have been allowed to accompany him on this one). So, we're in the process of revamping our idea and will re-elope somewhere here in Germany instead this winter. In the meantime, our new rings are tucked safely away, waiting for the excitement.

Does this need much more explanation than the fact that I mentioned that it was time to get dressed to go and had set Katy's clothes on the table while I ran to do something else?

Halloween proper! The big day finally arrived!

Unfortunately, Katy was not amused by the concept by the time the afternoon rolled around. She woke up from her nap GROUCHY. The fact that I wanted to do something to her hair at all, much less something different that normal was a complete and total breakdown. Somehow we managed to get her hair done and get her into her costume.



It was worth the struggle. Look how cute!



Then it was off to meet Ryan at his unit's Halloween event.



The face painting was Katy's first choice. Even though they weren't set up yet she was willing to wait.



Ryan was somehow handed a "Fred" wig (think Scooby Doo) and I caught a quick glimpse of him putting it on before he remembered I had the camera and yanked it back off....



Katy getting her rainbow (get it? get it?)



The off for the cake walk. Note that I am wearing a witch hat in keeping with the day. It depended on the moment as to whether I was a good witch or a bad one, but I think that any toddler trying to shove as much sugar as possible into their mouth will agree that all Mommies tend to be closer to bad witch on Halloween.





Katy at the beanbag toss.



And a rare moment of toddler rage captured on film. WOW, once she got going and whacking at that pinata we had trouble getting her to stop.



Onward to cookie decorating (really, did they think kids didn't have enough sugar at this point?). Katy was absolutely obsessed with her cookie and we couldn't do anything until she was allowed to eat some of it.



Luckily, we finally moved on. Ghost bowling....



And to find friends. Sam is in Katy's class at school and his Dad is Ryan's boss, so we see them quite a bit (since they are the only two officers in Ryan's unit). Their whole family dressed up. Sam was Scooby, their other son was Shaggy, Mom was Velma (pictured below) and Dad was Fred (which is where Ryan got the wig from). Very cute.



The first begging for candy to be opened.



They did serve dinner, so we managed to at least attempt to feed Katy something real. She spent quite a bit of time offering this guy her Cheetos. She would take them one at a time and place them on his plate and then take them back. Luckily he was a good sport about it all.



Somehow the original face paint was washed off, which was a TRAGEDY, so back we went for more.



Katy insisted on helping this time, so Ryan got into the act.



Voila! It's the cowardly lion to join our motley crew.



We hadn't intended to but ended up taking Katy to trick-or-treat in base housing. She had so much fun. I even relaxed more than Ryan about the candy issue and let her have more than any toddler should (with the expectation being that the candy was going to disappear that night - and it did). We also ran across another indoor carnival and played there until well past Katy's bed time. So, a good holiday was had by all and the costumes are now safely tucked away in the dress up box.

Halloween, day 2

Katy's class at school had a Halloween party planned. The perfect opportunity for costume number 2! Unfortunately, they didn't inform the parents of the timing of events quite right. The invitation said to show up at 10:30 and help her change into her costume. When I showed up at 10:30 her class was already at the "trunk or treat" event and she was without her costume. So, Katy trick or treated as herself.



We did head back and change for the party, though. She was VERY upset with me that she wasn't allowed to have any candy until after lunch. So, here she is sulking and waiting at the table for lunch.



Still sulking, but at least we got a joint picture out of it.



Finally, all is right with the world again after one piece of candy is allowed post-lunch.





The kids were allowed to run and play after lunch and it was nice to get to see Katy interacting with her peers and teachers. She was a very good helper during clean up time.



The class favorite song is the dinosaur song, which was performed for us with great gusto.





Unfortunately, leaving during the middle of the day is tough on the kids, so we all had a rough time. But, we did have a wonderful party and I'm looking forward to the Thanksgiving version next week.

I may get the Halloween pictures up before Christmas after all!

We had two very generous grandparents send three very adorable Halloween costumes this year, so I needed to find three different events for Katy to wear them at. Luckily, I was able to rise to the challenge. Katy got to pick which costume she wanted to wear first: the ghost.

I dressed her up and off we headed for library time on Wednesday morning.







The costume was a HUGE hit (thanks Mom for making it!) and Katy received entirely too much candy from people who thought she was adorable. It made me start to dread the main event of Halloween because Katy was wired for sound with that much sugar. I had to keep reminding myself that it's only once a year.....

The day after our Venice adventure ended we had to get back on with life. Katy went back to school and Ryan and I - well - we took the day off. Together. After I dropped Katy off at school Ryan and I sat around the house and did precisely nothing. It was lovely. We hadn't done anything like that in well over three years, definitely before Ryan deployed to Iraq before Katy was born.

Of course, all good things must end eventually and I headed back to pick Katy up from school that afternoon. I finally had a chance to take her to her dance lessons that she had been missing (due to her hospitalization). I had gone into a local store to buy a leotard for another friend's daughter and couldn't resist buying one for Katy, too. Every girl needs a leotard with a ballet skirt, right?



Katy was very excited and eager to listen to her teacher.



She stretched when instructed to....



And did her little ballet moves.





The whole thing was entirely too adorable for words. Katy did great!

Unfortunately, I was so disappointed with the instructor (remember, we had only been once before she went into the hospital) and the fact that she couldn't effectively instruct THREE little girls (the class should hold about 10 if fully enrolled) that I couldn't justify paying money for me to sit there and be annoyed every week. The instructor spent most of her time meekly pleading to the girls to follow her lead and just looking exasperated when they would run away or refuse to participate. So, that was Katy's one and only dance class. We'll try again some other time when she's a bit older....