Smith Family Farm

Last weekend, we took the kids to the pumpkin patch.  Since we now live in an area where there are farms, orchards and open space, it was just a five mile drive to an actual working farm.  No parking lot pumpkin patch for the flock this year! 



The obligatory "face in sign" pics!

The bewildered honeybee, Gavin, and his big brother. 

Our pumpkin patchers!
I love this shot!

Love this because Gavin's looking at them with an expression that says, "Seriously, what are all these orange things? Why is daddy holding the back of my clothes? Why is mommy taking another picture?!"

Checking out the farm animals
(bottom right... Gracie is reaching for the chickens and just after, independently signed "chicken."

Beautiful skies looking toward Mt. Diablo

While Preston jumped and ran across an adjacent section of hay bales, I helped Gracie walk on these.

:-)

Our attempt at a family photo!  These make me laugh... we tried!  Gavin was less than enthusiastic!

What's really happening here... 
Gavin is about to lunge forward because he is super curious about the pumpkins and their stems.
Gracie is about to reach for Gavin in an effort to use him (along with Preston) to help her lay down.
Preston is about to scream in horror as he realizes he is sitting squarely on a pumpkin stem.
Good times... mamarazzi torture!  LOL!

The hayride out to the pumpkins was a comedy of errors. Because we had to leave Gracie's wheelchair and Gavin's stroller behind, John and I each had arms full of kids, suction and a diaper bag. This left Preston to carry whatever pumpkins we picked out... we were alloted four! Obviously that wasn't going to work out. Somehow, John managed to carry Gracie and a pumpkin while I carried Gavin, the diaper bag and suction bag. Preston managed a fairly decent sized pumpkin all on his own. Luckily, the driver noticed our predicament and said he'd help us get a couple more pumpkins when we returned to the front area of the farm. After he and John chatted it up for a bit (super nice member of the farm family), he told John to pick out a big pumpkin in lieu of two small ones - - if he wanted. When he said "big," he wasn't messing around.  So, Big Bertha is sitting on our porch. She is huge. And, John insists he is going to carve her...

"Paper Plater"

That's some serious concentrating by our "Paper Plater," number 122, in his very first BMX track race.

On Sunday, October 14th, we met up with our friends, Mike, Natalie and their four kids, at the BMX track in Manteca. Their two oldest sons have been racing for some time now and, ever since he watched videos of them, Preston has been itching to try it too.  Preston borrowed a bike from them (a huge bike in comparison to his own!), wore his regular bike helmet, John registered him and they placed a paper plate with the number "122" on his handle bars. The first-timers are fondly referred to as "Paper Platers" because they don't have a number plaque on their bikes.

Our paper plater was so brave.  A new bike, a new experience, a crowd of people, a dirt BMX track - - he's never ridden on that terrain before. Everything was new and potentially overwhelming and he... well, he just did it!  It made us so proud of him to see him so sure of himself and excited even while feeling nervous.

Preston, John, Mike and Camden heading up to the starting gate for some practice runs.

Cam patiently rode with Preston as he got the feel for the track.
I love the way Preston is watching Cam catch air.  I am sure he's thinking he can't wait to do that, too!

A father and son moment... getting some pointers and water from Daddy after a couple of practice rides.

Hanging out, visiting, cheering on the boys! 
Nana and Papa came down to watch Preston, too, which he loved!
Sweet Cora, who like Gracie spent her night awake, slept through the day.

The boys after the qualifying races! Cole, Sam, Cam and Preston.
I'm sure Gavin will be in the mix soon enough!

Miss Gracie enjoying hanging with Natalie and balancing on Sam's bike!

At the gate with Mike who was giving him some advice and support as John clicked away.
He bites his cheek (just like me) when he is thinking or nervous.

And there they go! 
After a few practice runs and the first two qualifying races, Preston had more confidence on the new-to-him big bike to stand up some of the time!

Love this shot and his sweet, concentrating face!

The final leg of the final race!

I love the way he proudly posed as he crossed the finish line!
2nd place overall in his age group!
Camden did a great job, too, and placed 3rd in his age group and Cole rode his heart out in his qualifying races.
We are so proud of how brave Preston was and how he went up to each of the boys in his group and congratulated them on their great race.

Receiving his 2nd Place Plaque and getting it signed by a professional BMXr!
(These shots complete with track dust on my lens!)

Adorable, snack-covered Sam cheering on the kids who were receiving awards!

Preston's race is the second one in... the "Dinky Dudes" as the announcer called them (5 and under)!  Preston was the only one of the three who hadn't raced multiple times before. Check them out... they are adorable!

He is hooked, at least for now.  Looks like searching Craigslist for an affordable, used racing bike is in our immediate future and our Sunday afternoons are officially booked!

Dollie... a friendship rekindled

Remember the blue feather last year?  Gracie wouldn't let it go for hours, holding it on the bus ride all the way home from school, through taking off her clothes, putting them back on and even in the car on the way to therapy.  Up until that day, she had never held onto a toy (or any object) in the car like that.  And she didn't do it again until September 17th.

It all started on September 16th.  Well, in reality, it all started years ago. Gracie got her Dollie when she was just a baby.  They were pals for a long time, as much as Gracie can be pals with a toy.  See, as loving and doting of a doll mom as Gracie can be (Dollie, Edna, a couple of babies...), she can go equally cold and distant and leave the her dolls behind, ditching them and even refusing to look at them!  Remember the kidnapping last year?!  (While this is meant to be funny and lighthearted, the truth is that there have been many days over the years where a particular toy - - no rhyme or reason in our minds - - will trigger a crazy rage with Gracie and she won't calm down until that toy is out of her sight line.  Dollie has, many times over the years, elicited that very reaction from her.)  Gracie hadn't played with Dollie in ages.  Other dolls and babies, yes, just not Dollie. 

Back to September 16th... I took this of the three kids together following Gavin's 7 month "green chair" pictures.

Immediately after, Gracie signed, "doll."  (It just so happens that this is the same as our sign for Dollie since she was Gracie's very first doll.)  She signed again, much more forcefully, which made me feel as though she weren't just signing "doll," but, instead, asking for her old friend.  I said aloud what I thought she was wanting and Preston ran off to get Dollie from the playroom.  In the meantime, I put away the camera (doesn't it figure?) and, as a result, I took this picture with my cell phone when Gracie happily took Dollie from Preston with look of sheer satisfaction.

She got exactly what (who) she wanted and she was content.  For hours.  Days actually.  Dollie was attached to her like a limb... she went everywhere for an entire day.  And, if Gracie hadn't started school on the 18th, I think it would have lasted even longer!

Once Dollie was in her arms, she remained there all night.  She scooted all around the house with her, doing laps around the kitchen island and in and out of the playroom area.  Gracie took Dollie to bed with her - - a first. She began playing with her the moment she woke up in the wee hours of the night. And, as the sun rose, she continued playing with her. When she and Girlie (her brand-new-at-the-time nurse), left for a walk, she continued holding onto her! (It was only then, nearly 18 hours after her initial request, that I busted out the camera and started documenting!)

Before the walk

After the walk (she her disheveled hair?!)

Closely watching Gavin to be sure he wasn't planning on snagging her friend from her grip!

This just makes me smile!
 

She held Dollie while Daddy suctioned her trach...

... and while he pretended to suction Dollie's.

And, without dropping her for a second, she managed to get her shoes, socks, shirt and shorts off all while scooting off the cube chair!

She carried her to the car and transferred her from one hand to the other while I got her belted into her car seat.

And she held onto her when I put her shirt back on and seated her in the double stroller to watch Preston's soccer practice.

Later that night, she brought her to bed...

And, she fell asleep by her side!
(Yes... Gracie is asleep!  Yes, her eyes are open.  No, she can't close them all the way!)

And this is her at 3:43am, happily playing with her old friend.
(Her first day of school was only a handful of hours away!)

Later that morning, she held her as John carried her to the bathroom for a bath!

And, two days later, she held her tight as she got ready for school!

Had she not started school, I think Gracie would have continued hanging out with Dollie. They have, over the last few weeks, bonded several more times, but nothing as intense as their nearly 48 hour reunion! It just proves the point that, no matter how long between visits with old, true friends, it's easy to pick up right where you left off!

Gavin (Month 8)

Standing Man!!!
The monthly "green chair" pics are incredibly challenging now!  Your preference is to be "in motion" at all times.  So, indulging mommy and sitting for a few pictures is not on your agenda!

Not still... even for a second!  LOL!

LOVE this... love your face!
Blurry shots like this are pretty standard... you are a boy on the move and I don't have the time to focus properly!

Dear Gav-man,

You are a BUSY boy!  I don't even know how to keep up!  You are super serious... yet so playful.  We were at the park the other day and the grandmother of one of Preston's classmates commented on how serious you were, taking everything in.  She said, "That boy is going to grow up and change the world... he is already thinking about it!"  I thought that was a spectacular thing to have said about you!  But, for every serious, "taking it in" moment you have, you also get silly, laugh at our "jokes" and make your own.  You crack up at Preston the most and Daddy comes in a close second.

You pull up to a stand and try to climb everything!

 

If there is one thing that is certain these days... you are CRAZY busy.  Your Papa says you're like a raccoon... into everything.  It's SO true!  You cannot be trusted anywhere with anything for more than two seconds!  And, you think (just like Preston did) that sleep is overrated!  You take a good nap... sometimes.  Most of the time, without actually putting you in the car, you take two 30-45 minute naps a day.  One in the mid-morning and one in the late afternoon.  The rest of the time is go-go-go!!! Even your previously solid night sleep has been disrupted during this month. I am hopeful that, with the surge in your gross motor skills, perhaps you'll start sleeping better again. 

Little Mr. Busy!  These were taken at the end of September.  You changed so much from the beginning of your 8th month to the end.  It's mind boggling.

You desperately want to go outside and play catch with Toby.  Soon enough, Boo-Dee, soon enough!

"Oh... am I not supposed to climb onto this?!"

"Here I come, Mama!!!"

Here you are during our "green chair" photo shoot on October 16th.  Instead of photographing you in the chair, it's in the background! Over the course of the month, you went from not pulling to stand, to standing up everywhere and falling down (causing me a nervous breakdown and giving you multiple bonks, bumps and little bruises for about a week), to figuring out how to get down from a stand without falling. It was a big month for you!

You are much better in the car than a few months ago, but when you do fuss, the best remedy is when Preston sings to you.  It doesn't matter what, just that he sings. So, most of the time, he sings his sight-word songs (songs he learned in kinder to memorize the spelling of words!) and you are instantly quiet.  Your response to Preston is amazing.  You actually have a "mute" button!  LOL!

You love mealtime.  Though you want to do everything yourself and that's challenging (to find foods you can feed yourself that don't come from a jar and are not puffs!) and to keep us all from wearing it!

You've had many firsts... lots of big days lately!

September 25th was your first "big boy" shopping trip to Costco.  You were MESMERIZED from your new vantage point! You've always just been in your car seat or stroller (or in the cart while in your car seat).  Once you got over the initial awe, you were squealing and squeaking your way through the store. In fact, I could find you and Daddy in the aisles from your little voice!

September 27th... first "teething biscuits."  You growled almost the entire time... sort of like a dog with a rawhide bone... just happily grunting as you gnawed away!  Then, the next day, you scared the daylights out of me and choked a bit on a too-big chunk.  You have not had those again.  I don't like the idea that you can bite off a huge piece at any given moment.  I'm sure you'd be fine, but I don't care.  There are plenty of other things for you to grub on!

On Friday, September 28th, you gave me my first unsolicited slobbery, grab-my-face baby kiss.   You were so sweet. Mouth open, tongue all gooey! LOL!  You grabbed my cheeks and smmmmmmoooooch! I am so in LOVE!!!

On October 2nd, I found you, after your brief afternoon nap, awake in your crib... STANDING!!!

I love you HUGE... and all your faces!  :-)

Happy eight months, sweet boy!  You are a ton of fun and bring our family so much joy! While time is moving so fast and I want you to slow down, I am excited to see what fun is in store for your ninth month.
Love, Mommy