So a couple of weeks back we had one of 'those' work weeks where it was just go go go all week. It culminated in me leaving for a girls weekend in the States.
This meant that not only was J was having his first flight as a single parent with a not weaned at all 2 year old but that he was doing it with a fairly empty fridge, no pre-made meals and exhausted.
We tried to prepare her by starting to wean and evolve our nighttime and morning rituals to somehow make the separation less painful for both of them and it was excruciating. Eventually, the constant fight wasn't worth it and we started discussing my impending departure upfront with no games - I nursed, she got up with Jason in the morning and he put her to bed at night. The nursing remained consistent.
"Mommy is leaving."
We didn't really have any expectations that this would work in any way and that "It would be all bad" for both J and F but at least it would only be "All Bad" for 2 nights and 3 days instead of the entire month leading up to my departure. Life is just too short.
That Friday night she got to enjoy her first movie - Dumbo. My job is not to judge because the weekend went amazingly well. I spoke to her and J every morning and night with no problems. J mentioned that she was sad but not inconsolable and was eating like a horse - including meat(!). This was interesting to me because she is pretty much a vegetarian kid - not of our making but of her own choice.
Anyway, when I got back after a 10 hour drive she was singing this phrase (minus the chip in her mouth).
Well, tonight Jason showed me the clip from the movie that she's singing and I'm trying hard not to get too wigged out by the 1941 cultural depictions. Am I getting charmed by the wordplay? The dancing crows?
I got back and she was happy to see me, still interested in nursing and seemingly not maladjusted or completely racist.
I'M ON HIGH ALERT although it's hard to be too paranoid when I imagine a rubber band or a horse fly!
Even the cat got some spooky enjoyment out of his decorations! The setting sun comes directly into our living room through the porch. 
The blustering wind really added to the effect. They looked really cool and were all made from an old ghost costume from the year before. I love that he decorated the house so well and didn't spend a dime. Yay to avoiding dollar store investing!
I contributed a couple of 
Fenner helped carve her very first Pumpkin. She was quite frightened of it at first -the innards were really terrifying. Slowly she came around and by the end was having a great time.
Finally, Fenner dressed in a beautiful dress that her Fairy Godmother and family friend Terry had given her from her travels. Jason and I suggested that she might be dressed as a character from the movie "
Usually we'd have pics of the turkey on the bbcue but we went more traditional this year. To be honest it was bloody cold and we were all slow like bees in smoke. Carolyn was amazing with the pictures and shared some gems with me.
After too many indoor games with Grampa and Grama Gemmill she needed to get out and get the stink off her.
Still happy to be outside though!
Carolyn took a lot of pics with me in them. I didn't realize that I tend to be behind the camera taking pictures. I loved all of them. It's so funny - when this picture was taken we were walking to White's Falls after having boated over. I look totally in the moment but I remember distinctly thinking: I hope the boat starts again, that the turkey is doing ok and that Steve and Debbie are enjoying themselves.
The best part this year was that Mom and Dad were able to bring Mimi for Thanksgiving dinner. It's a difficult thing to bring a 93 year old to the cottage on blustery cold fall days and somehow Mom and Dad always make it a priority amongst so many other priorities. It was definitely a highlight this year as Fenner was entranced by her and vice versa.
