I’m hungry. Not a little bit either… a lot. I eat 4x a day and have taken the hunger level to a new high by requiring a 5th meal around 2am. I think it’s because I’ve just been so busy lately, what with rolling and playing with toys and throwing everything (I’ve got quite an arm), I need more food to keep up my energy level.

Mommy has not been pleased with my extra snack in the middle of the night. To combat this, I’ve been given extra food at dinner to fill the empty pit that is my stomach. It seems to have worked as I’ve been sleeping through the night again since I started midnight snacking a couple weeks ago. And I’ve been expanding my horizons to all the new foods out there. I’ve tried every flavor of baby food so it’s on to people food. I really want what’s on YOUR plate.

And I got news for you… It’s not quite official yet, but I can crawl. Pick up your stuff if you don’t want me to drool or choke on it.

So much Halloween candy… so little time. Slowly, I’m finishing my bucket-o-loot, but it’s disappearing faster than I’m eating it. Someone is eating my candy… and they’re taking all the good stuff! I’m not naming names, but they go by “Mommy” and “Daddy.” I overheard them talking and I hear that there may be more candy coming because Daddy didn’t get enough. Good! Maybe I can get my hands of some of it too.

And after the costume hysterics and all, I finally have a good photo of my cowgirl costume. Maybe we can do it again next year…

And coming to a Christmas card mailing soon… Pics of me and Evan! We didn’t listen to directions and were crabby, tired and hungry, but we’re so cute that it didn’t matter.

Ever since I saw the movie Toy Story 2, I wanted to be a cowgirl for Halloween. Actually, it may have been before the movie, but being Jessie is something I always wanted to be. I’ve seen the movie a couple dozen times. I listen to the “When She Loved Me” song all the time in the car. We even found pictures of Jessie on the computer and videos on YouTube that I play over and over. Being Jessie for Halloween was like a dream come true.

Or so I thought.

Mommy did a lot of work putting together my costume. We got the hat the day the Halloween store opened. We got the material for the pony-front pants two weeks ago. Mommy sewed the pants and the shirt over four evenings. On Halloween morning I got psyched up by watching more Jessie videos. And when it came time to get dressed, I was not having it.

If I could cash in on all the stuff Mommy & Daddy bribed me with, I’d be one lucky kid. Sadly, I never made it past the driveway. I had to go in and tear off my Jessie cowgirl outfit off and throw it in the corner. I carried on for quite a while. Finally someone suggested a princess dress and that sounded pretty good. I missed going out with my friends, but I still got to trick-or-treat and got lots of candy too.

Despite how my sister felt about being a cowgirl for Halloween, I really liked my cowboy outfit. Denim head to toe and all the accessories: bandana, hat, sheriff badge and six-shooters. It was really cold and windy out, so everyone had to improvise with winter hats and coats. Once we were out trick-or-treating, I didn’t really notice the temperature because I got fussy and Mommy had to carry me. We weren’t out that long… a few houses and we were back home. But that was enough. I can’t eat candy anyways.

And you ask where Daddy has been? The swine flu hit him and it’s not been fun. He’s been quarantined to the basement all week. He’s finally feeling better today and he should be back to normal in a day or so.

Mom and Dad had so much fun in Las Vegas that they barely even realized that we were off having a vacation of our own with Nana and Papa. While they were off helicoptering to the Grand Canyon and seeing Cirque du Soleil, a comedian and a Peepshow (it was tasteful they say), we were up in Wisconsin playing and baking and going to Halloween and football parties. I say we had just as much – if not more – fun than they did.

They beg to differ.

I don’t know who had more fun. I just thought it strange that I get into a car, fall asleep and wake up in a whole new place with strange faces and people who want to carry me all the time. I guess I didn’t mind. I was pretty good dealing with different surroundings. And when I wasn’t good, I cried. Someone always came to change me, hold me or feed me. At my age, things are pretty easy.

So… Mom and Dad’s trip to Las Vegas all started out last week Sunday when Daddy went there for a work conference. He went to seminars and met people, but didn’t do too much on the strip. Mommy got there on Thursday and that’s when the real fun began. After a trip to the spa for Mommy, they saw the Amazing Johnathan show and got amazed. Friday was the helicopter trip over the Mojave Desert to lunch in the Grand Canyon (very cool!). That night they had a fancy dinner at the Bellagio and then to see “O” (incredible!). Saturday they relaxed and gambled and checked out the local sites. Sunday they partook in the “sin” that is Las Vegas going to a “Peepshow” song and dance revue (sitting close is not always the best place to be, but still a fun time). After an early morning wake up call, they arrived in Milwaukee in the afternoon to get us and then off for home!

It’s so nice to be home. I can’t wait for the next vacation. I think we’ll let Nana and Papa recuperate for a while first.