Pumpkin Patch

It is GORGEOUS here today! We have been crazy busy around here and I was bummed that we hadn't yet made it to a pumpkin patch. But today was a normal day--there was plenty of time for an excursion--and it was perfect weather, not to mention that it's Halloween. We called up our delightful neighbors and asked them if they were up to going and we made it a date! It was great! It wasn't big or extravagant but it was close to our house and cheap. The kids had a blast! They ran around like they'd been caged up for years or something (except Elliott, he slept in his car seat the entire time! I guess he wasn't impressed.)

As always Caleb has recounted the event in detail:
"Cayden go pumpkin patch. Pick pumpkins. HAY! Run in hay! Red tractor--broke. Hee (see) red tractor. Cayden up! Lulu, Abby, Eeefin (Ethan), Mawmaw (Molly) pick pumpkins. Drive ban (van). Mawmaw, Kenin's (Kevin's) ban."

Now for the pictures:

The gang's all here (just none of them are looking)

Caleb & Lulu--being cheesy

Caleb picking out his pumpkin. He could have gotten a big one but insisted on a little guy!

They look guilty don't they? They loved running through this maze.

My little pumpkins!

Caleb was worried because the tractor was leaving and he wanted to watch its every move.

Goofy kids!

Huge tree. Big tractor. Little boy.
My favorite picture ever!

Brothers?

What do you think? Notice any similarities? These pictures were taken around 6 weeks for both of the boys.

Staring at the beloved bears whom we lovingly refer to as Ted, Teddy, & Theodore. Our boys have a fascination with them at this age!

Can you tell who is who? There are 2 pictures of each boy!

Caleb's Ride

Caleb loves tractors--farm tractors, construction tractors, tractor fruit snacks, anything tractor! One tractor that he's loved learning about recently is the combine. Here is snippet of what I hear all day long:

"Hahmine pick porm! Big red hahmine! Pick beans! Pick wheat! Porm no green...BROWN! Feed animals! Big red hahmine park in barm! Cayden ride Ronron's hahmine. Grandpa turn key. Grandpa wheel. "click click" ride in hahmine. Cayden pick porm! Sssshhhhhoooooooooot out back. Wagon! Deen wagon!"

Translation:
Combine picks corn! Big red combine! Pick beans! Pick wheat! Corn not green...brown! Feed animals! Big red combine park in barn! Caleb ride Ronnie's combine. Grandpa turn key. Grandpa wheel. Grandma ride in combine. Caleb pick corn! Shoot out back! Wagon, green wagon!

You might guess that when Grandpa made it possible for Caleb to get to ride in Ronnie's big red combine that he was nothing less than thrilled. By the way, the above conversation was an example from before he actually rode in the combine. He was just thinking about it and making things up. Now, he recounts the actual details of the event! He was scared at first (those combines are much smaller in all the books we have!) but he has literally not stopped talking about it since he got to ride. It's the first thing on his mind as soon as he wakes up from naps or bed. This boy has combines on the brain!

Now for the pictures:

Just after climbing into the combine, Grandpa got some soy beans out of the hopper (or the shoot, as Caleb calls it.)

Caleb, Daddy & Grandpa getting ready to go out to the field

Watching intently as Grandpa drives this big red combine

Uncle Ronnie (RonRon!) gives Caleb some corn that was stuck in the combine. Caleb has not let go of it since. He even takes it to bed with him.

Best Buds--Caleb likes to do everything Grandpa does!

After he got over the initial fear of this dog, he was so interested in her. Here he is feeding Lady a treat after she sat at his command.

Sitting in the Skid Steer with Grandma. He is asking her to put the shovel up.
"Driving" the 4-wheelerNow for a real ride! We took it out in the field and around the farm to see the cows. I don't know who enjoyed it more--Caleb or Daddy!

We had so much fun at the farm! We praise the Lord for my Aunt Carol & Uncle Ronnie who let us come take over their farm that morning. It was such a gorgeous day and we will forever treasure the memories we made. One thing is for certain--we'll have to go back. Caleb won't stop talking about it :)

Hey, Brother!

Caleb loves his new little brother! It is such a blessing from God that this boy of mine adores his little brother the way that he does. I've never really known a toddler who loves babies as much as Caleb does. Whenever he sees one, he immediately wants to kiss their head, and pat them, and hold them. And if another baby cries, any baby at all, he wants me to hold them. It is very sweet. I thought I'd share some of the wonderful, brotherly-love moments with you that I've been touched by:

1. Caleb got a cold right after Elliott was born. (That is a story in and of itself. My sick toddler was MUCH MORE exhausting than my newborn baby!) Anyway, we really tried to protect Elliott from getting sick. Who wants their 3 day old baby to have a nasty cold? Now, as you have just read, Caleb loves Elliott and wants to constantly touch him and love on him. So keeping him away from Elliott was not a task for the weary! To help him understand, we told him that he could kiss Elliott's head when his boogers went bye bye. Until then, he needed to kiss him on the foot. Later that night we were sitting at the dinner table. Caleb found the blue bulb syringe (we call it the booger sucker at our house!) This said instrument is not my child's favorite thing. He whines whenever we use it on him. On this night, however, he had a goal. He proceeds to shove it up his nostril and suck out his boogers. He did this for probably 3-4 minutes and then proudly announces in a yell, "BOOGERS, BYE BYE! KISS ELLIOTT HEAD!" My heart immediately melted into a pile of mush. He was bound and determined to kiss his little brother! Let's just sum it up and say we let him kiss his head ;)

2. For the first month of Elliott's life, I was really careful to try and make sure Caleb got to spend some one-on-one time with me. Since Elliott is super content, especially in the morning, I would usually go in to Caleb's room by myself when he woke up. I would put Elliott in his crib or bouncy seat for a while. Caleb would greet me and then immediately ask where Elliott was. Then we'd have to go find him so he could give him a kiss!

3. When I was pregnant we always told Caleb that we were going to have a baby. He loved to kiss my belly and say "baby" randomly throughout the day. One term we didn't use a lot was brother. Somehow Caleb picked it up really fast after Elliott was born. And no matter what Elliott is doing--eating, swinging, sitting in his bouncy chair, and yes even sleeping--Caleb will stop whatever he is doing, run over to him and really loudly say, "Hey, Brother!" He is a proud big brother.

4. One of the things Caleb loves to help with the most is giving Elliott a bath. He splashes water on his feet to "keep them warm." The end of the bath is his favorite part. And I genuinely appreciate his help here. He sits on the chair with the towel on him and "catches" Elliott for me. If you've ever bathed an infant, you know how hard it is to pick up the slippery little babes and get them in the towel before they get chilled. Caleb is a huge help. Of course, once he "catches" him he looks at Elliott, kisses him on the forehead and says, "Hey, Brother!" everytime without fail!

5. The other night we were driving home from a wedding late at night. Caleb was sound asleep and Elliott was starting to get hungry. Elliott started to fuss a bit and Caleb, with eyes still shut and without even moving says, "Toe-tay, Elliott!" (Translation, "It's ok, Elliott!") It was so sweet! He protects him even while he's sleeping!


Those are just a few of the ways that Caleb loves Elliott! We have so much fun together. I am praying that even as they grow they would continue to adore each other that way.