Today we did a comic book show in Tampa. While we were parking the car Chloe got all excited when she saw Batman in the parking garage a few cars down from us. I was worried that she’d run over to him, but she restrained herself. When we got inside the hotel, “Batman” was chatting to an author who was sitting at a table. Chloe walked up and quietly started saying ‘hi’, ‘hi’, ‘hi’. A couple people started giggling and then “Batman” turned and saw Chloe and waved and chatted with her for a second. She was ecstatic!

Barry pressed the flesh and we all got to do a little shopping. While walking around the dealers room Chloe saw a group of costumed folks and got excited. “I’ve got to say ‘hi’ to the Superhero’s, I’ve GOT to!” she said and we took her over to meet them. They were amazingly cool and were tickled that she wanted to take a picture with them.

Chloe does her own Superhero pose. Her Superhero name is ‘Smarty Pants Girl’. Fox’s is Destructo Boy (that’s what Dad calls him, but *I* know his super SUPER secret identity is really Berserker Boy!)

Later as we made our around Chloe saw some ‘Hi Hi Puffy Ami Umi’ comics and of course we bought them for her. She really wanted some Futurama comics (or as she calls them Leila comics), but the Puffy comics were all we could find.

Barry bought some Mr Miracle comics…Kirby for a really good price. That made him really happy.

Fox was just a champ as usual. I took Chloe with me while I fed Molly and left Fox with Barry. He was great, never let go of Barry’s hand, and never got fussy the whole time we were away–which was quite a while.

Tonight I was putting Fox down to bed (he is the AWESOMEST kid ever when it comes to going to bed) and started going thru my routine with him…what we did that day, that I love him, etc…
I had BARELY started talking and he’s reaching for his crib just wanting to go to sleep and forget the chitchat. It had been a fun but long day for him.

This was Molly’s first comic show. A really nice dealer gave her a Wolverine comic as her first comic. It was nice of him. I’m amazed at how kind and generous folks are. We got to shows and people are just giving away things to the kids right and left. No wonder Chloe gets excited when we tell her we have a comic show to go to.

We stopped on our way home to get some dinner. We both felt like Chinese food and found a place. The food was so-so, but the company was fantastic.

The last little while has been a lot of fun, a lot of stress, and some things I hope to high heavens are never to be repeated. Here’s some schoolin’ that I’ve received lately.

Car insurance is wonderful to have. Hearing your husbands voice on the other end of the phone after you’ve heard his crash is priceless.

Health insurance would be nice…come on changing of the guard!!

Weekend waiting for your childs blood test results suck

Well intentioned dieticians who scare the crap out of you while handing out unsolicited advise regarding PKU suck.

There is a direct correlation between how “good” a christian is by the number of times they feel inclined to tell me they are a good christian.

Pizza Hut has the BEST lunch pizza buffet. Cici’s officially sucks.

Cadillac Williams is the coolest name. EVER. Well, isn’t it???

I have to accept that I won’t have everyones understanding, everyones love or everyone’s approval — even if it’s family. And move on.

No matter what, my adorable little boy has stinky feet. It’s just a fact.

Zebra Domes from Boma’s are THE best dessert. Ever. Luckily Barry took pity on me for my Birthday and let me chow down on them!! Back to Atkins.

There is always too much laundry to do. It multiplies when I”m not looking.

It’s amazing how much chocolate a kid can get over themselves just from eating 1 Raisinette.

Glad the Simpsons are back…just wish The Treehouse of Horror” hadn’t had sucked so badly.

Things everyone should be watching: Heroes, Jericco, Studio 60, My Name is Earl, and Prison Break .

Howl-O-SCREAM!!!!

Yes, this really IS Molly!

So here it is…how we spent out Halloween!

First, Halloween is taken VERY seriously here in the Gregory household. This year Chloe got to decide who was going to be what for Halloween.

She decided SHE was going to be a bat.

Fox was going to be a spider

Molly HAD to be a pumpkin…it’s a family tradition…ok, ummm…just OUR family tradition.

Dad was going to be Frankenstein (ok, we didn’t get to put that together so I took artistic liscence and made him Hellboy)

Dad decided Mom was going to go as a witch/goth. I didn’t get a pict taken : O (

We decided way back in late August to go to the Disney’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on Halloween night. Everyone kept telling us what a mistake it was. We ended up having a ball! We were amazed how even though the event was sold out, the park really wasn’t crowded at all. And after the special Halloween fireworks at 9:30, the park really emptied out after that.

Chloe and Fox both loved the Halloween parade–Barry and I aren’t parade folk. The kids suer watched it intently! Chloe waved to some of the characters–it was cute–and got scared when characters came too close to her and made loud noises.

People offered to let the kids come up front and and sit on the front row to watch the parade. We couldn’t believe it! Most of the time at Disney people are pushing and shoving to get in front of you and that night everyone was like ‘Please, take out spot. Want some candy too?’ it was strange.

Folks would stop us to take photos of Fox. He rocked the spider outfit. Considering he’s so young, he was awesome with these spider legs. He never tried to pull at them and I think he kinda liked the attention he got.

The only thing Barry and I groused about was the fact that each year it seems Disney cuts back on decorations. This year it was REALLY bad. Hardly anything Halloweeny. The BIGGEST bummer for me was in previous years Disney offered free photos included in the price. This year they offered half off the regular price they charge for normal park hours. That kinda pissed me off. I was sooo looking forward to having our first family photo. Not to be. That had a high suck factor.

We got tons of candy. Nothing like watching your kids haul ass around the house in a sugar buzz. Actually, the kids aren’t too bad. Sugar doesn’t seem to affect them too much…now caffine…

We were miffed at first because it did seem like the cast members where hardly giving out any
candy in the candy lines–and there seemed to
be a lot less of those this year. Then after the fireworks and most of the people left, they were giving out candy by the handfulls. One little girl a head of us had brought her own candy bag. The disney folks wouldn’t let her leave their candy station until her bag was full–literally. It was funny. Her bag weighed more then she did.

We pretty much walked onto the Buzz Lightyear ride…one you usually have to wait quite a bit for. Barry took Chloe on the Racetrack ride while I waited with Fox and Molly. Fox all of the sudden just crashed as Barry was holding him. He was totally tuckered out. Poor fella. We laid him in the stroller and he was out!

After they got off the Racetrack ride, Chloe went

on it with me. I always liked those types of rides. Reminds me of Kings Dominion back in Virginia. It was after midnight by then so we made our way grudgingly to the monorail. We just KNEW there was going to be a hellascious wait. Turns out, there were no crowds. We just walked up and hopped the train that was there!

We made it too the car and both the kids were out but sort of awake by the time we got home. They went to bed after we brushed teeth…they ate TONS of candy!!!

We had a wonderful Halloween.

Today we had to go to Lakeland to have blood work done for Molly. The people at the All Children’s clinic are fantastic. Always so nice and supportive. So we just have to wait now to see if her numbers go up or down on MOnday. Down is what we want. Her numbers were up last time…from 4.6 to 5.1 Dr Kahn thinks that is because she’s eating more. We scheduled her BIG doctors appointment for Monday Nov 20. For some reason we have to see this Doctor who is in the pediatrics Endocrin Dept at USF in Tampa. It’s a LOooooooonnnnng way to go. But you do what you got to do. Anything for Molly.

So as Monday is my Birthday, I want Molly’s numbers to be down. That’s all I want.