H-A-Double L-O-W-Double E-N

Halloween has always been a pretty big holiday in my family. It is such a big deal to my sister that she gets Halloween presents for Christmas. My mom (who decorates pretty extensively for almost every holiday) goes ALL OUT for Halloween. As for me, while it might not be my favorite holiday, its definitely in my top 5. I was so looking forward to Arthur's first Halloween. We were getting settled into our new house in Wisconsin, getting to know the area and there were kids in our new neighborhood so we might actually get trick or treaters!
Then we got the news that Skyler would be going to Ohio for work. Again. Until November 9th. So once more, our lives were thrown into disarray and chaos and separation. I had to be in Missouri for several events in October anyway, so instead of travelling back and forth from an empty house, I packed up the baby and the dog into the Durango and drove to my parents house outside Kansas City. Thankfully, Skyler was able to fly in for the birth of our nephew, and then most of October turned into a whirlwind of events and planning for me. My Aunt turned 80. My Alma Mater celebrated its 100th Homecoming (MIZ!) and my sorority celebrated it's 10th anniversary of re-colonization on campus. I went to a bridal shower and threw a bachelorette for a wedding I'm in next month. In between all that, I spent time with my parents and provided a cute cuddly baby for my mom to cuddle with when she got home from work. It was busy and exhausting, but it kept my mind off the fact that Skyler was hundreds of miles away. Again.
But there was still Halloween. What to do? Should I stay in Missouri and celebrate it with my parents? Should I drive home to Wisconsin and spend it alone in our house? Should I fly to Ohio?
Once Ohio was brought up as an option, I knew that is where I wanted to be. Even though Skyler would be working long LONG hours while we there, I didn't want Arthur to spend his first Halloween away from his daddy and even a few hours at the end of every day together is better than nothing.
We were in Ohio for over a week and it was a great trip. The night before Halloween we stopped by a dinner that Skyler's co-workers had been having every Sunday night and showed him off in his costume for a little while. On Halloween, Skyler got home from the office around 10pm and we quickly carved a pumpkin and took some pictures. It wasn't an eventful Halloween, but it was so nice to be together.

Daddy carving the pumpkin. We didn't go very elaborate, he'd had a long day. 

He kept sticking his hands inside and gumming the top. 

A great sensory experiment! And he didn't even try to put it in his mouth. 

Best family shot we could manage. 

We were messy afterward and had a hotel-room-sink-bath. He was pretty done with the camera. 

When we got back to Nana and Papa's house we took some pictures to remember the costume. 

The ONLY picture of him smiling with the pumpkins. 

So that was Arthur's first Halloween. 

And Skyler comes home tomorrow :)