A day at the pumpkin patch

"Hi, everybody! Know why I'm smiling? Well, for one thing, Papa is off to the side, honking his horn over and over and driving the neighbors nuts because it makes me laugh and Mommy gets good pictures. But also because I went to Rader's pumpkin patch today and had a blast!"

"Yes, I do know that I am cute. Mommy says some days it's all I have going for me when I have been just a bit ornery. She put me in this fall outfit and is making me take 10,000 pictures. I'm hoping if I cooperate, she'll forget about nap time."

"Do you like the pumpkins I picked out? I decorated the painted one all by myself...until my attention span ran out and I ran off to play and Mommy had to finish it for me. But I put all the paint on. I also did the window clings on the door. I love Halloween time!"

"But back to the pumpkin patch! Come on, I'll give you a tour of our day. "

"Rader's is right down the road from our house, and since it rained Saturday, we took Grammy and Papa with us after church on Sunday. Mommy kept going on and on about what a beautiful day it was and how blue the sky was. I just couldn't wait to explore! Mommy was extra proud of me because I befriended a real live scarecrow (bottom right picture) and am getting over my phobia of characters. Maybe I'll survive on Halloween."

"There was so much to see and do! I loved the caterpillar train made up of barrels, and playing in the corn box was a big hit just like last year. Mommy and I climbed way up high on some haystacks and I could see everything!"

"They had the coolest kid area with little buildings just my size! Here I am at the market."

"I spent a lot of time in the two little buildings, shopping, ringing up other kids' items, cooking, and peeking out the window at people."

"There were animals, too! I really liked the ducks, and really did NOT like the scary turkey! I am not a fan of turkeys ever since one gobbled at me at the fair this summer and I almost pooped my pants. The other animals were all nice."

"Papa and Grammy had fun watching me. If you asked me, they were missing out on all the action, but Mommy really likes this picture of the two of them sitting on the bench. (Grammy, Mommy says thank you for holding her purse so she could stalk me with the camera.)"

"I was all business digging in the corn box and the sandbox. It was hard work! Mommy loves how concentrated I look. At one point, the scarecrow girl played with us, too. She remembered my name and was really nice."

"Mommy and I had so much fun together! She calls me her buddy because I am her favorite little person to be around. Can you blame her?? I got to pick out a pumpkin to paint, and I picked it up all by myself even though it was really heavy! She also made me stick my head through something and then everyone laughed and talked about how cute it was. Give me a break!"

"Grammy, Papa, Mommy, and I rode the hay rack ride way out to the pumpkin patch to pick out some pumpkins. I loved waving at everyone! We got stuck twice in the mud but we made it. "

"Then I got out and walked all by myself like a big boy to pick out the best pumpkins for Mommy and me. The vines tripped me about 10 times but I kept getting back up and brushing it off, because I am so, so big this year!"

"Look how strong I am! I just marched out there and manhandled those pumpkins."

"It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it."

"I decided to let Papa pull me in the wagon on the way back to our van. All that walking was hard work, plus somebody had to look after the pumpkins."

"Then I helped Mommy pack the back of the van up with all of our loot. Happy fall, everybody!"

*Mommy says to tell you this was last weekend. Now she is only a week and a new weekend behind. And you know her, she's taken a million pictures since then. So stay tuned..."

Belly Pics: 13 weeks

I've had several requests for belly pics, so here they are! At 13 weeks today, I do have a little bump already. The two left pictures are Holden's interaction with Baby Hobson. He likes to lift my shirt up and try to "see" the baby. He also kisses and talks/sings to the baby. He was giving him/her goodbye kisses in the bottom picture before I left for school. (I made Jay take these this morning while I still looked halfway decent!)

We got to hear the heartbeat at 11 weeks and everything looks great. That is such a neat moment and makes the pregnancy feel real. We are so blessed! We can't wait to find out if Holden will have a little brother or sister. That appt. is sometime in November and I will be sharing. We are too big of planners not to find out; plus we don't keep secrets well! :) I can't imagine loving another as much as Holden but I know I will.

Fun Sept. Weekends!

This is actually 4 posts in the making, and you know me...that means a picture overload! You've been forewarned. Now that school has resumed, I have to take blogging moments when I can get them. :)

We have been keeping busy on our weekends, making the most of the beautiful weather while it lasts. A few weekends ago, Mom and I took Holden to the Ropp Dairy Farm down the road. I haven't been there in years. I was amazed at how much smaller it seemed to me as an adult! Our perspective changes so much. Holden was really excited to get to see cows, among other animals. That morning, he kept singing, "Old Macdonald." He cracks me up because instead of singing, "With a moo moo here...a moo moo there.." he says, "Cows are here! Cows are here!"

He loved petting goats, seeing the baby cows, and observing the llamas. (He was too afraid to touch them although they were very friendly.) :) He was petrified but fascinated by this giant turkey waddling around, stealing the baby cows' food. He made Mom carry him right up close to it, but then stuck to her like glue. That's why he looks so scared in the picture of her and him by the cow; the turkey was nearby!

He also enjoyed watching cheese being made through the observation window.

And he and Grammy were visited by a friendly barn cat while I enjoyed my dairy fresh ice cream across from them! (Holden is not a big ice cream fan. I don't know how I birthed him.)

The big tractor was the highlight of his day! He looks so tiny up there!

Can you hear him saying, "Vroom! Vroom!" ??

That Sunday was the annual Sutter family reunion. The Sutters are Jay's cousins, and Holden and I always enjoy going to Miller Park to eat, see relatives, and enjoy the zoo/park. Here are some cute faces from this year:

I loved how Holden walked through the zoo with his hands in his back pockets! I love me a little boy in bibs.

"Driving" at the park

The following Saturday was "Airport Days" at the local airport. Grammy and Papa came with us. It was a gorgeous day to be outside!

This was our first time at Airport Days, and definitely won't be our last! What little boy would not love climbing in all kinds of planes and helicopters? Holden was in hog heaven. So was my dad! You can just barely see Holden's little head peeking out here.

A fun day to be a boy! (Or a boy's Mommy!)

The whole group in the Vietnam helicopter. It was in charge of "smoking out" large jungle areas so the enemy couldn't see.

Holden and Papa waiting for their turn in the cockpit.

"Finally! A plane my size!"

Look at the gleam in his eyes.

Watching the airport firetruck with Papa.

This picture somehow resulted in his face being way too bright, but I love how little he looks in the Army plane!

He was excited to try on the helmet.

This is him watching his balloon being made. He had such a fun day!

Continuing our "fun to be a boy day," we headed to a local fire station that was having an open house. Holden is fascinated with fire trucks. He was thrilled!

It was a very hands-on day. He got to climb on all the fire trucks and also an ambulance.

They gave him his own fire hat (And complimented him on his shirt.) :)

Papa helped him climb way up high on the big ladder truck.

The thing he still talks about the most is getting to spray the hose! He pulled the big lever all by himself, while a firefighter helped him aim. :)

"If I could walk in your boots..."

It was such a fun day, and boy did he nap hard that afternoon after all the action!

Big boy bed and a big box!

Holden got a brand new race car bed last night! He is so excited about it. From the time Holden was born, Jay has said the one thing he always wanted growing up that he didn't get was a car bed. So he insisted Holden would have one. We found a really cool one made by Step 2 that uses the toddler mattress, but converts to a twin later. We liked that aspect since it seems like the toddler beds are so pricey and don't last all that long. Well, from the looks of how this bed swallows him up, he'll be in it a long time! :)

I love his little hand waving from the bed. He did GREAT last night; went right down and slept all night. He never tried to get out. I had been worried since he never figured out how to get out of his crib and now he had the opportunity. In the morning, he was sitting up waving at me when I peeked in. I told him he could get out and he said, "I a BIG BOY!" So cute. Now if we could just get him potty trained!!

Even more exciting to him than the bed was the gaint box it came in. I remember playing in a refrigerator box as a child and loving it. Memaw cut a door out and I put a window in, and he thought it was the greatest thing ever. It is currently taking up our entire living room but it sure keeps him busy. :)

Can't believe how big my baby boy is getting.

Batman pajamas

Holden has yet to watch Batman, and probably won't for quite awhile since I think it would be scary for him. But he knows who the character is, along with Spiderman...must be a boy thing. Anyway, I hit the jackpot at a garage sale this summer with 2T clothes, and he saw these Pj's in his closet tonight and flipped out with joy over them! I think he looks so cute in them with his string bean body. :) The bottoms tend to "ride up" and Jay and I were cracking up at how he was waitin' for a flood by bedtime.

Giraffe Exhibitionist

Our Labor Day weekend is off to a bit of a rough start. Holden has a double ear infection and a bad, wheezing cough (we are pretty sure he has asthma but he's too young to be diagnosed) which resulted in 3 days of prednisone and the usual round of breathing treatments-which he DETESTS! Poor buddy. Fortunately the meds did kick in fast, and he is up to his old tricks this evening. I have a sinus infection and can only take Tylenol since I'm expecting.

Always one to look on the sunny side (and keep us looking that way, too!), Holden had a ball just playing in his bubble bath earlier today. These pictures are actually from a few weeks ago, but I had a similar show today. I am very biased, but I just think he's so stinking cute! Little skinny minny boy. He loves his giraffe towel!

"Peek...A..."

"BOO!"