October - Happy Halloween - times 2?

Again - if just joining - lots of posts today that I back dated - hope you have time to catch up! So this month started off with John and I attending a wedding in Nashville for some friends here in OH. The wedding was beautiful and we had a great time out on 2nd street. John had never been there so it was great to get away for a weekend and enjoy time together while Laura and a few others split time with Drew. While it was great, I was unable to have some drinks because we found out we are expecting again :). The doctors told me my body would take a bit of time to get pregnant again.....not so much.... :) Needless to say, we are expecting around the middle of May. Drew and the little one will be 23 months apart - we are really excited and pictures coming over the next few months - the 6 wk picture is not even really readable so I will spare you.

Mom came in town for a weekend so we could go to the IA vs. Michigan game up in Ann Arbor. What a good time - we drove up to Finley OH to stay with the Haiglers and then got up at 6 am Saturday to drive up and tailgate all day long - game was at 3:30pm and IA did a wonderful job coming from behind to beat Michigan. It was Laura's first tailgating experience - I don't think she will ever forget it (or is it remember it? :) ).

I had to go to NY on business for the launch of one of the initiatives I was leading and decided to take Drew and Laura. Needless to say, interesting with a child.....Drew came down with his first ear infection prior to the trip and was placed on amoxicillin - well, only after 7 days on this, we found that he had a reaction - a very strange reaction. Drew was like a holy terror - I had never had this experience with him and hoped I never would again but word of advice to other mom's - if something isn't right, most likely something isn't right. Upon returning home, I called the doc - explained that I know it was weird and to please not laugh but I really did have an angel son and the devil had taken him over....was there anyway it was connected to the medicine? - she quickly told me I hadn't lost my mind and there had been other incidents with other children where this has happened - they would switch the medicine and we should be good. If only we had known that before we 'rained down on Abby's family' :(.

We got to visit with a college friend of mine, Abby, and her two girls - Drew is definitely all boy and very used a much larger living spaces with walls that don't reverberate the sound quite like those of NYC.

Abby lives in NJ a few blocks from the Cake Boss (for those that watch the show). There is a park kitty corner from her place and Drew found good times playing there.

After working, Laura and I took a stroll with Drew around NYC - of course to get there we rode the train, the subway and walked a ton. We were in Times Square where we saw Cookie Monster and Elmo, Drew was so excited but then what was very weird, every place we turned we say more of them...almost spooky :). We visited the Toys R Us Store on Times Square and rode the ferris wheel inside and Drew is pictured here with the King from Candyland.

Upon returning from our wild trip to NYC, Drew had another play date with his friend, Sophia. They went to a place called TotterOtterville - played dress up, played with trains and ran off some steam.

Drew is still very content with inexpensive toys and likes to try and destroy everything he can get his hands on - he is very strong for his age, lifting up large toys to move them in the house. Here he is playing with a large cardboard box - ahhhh, good times. Best part, when he climbs in and thinks it is just fun to sit there - ahhh, contained child.

We finished up this month with Drew's 1st big Halloween. Mom and Drew picked out a 'bear' costume and Drew looked adorable. He really didn't get the jist of trick or treating but John took him around to a few houses anyways. The ladies in the neighborhood and I (with Laura's leadership) - took on planning the neighborhood Halloween Party and we had a fire engine and ambulance come for all the kids to see - Drew climbed up in the Fire Truck (after about 4 determined tries) and once in, did NOT want to get out. He also had his first piece of pizza - again, with the mother of the year award - but he ate it right up.
My favorite video in a while - Drew dancing during a playdate at our house - he definitely got the Julie Jollay and Ronald Fowler musicality gene. Try and not laugh too hard. Headed to FL in November.