The Painted Pumpkin

The tradition we decided to start last year was painting pumpkins instead of carving them. (Yes, I'm talking Halloween on Thanksgiving Day.) Due to various reasons that didn't happen before Halloween this year. The kiddos had picked out their pumpkins and were adorable and Uncle LeRoy's Pumplin Patch, and were even more adorable as a bumble bee and Captain America on Halloween, but we hadn't gotten to the most fun part. Yet. So, last night, Thanksgiving Eve, I decided to let the kids paint their pumpkins. Figured they would get 30-60 minutes of fun, I'd get quiet, and we'd have pretty pumpkins the last weeked of November. You know, just in time to put away the fall decor and bring on the Christmas. Ya'll didn't know I was a procrastinator? Oh COME ON! 

Any way in which it came about, the kids DID have fun. Painting their pumpkins, themselves, and the tub. Yeah. There was no containing the creativity juices once they were flowing. That's okay, we were able to get some practice with being responsible for your mess that way. Cause I'm trying to teach them that. You know, clean up your own mess and such. Cause I'm a responsible parent like that. Hahahahaha. Okay, because I'm tired of cleaing up the mass of messes they make every damn hour. I'm lazy like that. Didn't know that either, did ya ;) 

It all started out clean and tidy....sorta.



E painting her pumpkin



...and M painting his.



Moving on to body art.



Full body art I should clarify.



And then to tub art.




I think her theme was TRIBAL.




Max's completed pumpkin. (He was fascinated that combining all the colors made BROWN!)



E's final version.



Final Step, Operation CleanUpChildren

Max Draws Himself with a Rocketship

Max Draws Himself with a Rocketship

Max Draws Elly

Max Draws Elly

Max Draws Daddy

Max Draws Daddy

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Max Draws Mommy

Max Draws Mommy

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Party Time!

Make your own invite

A Little 'M'

He picked out the jacket and hat all by himself at Kohl's :)  "I a cowboy mommy. Giddy-up, yaw!"

(note, he was properly fastened in the seat before we actually went anywhere in the car)

Max loves Daddy's new iPod Touch. He's really good at using it and has his own games on it. It's become a special treat to play it after dinner if he eats well.

Haircut!

Haircut!

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Max wanted to hold Elly. Love these two!

Max wanted to hold Elly. Love these two!

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My Max, the Spaceship

Wordless Wednesday

Can I Tell You...

How much I love this kid?!

There were days I truly worried about his behaviour. But he has really turned a corner and is such a good kid (most of the time!). Every day I look forward to what he can teach me next; and he never disappoints : D  If he'd just figure out the potty training we'd be golden!

Current favorite Max-moment: Everyday, first thing, "Mommy! I wake up! I get down now?"

Reflections

With permission from Bella K Photography, for your viewing pleasure here is Max's First Year Milestones:

Photos and design by Krisi Stephens

I can't believe how far he came from preemie to 1 year old! And where we are now from then? WOW.

Growing Up - Mighty Max, 2 1/2 yrs.

Life with Max at 2.5 years old:

Things you love...

• Mommy : D you are a total mama's boy.
• Your blankets! Fortunately you don't have one specific blanket you are attached to, as long as it's soft/fuzzy you are good to go.
• Chocolate : )
• Mints (tic tac's specifically)
• Staying in your jammies all day.
• Pancakes (you see a syrup bottle and freak out!)

Things you dislike...

• Vegetables!
• Having your picture taken : ( unless I'm taking a crazy # of pics of Elly, then you want in on the action
• Having your diaper changed.
  
  
• You are in a size 5 diaper. I am hoping potty training goes better soon because it pretty well isn't going anywhere right now and I'd love to stop buying your diapers!
• You are transitioning to 3T clothes.
• You have a very broad vocabulary, and are pretty clear in your diction. Or maybe that's just me since I hear it all the time : )
• You are still a huge fan of going outside, and can now unlock the door so that you can get yourself there. Some scary moments result from this!
• You still DO NOT sleep through the night. Agh!
• You recently went to your first haunted house. Daddy says you did well. You woke up screaming two nights later though. Not your usual.
• You love flying. Or rather pretending to fly. Buzz Lightyear, airplanes, helicopters, fairies, dinosaurs...all of these things fly and therefore are imitated multiple times a day.
  Speaking of imitating, almost everything you see you try to do yourself.
• You are fearless. You are the kid parks were built for. There is one particular park that has a toddler area vs a big kid area (5-12yr); you have already conquered the big kid area. My heart stopped while you were climing...you were above Daddy and out of his reach! All by yourself!!!
• You are a great big brother! So kind to Elly and always wanting to make sure she has everything she needs. Your toy sharing could use a little work, but I suppose that will come in time.
• You are just an all-around great kid. most days Daddy and Mommy look at each other in awe and amazement. (we have days we look at each other and wonder what were we thinking too!)

We love ya kid! Stop growing up so fast, would ya?

Pumpkins in Patches

We took our first ever, and now annual, trip to Patches Pumpkin Farm. It was a BLAST and I'm thinking we'll actually be going back this year just for some more cheap Fall fun. The pictures don't capture all the fun we had, but they do it more justice than words, so enjoy : )

See a pumpkin.... pick it up!


So big, and so mad!

Say it ain't so!

A great little petting zoo, and Max wouldn't touch any of them!

(he actually was more interested in the fake horse -not shown- than any of the real animals)

Max, Celina and Jack ready to head to the pumpkin patch.

BREAKING NEWS: Just the 6 of us.

(not funny? well, it's late for me and I'm not that into you ; )


How come the kids never want to cooperate when we have a family photo op?

Elly is IN LOVE with Celina. And of course all the kids love Mike!

Thanks to Anna, Jack, and Celina for helping us make this trip the success it was!

We Love Cheese

Wheel or wedge...

On a toothpick, with fruit...

Sliced or shredded...

Baked...

....and in many other forms and flavors. But our favorite, our absolute favorite, is this:

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It's a classic for a reason; Ham and cheese ; ) Notice how his hand is up in both pictures? It's becuase along with the "cheese" comes the camera click!

Bird Watchers

There was an untended baby bird in my parents front yard this week while we were visiting. Max thought it was pretty cool to see a bird so close. Tweet tweet!

Elly wasn't as interested ;)