Paci Fairy

The Paci Fairy visited the Williams household this past Friday night.  We've been talking up the Paci Fairy story to Sienna for a couple weeks.  It goes something like this...
You don't need your pacis anymore because you're a big girl!  The Paci Fairy is going to come to our house and give your pacis to a baby that needs them.  In exchange for your pacis, the Paci Fairy will leave you a present!  
When we talked about the Paci Fairy, sometimes Sienna would be really excited.  Other times, she would say, "I no give my pacis to the Paci Fairy.  I need them.  I still a baby."
So on Friday night before we left for her daycare Christmas party, we rounded up all the pacis and put them in a special bag for the Paci Fairy.  At first, Sienna was really excited.  As she started putting them all in the bag, she got visibly sad.  So, we let her hold her last two pacis while we changed her outfit for the party.  After we changed her clothes, she stood in front of the bag, sucking on the pacis.  She put one in the bag.  Then she sucked on the last one for a good 30 seconds before slowing plunking it into the bag.  The she immediately said, "I'm a big girl!  I no need my pacis!"  She totally knew what was going on.  Melted my heart.
When we pulled in the driveway from her party later that night, she asked for her pacis.  We told her that we thought the Paci Fairy had come.  She said, "NO!  I NEED THEM!"  So we went upstairs to see if they were still there.  In place of the bag of pacis was a present.  She was ecstatic!  I asked her what she thought it was.  Her exact quote - "It's a lion from the Paci Fairy!"  Thank goodness we guessed right and bought the big stuffed lion.  She pulled him out of the bag, danced around the room with him, and said she was a big girl and didn't need her pacis! She was thrilled, and I cried!  I've really been holding back on wanting to see her as a big girl, so it was a bit emotional for me.  Sienna named him Tasa the Lion.  About 20 minutes later, she asked where her pacis were.  We told her the Paci Fairy took them to the babies.  And that was the last we heard about the pacis that night.  She stalled going to bed (pretty normal), but eventually laid right down in her bed and went to sleep without a peep.  (She even slept til 8:30 the next morning.)  We were AMAZED.  Nap time has been a bit harder for her to settle down, but we haven't had any of the crying and major whining we expected.  She's a smart little bugger.  And her new BFF is Tasa the Lion.  She sleeps with him, combs his mane and holds conversations with him.  Just precious.
(Side story:  We told our sitter that Sienna couldn't have her paci anymore on Monday when she's back at daycare.  Her sitter started cracking up and said she hasn't had it there in like 6 months!  What a trickster.)
Paci down.  Potty and big girl bed to go.

Opening her Paci Fairy present & dancing
with Tasa on her head

Laying down and 'talking' to Tasa

Sweet dreams with her favorite lion

Daddy Date

Scott has been taking Sienna on 'Daddy dates' recently, and she LOVES them.  I mean seriously, when we ask if she wants to go on a Daddy date, she starts yelling "Daddy Date!" and running around the house.    They love their time together, and it makes me so happy to see their special bond.  Sienna always wants to do the same thing on Daddy date - go to the park and go to BW's.  (Well, anywhere she can have french fries.)  These are a couple pictures from their latest Daddy date.

Sister in town!

My sister came to town for a weekend visit, and we had a fun time!!  Sienna loved seeing her Aunt Kitty, and I'm pretty sure Aunt Kitty felt the same... :)

We went to a Japanese steakhouse one night.
Sienna was intent on using the chopsticks.

Pretty girls

We made s'mores one night, so this is us
sisters looking stylish, as always.
(And representing our roots!)

Reading Curious George before nap time

Giggling in the car together

Hallerween

Nope, not a typo.  Hallerween is Sienna's pronunciation for Halloween this year.  Sienna was Minnie Mouse this year; she adores Minnie.  She frequently talks to me like I am Minnie Mouse and will only continue the conversation with me if I talk to her in my "Minnie" voice.  Hysterical!  Scott and I got into the fun this year.  Scott dressed up as Pete, the villainous, fat cat from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Pete is one of Sienna's favorite characters on the show -- why?  We are not sure!  Sienna also frequently asks/orders Scott to talk in his Pete voice.  I dressed up as Figaro, Minnie's kitty cat.  Sienna loves to sing the "Figaro" song that Minnie sings on the show.  So, our costumes were a big hit after she got over the fact that I was still Mommy even with my face paint and kitty ears.  Ha!
I thought Sienna would 'get' the trick-or-treating thing more this year, but she was pretty clueless.  She loved it that evening, but she didn't even ask about her candy the next day.  (So, yes, Scott and I had to eat her candy.  Darn.)  While we were trick-or-treating, Sienna was totally into the candy collecting.  Her favorite were suckers.  In fact, I don't think she ever let one get in her bucket.  She would immediately open it.  When she'd get another sucker, she'd say, "Mommy have my old sucker.  I have my new sucker."  The girl loves suckers.  I think she had about 4 that night before we ever got home.
I love Hallerween.  This might have been the best one of my life yet!

Here we are!  I realize Scott looks like a "Farmer Kitty" to some,
but this is the type of costume you throw together being a busy parent!

I love this picture!  Only for our daughter...
(And these overalls are my Grandpa Craig's.  He passed
away when I was 15, so pretty cool to have Scott wear them.)

Holding her sucker and loving her glow stick!  Life is good!

Sienna is very into hugging Maddie and Mommy these days.
She loved helping pass out the candy at our house.

Our carved pumpkin!  Sienna loved lighting the candle
every night with Scott.  It was their little nightly routine.

October in pictures

We've been to the zoo a couple times this month since the weather
has been so fantastic.  This is us on the tram.

Sienna wanted to try on this batting helmet because
of all the talk about baseball lately (World Series).

Family date night at Starbucks + chocolate milk = one excited Sienna!

 At Deanna Rose Farmstead

Riding the spring horse at Deanna Rose.
She was more interested in the playground than
the animals this day.

Chilling with Aliyah after enjoying a s'more.

Sporting her team colors, and giving Uncle Matt some
good luck for his Colts.

Sienna was in a holiday photo shoot for one of my co-workers
clothing line, Squeaks & Beeps.  Such cute stuff!

She loved saying 'cheese'!!

Another outfit.  She is watching some of the big girls
take photos.  She loved it and did so well!

Playing in the leaves at Ms. Kenda's

Her favorite spot to watch Mickey with PaPa.

All snuggled up with her animals to watch the World Series
game 7.  She was up until 11:30.  She's a machine!

Mom and I supporting the Cards!

Happy girls

Pretty girl.
Not interested in bedtime - just wanted to play!

Kenda (her daycare provider) took all the kids & parents
to the pumpkin patch!  So much fun!

Sienna's favorite activity at the pumpkin patch
was playing in the corn box.  Ah, the simple
pleasures of life... corn feed & buckets!

A visit from Gramma & Grampa

Trying on her Minnie Mouse costume.  She is SO excited
to trick-or-treat, ever since Daddy told her there is
candy involved!

Carving our pumpkin.  She thought the seeds
were funny because they were so slimy.

Sienna & Friends Great Pumpkin Adventure I

Today, Pops and Grandma hosted the inaugural "Sienna & Friends Great Pumpkin Adventure"!  It was so much fun!!!  They really outdid themselves.  We had a sunny, warm October morning to pick and paint pumpkins, decorate cupcakes, play, and eat lots of yummy food.  We love the new tradition!  Thanks to Pops and Grandma for organizing, hosting, and creating a great day for the kiddos and us!

Vivian, Cosette, Stella and Sienna post-pumpkin picking.
They got to pick & hunt for all the gourds and pumpkins
 their baskets could handle.  Huge hit!

Sienna, Grandma & Pops with the pumpkin grown especially for Sienna
 in her pumpkin patch!

Sienna painting her pumpkin.  She LOVED this activity!

All the girls painting and decorating their pumpkins.

Preston and his pumpkin -- he also tasted the paint!

Stella and Sienna focusing intently on their pumpkin painting.

Dave & Susan had pumpkins for the adults to carve, too!

Sweet Vivian and her green pumpkin!  Hello, mini-Brooke!

Sienna and I making her Veggie Head pumpkin!
Susan and Dave had this great idea to use veggies to make a pumpkin face - awesome!

Sienna's bounty of painted pumpkins - a work of art!

"Ring Around the Rosy" with Pops, Cosi & Sienna -
a must anytime Sienna and Pops play!

The whole clan with all our pumpkins!  So much fun!!
(Check out Stella & Vivian's Veggie Head, complete with Twizzler glasses!)

Next, we moved on to decorating cupcakes - huge hit!
My personal favorite decoration?  Candy corn M&Ms!

Sienna decorating her cupcakes, before having a meltdown
when we only let her eat one.  :)

Grandma and Sienna decorating cupcakes - sweet!

Loving her cupcake, well, mostly the icing.

Pops & Sienna being silly -- these two have such a special bond!

Family pic!

The girls with Pops and Grandma, holding the squirrel food!