Things are fabulous here. I pulled a muscle in my lower stomach - probably carting Katie around, she's a load of bricks! So I'm walking like a little old lady (or a 7 month pregnant one) I'll be having my sonogram on the 22. (At 21 weeks pregnant now, and huge already. Only look like 7 mos at the 4 mos mark. What is new.) I was having some pains in places that scared me so when I was at the doctor's last I asked about it. He did some minor checking then basically informed me that 'This sort of things happens when you have 3 children in 4 years." So that was amusing, and also nice to know that everything was OK.

Our Halloween was simply fabulous! JD was supposed to be a clown, but he wanted to the pumpkin again. So he had on green pants and a green turtle neck and this fabulous home make pumpkin costume, complete with leaves. The hat was also home made with leaves and even a stem! He looked awesome. So, at the last minute I put Katie in the clown costume (which was too small for JD anyway - also hand made with fabulous green pom poms) and she even wore the red poka-dot ruffle. So they were an adorable pair. And I had on my costume - the evil step mom from Snow White! What a group we were! Anyway, on Friday our local mall (220 stores!) gives out candy so we took the munchkins to the mall. I never dreamed that Katie would have a clue what to do -- but she is one observant cookie! She quickly figured out that JD was getting candy while she, strapped in the stroller, was not. So she flipped out and demanded to walk with JD. Ohmygod it was SO PRECIOUS! Here is little Katie with her cloth pumpkin bag trailing behind her marching from store to store. If a store had 2 people handing out candy, then she stopped at each one, held out her bag (as much as possible since it was longer than her arm and sitting on the floor) and looked expectantly at them until she received candy. Sometimes if a total stranger looked promising she would stop in front of them too. She was totally into it and indescribably cute. We had a fabulous time, and JD eventually agreed to say trick or treat louder than a whisper.

On actual Halloween night we went to all of 9 houses, which took an hour, and at each one the people would aww of the two kids -- can I just tell you how 'with it' I looked with both of them in home made costumes! (And me in mine) Of course, no one asked if I made them so either they already know I can't sew a button, or just assumed I am super mom. But that was great fun and then we headed back to our house and blew bubbles on the front porch and ate candy and basically got both kids totally riled up. We have this huge ton of candy for the kids, and Katie already pitches a fit every time JD has a lollypop and she doesn't. What a charming child.

Both JD and Katie are now in swim classes on Saturday mornings. Usually we go to a toddler swim on Friday mornings, but JD really wasn't learning to swim and I never got to go with Katie into the deep water. On the way to swim class I am trying to explain to JD that he is going to play with other kids, probably in the deep water. Unfortunately, JD is well equipped with the bullshit sonar and almost immediately figured out that he was going to be in place A while I was in place B with Katie. "NO! I stay in the baby pool with you." Then we get to swim class and he won't get out of the car. Simply killing him is not an option because my Aunt JoAnn is right there and I don't want to shatter any illusions (if any) she has about my parenting skills. So we finally get him to the actual pool where he is gripping my hand in case I try to escape without him. Luckily the teacher is Ms. Ellie, and JD has only seen her every Friday for the last 2 years, so they knew each other. Both JD's class and Katie's class start off in the baby pool, so JD could on occasion come over to give me a hug and sit on my lap. Eventually I got to move to one section of the deep end with Kate and JD went with the other kids to a different part of the deep end.

I had a great time with Katie doing things like supporting her while she kicked like mad, froggie style, to get a ball, or playing ring around the rosy and throwing her up in the air. IT was nice to have to pay attention to just her.

The real joy of the story is JD's sense of accomplishment when his class was done. Katie's class is about 30 minutes till her lips turn blue, while JD's is close to 45. So I was sitting on the side bench watching him as he did his final things - floating on his back and jumping into the water and getting his face wet. When he was done he had this enormous smile on his face - "I did it mommy! I was scared and I did it all by myself." Oh what joy! I had given Katie to JoAnn so I was able to sit on the side with JD wrapped in a towel on my lap and really savor the moment. Can't wait till next Saturday.

Fridays we are going to start attending pre-school Piccasso's, which will be JD gets to play with paint, glue and glitter and make a mess at the rec. center and not my Kitchen.

Finally, John and I have just bought the coolest vehicle in the universe. It's a Grand Caravan Prime Time - deep green with wonderful mottled green interior. Basically they take a grand caravan (which is one of the biggest minivans around) cut the top off and then put on a conversion van top. So it's got the TV, the VCR, two CD players, 4 headphone hook ups, Nintendo hookup, extra head room, mood lighting - all that stuff that makes your living room the coolest place in the house. It was one of several 99 floor models they were trying to unload, so it is totally loaded and a really really cool car. So cool in fact that even though it is 'my' car, I have driven it once. John is willing to take the kids to daycare AND pick them up so he can play in the car. (We'll see how long that lasts)