Halloween

After Andy's big day at school -- they had a huge Halloween party including a parade down the street and, according to Andy's version of events, some conversation with the barista at the coffee shop across the street -- I took the kids to work for some trick or treating, and to meet everyone! On the way there, I was prepping Andy for the idea that he was going to where mommy works, so we were talking about jobs.

ANDY: Daddy is a designer.
ME: That's right! What does he design?
ANDY: He designs houses. [ed.: well, HVAC systems, but okay]
ME: Do you know what Mommy does?
ANDY: Are you a designer too?
ME: No, I'm not.
ANDY: Are you a fireman?

Cut to the ride home, when I take up the idea of my job again, now that he's been there and seen my office.

ME: So mommy's a lawyer.
ANDY: Agabee, labbegwaubee!!! [nonsense talk]
ME: Do you know what a lawyer does?
ANDY: No, I don't.
ME: I help people follow rules. People ask me how to follow rules and I tell them.
Andy: And they listen to you?

No kidding.

Sweet pea Sylvia!

My sweet new office furniture. I'm loving it. Can't wait to get in there and put up some pictures, but for now Andy's hand prints will have to do!
Andy was the picture of a well behaved toddler and he sat and drew on a pad of paper in my office while I shot the s**t with some of the folks I've been missing! And cut paper on the floor... And asked every 2 minutes if he could have some candy!

I was hoping he'd go trick or treating, but he said he "already has candy" so we didn't push it. We usually don't get any trick or treaters, but that's partly because we've given up over the years and finally stopped turning on the porch light. Well, this year I decided to renew our commitment to Halloween. Shawn bought tons of candy (risky when you don't know if you'll get any trick or treaters!) and I put out several pumkin candles in the driveway and along the walkway leading to the well-lit front porch. We consider the night a success, with 5 groups of kids for a total of about 15 trick or treaters. And it's early enough that we might still get some teenagers!