Our Jack-O-Lanterns are all carved now. We carved the first batch too early, and they slowly melted into orange puddles. The second set now graces our doorstep with eerie leers. I got to carve two of them, but then Daniel added a long, curly mustache to his after I was done with it. You have to like a holiday ritual that involves transforming fruit to art, via knives and fire.

Yesterday was Elaine's first real trip to the zoo. She's been three times before, but she didn't really notice the animals. And she wasn't walking yet, so she couldn't run around and enjoy it. Yesterday, however, she was so excited to see the animals, it made her dance. She liked the farm section best. She was convinced that the goats and pig were very strange dogs and woofed at them. She bocked at the chickens, and she's never done that before. And, as soon as she saw the ponies, she shrieked in delight and started nodding her head furiously. It was as if she was trying to say, "yes, those, I want those." I guess she wants a pony.