Halloween Fun

It seems like we celebrated Halloween and related festivities for about a week or so. It started with our trip to the pumpkin patch, which has become one of my favorite family traditions. We visit the same patch each year and it has been fun to watch Margie Grace experience it in different ways from year to year. This year she spent a lot of time searching for "my very own special pumpkin." She could not be talked into anything. She definitely wanted to pick one for herself and she did a great job! A few nights before Halloween, she and Neil carved it. He let her pick out the design and she actually got to be a little more hands-on with it this year instead of just watching. I thought she would be grossed out by the pumpkin "innards" but she loved putting her hand inside and pulling out the pulp.

Then, last Saturday, Neil and I got to take our turn at dressing up at our friends the Dixons' annual Halloween party. I always enjoy seeing what other couples come up with for costumes and how creative everyone is! Luckily, we were able to borrow both of our costumes from my brother John and we wound up winning the prize for "Best Costume!" I went as a Saguaro cactus (aka a green sweatsuit with pieces of weedeater line hot glued to it) and Neil went as a Mexican Senor. I can't take credit for the cactus idea. John came up with it in high school for a Homecoming week theme day and I think it is just genius!!

Margie Grace got her turn to dress up for her preschool class party on Thursday. She wore her Little Mermaid costume to school and looked so cute! I came for her party and she had a great time celebrating with her friends. Then, that night (for some reason the city of Auburn decided that everyone should trick-or-treat on Thursday, Oct. 29 -- I guess high school and college football truly rule around here) we headed over to the Auburn campus for more Halloween celebrations. All the student organizations on campus set up little booths with games and prizes, which MG really enjoyed. Then all the dorms are open for trick or treating. We had fun walking throughout the quad to the different dorms. MG got a lot of sweet compliments on her outfit from all the college students. And she LOVED going around and collecting all that candy. After trick or treating on campus, we made some special stops in town to visit with family and friends before heading home to bed! When we finally got in, Margie Grace dumped out her pumpkin and began to survey her loot. She was really impressed with her take and began to categorize the candy and count it (which impressed me!). ("Look, Mom, I have three of these and two of these.") We've been rationing out the sweets ever since and I'm sure if you ask her, MG will tell you Halloween is her favorite holiday!

I've taken tons of pictures over the last week or so. To see more, visit here.

Spirit Day

Sweet friends: Lily and Margie Grace

Aubie, Mrs. Kim (Margie Grace's teacher) and MG

Getting ready for "Two Bits"
I'm proud to say she knows the whole cheer and all the words to "War Eagle" -- this girl is being raised right :)

Posing with the cheerleaders

Last week Margie Grace's school celebrated Spirit Day. Everyone wore their favorite team colors (orange and blue, of course!) and they ended the day with a pep rally and visit from the Auburn University cheerleaders, Tiger Paws dance team and Aubie! After the pep rally, each class got to go up and have their picture made with the whole AU group. The day before, we were talking to MG about seeing the cheerleaders and Aubie at her school and she asked if she could give them all a big hug. When it came time to walk the walk, though, she was a little more cautious. She did hug the cheerleaders but she decided in the end only to give Aubie a little pat on the head! She had a great time cheering, dancing around and yelling "War Eagle!" (and admiring Aubie from afar!)

**For my sewing buddies -- I made MG's outfit by altering Martha Pullen's A-line jumper pattern and making the pants from this Jackie Clark pattern (so simple and cute!). I found that adorable cheerleader embroidery design for free here. The material is from my stash but originally came from Hancock's (I knew two yards of orange and white pin stripe would come in handy one day!). Gotta love it when a super cute outfit comes together so easily :)

Fit for a Fairy Princess

Margie Grace blowing out her candles

She couldn't wait for her friends to sing "Happy Birthday!"

Friends jumping in the bounce house

Margie Grace and her friend Lily "flying around" as fairy princesses!

Margie Grace decorating her crown

On the occassion of her third birthday, Margie Grace celebrated in style with a fairy princess party. This is the first year that we've had a party where we've invited friends -- we usually just celebrate with family -- and I think everyone had a great time! All the girls got fairy wings and wands (gotta love the dollar tree!) upon arrival and then decorated pink foam crowns to complete their fairy princess outfits. After briefly "flying around" on the deck, they were ready to hit the purple castle bounce house set up in the backyard. Margie Grace's dad and Poppy built her a new swingset for her birthday so she was excited to also share this with her friends. We capped everything off with a purple castle cake to match the purple castle bouncer. She is still talking about her birthday party so I know she had a lot of fun!

**Special thanks to Aunt Laura for driving all the way from Tennessee to help Margie Grace celebrate and for bringing MG her very own specially adorned blue birthday-girl fairy wings!! They were a BIG hit!

She's 3!

October 6 is -- and always will be -- a special day at our house! It is Margie Grace's birthday. It seems like it was literally yesterday that I was writing this post and taking these pictures. Another year has passed and she has changed so much! For the sake of documenting, here's what she's into these days. Her favorite color is blue and she always chooses anything based on its color (and always the blue one!). Her favorite movie of the moment is Peter Pan but this is subject to change (weekly, daily, even hourly). She loves to say that things are "awesome" and "delicious!" She is a voracious reader and loves books. We read several at naptime and bedtime each night. She also loves it when you tell her a story and she is always requesting a story-telling session. She can get herself dressed totally by herself (although some garments need assistance like those pesky bouses that button in the back). She loves taking a bath, playing dress up and caring for her many baby dolls. She is quite the little mother! And she is very fond of the Disney princesses, specifically Cinderella and Ariel, the Little Mermaid. Since she has started school in August, I have noticed how many people (both at preschool and church) tell me what a sweet child she is. I think this is perhaps the best thing to hear as a parent -- especially when you hear that 2 and 3 can be such challenging ages behavior-wise. I love that she is kind and sweet to others. (She loves to give hugs too and gives the world's best!) She is a very gentle and loving child who is sympathetic toward other people and I hope these are qualities she carries with her all the way into adulthood. She does have her moments -- nobody is perfect, even in the blogosphere :) -- but for the most part, she always has a sunny disposition and a very optimistic outlook on life.

Back to her birthday -- I can't believe she's already 3! A couple of nights ago Neil said "Can you believe we have a kid?!?" To which I answered, "Where have you been for the past three years?!?" But I know what he was meaning. Time is fleeting and she is already growing up so fast before our eyes! I don't think I'm going to tell him that she asked me just the other day if she could get married when she grows up. I told her to ask her daddy :) I remember being very pregnant (and in hindsight only a few days away from delivering MG) when I heard this song on the radio. Knowing I was about to have a little girl, it was particularly meaningful to me. Every time I hear it now, I always think of Margie Grace because I think it fits her perfectly. She is lovely, she's heaven-sent and everyday I know she is a blessing from God. Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

First Haircut

Before the trim

Cutting off the curls

The final result

Margie Grace and Ms. April

Last month Margie Grace got to experience another first in her short, young life: she got her first haircut! I have been debating about getting it cut for a while but just couldn't bring myself to trim off those bouncy baby curls at the end of her long, auburn mane. But over the summer I had noticed that as her hair was getting longer, the curls were getting more and more straggly. I knew I was taking a chance that once they were cut off, the curls might not come back but I finally decided, after fighting with one to many tangles, that it was time for a trim. I took Margie Grace to see April, who cuts my hair. April has a little boy who is a few months younger than Margie Grace so I knew she would be super sweet with my little one and understanding should fears arise. I happened to have my hair cut the week before her appointment so I brought MG with me to the salon to check out the process. She was a bit apprehensive but by the time her appointment rolled around, she was really excited. She did great in the chair as "Ms. April" trimmed her hair and gave her a good, professional shaping up. I think the result is a super cute cut that fits a super cute little girl :) Margie Grace did so well at the salon and ever since our visit has enjoyed playing "beauty shop" at home!

Kicking off the season

"Waaaaarrrrrr Eagle, Hey!"

We got new seats this year . . . definitely higher than last year!

Enjoying a treat

Our little cheeleader

It is hard to believe that it is that time of year again . . . another Auburn football season is official upon us! The Wilder family ventured out Saturday night to watch the Tigers take on Louisiana Tech. Hooray for a victory!! Neil and I decided to take Margie Grace to the game with us and she did much better than we expected. However, she breezed through the bag of goodies and distractions/toys I brought by half time. And, frankly, by that time Neil and I had also had enough of sitting in the heat and trying to entertain a 2-year-old. So, we packed it up and headed for the house, listening to the rest of the game on the radio. Margie Grace seemed to really enjoy herself. We watched the Spirit the eagle fly, cheered with the cheerleaders, danced to the band, sang War Eagle several times, enjoyed a frozen lemonade and beaned the lady in front of us in the back of the head with a shaker exactly three times. All in all a great start to the season!

Jesus Loves Me!

Margie Grace gave me an impromtu concert Friday afternoon and after some persuading, I got her to sing again so that I could capture it on camera. She agreed and did a great job! Too bad her mom had the camera turned the wrong way and the video is sideways. It is probably for the best, though, because as you'll see, with her twisting dance moves and arm motions, watching this full on might induce nausea! I tried my best to get her to do it again with the camera pointed the right way but if there's one thing as certain as death and taxes, it is that 2-year-olds are fickle! She consented to sing again but only while rolling around on the floor. Sadly, this sideways version is the best I've got! We sing this song at our house (and in the car!) a lot but I haven't taught her any hand motions so when I questioned her about where she learned it, she proudly told me "at church." I am so thankful for the individuals who volunteer their time each Sunday morning to be with a room full of toddlers! Margie Grace just got new Sunday School teachers in August and they have already made a positive impression on my little one. So, without further ado, I give you "Jesus Loves Me" as sung by Margie Grace Wilder. **A side note for all my sewing friends: I made MG's top this summer from this pattern. It is so cute, easy to sew and doesn't take much fabric! (Also makes a super-cute dress!)