We had a busy and fun Halloween weekend! Saturday morning we and 2 neighborhood boys that we were watching, Darius and Jacob, went to North Davidson High School for a Halloween Carnival. Maddox was a little overwhelmed but quickly figured out that if she would do the activities handed to her she'd get candy in her Elmo (pronounced "Melmo") basket. The games were a lot of golf, throwing bean bags in things, rings onto things, etc. She didn't throw anything, but just walked right up and put the items where they were to go. Whatever, she got what she wanted and was being involved instead of too shy to do anything.
She got a balloon at the coloring table that she would NOT let me hold for her.
Putting rings on the pumpkin:
She did a cake walk type thing and you won a cookie when they called your number. Luckily she won after about 3 turns. I think she was losing interest in walking around in a circle to music.
That evening a few neighbors got together at Jenn's house with her family for chili. Here's the kids in their costume, read to hit the streets.
Little Red Riding Hood and Super Dog. Gammy did a great job of making Maddox's costume and everyone was so impressed that she made it! Darius said, "She actually made that? All of it? Like, knitted it or something?" Yes, some people do still sew. She's hired at least until all my kids grow up. She provided Jessi's costume too, but she bought it.
Maddox loves her Jessi.
I had to dress up because I had a concert to sing at after trick-or-treating. Maddox and Jeremy came and she sat through the whole thing pretty well. The three of us walked the cul-de-sac while Jeremy stayed home with to greet the kids. I thought Maddox would be very shy and not do anything without me but after a couple of houses she figured things out. At one house she even said "tick uh teet" and "tankoo", but only one. Well, one house and at our house when she saw Daddy through the door. But I started staying in the driveway and letting her walk up to the door by herself. She would just stand there while they put candy in and then keep standing there expecting more, something else to happen?? I don't know. So I'd call for her and she'd turn around and come back. She carried her "Melmo" basket the whole time which got heavy and walked the whole time too. I went back to the house and let Jeremy take her out to a few more houses in the other direction so he could see how cute and independent she was.
When Maddox was done she had to organize and check out her loot.
On Sunday we went to Andrea's office (dentist and my employer) to her candy buy back. We chose half of Maddox's candy to take which still left her with an Elmo full. Maddox got $1 for her 1 lb. of candy. She and Daddy got to sit in a race car (Clint Davis maybe?) that Andrea is one of the sponsors of.
She didn't really like talking to the puppets or clowns or mascots.
Maddox has definitely figured out what's IN those candy wrappers. I had to put the basket up because she'll just start knawing on the wrappers until they open and she can eat the candy. I just took a shower and left her in front of some cartoon. When I got done I realized I had left a few pieces of chocolate on the desk near her. I went to check on her and she had knawed open a Hershey's bar and eaten some of it and started on a Whopper package.
On an unrelated note, she has completely given up her pacie. Well, given up may not be the right term. I decided last weekend was a good time to start with the naps (the only time she has it now anyway). There's been a few days of crying and some very short lived naps but she seems much better at it now. It worked out well that I chose a week that she's had a terrible cough and cold anyway so she can't breath through her nose. Can't keep that pacie in her mouth anyway! And, due to the illness, naps have been more needed and easier. I was sad about it the first couple of days and almost gave it back to her. Not because I didn't want her to cry, but because I was giving up the last truly baby habit she has. She's my little toddler now, not my little baby.
While I do this she's watching Aristocats on Disney and loving it. What better combination could there be? Cats singing!
This morning we went and had breakfast with Santa at a nearby church. She was not at all interested in seeing Santa and reluctant to sit on his lap. I knew she'd never cry though, as that would draw more attention to her than she'd ever want. She just sat on his lap holding very still and staring off into space. She's probably thinking "if I don't move too much or make a peep maybe this won't last long". As you can see, she wouldn't even relax her arms--she might accidentally touch this strange man!
Maddox was a lot more comfortable with Elmo. She had no problem going up to him and sitting down on his sled.
When we got back home we made puppy chow. She stood up on the step stool to help and loved it. She's not much help at all, but she liked to think she was. Of course, she got to lick the spatula after we were done . . . with Mommy's help . . .
Out in the corner of Memo's back yard the big kids built a fort. That was also Jessi's favorite place to poop so we had a few dirty shoes. Pretty creative fort though!
Last week we had our annual Naked Pumpkin Carving Day. We wait for a 70+ degree day and strip her down. She was reluctant to reach in there and grab all that gunk, but she did it eventually. 
It didn't really matter what she wanted, we threw it on her anyway. She got all gunky. She didn't like the mess and kept trying to clean up all the seeds and put them on the newspaper.
I still forgot to take a picture of the pumpkin. It said BOO and had a bat on it. But now it's all shriveled so you just won't get a picture this year.