Dreams Really Do Come True: October-Fall Fun and someone turns 8!

So October can only mean one big thing--Maks' birthday! Hard to believe you are 8!!

For your birthday we had family and the Fillmore's over to celebrate. You had a great time with your cousins and the girls!!

As always you got to go to Hennings to pick out your cake and this year was a army tank cake. You have taken quite the interest in army things.

You received some awesome presents which just goes to show how spoiled you are!! So now for your 8 year old stats: You grew 5 inches in one year, the doctor was SHOCKED! you are 56 inches tall (98%) and 70 pounds (88%). You are one big boy and keeping you in clothes and shoes is no easy feat!!

So this fall has been crazy between Alek's fall ball and Maks' hockey. We thankfully were able to squeeze in a quick trip to Merrymead for some fall fun. You guys love the corn maze and the little carnival games. We also picked out our pumpkins, Maks you picked out this giant one which I told you was too big, you insisted and carried it, up to the register. I barely could lift it. Turns out it was a $92 pumpkin, I told you turn around lug it back! Your work out for the day! Maks you are doing awesome in hockey, it is so fun to watch you improve each week. You are now doing clinic on saturdays and scrimmages on Sundays. You are so focused and so determine to improve. It is the first sport you have truly been this driven in. It makes my heart so happy and proud watching you out there. Alek you finished up fall ball doing well. Your pitching arm needs a serious break, but your hitting picked up. It was a fun season. You are now working with a hitting coach indoors and waiting for basketball to start.

Mommy and daddy got to go on a little escape for just the two of us to Mexico! An early 16th anniversary getaway! Grammom and Poppy stayed with you wed-Fri and then Pop and Noni from fri-sunday. As usual you were spoiled all around!

We went back to the resort we knew and looked forward to pure relaxation. The first two days were beautiful weather and we enjoyed the beach and the pool.

Friday it rained ALL day, but we went to this great little town and shopped, ate and drank and had lots of fun. Saturday it rained again, but mommy got to enjoy a relaxing massage while daddy napped. We enjoyed our trip alot just wished we had better weather. It was great to come home and see you guys, we missed you so much!

Next up was Halloween. Alek you were some zombie Phillies player and Maks you were some special forces guy, again with the army theme!

It was quite the Halloween adventure. We walked around with Liam and the neighborhood gang. We went over to the bigger development so you could visit alot more houses. There were some great houses and you guys were having a blast! Until...the haunted house. You all decided you wanted to go through. You were scared but you had fun and came out laughing and then there was the clown. Mommy hates clowns, no good can come from clowns. This clown followed you guys to the next house and scared you all badly. I wanted to kick some clown butt! After some tears and yelling we all settled down and finished the night. It made for good writing in your school journals the next day!

So we made our way into November. The weather has been nice thankfully no early snow or cold.

School is going well for you both. We had your conferences. Alek you are going very well so far this year. After early concerns about your teacher you really like her. Science and social studies are your strong subjects followed by math. You continue to love reading and are doing alot of AR books, I am proud of you for taking on that extra work! You also started a hip hop class with Liam and you guys have a blast. It is fun to watch it!

Maky, you are doing so well academically in school. I know you have struggled a bit due to your ADHD but you are getting alot of support at school and things are going well. Your teacher tells me how great you are with math and how much your writing has improved this year. She said she always has to give you extra math because you are so fast and she doesn't want you to get bored. You are also reading alot more on your own now and chapter books, which makes me so happy to see. Your teacher also has raved about your art and encouraged us to find some art classes for you. You started a weekly art class which you love. You paint,sketch and work with clay. We are very proud of you!