I think I can...

It seems far too soon to be thinking about baby proofing, but Ya's determined to be mobile. Today in one of hundreds of impromptu photo sessions as Mommy practices, Ya decided his pillow prop was not where he would stay...So first he slid backwards...
Then he climbed forward...Then he decided he was done and needed his nighties.Oh well. There's always tomorrow for another photo. And Ya, I am sure, will be on the move then, too. I'm betting he'll be crawling before mid-January.

Thanksgiving... Part 3

As for Chi and those prayers, I swear that child has a direct connect with God, because her sincere prayers seem to be answered completely. Maybe it's because she rarely prays for herself. She prayed for a sibling. She prayed when the doctor called to say Ya might have an incurable, fatal disorder. She prayed for her Mommy to have someone to love.

In this past year I have seen my beautiful baby girl grow into an independent young lady (a "big kid" she'd say). She play-acted as president this morning, because she has seen that a woman can do that job. She is constantly awarded accolades at school, is popular, and is eager to learn. She is constantly working toward learning to read - the one thing she sees as a roadblock to being the perfect student. In fact, she killed us with hangman as she practiced spelling words out during the game. This little amazement even created a Thankful "hand-book" and went to each Thanksgiving guest to have them record their thankful fors. Wow.

And me? I'm healthy. I survived another c-section and this time came through without near-death complications. I have a career that allows me to play a small part in the lives of teenagers, and though it is sometimes difficult and the payback seems distant, I know I am doing something good.

Thanksgiving... Part 1

This year's festivities were filled with the usual fixings, turkey, ham, baked mac'n'cheese, sweet potato pie, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and green beans. Mom really did it up in the kitchen (with Chi at as her assistant). Unlike me, who occasionally experiments in the kitchen out of necessity rather than for the joy of it, Chi takes pleasure in culinary experiences. And having more patience than I, Mom obliges Chi's offers to "help."

The gathering included a few new faces, namely my future sister-in-law Megan, my Marq (aka Daddy) and of course, our Yadon... My baby brother ventured out from Rice University and my cousin and aunt drove down from the north. Tav, Chi and I are the locals, so we, of course, came with big appetites. MomandDad, fresh from a Hawaiian honeymoon/anniversary vacation, had a full house again.

I said before that I have a lot to be thankful for this year. God is working overtime to make sure that our family feels His presence as He shapes and molds our lives on earth.

Thanksgiving... Part 2

Tav is newly engaged, and I can see how happy he is with his Megan nearby. Just seeing the two of them clown around together while we snapped a few "couples" shots was evidence that they're a good fit.
Arthur returned from Texas with a clear college graduation date, a healthy attitude, and looking mighty put together. It is so mind boggling to see this handsome 21-year-old scholar in the place of my baby brother. Chi had to share this with Tav: "You know that's your brother, right?" How cute. She adores her Arthur even if she doesn't quite understand how he's related to each of us.

Yadon celebrated 13 weeks (or three calendar months).
Last year he was a dream and a prayer for Chi. Now I cannot imagine life without Ya in it. I didn't think I'd ever have another child - and certainly didn't really think I could fall in love again. Somehow, though, I've done both. Ya's birth created a beautiful family.

Wednesday wishes

Tommorow will be Ya's first Thanksgiving and Chi's fifth. I have, like every year, a lot to be thankful for... So for this Wednesday Wishes installment I have the following:

I pray that every day of discoveries for my babies is as special as this one: Chi seeing her baby brother for the first time in the hospital incubator. Or this: Ya discovering that his smile gets major attention from every family member in the immediate vicinity (and warrants the black eye with the flashy thingy to appear in front of Mommy's face). Or this: Chi finally realizing that she can indeed read the words in her books.

I hope that both my kids will posses the giving and thoughtful spirit displayed in this scene: Chi sitting down to her artist's space (my kitchen floor or the coffee table) and creating a fabulous "I love yuo [sic]" card complete with hearts and portraits for someone. Or this: Chi giving the five pieces of candy away to her classmates even when it meant there would be none left for her.

I wish that everyday for my babies is filled with the hope and promise of limitless possibilities. That they will always strive to be the very best they can be and will not let someone else dictate what they can be.

A Practice in the Frugal Life

Yesterday I went into the grocery store on a mission and a budget. As a preacher of impetuousness as a virtue, this was no good. It was also totally out of character and threw my poor Chi for a loop. Chi, who got her own hand basket to pick out her items, could not understand why she couldn't have her pick of cookies, candy, or even fruits ($4.99/lb grapes!?!).

She did not like Mommy's repeated "I can't afford it" or "It's too expensive." How could she understand that money is tight? Does she realize that with only $30 in the bank and $11 in the pocket until payday, food options are limited?

She ended up with four apples, a generic bag of potato chips and a bag of potatoes (why'd she want those?). And Mommy bought essentials for dinner and subsequent meals: deli meat (on special), cheese, bread, and sweet potatoes. Never have I spent so long scrutinizing cost per ounce/pound/gallon. Never have I craved so much and gotten so little. Although I should be proud of my forced discretionary spending, somehow frugal shopping on a budget is a distasteful experience.

By the way, how is the look of the new page? Danielle did a great job spotlighting my kids and my sentiments to give my page some pizazz! I'm super impressed at the less than 24 hour turn around, too. Suddenly I look like a legitimate professional blog journalist. Yes, I'm a long way from my columnist days at J-school, but it's a similar concept.

Not Me

This is a post about what I most certainly did not do in the last few days...

I did not attempt to get this post written 3 times only to leave the handwritten draft at work and lose the second draft in cyberspace with a wayward keystroke. I'm not that pressed to post today.

I did not develop a severe craving for fried chicken and drive to KFC only to leave empty handed grumbling about paying $9.99 for six pieces of chicken.

I did not eat a cold left over cheesy beef burrito between classes at work because my stomach growls were audible above student conversations.

I did not demand that Daddy locate his camera and join the photography obsession so I could be in a picture with my kids for a change (and then demand to preview each picture and delete at my discretion).

I did not relish in my kids going to bed early while house sitting for my parents. I also did not spend the free time the sleep afforded boxing on Wii with Daddy.

I did not slip out of a well-baby appointment after the doctor consult and before being asked to hold Ya as he was poked with needles during the administration of multiple the immunizations. I did not fear he'd hold a grudge and lose trust in his mama (like Chi did) when he realized I allowed the shots and pain to occur and even held him still for themI did not leave Ya the amazing on a couch temporarily only to next see him on the floor crying softly as he propped himself up on his forearms and looked around from the new vantage point.
(I'm far too competent and cautious).

I did not beg Chi to pose in her new hula outfit until I got a perfect picture. If I had, it might have looked like this....

I did not use a $25 gift card to purchase two 8GB SD cards for our cameras in fear of missing the magic photo op for lack of memory.

I did not earn said gift card for spending insane amounts of money with a reward credit card.

I did not tell a coworker about Chi's favorite expression ("What?) and Ya's word ("Okay") only to be told I should rerecord a Little John chorus with my kids' voices on the track.

I did not run a load of laundry with a wayward florescent pink crayon still in Chi's sweatshirt pocket. If I had, I'd be really upset about the pink streaks and smears on several pairs of slacks, shirts, and baby outfits...

I tell you, I did not...

Morning ReCap...

"Can We call him Bill?" - - While discussing potential nicknames for her baby brother, Chi suggests calling him something not quite his name. Now I'm thinking something like "Markie" or my beloved "ChubChub" or something related to his attributes or personality... Chi, however, decided he'd be much better suited for the name "Bill. Like Little Bill, but without the little." What? Later she suggests "Jack or something. Can we name him Candy?"

Meanwhile I can officially announce that Ya is babbling up a storm, smiling, squealing, and I think we heard a laugh, too. The thing that really got him smiling was our chant "Chi was #1, You're #2!" I know these smiles are different, because they came when we smiled wildly at him or cheered him on... Unfortunately this new landmark activity came between his spurts of projectile vomit (see over eater commentary in the well-baby post).

One of Ya's babble expressions that he says most often sounds strangely like "all good" or maybe "oh God." Another sounds like "Okay." Daddy and Mommy are certain he says them on purpose. He's gifted, you know?

It's cold in the house (colder outside, with weathermen predicting 38 degree temperature highs) and Ya has lost one sock. Tell me how it's always one and never both? And how is it that Chi often wakes up with only one sock too? What's up with my kids?

Chi revealed that her new favorite TV show is Peppa Pig. We have more channels with Fios (when it's working), so she gets to see a whole bunch of kid-friendly dedicated channels. She seems content with Noggin, and that's just fine with me.

It might seem strange to some people, but Chi knows a good photo op when she sees one. She suggested we take a few pics of the size of her and her brother's feet and hands at this age to show how much they've grown. The few pictures we took were cute, but my favorite isn't really a comparison shot at all...

We need to retire Ya's paci. In three months of soothing, it has taken a new form, its rubber peeling and its nipple permanently creased from Ya's night time preference of sleeping face down on the bed.

History Tales and Lessons in Love from Chi

I'm working on a blog specifically for Chi. She a bright little girl and never ceases to amaze us with her incredible memory , her dramatic flair, and her uncanny knack for storytelling. If she weren't just a little behind in writing and reading, I swear she'd be making story and picture books by now.

This morning, she surprised me by reading the sentence on the "new tab" intro page (Microsoft Explorer: "What do you want to do next?") She's light years away from where she was at the beginning of this school year and it is evident that her "special special" is really helping...

So this was the entry she had me type on her personal blog, "The Adventures of LaChi":

One time when it was the past, there was somebody named Boo-ga. Boo-ga had found a handsome man that she liked but somebody shooted her dead. He knew that was an Indian. Then there started a battle with the other side from the present and the other side from the past. Just kidding, just from the past. And then, they got married.

{Mom says: But she's dead.}

No. She didn't get dead. Her father died. She got married. And he had blond hair and he he had your color mom, What color are you? Blond?

Then they lived happily ever after. Then they died.

Oh, her name is Pocahontas. I forgot.

{Mom then read the story back to her}

But Mom, you didn't have to put everything I said... when I messed up. Don't copy me this time.

{She says this as she reads what I'm typing, though I suspect that little brainiac would've known from the flurry of my key punching that I was putting down every word she said. She also noticed that when I started to type this entry I was still on her page... so I had to stop, copy, and paste it into mine.}

Later, I was trying to share an intimate moment with my Chi, telling her how much I loved her and how even though Mommy seemed mad so often now, I will never stop loving her and I miss terribly the special time shared with just Chi... but Ya, who was contentedly sleeping nearby on the bed, got a case of flatulence and spoiled the mood. As Chi said, " He sure do fart a lot."

taken 11/21/08, Chi and Ya

And as I continue to type this entry, Chi is now sitting in front of Ya observing his sleep moves.

Overheard within a song to her sleeping brother:"You don't actually have a big head, you have a small head just like your body."

And then this: "Mom, I got a surprise for you... muah" and she crawls over and kisses my cheek.

How blessed am I?

Change is coming!

With a pending blog make over comes a new name and a new web address!
Introducing

Call Me Mommy Rachelle

the new name of "M.Y. Chi."

Somehow this title seems a good fit since this blog is more than a journal about expecting a baby. Also take note of the new site address: http://mommyrachelle.blogspot.com

Head and Shoulders Above the Rest...

11-20-2008: Ya had his 2-month well baby, which was kind of odd seeing that he's 12-weeks old at this point and by my calculations, that's more like three months. Dr. L met with Mommy, Daddy and Ya and happily viewed his growth record. Ya is now a hearty 12 lbs 2.5 ounces and is 23 1/2 inches tall. WOW. No wonder he pops open those newborn onsies when he breathes!

I inquired about the increasing cradle cap he's been developing. Daddy and I discussed it a few days prior and I'd insisted we run out and buy the special cream just for the condition. Daddy said we should just use Head and Shoulders shampoo (which illicited images of poor Ya screaming his first words, "It burns! Darn you Mommy and Daddy," so I laughed off the idea as preposterous). Dr. L, however, must have collaborated with Daddy. He simply said cradle cap is normal at this age and it's easily treatable with a twice a week dose of Head and Shoulders. Duh, Mommy... why didn't you think of that? Daddy laughed at me as I blushed and averted my gaze to the window. I never said I was an expert...

We were told that Ya's throwing up is likely due to the time span between his feedings being too long. Apparently 4 hours is one too many for his age, hence he is savage by the time he's offered a chance to eat again. Dr. L says Ya is greedy not because he needs to be sent to Overeaters Anonymous, but because his little tummy is emptied out completely before each meal begins. Poor thing then overcompensates with overeating and the overflow valve has to kick open to release his excess. Solution? Revert back to 4-5 ounce bottles at daycare and feed more often (the face to face time feeding provides also helps stimulate his interactive skills, we were told). As for time at home, I'm pretty sure that Daddy would say Ya already eats on demand, so no real adjustments are necessary there. Just in case, though, I'll try to keep a better schedule (which is so counter to my personality).

I slipped out of our well baby visit to pick up my princess Chi before the immunizations could be given - - five terrible shots and one oral dose guaranteed to make baby "a little fuzzy and may cause him to run a slight fever." It's the worst part of every appointment - standing there holding your baby while some nurse injects him with a needle and makes him cry from the shock and pain of the pokes. I swear baby's eyes say "why didn't you protect me mommy?" So this time Daddy had to be the shot assistant. Poor Ya came home with both legs decorated in Snoopy bandages.

Wednesday Wishes...

Every blog I frequent in this cyber community seems to have a gimmick. Most of them are set for specific days of the week with some quirky request of blog readers. Why should my blog be the exception? I know, I know. You say it is because I have no followers (sure is lonely). You're probably right. I don't think anyone's reading this blog, so my gimmick only needs to appeal to me :) And I'm used to talking to myself all day in a room full of teenagers masquerading as students, so what else is new?

So my gimmick?

Wednesday Wishes

It's going to be my middle of the week hopes, dreams, and prayers post.

So here's my first one:

I watched the most precious event yesterday while rushing around to get things ready for school and work. Ya was set on the couch between the chair arm and the back cushion where he can move slightly, but can't wiggle too far (and certainly can't make it off the couch yet). It's a pretty safe spot in the corner for the time being. Chi was already dressed and was putting on her shoes (and where this any other day, she'd be standing at the door with her coat in the backpack instead of on her person and she'd be impatiently swaying while awaiting permission to get into the car). Then Ya began to cry. Chi stopped her preparations and snuggled close to her baby "brudder" craddling him in her arms, nose against his, stroking his hair (she likes how soft it is) and holding his paci to his mouth while soothing him with soft words.

My wish for this Wednesday as I reflect on this perfectly natural, heartwarming sight is that my babies always be there for one another. I hope that they are close, that they protect each other from the world. I pray that they share millions of Eskimo kisses in the future and that they appreciate the special relationship that as siblings they are blessed with.

God has already shown us that He is in control. Chi prayed for a healthy baby and she was given Ya. Someday Ya will likewise pray for Chi.

Not me Monday...

I'm gonna test this exercise out...




Here goes:

I did not spend too long watching my son and his father prepare for their days in lieu of grading papers and preparing myself for work. Not me...

I did not decide my son was way too cute in his outfit not to have a photo shoot and pick up the camera for a few shots when I was supposed to be loading the car for work with kids, diaper bags, and the like. Not me...

I did not pack up a healthy lunch for work only to leave it on the counter for the umpteenth time. Not me...

Because I packed a terrific lunch to help me shed my baby fat (and I took it with me), I did not raid the vending machine at work and dine on Doritos while pumping a meal for my son. Not me...

I did not check my bank account 7 or more times today willing the funds inside it to grow. Not me...

I did not scream and holler about losing my wallet (and license) and being unable to find it all weekend only to discover it in my work bag (of all places!). Not me...

I did not peak inside the mailbox to find only bills and then gently slide the box closed with the contents still inside for another day's discovery. Not me...

I did not spend an hour today playing Parking Wars and Mob Wars on Facebook instead of doing more important things like cooking, cleaning, or grading papers. Not me...

Oh, wait a minute... I think I did...

Make Me Over...

Since I've decided to keep the blog updated regularly, I'm finally getting a new look for this page. I worked with Danielle @ Blogs By Danielle for a fab new page design.

Weathered

I have that disorder that causes moods to shift with the weather... being an English teacher, I should know what it's called, but I don't. In fact, it's surprising I have this gig as a teacher of language arts, because I am terribly gifted (or guilty) at making up words. But that is not my point in this post, and I'm not wanting to digress too far for too long.

I'm listening to the really strong winds rattle my window's screen as heavy drops of rain pelt the window. Can you believe Chi actually wanted to go to the park in this weather? She settled on watching the brain breaker we call T.V., but at least she's smitten with Noggin and I can pretend it's not tainting her budding mind too terribly.

I'm wondering how to convince my two very pampered IGs to go outside to do their business (Lord knows how much I dislike cleaning cages). As soon as the first one out the door gets hit with a rain drop or gets his feet wet, it takes a lot of quick hands and shoving to get them both back out the door...

Ya had been having a relatively quiet day, having eaten at 4:40, 6ish, 9am and 12pm. With his frequency, the sessions are just minutes of nibbling that I'm sure aren't filling him up. If he does get too full, he has a pretty good overflow valve that works quickly. Trust me, I have the laundry filled with my soiled shirts to prove it. Why is it that when I have the burp cloth (on the rare occasion I can find it) he just burps, but if I don't have it or it's not placed just right, I get the lovely snail-trail-looking remnants of too much meal? [Chi said at dinner yesterday that I don't like feeding Ya because he wastes my milk... My silly girl. Where else would I use it, if not for him?]

Right now he's realized it's after 2pm and near the time I'd pick him up from daycare. He spit out his paci and woke [crying] from a peaceful slumber right about the time I retrieve him from his crib in the nursery. I suspect he will want to eat soon, but right now he's content sleeping in my arms as I type one handed. He looks so cute and peaceful. His brown lips are pursed ever so slightly so that his fat tongue is visible between them. The faintest eyebrows are just visible above his closed eyes. His adorable double chin is resting on his chest (gets that from me - - no neck, extra chin - - what a genetic contribution I've made... It's where you see our resemblance to each other, except my version's not adorable). His curly hair is shining after my attempts at moisturizing his scalp; I'm sure my Dad would applaud because it looks obvious that I brushed it.

Oops, digressed again. Anyway, I'm in a miserable mood.

I want desperately to do something, but I misplaced my license and need to save the gas for necessary travels in the coming week. Maybe I should scrap something? I have a stack of three months worth of the four "inspiration" subscriptions waiting for me to peruse them, scrap lift and personlize... Chi once carted her baby books one at a time to school each Friday for show and tell. She's mighty proud to share what Mommy has created for her, and I'm flattered she enjoys seeing the record of our time together. I hope Yadon likes his as much.

I think I see the sun trying to break through outside. Maybe Chi will help me work on a page for her book?

eleven weeks and 1 day

We're eleven weeks and 1 day old! Here's what's new in the world of Ya:

• he's paci particular - - the blue gummy one used most often because it has a bungy cord is the only one that soothes.


• without the blue paci (because the parents temporarily misplaced it), only a fist will suffice, and then only for a brief time.


• we're having conversations these days. sometimes we are excited and shout or squeal, sometimes we sigh out a babble or two, and sometimes we just "talk". Daddy swears he says his name "Ya" and Mommy gets words of frustration if food service is too slow for baby's preference.


• we've settled little man into his daycare routine. he is content (enough) in his crib and is usually sleeping when mommy comes to pick him up.


• Daddy has gotten totally into the diaper changing, bottle feeding duties all new parents have to gain a knack for. He's also discovered just how fun it is to plan little man's wardrobe before he makes public appearances.


• Mommy continues to take hundreds (okay, thousands) of photos and has yet to filter through them to find the really good ones. Instead, she prints a bunch of them and files them for the eventual scrap book page she hopes to create.


• Chi likes her brother. She thinks we should keep him. She says he's the greatest Marques Yadon ever... she didn't understand that he's the only one we know of... We think she's the perfect big sister.


• PopPop figured out the secret to making Ya smile. Mommy just hasn't gotten it right yet... but she waits with the big black eye for even the slightest glimpse of an upturned lip.


• We're sleeping through the night except for when hungry. After a meal, we go back to sleep (YEAH!!!!)


• Ya is a heat seeking crawler. No matter where he is placed on the bed, he will end up nestled next to Mommy or Daddy. He seems to find Mom easier, though, because she apparently smells like dinner.


• in 11 short weeks, this Mommy and Daddy pair have fallen totally devoted, unconditionally in love with the wonderfully perfect little man they created together.

Princess

It goes without saying that I adore my Chi. She is beyond good to her totally fallible mother who these days spends a lot of time doing the wrong things. Right now Chi is hiding somewhere in the house sulking because I set her on the impossible task of locating the missing Tarzan DVD that has walked away from its case and entered the twilight zone. I've called her a few times, but since she thinks I'm mad at her and she is very mad at me, she's not answering. I suspect I need to go treasure hunting. At the end of the rainbow I'll find my precious Chi. What's a few dozen scratched, broken or missing DVDs worth anyway? Certainly not more than the feeling I get from one smile or one hug from my baby girl... And just let her say "I love you Mommy Rachelle" and I'd buy a dozen copies of each destructed DVD all over again just because she wanted me to.

tough guy

As small as he is, one thing Ya is not is weak. Like his sister, he can support his entire body weight with his arms. He held this pose (though the expression changed drastically) for more than a minute before he decided to roll over.

We watched all his photos on a slideshow this afternoon while waiting for our FIOS man to repair the broken line the construction crew smashed. It's incredible to see how much he's changed, how he's morphed into his own miniature person. Ten weeks is not a long time and yet in these two months we've done so much as a new family.

Again I am reminded how blessed I am that God chose to entrust me with two healthy, beautiful children.

lifted quote... priceless statement

We have this moment to hold in our hands,

and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand.

Yesterdays gone, and tomorrow may never come,

but we have this moment today.

Heaven Can You Hear Me?

If you're out there and listening, this Mama is praying to you...

Things are difficult these days and the load is getting pretty heavy. You've blessed me with quite a bit and I think I might have asked for more than I can handle. I need You. I need strength. I need a helping hand.

I'm laying my burdens at Your feet and praying Your will is done.

Amen

Un-Pumped

I think I'm depressed...

For the second time my First Years breast pumped has pooped out on me. It's a $45 machine with a fickle attitude. I wish I could say it died because I threw it across the room after it suctioned just a bit too long for the thousandth time (holding my poor nipple hostage in a painful pull while it studders on the "natural sucking action"). But I didn't get the pleasure of hurling the thing. It just conked out, which I discovered around 5:30 this morning as I tried to pump half a bottle before heading off to work.

I hurried the kids off to their respective day care facilities to get to WalMart before work for a replacement. I made pretty good time - leaving by 6:10 and arriving at the store by 6:50.

It doesn't open until 7 a.m. Huh? I could've sworn Wally World was a 24 hour gig... but then this is the shady part of NoVa. So I stood at the closed Entrance door waiting as the late employees shuffled through the partially opened Exit to assume their posts. Five minutes after 7 I was back in my car and $56 poorer. I guess the new machine is an upgrade. It has two pumps for super pumping action (picture a Western, I draw my pumps from the holster bag, spin em around and attack both breasts at once for rapid pumping action - bang bang). At least it doesn't hurt like the first one did.

Back to my depression, though.

My house is filthy. It's not easy cleaning up after 3 people, holding an infant in one arm and the selected cleaning gadget in the other.

My back hurts. It's probably because my morning luggage consists of a baby, a diaper bag, a briefcase with papers I didn't feel like grading overnight, a breast pump bag, and leftovers for lunch (if I remembered to grab them from the counter where they usually wait for me to return home). I think my grandmother jinxed me with her comment that wearing heels so close to having a baby would make something drop. I don't know what's dropping, but I sure do suffer after I wear them. Let's face it, though. Keds and sneakers don't go well with dresses and slacks.

I'm exhausted. Ya isn't sleeping through the night (as is his right at only 10 weeks). He gets up a little earlier each feeding time and stretches the time after eating and before sleeping out further every time. Most of the time he throws up at least once (on my chest or the spot I was sleeping in and forcing a midnight waredrob change or a towel coverage of the soiled spot until the wash can be done).

Did I mention I was broke? Yeah... got a little foolish with the pregnancy pampering of myself and my baby girl and now have to pay the piper. Yikes. Somehow winning the lottery looks like a really great escape, but I don't have a buck to spare for the ticket. How's that for luck?

What's keeping me going? My babies. A smile, a hug, a kiss, a look and I'm momentarily able to forget all the thousands of things going wrong, piling up, or being neglected. I'll save the moping for the few minutes when they're asleep and I can stress out in the quiet of this huge prison I call a house with a mortgage the size of the interest on the entire collection of Fort Knox gold bars.

Halloween Treats

We stopped attending our church's Joy Night last year because Chi wanted to experience the traditional "Trick or Treating."

Yes, she likes piling on layers of thermal clothing and braving the fall night's bitterly cold weather to go door to door asking for people to fill her goody bag.

Admittedly, she was much better this year with her lines: "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You." She also added one of her own: "I'm not a **insert incorrect guess here**, I'm a Woodland Faerie."