Welcome October

Avonlea Jane has been a busy busy girl this week--with playdates, storytime, swimming, and a party. Keeping her so busy has helped immensely with getting her back into a regular sleep pattern despite the teething. (In grown-up news, we also signed the Purchase and Sale Agreement on our new house this week. We take possession toward the end of the month and will move in November.)

Avonlea Jane had a playdate this week on Derby Wharf, and here she is afterward, enjoying the last of the warm September weather.

She kept watching the seagulls flying over the neighboring beach.

Storytime started this week at the library, and Avonlea Jane is in the session for 0-12 month olds. She started going to storytime at around two months old and then was one of the smallest babies. This first week of the fall session, she was the oldest baby in attendance. It is both sad and exciting that she will soon transition to being a toddler.

Taking a break after storytime to play with some leaves on the way home

We were so fortunate to have absolutely lovely weather at the end of September, but we are happy to welcome October! Not only has fall arrived in full force in Salem but the tourist season has as well. September was a quiet month downtown--the calm before the storm--but now we are gearing up for Halloween season. Every year Salem kicks off Haunted Happenings, the city's month-long Halloween festival, with an evening parade on the first day of October. This year's theme was "A Night at the Museum." The parade was full of marching bands, local sponsors, and children from all of the local schools dressed up as characters from the movie Night at the Museum or art pieces from the local Peabody Essex Museum.

Avonlea Jane with a just-her-size pumpkin at the farmers' market before the parade

Before the parade started, the three of us went to a baby costume party, where Avonlea Jane had a ball.

All of the babies lined up

While posing for photos may have made many of the babies upset, you can see that Avonlea Jane was thrilled.

As much as Avonlea Jane liked the party, she loved the parade. In fact, we would say she had a roaring good time. She had a good time waving at all of the people going by and laughing at the marching bands. She even thought the firetruck sirens were funny, while the rest of our tiny group burst into tears.


Mommy and Avonlea Jane with our friend Erin and her son

Just for fun, a video of Avonlea Jane playing with toys and talking to herself: