what not to wear

This was what we had hoped Ryan would be for Halloween.  And as you can clearly tell by his face, this is what Ryan will NOT be for Halloween.  This was the only time he would put it on, and we haven't been able to get it on him since.  I guess next year we'll have to involve him in the costume picking decision process. 

As for what he will wear tonight....you'll just have to stay tuned.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

more pumpkins

We thought we'd really do it (or overdo it) this year.  Even though Ry already went to a pumpkin patch, last Saturday we thought we'd try out a different one.  And since that just wasn't enough, Eddy and Auntie Dana took Ryan to yet another one on Sunday.  Luckily, each one offered something a little bit different.  Plus, you can only do this once a year, right? 

First up...the Western Railway Museum train ride to the pumpkin patch.

 Pumpkin Chuckin'

Eddy showing Ryan how it's done

the object was to get the pumpkin to land in one of those boxes way over there.  Cristen was the only one victorious in our group

Ryan holding Cristen's prize pumpkin...soon to become our dinner of homemade pumpkin soup

Next up, the Suisun Valley Farm patch that we took Ryan to last year.  Of the 3, we still think this one is tops.  A real pumpkin patch, smack in the middle of fields of corn (where they've made a huge corn maze), a real tractor to sit on, pumpkin bowling, a hay maze, and a huge variety of pumpkins.  Next year this will probably be the only one we go to. 

And then earlier this week, we all joined in to carve the Bayer Family pumpkin.  Maybe by Halloween we'll get around to carving more. 

our finished product...a Kitty Bat.  The design was picked by Ryan, he loves to say "kitty on pumpkin"

twenty three and a half

Ryan's second birthday is right around the corner.  Can he really be two already?  Well, yes.  And his behavior these days shows that he is every bit toddler, and no bit baby.  Not that he's throwing himself into the terrible twos completely, yet anyway.  He does have the occasional eyes closed, fists pounding, feet stomping temper tantrums.  But luckily he's pretty easy to redirect so far.  And he has yet to do it in public, thank goodness. 

So here's what the little man is up to these days...

• He is talking up a storm, more and more every day.  At times he will spit out a full and completely understandable sentence.  But for the most part he is good with 4-5 word sentences, and he'll repeat them over and over, usually beginning or ending with "mommy", just to make sure I'm listening.  
• He LOVES a good game of peek-a-boo.  We're talking full body hiding, under pillows, behind doors, around corners, and then coming out and yelling "pee-a-boo".  Repeat.
• He's a great organizer...loves to line up his cars, loves puzzles, loves his trains and putting the tracks together, and even somewhat loves to help clean up when the fun is done
• He has officially started to climb out of his crib -- although he won't do it without one of us standing there as a stand by, for now anyway.  He can also unlock our front door and walk right on out.  So Eddy spent some time at the hardware store this morning to find a lock to put up high.  Because who knows what might happen next.
• Favorite food: yogurt, cheese, fruit, and "cereal" (any kind)
• He still LOVES trucks and trains...books about trucks and trains, looking at trucks on the road, pointing them out everywhere he sees them, construction zones, you get the idea.  Yet the few times he's had the opportunity to sit in them (a firetruck and a tow truck) he freaks out and won't go near it. 
• He can recite the alphabet (well, bits and pieces of it), and he can count to 16...but he still skips the number 3.  
• Although he can repeat the words for most colors...everything is still "green" when asked, although we can occasionally get him to point out blue or orange (his orange shoes)
• Potty training?  We're not really there yet, although he does pretty well with going peepee in the potty before bedtime on most nights.  Sometimes it takes a good 10+ minutes of sitting there, but whatever. 

playing with sticks in the front yard

 Like I said....he loves to line up his toys.  But then he took this to a whole new level....

the beginning, just playing on the stairs

then I look over, and he's putting one car in each space between the railings

he went all the way up with those cars, and I just sat back and watched in amazement

 And then we moved on to a mean game of peek-a-boo in the couch cushions

 He also loves peek-a-boo in the kitchen cupboards

pumpkins

Last week Ry's preschool class was supposed to take a field trip to a nearby pumpkin patch.  So excited we were!  Until we got there, and apparently the field trip had been cancelled, without anyone telling us.  Oh well, worse things have definitely happened....like the flat tire we got while driving home from the above mentioned pumpkin patch.  But that's a different story.  And one that had a safe and sound ending, so no worries.  We made the most of our time there, and Ryan loved picking out his very own pumpkin.

such a ham!  This is what Ry does when I say "say cheese"

jumping on the hay trampoline

Ryan and Emma on the hay bale horses

"This is it!" -- that's what he said to every pumpkin he saw

a weekend at the coast

This past weekend we had a family getaway with the Bayers.  We rented a fabulous house in Pacific Grove (thank you to vrbo once again!), and spent the weekend hanging out together.  Some of the highlights were exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Dennis the Menace park, the beach, and lunch at Rosine's, among other things.  It was great to spend time together as a family, and super fun to watch Ryan and cousin Alexandra run around together.  Ryan's vocabulary has recently exploded, he's starting to string words together to make actual sentences, and it's really fun to listen to him explain himself and his thoughts..."I'm all done", "No I don't want that", "Look at that over there!", and "That big shark down there mommy!".  He loved the sharks at the aquarium, including the great white shark that they have there right now (okay, so maybe the adults appreciated that more than the kids).  I've forgotten how amazing that aquarium really is, and it was really special to spend the day there as a family.  A great weekend getaway!  Thanks to all the Bayers for making the trip so special. 

even Bailey the doggy made the trip

Ryan teaching Noni how to use the iPad

Uncle Chris babysitting, again with the iPad...it was a big hit for all

ready for the aquarium

enthusiastically watching the big fish swimming in the huge kelp forest

Ry loved the sharks!

checking out the view with Auntie Dana

really cool jellyfish

 The next day we were on to Dennis the Menace park...one of the most amazing playgrounds we've ever seen

a boy's dream, a real choo choo engine to climb on and in

the hit of the playground...the roller slide

bring on the beach!!! (Northern California style, wearing jeans and a fleece jacket)

 Ryan started out a bit unsure of what to do, somewhat frozen in his tracks on the sand.  But Eddy showed him the ropes with building sand castles, and then Ryan quickly learned how to stomp on everything he saw and he was rapidly covered in sand from head to toe. 

the Queen family

such a happy happy boy! 

 and this was the drive home, a tired boy with his new favorite shark as his pillow