And, a tip I heard on the radio- if you carve your pumpkins early like we did, put some vaseline on the carved part to keep it moisturized, and it will still look happy and fresh on Halloween.

Now, all I have left is to finalize the costumes for Halloween day. Eva is going to be an elephant (heehee) and Kaitlyn is going to be Winnie the Pooh.

What are your kids going to be?

American Eagle just launched a clothes line for kids.


I know.


I stopped breathing too.

My shopping life will never again be the same. Check it out.

"Excuse me, Nick. I need to get into my seat." (while Nick was trying to help her in her car seat)

"Mommy, you're preeety. Can I have a snack, please?"

"You're driving me nuts"

"It's 1, 2, 3 o'clock!"

"I need to put on my makeup"

"How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"It's family time!"

"Kaitlyn, you're beautiful"

and my personal favourite...

"Mommy needs a latte!"

Eva had her first official, just-for-fun sleepover at Grandma and Papa's last Friday. She was looking forward to all day long, asking to go over and over again. And, finally, it came time to drop her off, and she kept telling Nich and I to go. I love her independence, although it would be nice to be missed.

The next morning, we all met at the Pumpkin Patch. This is our third year in a row going, it has become a family fall tradition. There's a petting zoo, a hayride, and of course, the picking of the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. Lots of family fun was had by all...

I am kinda to the point where I may never bring my kids to a playground again. Last month, when I was at our neighbourhood park, a girl walked up to Eva and coughed in her face. Sure enough, 48 hours later, Eva was sick....and 24 hours after that, Kaitlyn was sick.

Last week, we went to another park and Eva got sick again...and as she was playing with her sister, she sneezed in her face, and lo and behold, we've had a really (i mean really) sick baby since Saturday night. This is no ordinary cold. We have been resorting to pacing the hallways, rocking and singing (sooo 5 months ago) just to get her to sleep. I know some people have kids that actually sleep when they are sick- we do not. They wake up coughing 15 minutes into their naps (and, yes, we're doing the humidifier trick), they get up all throughout the night, and wake up early.

I am so tired.

And I'm all for kids getting the occasional cold, to build up their immune system, etc etc. But, I am not a fan of sick babies. They are just SO little. I want to put a protective bubble around Kaitlyn, at least until she's 1.

And if anyone has tricks to soothe sore throats for babies, let me know.

Oh, and to end this post on a positive note, at least Nich and I haven't gotten sick yet (we can thank the Zinc (and God!) for that).

Cold and Flu season is upon us, which is something I have dreaded with two young kids. It seems like they get sick quite often, and I find myself fighting off colds almost constantly.

Over the years, I have picked up some tips along the way that have helped during this season. I am in no way an expert, but here are some things I found that help:

As soon as you feel like you're in the beginning stages of getting a cold- act quick.

1) Rest- Take a nap as soon as you feel the cold coming on

2) Zinc & Garlic - Right before you take that nap, pop a Zinc tablet. And keep popping them throughout the next few days. (Even if you end up catching the cold, research has shown that Zinc will cut the duration of your cold in half) I have found the combo of rest and zinc to end the cold almost every single time. Also, grab some garlic capsules next time you're at the store. These also are proven to help boost your immune system.

3) Vitamins- Make sure you're taking your multi-vitamin every day. And don't forget about your kidlets! A Flintsone a day keeps the Doctor away (yes, I am that cheesey).

4) Hydrogen Peroxide- If your cold symptoms are still in the early stages, and don't go away after your rest, try the Hydrogen Peroxide trick. Tilt your head to one side, and pour a bit of hydrogen peroxide in your ear. Keep it in there for 5 minutes (or until the bubbling stops), drain, and repeat on the othe side. Why does this work? Because the virus that causes colds often enters through the ear canals, and the hydrogen peroxide kills the virus before it enters the body.

5) Gargle- If the onset of cold symptoms include a tickle in your throat, gargle some saltwater. It kills cold germs and provides sore throat relief. Also, during your nightly teeth-brushing routine, gargle some minty-fresh Listerine. It kills those cold germs in your throat, before they have a chance to fight.

And, that's all for now. I'm off to crush half of a Zinc tablet into Eva's yoghurt...

Happy cold-fighting!

- It appears Kaitlyn is very anti-computer. I can barely write an email, check blogs, or write my own blog without her protesting. I'm not sure why. She lets me do most other things: clean, make meals, talk on the phone, etc. She'll contentedly jump in her jumperoo, play with some toys, or chill in her bumbo. But, as soon as I sit down at the computer, no more happy baby.

- I went to the mall last night by myself, to shop for clothes for myself (a rare treat). And I found myself longingly looking at the maternity clothes store as I passed. Not because I want to be pregnant again- but because it seemed so much easier to just have one store you had to shop at. I haven't gotten Canadian shopping down yet- I'm still unsure which stores are what, and it's all a little overwhelming. Finally, I found a familiar Esprit store, and fell in love with everything there. And they were having a sale. I spent about an hour trying on the whole store, and came out with some awesome pieces.

- After I finished in the washoom this morning, with my usual audience in tow, Eva patted me on the back and said "YAY Mommy, you did it! You went potty! Good job, Mommy!"

-We're getting family photos done next week!

- Yesterday, Kaitlyn had a very grumpy day. And, by the time Nich came home, I was so done. He encouraged me to take the evening off, and so, as I headed out the door I warned him that she had been a monster all day, and good luck, and you'll probably be calling me in an hour begging me to come home.
When I arrived home a few hours later, I was greeted by smiling faces and a baby making googley eyes at her Daddy. He reported that they had both been angels, and on top of that- he had cleaned the house. Glad it went so well, but seriously... not fair.

..and delicious apple pies, and just enjoyed each other. It was perfect.

Next weekend, we are having a "no-screens weekend". No computer, no t.v. It's Canadian Thanksgiving, so that should be pretty easy. Lots of built-in family time already.

And here's a pic of two sisters that are starting to have an awful lot of fun with each other.

Kaitlyn is so much more involved and responsive these days. So, Eva is having a hay day playing with her and teasing her. It's so fun to watch.

I love baby milestones, and Kaitlyn reached another small one last night- her first time splashing in the bath. It's funny as soon as they learn a new thing, they do it over and over. By the end of the bath, I was pretty soaked.

Check this out. So much fun.