Hal-LEEN 2012

Ever since Eleanor's birthday in May, we knew she would be Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street for Halloween, or as E would say, "Abby Faiwy."  She has been talking it up, so excited and I had so much fun stepping up to the challenge to make the costume myself.  

If I must say, with the help of JoAnn Fabrics, it turned out pretty well!  I will say, it is quite difficult being specific on a two year old - she was so fidgety anytime I tried the top on that I could hardly pin it!

Since this is our first year in our new home, every holiday has been so much fun to celebrate and decorate for!  I am not much for ghosts, goblins, and skeletons so I decorate my house in pumpkins which I have found to be very cost effective - it works for both Halloween and Thanksgiving!

This year, we actually were able to get pumpkin carving in!  It just so happened that the Cowboys were playing the weekend we chose so Eleanor was of course decked out in her Cowboy cheerleader outfit! Eleanor wanted to make a traditional "jack-o-lantern" along with an Aggie pumpkin. 

Eleanor had a special dress up - parade day at school and Andy took a half day so he could dress up and see her.  This is how Daddy did her hair - it was precious!  You can also see a picture of her with her teacher, Ms. Norma.

Eleanor and I had so much fun making Halloween Pumpkin sugar cookies!

We were so blessed to have our neighbors and good friends come over to celebrate and for Eleanor to trick or treat with, the Cohens.  My parents and Aunt Katie and Ben joined as well.  Eleanor and I made pumpkin sugar cookies and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for dessert (I mention this first because it is most important :)), Traditional "3 Alarm Chili", and Turkey Chili with all the fixin's to please all the various ways people like to eat chili - with cornbread, pasta (for those who lived in Cincinnati), hot dogs, and/or fritos.

Eleanor and Anna were PRECIOUS trick - or - treating!  They had an amazing time walking up to the door, knocking, and saying, "trick - or - treat!

Trying to capture the "full moon" in the bg - perfect for Halloween night!

Pop Pop covered the candy at our house while Eleanor was trick-or-treating.  It was so cute, he was just as excited about Halloween as he was when we were kids!

Daddy got home just in time to meet Eleanor at the door after she finished trick-or-treating.  You have to love that Ranchview scheduled a JV game on HALLOWEEN NIGHT!

Look at all that loot!

My parents came over abounding with gifts - lots of beverages, some pretty pumpkins to adorn our new home for fall, and a bag full of goodies for Eleanor complete with a fairy barbie to remember Eleanor's Halloween as a fairy :)  It was so nice having almost everyone together to share the holiday!

FALLing in Love with Autumn

This fall has been so fun and very busy around the Reinberg household. We have throughly enjoyed Eleanor's first Halloween and Thanksgiving and have loved spending time with our families.

We spent Halloween with our dear friends, the Vaniceks at my parents' house and earlier that day with the Blackwells at their "Boo Brunch" Eleanor was a pumpkin, the same thing her Daddy was his first Halloween (you know how we love tradition in the Reinberg fam) and Andy was Linus (with his big pumpkin). We enjoyed chili with the Vaniceks and the Gentrys (Simon and Nadia and little Nyah) and the babies rotated throwing fits (thank goodness never all three crying at once). Needless to say with the doorbell ringing and screaming babies it was not a quiet night to say the least but it was still fun!

Formula and Other Things

My baby girl is getting her first exposure to formula today :( I am really sad about it bc I have worked so hard to pump and make sure she had enough but something happened with the traveling and everything last weekend and we came up short a few ounces for this week. I am trying not to stress about it bc she will still be getting predominantly breast milk but I just loved that with the exception of her shots and reflux meds that she was still pure and didnt have anything manufactured with names I can't pronounce put in her. I am not saying that I think formula is bad because I know some babies have to go on it but she is doing so well nursing and I just hate to do this bc no matter what breast milk is best for her and cheapest for us ha! The fact is though, that we are out of milk so I have no choice :( So I am sitting here pumping hoping that I will make enough and this formula supplementation will just be a temporary thing...I am not pumping as much as she eats though and she is starting to act like we starve her again which makes me think we need to up her to a 7 oz. bottle now...

So that is the latest in the Reinberg household...that and football, exhaustion and pining for a few days off (Thanksgiving) to breathe/ not think about disciplining children who aren't my own and teaching them the life lessons their parents should be/spend time with Eleanor, and making it :) I have Monday off (poor Andy has to work) and am going with the Vaniceks to take some pics at the Arboretum and let the girls (Katie and Eleanor) have their first encounter with pumpkins! SO FUN! :)

This post is probably gramatically incorrect due to my laziness and prob. sounds a little negative...sorry! I just wanted to make sure and remember the date on which my wonderful job kept me from being able to feed my daughter...LOVE IT!

On a more positive note...Kelsey AND MEA are coming into town this weekend for both the Baylor/TTU game and the A&M/Ark. game. I am so excited to get to see them both and for our family to hopefully spend some time together Sunday before they have to go home. I am also excited to meet Keekda's roommate - Erica, from Scotland! :) Eleanor is excited to see her aunts but misses Katie as we do as well. We love you Aunt Kitter!