Pumpkins, Take One

This is very likely the first of many pumpkin-themed posts. I love the fall and pictures with pumpkins, gourds, corn, everything. So get ready for lots of pics of our sweet little pumpkins. :)

First, Shonn and Beckett got B's big pumpkin from Brad's garden. He helped take care of it this fall and we've watched it grow from a little blossom. 

As you can see, Beckett loves that pumpkin:

We grew some miniature pumpkins in the small garden Beckett planted with Mee Maw Hild, and Beckett gave this teensy one to Harp, saying it was "a baby pumpkin for a baby":

The little princess takes Daddy's hand:

...and sits up by herself!

She poses while B explores. He and Daddy were finding corn to feed to deer and other animals:

And did I mention how much Beckett loves his pumpkin?

Curtis Orchard

Treva and I took the kids to Hobby Lobby and Curtis Orchard on Saturday morning.  Beckett helped pick out the colors for his Halloween costume (woo hoo!) and we enjoyed the beautiful fall weather at the orchard.

We ended up skipping the apple picking in favor of climbing all over the pumpkins and playing in the bounce houses and playgrounds. 

Treva got some baby snuggles from Harpy. 

Beckett played on all the equipment. 

 

Little pumpkin:

A Swinging Good Time

Before we met MeeMaw and Papa Hild for lunch, we played at the park. Both kids loved swinging. 

Discover the Dinosaurs

We went the the dinosaur exhibition at the state fair grounds today. There were 60 animatronic, life-sized dinosaurs on display for kids to interact with, some to ride, and some bounce-houses. 

 Beckett loved it at first, but wasn't a huge fan of the loud roars in one of the darker sections. But when we got to the Paleontologist dig, he loved it again. 

We didn't ride the larger Dino's, but Beckett liked the smaller ones in the Bounce- Arena. 

Harpy, on the other hand, was over it, and much more interested in her shoes. :) 

After the dinosaurs, we had a really nice lunch with Mee Maw and Papa Hild and Uncle Adam, and the best part was at the end when Beckett gave Uncle Adam the biggest hug and kiss! He loves them all very much! Harpy was full of giggles for Mee Maw, too. So much fun! (And yummy food, too.)

Happy Half Birthday!

Our sweet little girl celebrated her half-birthday today!

At six months, Harper is a happy, sweet girl.  She has teeth on the verge of coming through and certainly drools a lot! :)  She can almost sit up and is pushing up when on her tummy.  In terms of sleeping, she is up around 11:30 and again sometime between 2:30 and 3.  She loves baby food, especially fruits.  Communicating is becoming more fun every day, as Harpy coos and smiles all the time, and shows excitement by kicking her feet when you talk to her.  She is our little sunshine!

Here is what Baby Center has to say about this time in Harper's development:

Rollin', rollin', rollin'

Your baby's stronger neck and arm muscles allow him to practice rolling over toward one side, a milestone that will probably awe and amuse you. Your baby might adopt rolling as his primary mode of ground transportation for a while, or he may skip it altogether and move on to sitting, lunging, and crawling. As long as your baby continues to gain new skills and shows interest in getting around and exploring his environment, don't worry.

Rolling over can be fun for your baby, but it can also be nerve-racking for you. Keep a hand on your baby during diaper changes, and never leave him unattended on a bed or any other elevated surface.

Your little social butterfly

At this age your baby not only tolerates attention from others, he'll often initiate it. Though you may soon notice the beginnings of stranger anxiety, your baby will probably still be fairly indiscriminate: Chances are anyone who approaches him with welcoming eyes or a grin delights him and becomes an instant friend. But don't worry — he still needs and craves lots of love and attention from you.

Your baby is also learning that his behaviors, both the ones you like and the ones you don't, engage you, so starting now (and for years to come) he'll do just about anything to get your attention. Right now almost everything he does is endearing, but as he gets older, he's more likely to get into mischief to provoke a reaction from you. Just don't forget to give him positive feedback when he's being good. It's a great way to start teaching right from wrong.

One thing will become clear: Your baby is beginning to expand his attention-getting repertoire to include more than crying. You may notice him wriggling, making noises, blowing "raspberries," and so on. Over the next three months, he'll develop a uniquely personal way of letting you know what he thinks, wants, and needs.

Dressed for success