My two pumpkins

We went to the Christmas tree farm for a hayride/pumpkin patch with our MOMS group. This was full of meaning for me since it was at a similar location (was it this one?) and similar excursion, that Michael and I met 12 years ago.

David really enjoyed the hayride and the train ride. He loved playing on the playground with the other kiddos and checking out the goats (once almost scaling the wall to join them). On the other hand, he was not such a big fan of posing for pictures among the pumpkins. We finally got one sweet picture when bribed with the rest of his lunch. Elizabeth did quite well the whole time and just took in all the new experiences.

(and for my Bama friends, must admit I sooooo miss Tate's farm...this was such a far cry from that!)

...and finally, the offspring of one such Christmas farm 12 years ago!

The ups and downs leading to 7 months

Elizabeth, your time this sixth month has been full of ups and downs....some figurative, many moments quite literal.

You (and the whole family) were pretty sick for 2 of 4 weeks this month. You had your second cold. This probably was sweetly given to you by your overly affectionate brother.

Speaking of your bro, you have a funny relationship with him. You absolutely adore him and love to laugh with him. At other times, you scream your hardest as if to get him in trouble for picking on you. Unfortunately, it is pretty hard to settle you back down once you start.

Other things you grin at? Your mommy. Your daddy. and #1 on your list--your bottle when I am shaking it up to give to you.

You sure do like your bottle. You also love yogurt and are now getting pretty adept at eating without sticking your hands in your mouth (with a few reminders from your mommy). However, despite being 7 months old, you are way behind in the eating department. You have been exposed to peas and pears, sweet potato and squash, but if it is anything other than yogurt, you shut your mouth tight and will not open for anything. You show signs of being a very strong-willed little girl (in other areas too). As it is impossible to force a baby to eat, you just don't get much besides your morning breakfast of yogurt and milk.

Your favorite toys right now are your discarded pacifiers--most especially the hospital soothies. You love to chew on them and take them in and out of your mouth (probably a sign of teething below the gum surface). But when it comes to soothing you, the middle two fingers are still the only trick.

Most other things end up in your mouth too. You also especially love paper of all types and want to chew on all of Mommy's magazines. All toys and other things eventually end up in your mouth too. We have to be careful to make certain that big brother's little toys are all out of reach.

You are also fascinated by the cats. You will stare and stare.

Still a tiny thing but you have finally outgrown size 1 diapers. You wear entirely size 2 now. And clothing is almost all 6-9 months or larger because of your length.

You are quite ably crawling although you don't care to do it unless there is some better toy across the room. More ups this month? Standing is your skill of choice. You love to pull up on everything!!! (including your crib side--happened just once before Mommy quickly lowered the mattress)

You are quite active and a wriggler when drinking your bottle. The only time you are still and content is generally in Mommy's arms when she is walking around.

I love you, little bundle of energy! God has blessed us with a little girl who will most definitely not be dull!

MDW at 38 mos.

A few things to remember from this month:

• David has switched over to almost entirely calling me "mama" even though we refer to me as "mommy."
• He prays the sweetest prayers at night (judging by what we can understand). One time it was that Daddy would pick up his toys and Daddy, Mommy, and Baby sister would clean his room. Another time it was that Daddy would not spank him and that he would obey.
• David is super observant! He notices when things are moved around when he is out of the room. He can spot cars that Mommy never even noticed. He sees all little spots or fuzzies that are hding in the carpet etc...
• The lock on the interior of his room has served its purpose for months- even after he proved himself quite capable of taking it off. No longer. Almost every morning and naptime David takes off the lock and brings himself downstairs. "Mommy, I wake up!" One morning when I was no more than barely awake he super stealthily came into our room carrying a huge framed poster of himself that he had managed to get from the top of his dresser. He startled me by declaring, "This is a picture of David. I like the picture. (looking at the cat) This the cat. (looking at me) This is Mommy." Michael and I just laughed because he was so wide awake and matter of fact and acting as if we had invited him in for a discussion on his picture.
• After eating his hot dog the other day, he holds up a hand and says, "Five, Mommy?" Super funny...partly because we have not taught him "high fives" and partly because he thought he deserved one for finishing his hot dog.
• David really struggles with jealousy over his sister...he always wants to do what she is doing (sitting on my lap, drinking milk etc...). He has already trying to grasp the concept of fairness too. Still not sure whether I am to enforce, but he does not understand why sister gets to drink her bottle in the family room while he is told to drink his milk in the kitchen (after spilling it all over the couch a while back). Fortunately, I know how tough it is to be an oldest child! :)
• He loves to read Mommy and Daddy's magazines. Especially Popular Mechanics or others in hunt of cars or planes, or trains...And after I asked him to sniff some perfume ads once, he now opens any magazine and says, "Whoa! That smells good!" (last time it was directed at a picture of a car...of course, unscented.)
• Still loves to play Mario Kart. Last time he played, he stopped in the middle of a successful race and said, "Where the other guys go, Mama?" I told him they were behind him so he insisted on waiting for them to catch up.
• One of his favorite reasonings makes me laugh...When told that he cannot do something for some reason, he will say, "When I get bigger I do it. Ok, Mama???" He heard this once from us, but it is just hilarious to hear him say that in reference to signing the penpad at the grocery store or Mommy's needlework etc...
• David is getting that much closer to being potty trained. He will go to the bathroom almost always when asked first thing in the morning. He will go again before bed. And when put in underwear the other day, he stayed dry almost all morning (and went to the bathroom twice). He still does not care enough yet though and most definitely is not potty trained for all the poop. :( It will happen someday...
• He almost never naps these days but when he gets completely wiped out I will often find him on the floor of his room crashed behind the door. One time I even found him with bottom in the air, sound asleep!

I love this little one. He is mostly very cheerful and sweetly affectionate. At times he wants to help so badly (like vacuuming) and other times still wants to remain the baby and refuses to help. What a darling first child I have!

Lunch conversation

Completely out of the blue yesterday during lunchtime, D says, "Mommy, you got my lucky sticker dirty!" I was not holding a sticker or any such thing, but I immediately started laughing because I knew exactly where it came from. Any Cars fan, or forced fan (like all the moms out there), will remember this line from the first movie. Why the phrase came into his head I have no idea, but how funny to be quoted a random line at a random time from a 3 year old!