Pumpkin Patch

We had to take advantage of the nice sunny weather and go to the pumpkin patch. We didn't make it over the weekend, so we decided to go on Monday. It wasn't the most exciting pumpkin patch I've been too, but it was just right with the time we had. Plus Sophia gets to go to another one with her preschool:)

I think this is the cutest farmer I've ever seen...

And sunflowers...
Sophia was our leader through the corn maze and we searched for letters for the code. As we continued to walk Sophia would say, "ohhhhh this is getting spookier!"

This was Kenton's first pumpkin patch. He loved sitting with the pumpkins and patting them.

Averie (cousin) wanted in on the fun too. Aren't they cute?!

It's something about holiday stuff and memories made that make me love my family that much more!

Church Carnival

Introducing....MINNIE MOUSE!

On Friday we went to our church carnival, but we weren't totally prepared with the whole costume. Let me give you some background. Sophia is a girl who has an opinion with things, so I asked her what she wanted to be for Halloween about a month ago and she said she didn't know. She thought about it and told me Minnie Mouse and brother could be Mickey. Super cute and good idea right? We went to JoAnn's and I pointed out red and white polka dot material and she said, "No mom, I want to be pink and white polka dot Minnie!" She even found the fabric. BUT...years ago my niece was Minnie and had saved the red and white polka dot costume. My sister-n-law brought it out. Sophia thought it was cute, but she still wanted to be pink and white Minnie. My mom tried to talk her into it and said that Minnie is not pink and white. Well, Miss Sophia found a picture of a pink and white Minnie and showed it to her grandma. SEE GRANDMA! How can you argue with that?! I love that she has an opinion about stuff like that because it makes it more fun.

Because our church carnival was early, I did not have "Pink and White" Minnie's dress finished. Even started for that matter, ha! So she was red and white Minnie and had fun.
Mickey's costume was not finished yet either, so he wore his ghost shirt to be in the Halloween spirit!

A little cake walk action! Sophia was a little nervous (notice the finger in her mouth) because she couldn't read all the numbers, but I told her I'd help her, so she did it until she won. Lucky #6!

Ring Toss

Basketball Action

There were more games: fishing, face painting (which I can't get her to do), football throwing, donut eating contest, obstacle course, etc. At every game she was able to win a prize and had fun putting them in her pumpkin.

STAY TUNED FOR PINK AND WHITE MINNIE MOUSE...

8 MONTHS

My Kenton boy is 8 months old now! He is totally starting in a new stage and baby stage is going away way too fast. Last weekend we put the swing, floor play mat, and bumbo seat away and got out the standing play table. I don't know if I'm so emotional about all these changes because he's my baby or what, but I am full of different emotion...I'm excited and sad all at the same time. Seriously, look at him....man... he's got me hooked!

September was a crazy month for me and my family, so I didn't take as many pictures, but here is a list and a couple pictures of things he did during his 7 month!

Kenton started:

- saying his b, d sounds, especially dada

- crying when he has to get out of his bath

- going to Ms. Shelby

- eating snacks (the Mum-mum rice cracker)

- scooting around on the floor

And he got his top 2 teeth. I forgot how big the top teeth are! (Sorry this is a creepy picture...Sophia had to help me, haha)

Back to School

Hmmmm...where to start? Tomorrow is my first teacher contract day and my students come on Wednesday. I have a lot of mixed emotions. First I will say that I'm grateful! I'm grateful that I have an amazing job, teaching the most amazing kids and I'm grateful that I get to be a mom. But I would be lying if I said everything is just "peachy." Having 7 months off with my kids has been an unbelievable memory and experience (so to all the stay at home moms, don't take it for granted). 7 months sounds like so long, but it wasn't. TJ and I keep saying that it feels like yesterday that I had Kenton. But I guess with time going by so fast, it will be next summer before I know it right?! I've decided that if I could have Sophia and Kenton with me in my classroom, I would be one happy girl. It would be the best of both worlds! I planned it all out. Kenton can be in the baby carrier and Sophia can be my helper. I'll just have to inform my boss of that plan, ha! I know that once we get in a routine, I will be fine. I know that Sophia and Kenton are in a good place, but it's still a big deal letting someone else care for them other than me. It's almost 11:00pm and I know I should be going to bed, but I think I'm stalling because I know my alarm clock is going to wake me up. I don't know if I'm ready for this, but ready or not right?! Positive thoughts! Once my students walk into the room, they will make it all worth it because kids have that special spirit about them! So, I guess I am a lucky girl because I love teaching and I love being a mom!

7 Months Old

This was seriously the fastest month ever!

Kenton is doing new things every day and it has been so fun watching his personality grow too. Here is a list of new things he does:

- Sits up by himself

- Eats all veggies, except for peas

- Eats the fruits so far

- Plays bashful

- Babbles with new sounds

- Starting to wave "hi"

- Thinks he should hold anything I am holding

Kenton is now 7 months old!

Enjoy his 6 month pictures taken by the very talented Doranda. This is just a taste of them...thought putting all 50 would be a little excessive, but seriously they are so cute. She really captured his looks!

I had to get a picture with him because he is a TOTAL mamma's boy right now:)

Check out his teefers!

These 2 love each other:)

Sophia wanted some pictures taken of herself too. What a natural:)

I've decided I need to put a slide show of the pictures on my computer at school to keep me happy!

Fair Day

TJ and I are dorks because we LOVE the fair and it was such a nice warm day to go. Yesterday, it was free to get in before noon, so my sister, my kids, and I met Auntie Hollie and cousins there to enjoy the rides with their ride bracelets (TJ got an amazing deal on them) during the day and then come back with the dads for dinner. So, we got our bracelets and off we went.

It's fun to see Sophia's braveness (is that a word?) grow every year because last year she cried the whole time on this roller coaster and this time she loved it! (I barely fit and I was telling TJ about it and he said he wanted to go on it with her. I told him he wouldn't fit, but he didn't believe me. I belly laughed watching him trying to squeeze in. Picture Tommy boy, "Big guy in a little coat!" Well this was big guy in a little cart! hahahahha...I was right...didn't fit)!
I got a bracelet for myself because they make the parents pay to ride too, but it was nice for Sophia to have her cousins to ride with and not always me:) These 2 girls are becoming quite the friends:)

(oops, it didn't rotate) My sister came with us and was a help with Kenton. She would watch him while I went on the rides with the kids. Kenton was a trooper in the stroller and actually took a couple naps:)

The classic carousel. This is the one ride in the entire fair that parents can go on with no tickets!

Nana gave each kid $5 to spend at the fair, which was a great surprise and totally sweet. They were so hot that they took a break from rides. They all spent some of their money on a slushy to help cool them off!

This was the hot air balloon that they got to spin. Miles had Sophia cracking up during the whole ride. It was fun to watch!

Notice all 3 kids together, well there's 1 missing...

Jackson! He cracked us up because he wanted to ride by himself on every ride and would get mad if someone tried to go with him. He also wanted to ride on all the rides but was too small for some! Next year he's going to be all over it:)

Once again, last year Sophia was too scared to go down the slide, even with me. This year all the kids trucked up to the top with no problem. I double checked to see if Sophia wanted me to go down with her, but she said no. Here she is at the top. Mollie had gone down and started crying at the bottom, then the two boys came down and had no problem. It was Sophia's turn and looked like she liked it until she got to the bottom and started crying too! A little too fast!

The girls went on it again, but wanted me to go with them after their experience by themselves, ha! You do get some air on that last bump!

We had packed our lunch earlier, so we could go back with TJ to eat yummy fair food for dinner and ride more rides (we definitely got our moneys worth and more on these bracelets). Earlier in the day this ride wasn't running. It's one that takes you up high and then drops you. Jackson definitely wanted to go and we talked Sophia into it. Mollie said, "no way!" And adventually Miles went on too. I was explaining to Sophia that it will feel like butterflies in your stomach like when you go super high on a swing. I was trying to prep her because I wasn't sure how she would do. Well, she loved it and went like 4 times in a row! She said that one was her favorite...That's my girl:)

Sophia spent the rest of her money on a game and won a blow up hammer!

We stayed super late, but look who got to take his first ride....KENTON BOY! We were standing there letting the kids do 1 more ride when she asked if I wanted to take him on. She said he could go as long as he could sit and put the seat belt around him. That was really nice of her! He liked it too:)

Thank you fair rides, thank you weather, thank you fair food, thank you cousins. You did not disappoint! Friday will be the rodeo. I know what you're thinking......

I told you we were fair dorks:)

Cart Shopping

Uh-oh...Look who's a big boy!

Kenton is totally sitting up on his own so I thought it was time for him to experience the cart with a cover of course (plus his car seat carrier is getting very HEAVY)!

He thought he was so cool and talked all the way through Target!
I'm not too sure how Sophia feels about Kenton sitting in the front because now she's either walking or kicked to the back. I guess it's just one of those things!

6 MONTHS OLD!

When I posted Kenton's 5 month, I told time to slow down. Well guess what? It didn't!

Kenton is 6 months old!

He weighs: 17lbs, 13oz (50th %tile)

He is 27.5 inches long (75th %tile)

Although he is right on track he is one solid boy and everyone comments on how big he is!

Kenton loves playing with his sister and is really aware when she's around!
He also is starting to sit up on his own (only for 30 seconds or so). He likes to lean forward, but loves it more than being on his stomach.

He is a TOTAL mamma's boy and I'm not just saying that because I'm writing this. For example: my parents have 7 grandkids and have never had to call the parents to come home, until Kenton. Kenton was screaming so bad that my mom and dad had to tell us to come home. The second I took him he smiled and jumped up and down. Another example is when we had a softball game. 5 different people tried to console him and it didn't work until I finally took him. He's a stinker, but I love how he loves me!

During his 5th month, he also started watching me eat/drink. He tries to take anything I'm holding and dive bombs for the cups with his mouth wide open. He knows what to do!

Because he was opening his mouth when I used my fork and cup, I knew he was ready for rice cereal. About 5 1/2 months he ate rice cereal for the first time and thought he was hot stuff! We did rice cereal and oatmeal for a couple weeks and on his 6 month b-day he had sweet potatoes and loved them:)

Here is a summary of his 5th month:

* Watched me eat/drink

* First 4th of July

* Ate rice cereal for the 1st time

* Ate oatmeal for the 1st time

* First boat ride

* Got his 1st bottom right tooth

* One week later got his bottom left tooth

* Started splashing in the bath

* Started getting excited when sister and daddy were around

* Hates his stomach

* Loves to bounce up and down

We love our Kenton boy!

I am totally soaking up this month being with him until shhhhhh....don't say it!