Katharine Lange: L&A Years 4&2 Week 19: Super Hero Halloween

Leia had a really good and independent week! Obviously due to all my great work with Mommy/Leia Time! She was very independent at her make-up gymnastics class at the big gym, which never happens. I had to meet PopPop and the girls there, and actually waited and watched from outside the gym play area while PopPop played with Arwyn until I got there. This was surely very hard for her not to be able to go in a play on all the fun stuff, so I was very pleased. Then we had some quality Mommy Time in the gym observing room, so when it was finally her turn to go to her class, she felt relaxed, happy, and confident to go out to class and fully participate without me and without being shy and clingy. So awesome! On the down side, she did give some attitude to PopPop by the end of the trip. Both girls went from not wanting Mommy Time to being so clingy and insisting that I do everything instead of PopPop. Classic "end of Mommy work week" behavior I guess. Leia went for a really long walk with Nana, MorMor, and Cooper this weekend, which was also a big step. Usually she'd complain she was tired and try to get us to carry her, but I assume she walked the whole way herself since I know that no one there could have even carried her if they tried! We went to the ski shop to rent boots for the season, and Leia saw a bracelet that she really wanted to have. I told her she had to buy it herself, for a whopping $33! I had to count up to 33 with her to make her understand how much that really was, and then we had to go home to find all her money right away. She was very disappointed to discover that 33 coins was not $33, and totally distraught and crying her eyes out when she learned she only had $4.35! She was running all around desperate to figure out how to earn money (or just find it around the house) for days. Maybe this will be a good excuse to start having her help around the house more to earn an allowance. Leia was so excited for Halloween, but then when we showed up at school for the Trick-or-Treat parade around the hospital, she was so clingy and wouldn't let go of my hand for a second. It may have had a little something to do with regression and jealousy of Arwyn, who was doing the exact same thing.

Arwyn is continuing with her mellow morning snoozing habits, only this week instead of calling for me when she was ready, she burst into song. All of a sudden a hear her little voice singing a "Mom, come get me out" song that she had made up on the fly. Definitely taking after Dad and Leia with that one! As I mentioned above, Arwyn insisted on holding my hand the whole time at Trick-or-Treating, and came yelling and storming after me every time I tried to escape to take pictures: "No pictures Mommy!" But after it was done, she was so happy to have a bucket full of candy and was eating like a fiend. She had no interest in putting her costume back on for the second round of Trick-or-Treating that night, but we finally convinced her. She did love carving pumpkins though. In fact both girls stayed interested in the project way longer than I imagined. Leia and Arwyn are starting to play so well together in the evenings, which really frees up my time to help cook and clean the kitchen! However, they get so buddy buddy from all that playing that they then start to team up and rebel against us together! Leia will say her opinion about something with a "we," and then a "right Arwyn?" And then all of a sudden Arwyn has to agree, even if she didn't before. It's especially annoying with food because Arwyn is actually a much more adventurous with trying new foods, whereas Leia turns her nose at first sight. Now that Leia is recruiting Arwyn to her team, Arwyn is following suit.

PopPop got to accompany Arwyn at her makeup gymnastics class at the big gym.

Going on the high balance beam!

She's so strong and can hold herself up quite a long time!

Leia has great balance.

As well as great form and coordination!

Stepping over pumpkins on the balance beam.

Post-gymnastics milkshake treat.

I have almost the exact same picture at the same place of Leia with the same face...one of their first two year old milkshake experiences!

Guess you need to be taller to navigate that long straw!

Nap time stories.

They love hot tub time with Daddy!

These two have been so good at playing "house" together these days..."Mommy" Leia reading to "daughter" Arwyn.

It's off to "work" and "school" for these two.

Leia's very successful rendition of a Halloween Spider!

Arwyn was not too happy about going so high on this wobbly see-saw!

Loving this warm Indian Summer weather for our creekside picnics!

They just love to cooperate for my pictures these days!

The little red shoes used to be mine, and now I've documented both Leia and Arwyn wearing them as well.

Fun dress-up day in the dress from Uncle Cody's days in China.

Oh, so fancy!

Leia was a little jealous of Arwyn's outfit, but she made up for it with plenty of other fancy accessories!

Are these two the cutest or what?

All dressed up with nowhere to go.

Happy girl.

Seriously, she makes some of the most amazing faces!

They decided that they should indeed find somewhere to go, and what place better than Nana and Poppy's!

They sure know how to accessorize with those boas!

Mowing the lawn in a party dress?

Silly billy!

More picnics, this time they got "fancy."

She's definitely developing some sass!

Good thing that dress has some high slits!

Show us those guns!

The costumes never end around here. And Arwyn is so good about letting Leia dress her up.

And they're off! The official day is finally here!

Trick-or-treating at the hospital with all their classmates.

Arwyn, Leia, and her friend Kaylin (aka. Princess Poppy).

Lots of great costumes again this year. It was a great parade.

Arwyn charging after me, pissed that I let go of her hand to take pictures!

Lots of good treats over at the Business Offices.

Wonder Woman is running to save the day!

There's that big smile I love!

Fun non-candy treats from the Surgery Dept.

The Dynamic Duo, keeping people safe from hospital evils!

Fun visit to my friends in the Radiology Dept.

Hanging out on the "Big Rock" checking out all their booty!

She makes a great Wonder Woman.

"Uh oh, looks like trouble over there!"

Super Girl to the rescue!

She just loves to scrunch her eyes when I'm trying to take a picture!

It's a face-off! Wonder Woman vs. Super Girl!

Just too darn cute!

And she takes to the sky!

Why does candy make kids so happy?

My girls.

Close inspections of the loot.

Time to carve some pumpkins!

Be afraid little pumpkin, very afraid!

Creative minds hard at work.

Arwyn really liked decorating the pumpkin and stayed interested way longer than I thought possible!

One of my best pumpkin carving jobs ever, I'd say!

Josh's Witchy Cat creation.

Looking good on our front porch!

Password = Leia

Leia's Halloween Songs 10.31.17 from Katharine Transue on Vimeo.
A little shy at first, but Leia is definitely a performer at heart. Fun little Halloween performance before we headed out to Trick-or-Treat!