Good God.

Halloween candy is just wrong. I've just snarfed a Baby Ruth (mini, thankfully) and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Will is having his very first non-family sleepover tonight. My baby is growing up. I find myself seeking out his baby pictures to try and remember when he was so small, to try and hold onto a time that's passed. It's so strange now, sometimes, to be working on a report for school with him or to tuck him into a bunk bed for his night's sleep. To have him be the one to read to me.

Every stage is so precious, I think in part because it goes so quickly. But the nice part is that some of it sticks. He loves to read Frog & Toad - especially "Shivers". The 2 1/2 year old who struck the floor in front of me with a broomstick and hollered, "Mommy - you shall not pass!" still watches the Lord of the Rings movies with me - he cheers on the Balrog. He likes the new Star Wars trilogy, I prefer the original Holy Trilogy, but we both agree that Darth Vader is awesome.

I'm enjoying every second with him, and now that I realize how quickly it goes, I'm taking full advantage of my time with Alex. He's already a Star Wars fan, courtesy of his brother and mother. Chewbacca and Yoda are his favorites; for a while, Darth Vader was apparently responsible for anything that went wrong in our household. He loves being read to - which is a good thing; his entire immediate and extended family is made up of rabid bookworms. His imagination is already a force to be reckoned with (he was the one who exclaimed, "Darth Vader broke my highchair!" out of nowhere one evening).

It all goes so fast. But I'm going to just enjoy the ride. And enjoy the Halloween candy that seems to come with the price of admission. :-)