Pumpkin Patch/Farm Visit

Most families have a favorite place that they go to each year to find their pumpkins. Us on the other hand, have yet to find that favorite place. Until now that is. In the past we have gone to the grocery store, produce market, commercialized/bouncy house/crazy pumpkin patch in order to find the perfect (overpriced!!) pumpkins. This year we decided to give the local Greenspot Farm our business. And we were impressed.

Aiden was immediately drawn to the animals, most of which he had only ever seen on his Baby Einstein Farm video. That kid has no fear! Walking right up, nose to nose with each of the animals. I think he liked the goats more then they liked him because he kept trying to pet smack them through the fencing, all while using his new shrill voice. Next, we went to see the rather lazy llama. Again Aiden wanted to climb in with her and had to be held back by Daddy.

This llama had the coolest eyes. One brown....and one blue.

About the only way to contain this wild man was to make him immobile on Daddy's shoulders. This kid has no fear and seems to want to conquer the world in one afternoon.

Alexis didn't particularly care for the wonderful smell that permeated the farm air. Not sure I blame her for that one, it was pretty pungent.

The horse was our next stop. He was of course more interested in his dinner and never even looked up once while we were trying to check him out.

Alexis was excited to see her favorite animal: a bunny! She of course had to reminded me multiple times that she is allergic to them and did not want to pet them.

Aiden tried to climb into the pig pen. I guess he felt like he was at home in his own pig pen of a room at times.

This guy on the other hand Aiden wouldn't even come close to. Not sure if it was the tusks (is that what they are?) or the weird, misshapened toe. He wasn't the cutest animal on the farm that is for sure.

Last on the animal excursion was the very likeable lickable cow. If you got within 5 feet of this guy he would stick his tongue out and try to lick you. I almost got a very slobber kiss from him before we figured this out. Aiden really enjoyed 'talking' to the cow.

Our next stop was the actual pumpkin patch, the real reason why we came here to begin with. Of course I forced the kids to sit for a minute while I took the annual pumpkin patch photo. Can you tell Andrew and Alexis are SO over the whole photo thing? At least Aiden seemed excited.

After we picked out three (inexpensive I might add) pumpkins we were on our way to the car. Aiden was super fascinated with the old tractor, or was he just trying to figure out what the guy was doing on the tractor. He kept pointing as if he was asking to go on a ride.

Daddy and Andrew loaded up the pumpkins in the car and we headed home to decorate them.I am so not the type that likes carving pumpkins, dealing with knives around kids, and pulling out stringy, seedy pumpkin guts. So, a few years back I came across these nifty pumpkin kits and HAD to have them.

The pieces are like Mr. Potato Head parts that you poke into the pumpkin. No carving, no degutting, clean and simple decorating. I LOVE IT! Andrew is the vampire, Alexis is the princess, and Aiden is the clown. In the past Daddy and I have decorated a pumpkin as well, as a pirate and a witch, but this year's space issue only allowed for three pumpkins to be displayed on our porch. And as if they aren't the cutest things, they are also very educational for Aiden. Everytime we come and go from the house he has to point out the eyes, nose, mouth and ears on each of the pumpkins. That beats him poking my eye out all the time to point mine out, or trying to pick my nose.

What Happens when Kids are Unsupervised?

I know I am the only mommy out there that does not follow my kids around all day long and watch their every move. During these unsupervised times, like times when I HAVE to go pee or switch the laundry around, Aiden always seems to find something to do.

A few weeks ago I made a yummy batch of brownies as a suprise for Dale. I had pulled it out of the oven and placed it on the table to cool. Not remembering that my little guy is a proficient climber and that the temptation of brownies would be too much for him, I left the room to visit the lady's room. When I returned, this is what I found...... Clear sign that my little guy had helped himself to some brownies and then fled the scene of the crime, hoping to not be caught. Not that the brown gooey stuff all under his fingernails and all over his face wouldn't have given him away a few moments later.

He also has this new found fascination with the Cars movie. He likes to carry it around with him wherever he is at in the house. He has either the movie or a car replica in his hands at all times. So, during one of my bathroom trips (sounds like all I do is go pee around here), I returned to find this sweet, innocent, little boy swimming in movies.He had pulled out every movie on the bottom shelf in search of the movie of his desires, Cars! With such a cute face like that, how could I be upset about the mess? Instead of scolding him what did I do? Turned the movie on for him of course. He really only likes to watch the first 15 minutes of the movie, the big race.

Speaking of the Cars movie, he was watching the movie on Friday night (no really, he doesn't watch it ALL the time). All of the sudden he disappeared from the room and

returned with his Lightening McQueen car in hand. How cute? Well, REALLY cute, that is until he took the car and started running it around on the race track on the TV screen. Dale practically jumped out of his skin, with vision of his screen being ruined forever.

So moral of the story is: kids will find creative, destructive, annoying, funny things to do whether you watch them like a hawk or leave them unsupervised. Kids will be kids! And you want to be mad at them but can't when you find them like this..... sleeping all curled up next to their big brother, cuddling Scooby the stuffed dog.

Star Wars in Concert

About two months ago I was half-heartedly watching TV while I messed around in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher when I heard the familiar sounds of Star Wars. I looked up (not because I am a fan but because I thought Aiden had started a movie) and saw an advertisement for Star Wars in Concert. I knew right away that Dale and Andrew HAD to go!

I looked up the info online and sent it directly over to Dale's email with instructions that they would be going and he would not argue with me over the date, late night, or cost of the show. And then the fun began. We told Andrew that he and Daddy would be going on a suprise night out on Oct 2nd, but that he wouldn't find out what they were doing till he got there. For the next two weeks he would try and guess at every opportunity, but never came close to guessing. I knew that never in a million years would he figure it out, unless he saw a commercial (which thankfully he did not).

So the day came and Dale and Andrew were on there way to the Honda Center to enjoy a wonderful night of Star Wars characters, music, and footage from the films.

The symphony did an AWESOME job and it was great for Andrew to see professional musicians in person and encourage his love of playing the trumpet.
Dale and Andrew had a great time and enjoyed every moment, minus getting home around midnight and then Dale having to get up and go to work the next day. It is great when we can make lifetime memories with our children.

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today we woke up SUPER early, put a VERY sleepy baby and two nervous parents in the car, and drove in SILENCE to the hospital. By the time we made it to the hospital Aiden was all smiles. He had no idea how significant that day, Oct 1, 2008, was going to be in his life. He flirted with the nurses (somethings never change), admired the new toys he was offered to play with, and was mesmerized by the red blinking light on his toe. After a VERY long surgery we got our first glimpse at his new face. I have to tell you there were mixed emotions. It was not love at first sight. It took me a while (not just minutes or hours, but more like days, maybe even weeks) to fall in love with his face again.

Even as he experimented with his new smile through the nose stents, stiches, and bloody drool; I was still very uncertain about what had just happened to my baby.

I LOVED his wide smile!!! I MISSED his wide smile!!! Still today I miss it, but know that what we did was best.

It was a LONG recovery. There were MANY sleepless nights. There were MANY tears, both Aiden's and mommy's. There were (and still are) MANY post-op appointments. And, there were MANY prayers.

And now? It is one year later and it is hard to believe that that much time has transpired since those sleepless, crying, prayerful nights. He struggled with eating, mainly consuming fudge bars and not much more for well over a week. He struggled with gaining control over his pain, staying on pain killers much longer then we had anticipated. And mommy struggled with holding it together as I held him in the wee hours of the night just sobbing and crying out to God. I struggled with seeing him in so much pain and not being able to make it go away. I struggled with knowing that I had willingly handed him over and allowed them to do this to my son. I struggled with the loss of my little one, who seemed to grow up during that very long surgery.

And today? He has THE most infectious smile!!!

He lights up my world! Keeps me busy!! And makes me laugh!!! But most of all he has caused me to fall in love with him all over again!!

He has been through SO much in his short lifetime, but has taught me MORE then one can imagine during that short time. And who could resist a smile like that? I am definitely in love!!!