Halloweens Past!

I wanted to look back over the last 4 years at Halloween. You can see what I mean when I say he is now old enough to choose his own costume! Lord knows what he will pick next year! Atleast I will have Emmy to torture! ha! At 5 months he was a turtle (I cant find it right now0, then at 1 he was a peacock, at 2 he was a lion, at 3 he was a happy skeleton and at 4 a purple phantom!

Halloween Night!

Well, if you read my blog recently you will know how excited Cole is for Halloween! It was finally here! Let me tell you his costume was a far cry from the peacock when he was 2! Now that he has his own personality and chooses his own costumes, it makes it much different! This year you couldnt even see his precious face! But who cares right? It is what he wanted to be! Although after 6 houses, the mask came off! This was the first year he also said, "Mom, I can go to the door by myself because I am not scared." Off he went, and used his best manners! He had a blast! Got lots of candy, but doesnt eat candy so I guess Emmy will get it! ha! The best was this one house was giving full size candy bars. They had a huge assortment to offer. The lady said, "We have snickers, reeces, hersheys and butterfingers." Cole says, "I will take the butter please." You have to know Cole to know he eats butter out of the tub, and he thought she was getting ready to give him some!

Halloweens Parties Rock!

Cole had been counting down the days until Logans Halloween party! He was so excited, and Isaak, Estella and Tessa joined us this year too! He only kept his mask on for pictures and flung it off and was off to be a "boy". The boys played so well, most of the time as Star Wars characters! We had a great time and Cole slept until 10 Saturday morning which was even better!THanks Svetlana for having us!

Pumpkin Carving Time

Cole gets so excited to get our pumpkins each year, but has yet to EVER help! He has some "sensory issues" about putting his hands in there! So each year he tells us what to carve and just oves sitting and watching. THis year he put his hand on mine so he could help carve the pumpkin. Oneof our pumpkins was hard as a rock and you couldnt even get a knife through it so we only ended up with 2 carved! After we carved pumpkins and baked the seeds, Cole wanted to make sugar cookies with his new cookie halloween press. He enjoyed that a little more I think!

Off To See The Troll

Last weekend my mom came out and we took Cole to the pumpkin patch. He really only likes this pumpkin patch because there is a scary troll that sits at the bridge and makes bubbles in the creek. Then he hands you candy as you cross. It was a cold, drizzly day, but between the last 2 weeks of total rain, we wanted to get out of the house. He had fun climbing on the hay pyramid and going through the corn maze. Last we went to cross the trolls bridge. He still has no idea how the troll makes the water bubble as he crosses, and still jumps each time it does!

Bertino Graveyard

I dont need to remind you of COles love of Halloween, or the excitement right? Well, a month ago, he and Dan decided they wanted to make a cemetary in our yard for Halloween. We had a few things from last year, and bought a few more this year.Well, we have had nothing but rain over the last few weeks, so the poor kid has been dying to see the sun and be able to make the cemetary. Finally on Sunday it was beautiful so he and Cole put the things out! Cole was so excited!He made Dan stand out in the yard at night and watch cars drive by and would say, "dad, do you think they liked it?" COle would even move dan and say, "dad move, people cant see it." When it was daytime, and man was walking his dog and cole said, "Mom, holler at him and tell him to look!" HIs excitement is so amazing and innocent and thats what I love about him most! Out skeletons all light up at night so he loves to just go out and stare!

Proud Wife....Again

Last Sunday St. Louis County had an award ceremony to recognize fire and EMS personell who went above and beyond the call of duty. As most of you know last May Dan and his crew had that horrific call where the Aunt was driving the car and got sidetracked and hit the pole, causing the car to burst into flames. The aunt was able to get herself and her daughter out, but the neice was trapped. Dan and Travis responded, Travis breaking the window and Dan pulling the burning child from the car, trying to administer CPR, resulting in her death.
Dan says every now and again that he never forgets her face, or certain moments of that call. On SUnday Dan and Travis were recognized and given an award for the job they did on that call. Dan was very negative about the whole ceremony for the weeks prior to the ceremony often saying, "Why would I get an award when the child died." I have explained that it was the effort and act of heroism that is being awarded. On Sunday when he, and Travis and chief Emmert, were called to the front, I watched and listened with tears in my eyes as the announcer reread the dispatch of that call and the play by play of Travis and Dan. Cole stood next to me waving and smiling at Dan, as his face changed solemnly the more the announcer spoke. When he came back to his seat he said, "That just brought back some really tough memories."
I will always be proud of Dan, and I am so glad Cole has a role model like him!