Delta Halloween Party

Friday afternoon Reid and I visited dad's office for the Delta Halloween Party.  Delta was founded {15 years ago} on Halloween, so everyone goes all out to celebrate this day.  

Each of the departments decorates their floor/area, and the result is a Halloween treat for the kiddos and parents alike.

Our little spider certainly enjoyed himself!  

Spider meet spider

He found a ninja turtle friend

Fun in the balloon room!

Reid's 1st Haunted House {mommy made sure there were no surprises in store}

1st {indoor} hayride

1st ever turn at trick-or-treating

He got the hang of picking up the candy and putting it in his bucket very quickly!

You would have had to see this to believe it, but Reid LOVED Elmo!  He couldn't stop pointing at him, smiling at him, talking to him....

....he even kept wanting to get close and give him hugs.  So cute!

Football!

Look at that spider's form!

Apple...Among Others

In addition to "Halley" (Ha-ee), Reid's added a few more two-syllable words to his vocabulary. You may have to be his mom or dad to really understand them, but it's a start!
He says "football," "apple" and even one three-syllable word "banana" which he actually pronounces in two syllables as "nana." 
It's important to note that when he says "football" he looks up at the TV.  :)

First Church Fall Fest

Next Halloween celebration:  Fall Fest at First United Methodist Church
First Church's Fall Fest was this past Sunday afternoon.  
You can imagine our excitement when we discovered there was a toddler-sized bounce house {similar to Oktoberfest but even bigger this time!}.  It was, far and away, Reid's favorite part of the Fall Fest.  He kept wanting to go back for more.
Luckily, we got there early enough that he was able to test the waters before there were too many kiddos in the bounce house.

 Our little Charlotte's Web duo {with a little gender role reversal}

 Notice the little purple spider at the back of the bounce house?  He even took a few spills here and there but just kept getting right back up.

 Think these two are related?

Lake Highlands Halloween Carnival

Note To All New/First Time Parents:

Once you have children, Halloween is no longer a one day holiday.  There are so many groups/friends/schools who want to throw a party, and they all know they have to spread the wealth when it comes to the date they choose.  Not everyone can have the almighty 31st of October.  

And so yesterday began our two week Halloween celebration.  

I'm a member of the Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA (basically a pre elementary school PTA for parents of the under 5 variety).  The LHAECPTA put on a fun little Halloween carnival at one of the local elementary schools in our neighborhood.  

It was  a great opportunity to preview this year's Halloween costume (aka. make sure the boy was going to be okay wearing it).  Lucky for us, our little spider loved his costume.  When we tried it on him the night before, he just kept looking down at it and laughing.  

Making our way to the carnival

First up - Reid found a female spider friend

 Forget all the games, prizes & food, they were perfectly content playing with beads

 

 Ghost bowling with dad

Balloon fun with Aunt Amy & Uncle Travis 

 

The Andersen Men

 In the blink of an eye, these two will be walking the halls of Reid's elementary school (sans spider costume) heading to his 1st day of Kindergarten (sniff, sniff).

Fun with grandma!

Mmmm, sugar cookie!

 The only reason I'm including this photo is because I thought it appropriate to document the FIRST TIME EVER that Reid actually asked to get in his stroller (after we'd been there for an hour and a half).  The carnival wore him out!

I Love You Beary Much!

Morning hugs for his bears

 

Happy 16 Months!

The Reid Report:

• Tomatoes and blueberries are still at the top of my food list, but I've added a couple of new favorite fruits - pineapple and especially raspberries.  I kick my legs in my highchair and get very excited when I see mom pull out the container of raspberries!
• I'm using a plate now, and most of the time I leave it right side up on my highchair tray.
• I've also started "using" a fork.  This one is a work in progress, but mom and dad think it's interesting to note that I typically hold the fork with my left hand and pick my food up with my right hand {they're so easily entertained nowadays}.
• I still love every chance I can get to ride on my Little Trike, and of course, I just love being outside in general.
• Playing with my train table is definitely my favorite pastime right now, but it's a little messy for mom and dad because I also love to throw anything and everything.
• I still enjoy reading.  If mom is sitting on the floor, I'll grab a book and plop down on her lap so she can read it to me.  Mom thinks this is why my teachers say that I like to "sit" on the other kids at school.  I say - at least I'm not biting them!  :)
• Speaking of biting, I've been bitten at school three (3) times now, but I don't even cry.  One time, I sat on one of my friends (all out of love of course), so s/he bit me on my upper back.  I just let out a little scream and got up and walked away.
• All of a sudden, I like to carry around my lovies (and not just sleep with them).  This may be the bain of dad's existence right now.  I heard mom remind him that "it's just a phase."  Whatever that means!
• On a not-so-happy note, I've discovered a handy little technique which I call "communication" but mom and dad call "tantrums."  All I know is it gets their attention!  I think mom included a photo for show and tell below.
• Just a couple of days ago, I decided it was time to increase my talking {aka. babbling}, and once I started, I can't be stopped!  I've mastered my very own Reid Language!
• On that note, I added a sound to my animal noises repertoire - I know what a cow, dog & fish say.
• My new favorite word - "Uh-oh."  Mom and dad think this is so cute {remember I told you they were easily entertained?).
• And as you can see in one of the pictures below, my favorite hand gesture and game is "Where'd it go??"
• Mom and dad are happy to announce that {when I'm in the right mood}, I can take direction fairly well (i.e. "Reid, please take this paper towel to your dad.").  I actually do it!
• I'm quite strong, and I love to help daddy with the big jobs around the house - like moving/installing a new dryer for mom.  :)

My little Titleist

 You can find the boy walking around like this often nowadays

 Taking a break (lasted approximately 3 seconds).  This one wasn't a tantrum.

 Looking for daddy downstairs

 Helping dad install the new dryer

 But something went awry....

 Hudson gets SO upset anytime Reid is upset

 "Where'd it go???"

 Eating off his plate like a big boy (notice the tomatoes are already history)

 Fork!