Silas and Avery are 5!!!

Avery came home just in time for their birthday party on Sunday afternoon at the Little Gym!  It blows my mind to think Silas and Avery are 5 years old!  They turned 5 on September 1, but since this last minute momma called the place where they really wanted to have their party one week before, the first open date was mid-October! It worked well since we were in China most of September.  Both Silas and Avery wanted to dress up, so here is Spiderman with his requested Batman cake...

And Avery in her dance costume with her Frozen Fever cake...

We love Little Gym birthdays!

The reunion of Silas and Mimi after "Avery's weekend".

The next week began Halloween festivities, starting with the JA Fall Festival. Samuel made his debut as a Ninja Turtle, Leonardo... and loved every minute of it. This boy thrives on people, crowds, and making everybody laugh.  (Batman nor Leonardo wanted to pause for a picture...)

Samuel is becoming more and more assertive each day as his confidence grows. He communicates very well even without too many words yet... amazing - in a language he heard for the first time one month ago!

Elsa was proud of her beautiful face paint.

And Leonardo was a little jumping machine...

Next was the FBCJ Fall Festival. Dueling Spidermen conquered the trunk or treat despite all the rain...

Meanwhile, poor Avery spent the weekend at Batson after a nasty virus. She was so sick on Saturday when I took her in... and spent Saturday night and most of the day Sunday with her.  Seeing her feel so bad was awful.  Mimi came to stay a little while so I could go home and shower and take the boys to the festival at church... and then like magic she felt better!  I left Silas and Samuel with Bruce and went to get Avery and take her home from the hospital.  She was so much back to herself that she was jumping onto her IV pole and rolling around the room... and bossing the nurse who came to take her IV out. She wanted to flush her own line - and the sweet nurse let her. 

Back at the festival, Spiderman 2 was fearless... this is his first time on a big slide. 

And his first time with a candy bucket.... Isn't this how we all feel sometimes?!