Grunt 'n' Squeak

Benjagnome and Graysognome

Happy Halloween! 

Here they are, pictures of the little whipper snappers prepared for a full night of knocking on doors, begging for candy, and performing little acts of devilish mayhem.  You can see the gleam of mischief in their wee little gnome eyes.

There's a photo album on the right there with more gnome-y goodness.  Enjoy!  (Oh, and if you are wondering where the previously mentioned plunger comes into play, it was integral in felting of the fuzzy knitted gnome footwear.)

Autumn

So Halloween is around the bend, and we've been crafting like mad to make Ben and Grayson into the perfect incarnates of our mad mad mama costume ideas.  We got the idea for their costumes shortly after we thought up last years cute little get-ups, and all I can say is that I can't even post pictures right now because I don't want to ruin the grand unveiling.  It's gonna be good though.   The knitting needles have been chugging along since September, and we have more or less put the final touches on everything today.  Other tools for the trade included the sewing maching (dusted half-heartedly after a couple years of storage...I was amazed I could still thread the thing right), regular needles, the rotary cutter, hot glue and accompanying gun, poster board, metalic thread, and a new untainted plunger from the hardware store.  I only hope that the boys will pose for a picture worthy of our efforts.  I'm not placing bets there, but they've surprised me before.  We're already scheming our plan of attack for trick-or-treating that will hit all the friends we feel need to see the costumes in person.

In other news, we took the boys to the park today for a play date with the Moms of Twins club.  We had a great time, and so did they.  They are really getting around all over the place on their own, and had a fun time interacting with other children.  They got their asses kicked in the walking department by a little boy just one day older than them, and I tried to point out the freedom they could enjoy if they'd just get off their hands and knees to explore some, but they were too busy eating dirt and climbing the slides to bother mending their under-achieving ways.

Oh yeah, and they learned to eat apples this morning.  

I can't believe my little monkey boys are over a year old.  Nearing 13 months, and I don't know where the last year went!  Amy and I still go into their room every night before we go to bed to check on them.  And every night we leave their room and look at each other and smile while we say in disbelief "We have babies.  TWO of them!"  We are still waiting impatiently for first words and first steps, but otherwise the boys are doing well, and developing normally.

Grayson thinks his doggies are very funny, even when they are only sleeping (which is what they are usually doing).  The dogs are very patient with him while he climbs all over them for entertainment.  Besides his dogs, he is mostly in love with his mama Amy and when she comes home from work she's hard-pressed to pry him off of her, though I think she not-so-secretly loves that she's his favorite right now.  He also takes great pleasure in making his brother giggle and laugh, which he usually does by pinning him down and pouncing on him.

Ben loves to laugh, at his mamas, at his dogs, at his brother, at most anything.  I always know when the boys wake up from their naps because I can hear Ben squeal with delight while playing peek-a-boo through the crib bars with Grayson.  He's such a happy kid, and I can't help but smile when he comes crawling towards me. 

A year after their safe arrival, and we are still greatful, still sleep deprived (though not nearly as much as this time last year), and still feeling blessed.  Wow, how life has changed.