This year I wasn't going to put up our Halloween decorations because I thought they would just add to the never-ending clutter that surrounds us. Yesterday I decided to stop being such a Halloween Scrooge and we got everything out. Emma was so excited that she insisted on putting on her costume and wearing it for the rest of the night. She looked so adorable that I really wanted to take a picture of her and post it here, but then it wouldn't be as fun to post pictures on Halloween, so I managed to restrain myself.

I've had enough of our bedtime arrangements. More specifically, our going-to-sleep arrangements. We've all been going to bed earlier for the past few months, and Emma usually just isn't ready to sleep then, so she drives us nuts until she is. Pulling on covers, kicking, rolling around, jumping on the bed, singing, and constant jabbering are tough to take when you're tired and past being ready to go to sleep. At least for me. So, I have decided to cut out her naps in hopes that she will go to bed more easily at night. I'm also really truly going to start moving her into her own bed. I am very reluctant to see the naps go, but I think this is for the best. Today we are implementing the new plan: no nap, read books in her bed at 8:00, then after that I will sit with her until she falls asleep. Which, hopefully, doesn't take hours and hours.

Lately it is kind of hard for me to get a cute, regular picture of Emma. When she smiles normally, she looks so cute, even with a kiwi seed stuck to her face.













However, it's difficult to get those pictures because as soon as she sees the camera, she emphatically exclaims, "CHEEEEEEEEEEEESE!", which results in pictures like this.