Fall Festivities

It’s funny how, once you have a toddler, you actually start participating in all of the things that seasons have to offer. I mean, I’ve always enjoyed fall in New England (even more than summer sometimes – I know, I know – crazy coming from the sun goddess herself, but…), but I really can’t remember the last time that we have done things like carve pumpkins or pick apples….until this weekend.

It started with Friday when we met Lindsey and Asher at the fruit stand and let them pick out pumpkins then bring them back to our house to carve them. Asher and Avery had a good time and seemed to enjoy touching the insides more than the actual carving. Sunday, we went to an apple festival in town where we picked apples, ate apple dumplings (ok, so Avery really didn’t like it, so Mom ate the entire thing – and I wonder why the baby weight really isn’t coming off this time around???), ate honey and watched the bees in their little glass thingy making the honey, listened to a blue grass band and got Avery’s face painted. It was a great day overall. Here is a picture of Avery eating one of the apples and one of the two of us at the festival (no real relevance, just the only good picture I have of the two of us, so I included it)Just one thing…the face painting???? THREE DOLLARS. WHAT? I mean, the lady bug on Avery’s face was no more than a red dot with a bunch of small black dots on it and we paid three freaking dollars? Mind you – in WI, Avery got her face painted with some heart and some crazy vine-like things coming out of it AND glitter and that was FREE. Granted, that really isn’t the norm for there either, but whatever… it still wouldn’t have been $3! ANYWAY, I digress…

Monday we went on a hayride. It was definitely cheesy, consisting of stuffed animals and stuffed characters like batman and Frankenstein that were obviously made in the 1970’s placed throughout the forest that the tractor drove through, but the kids liked it.
So, needless to say, we had quite the festive fall weekend.

I think that the best (for lack of a better word) part of the weekend was when Chili got out of the house right as we were trying to leave for the hayride. Now, this wasn’t the best part of the weekend for the reasons that you are thinking (although, they are a close second). It was the best given Avery’s reaction. I was sitting on the couch feeding Alex when Josh comes storming into the house exclaiming that Chili had gotten out. Avery had been outside with Josh helping to pack up the car, so I go out there and she is yelling at Chili to come out from under the deck. As I’m there with the cat nip, trying to lure him back in, Avery just looks at Chili under the deck and says, “Fucking cat! Fucking cat!” It became clear to me at that point just exactly what Josh’s reaction was when he got out. Lovely. I did was I was supposed to do and ignored it. I haven’t heard her say it again, but knowing my luck, she went to daycare and announced to the class that her fucking cat got outside this weekend….

Alex is doing really well. He has his first cold, which sucks. And, of course, any little sniffle or cough he has, I’m convinced we are going to end up back in the ICU. But, he’s getting through it. He is really starting to grasp things with his hands and has taken a liking to a bunny that he got as a gift. He also laughs a ton. It’s pretty cute.

Here is a picture of his all bundled up for the weather. I think that babies in hats are adorable, so I'm including it. I’m going to start to bring him to daycare next week for 2 days in preparation of my return to work, which is in 3 weeks. I can’t believe it. The idea of leaving him with someone else is breaking my heart. So, in order to cope, I’ve scheduled a hair appointment as well as a pedicure appointment for the days that both kids are in daycare. I’m certain this will help me get through the days. :) More later…