Pretending is fun!

Okay, I know Halloween is a day we celebrate? honor? fear? the dead, but really, what it ends up being is a day of pretend. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying this, but my kids pretty much live in a world of pretend. They pretend to be fathers, babies, train conductors, monsters, cats, cars, horses, worms... It's always kind of interesting to see what they come up with. And since I'm really smart in psychology (mmmhhhmmmm), I know that these things are how they come up with who they are. I can see them trying out the world in their play. And it's fun to see that.

And sometimes it's hilarious to see that.

Like when Emmett hid behind his Grandma Carolyn's closet door--the one with the witch hanging on it

and made scary witch-laughing noises. When I went to investigate what that strange noise was, he politely told me to close the door, please, because he was being a witch.

Okay, so maybe it's not always about figuring out who they want to be.

Maybe it's just fun.

Emmett picked out the mask! He has wanted the mask with the "oval up and the oval down" since he saw it in a store a month ago.

And Josh has been saying "howdy partna!" to everyone while tipping his hat. What a gentleman! Already, he has a couple girls swooning over him. Which makes me cringe...not yet!!!

It's a relief for us all to leave our normal world and visit somewhere else. Where do you go?

Crash!

Good news! Josh is riding his bike WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS! I'm so proud of him. But, surprisingly, the title of this blog does not refer to him...

Emmett was trying to keep up with his big brother and dad while we were out on a bike ride, but he just...couldn't...make...it. He was trying his hardest, though.

Okay, I have to insert a little information about Emmett. He is a little spacey when it comes to riding his bike. I'll be riding next to him, and find that I'm on the other side of the street because he DOES NOT drive in a straight line. He's more interested in watching how his training wheels work than in watching where he's going. In fact, I have a pretty good scar from when he rammed me from behind and ripped a part of the skin covering my calf off. (But that's another story. And kind of funny...Mostly because of the concerned neighbor who expressed her concern about my injury so long that blood actually congealed in my shoe.)

Anyway, back to Emmett. He was pedaling as fast as his little legs could carry him, but a momentary distraction hit him, and his bike got all twisted up. He flew over his handlebars as I watched, and landed flat on his nose. No really. Flat on his nose. No other part of his face touched the ground. In fact, the hit was so square on his nose that his nose didn't even get scraped. But it did start to bleed profusely. I jumped off my bike and held him on my shoulder (ruined shirt...but who cares about that?) while he screamed. For approximately 37 seconds. And then he hopped on his bike and took off down the road as he wiped the blood off his face with his hand.

Emmett doesn't let a whole lot bother him.

And Josh hasn't crashed once.