11 Months and a Funky Hat

I got this goofy hat for Ethan awhile back....but it was waaay too big for his little head. I was cleaning out the 'too small' clothes and found it in a basket in his room, so I decided we'd have some photo fun. It now fits him perfectly, looks silly, but hey...that's what having fun is all about, eh? These were taken yesterday - his 11 month birthday! Hard to believe he's going to be a year old December 22nd. Where is the time going?

Hitchin' a Ride

Today Ethan discovered the ride-on toys. He's been pushing a plastic chair and the walk-behind toys around (will he be walking by Christmas?) for a while now, but today Austin busted out the "Big Digger" ride-on toy he got a few years ago. Okay, two years ago. He isn't that old. Anyway, now Ethan is in looove with the digger. Either Austin is riding on it and Ethan pushes him from behind, or they both ride on it together. Or...if he is lucky, he can climb right on it by himself and he rocks back and forth to get it to go. Then mama comes running over and gives him a ride while he hangs on to the steering wheel tightly. My baby's growing up! ♥

Desolate

Today I told Austin I'd take him for a drive through Wildwood Zoo to see the buffalo and albino deer. He enjoyed them, but was wanting me to rush through so he could play at the playground. Poor thing. I knew it was chilly out; we were dressed appropriately. He didn't want his mittens on, so when he reached out to touch the playground equipment to go up the stairs, he quickly pulled his hand back complaining how cold the bar was. He lost interest right then and there. He was the only child there today. I guess all the kids stayed away because their moms knew better. Shame on me, huh?! I thought fresh air would be good, and I thought there would be a few kids there....but not another warm body to be seen. Oh well. I did encourage him to go on a few things, and then we scrambled back in the car and headed to Auntie Dawn's house for a visit and some hot cocoa. ♥

The Great Pumpkin

Austin's costume ideas for this year ranged from a shark, to a pirate, to a pumpkin. I knew he passed up on the shark idea and was all aboard for being a pirate, so I ordered him a Pottery Barn pirate costume from eBay. The next day he informed me he wanted to be a 'punkin' and that he was not going to be a pirate anymore. We were in Madison and I kept asking him what he wanted to be, and I kept getting the same answer back, 'a punkin'. Katie and I had been shopping, running in and out of my car and in and out of several stores. Before we went out to eat on Saturday night, we decided to run into Marshall's quick. Right smack at the store's entrance were a few racks of Halloween costumes. I asked Austin again, and got the same answer. OK, I thought. If I'm going to have to take him trick-or-treating, I want him to be happy with his costume. I turn around and....what was there hanging on the rack but a pumpkin costume, in size 4T! I swear the lights in the store dimmed and rays of light shone upon the only pumpkin costume in the store hanging on the rack. It was mine. I snatched it up so fast and showed Austin and his eyes got huge and his smile even bigger. I threw it into the cart and all was right with the world. Done. Whew.

Austin Trick-or-treating with a few of his friends from school.