Pumpkin Patch v.2.0

So, the day after Heiser Farms, we decided "hey, let's all go again" - this time with Jackson's class. So we loaded Aidan, Chloe, plus Amy and 2 of her boys into the car and set out. Chloe screamed. For a long, long way. About 25 minutes, straight through. It was a lot of screaming. The moment I pulled her out of the carseat, she stopped. Hmmm. I think she has my number.

Anyhow, the kids had a great time at a working farm/pumpkin patch we'd never been to before, called French Prairie Gardens. This place was rockin'! The kids loved it. First, they taught them a great lesson about how farms work and what is grown on their farm. They were trying to explain that some things we eat are the leaf, some are the flower, and some are the root. For example...carrots. Root. Everybody got that. Then, my favorite exchange:

Cute perky farm girl: Okay, what's this?
Kids: BROCCOLI!
CPFG: (pointing at the leaf) What part of the broccoli is this?
Kids LEAF!
CPFG: (pointing at stem) What part of the broccoli is this?
Kids: STEM!
CPFG: (pointing at the broccoli crowns) What part is this?
Kids: Silent for a moment, until my kid pipes up.
Jackson: The BROCCOLI!
CPFG: ummmm...okay, anyways....

Some of the best parts of the day:
Babe, the ginormous Scottish Highland Bull, and of course, the pig races.

Pumpkin Patch v.1.0

As I am a mom of three, now follows the requisite photos of various trips to the pumpkin patch. Aidan's class visited one of our local faves, Heiser Farms, with his preschool. It was so great to see him on his own, hanging with his class. He's SO big all of a sudden! And totally the opposite of Jackson. When we first took Jack to the pumpkin patch, I think it took him about 47 minutes to pick a pumpkin. He had to find JUST THE RIGHT ONE. Aidan chose a pumpkin in about 3.2 seconds. "Yep. This one looks good. What now?"

Fall bike ride

We took a bike ride the other day, seeing as how it was GLORIOUS outside. Have I mentioned that I love fall? Aidan was a trooper - he pooped out about 10 minutes in, but hung in there (with a few pushes from mom) for a good 20 more minutes. Chloe took her first ride in the big girl stroller, and she was even happy for about 20 minutes! Of course, by the time we pulled back into the garage, Aidan was whining, Chloe was screaming, and I was ready for a cocktail. Did I mention it was only like 4:15?








When we got home, this is what we saw in our outside our sliding door.



Have I mentioned how much I love fall? :)
Coming soon - pumpkin patch, pinot noir crush, and Chloe at 4 weeks post-op.

LMAO

Chloe, two weeks post-op

I thought I'd continue to post some updates on Chloe - at this point, she is pretty much functioning at "normal" baby speed. She's a little funky on her schedule, and she's got a runny nose, and oh yes...she NEVER SLEEPS. Seriously. But other than that, she's just like a normal, non-surgified (that is my new word, so hush) almost 5-month-old baby.

Here are some photos from today, exactly two weeks post surgery.







We had a post-op appointment on Friday in Portland, and everyone was happy with her progress. Her incision is healing really well, we were able to wash it the other day, so most of that dried gunk is coming off. We've even had to trim away some of the stitches as one end dissolves and the other is left poking out. (That was fun - but don't worry, the doc showed us how. We're practically experts.) She's a beauty. In fact, she's so pretty, I had a little mini melt-down the other night. Yes, I'm hormonal and have been a little tiny bit stressed, what with the head surgery and all, and did I mention my eyebrows falling out? Anyhow, I was holding her while she slept, and just found myself overwhelmed by how beautiful and symmetrical her brow is.



It was this really odd mix of emotions, though. On one hand, I'm thrilled that my baby girl won't have to go through life with a "wonky" forehead/eye. She's gorgeous, and symmetrical, and her eyes are beautiful. She looks like she was supposed to look. But. On the other hand, we had sort of gotten used to her little wonky eye. She had these really funny facial expressions because of it, and there was a little part of me that will miss that cute, funky, totally unique look. I know, it's weird and probably completely nuts, but hey - i yam what i yam. :)

Total devotion...

I can't decide who is more captivated in this photo....
these boys are going to get a run for their money - and their hearts!

I. heart. fall.

Here are just a few reasons why fall really is my most favorite of seasons.

1. My yummy new purple sweater.



2. Buckle my shoe



3. Walking Third St. with my baby, my coffee, and my mamacita, in perfect crisp weather.

4. New orange scarf/wrap, (from Ross Dress for Less!)



5. Not feeling guilty about staying inside and sewing.

6. Soup. yum.

7. Great Harvest breads - so much better in October!

8. Did I mention that it's sweater weather? I really do love sweaters.

9. Apples - from my mom's tree, sitting in a big box in my kitchen, for snacking and baking and applesauce making.

10. I just like it. The light is better, the weather is warm and then cold, and then windy and then rainy - plus, I pretty much missed all of last fall, so this fall I'm loving it double.