Trick or Treat!

I'm not sure there was much tricking going on, but boy there were lots of treats to be had in our neighborhood tonight!


Sydney and Fletcher (aka Raggedy Ann and Andy) had a big time.  Poor Fletcher - he's gonna make me pay for these photos one day.

We were fortunate to join forces with some fun neighbors for the candy hunt.  Seriously, how cute is this crew!

Sydney does not remember her first, but short lived experience last year but it didn't take long for her to catch on. She was leading the charge!

Fletcher got into the act too.

Checking out her loot! 

After her own adventure, Syd helped hand out candy at our house. 

 And for fun - a glimpse back at last year...

Carving Punkins!

Punkins!  As Sydney says.  Or sometimes she calls them pie???  I guess she's excited for Thanksgiving.


We couldn't have asked for a better day for carving pumpkins... finally - cool (almost cold), dry air and the beautiful sunshine!  It was a how-dare-you-stay-inside kind of day.


Sydney was very HANDS ON this year!

NASTY!  Her new favorite word.

Fletcher preferred to be the taste tester.  Yuck!

And the final result... pre-shellacking! 

And post-shellacking!

Now as long as these suckers don't rot and collapse into themselves before Monday!  Halloween, here we come!

Dewberry Farm

Before we even found a place to live here in Houston, a friend sent me a blog post about Dewberry Farm and the magnificent pumpkin patch.  We must check it out the following year.


Crazy as it seems, a year has passed.  We were here almost exactly a year ago for our first house hunt.  What began as a really disappointing experience full of doubts about our decision has turned into a wonderful home for our family.  We couldn't be happier.


As the weather cooled for us this past week and signs of fall began popping up in neighborhood yards - pumpkins, ghosts, scarecrows and spiders - I remembered the blog and story about Dewberry Farm.  So we packed the kids up and made the drive this Saturday.


Welcome to Dewberry Farm!

Traffic control on horse.

We got off to a bit of a bumpy start.  Literally.  On our wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch, the wagon - loaded with about 30 people - lost a back wheel and tipped dangerously.  Sydney was already a little hesitant about the wagon ride.  This didn't help.  She became clingy and unwilling to participate in any of my usual photo crazed activities.  Which was sad because there were so many opportunities here!


With the wagon out of commission...

That meant we had to walk.  Sans stroller - since we had parked it when we boarded the wagon.

We made a quick stop in a beautiful field of sunflowers.

And then finally - the pumpkin patch!

We boarded a different wagon to ride back.  Syd did not trust her parents to keep her safe after the last experience.  Poor thing was so scared - she cried most of the ride.

But you know what solves a scared cry?  A good romp in the corn house!

Back on solid ground and feeling better, she was ready for all the fun activities.  We fed goats and petted pigs and horses.  

 Look!  These pumpkins are just my size!

She was even kind enough to share with her brother.

Bye Bye Dewberry Farm!  See you next year.


And just for fun... here is a pic of sweet, tiny Fletcher snoozing during our first house hunting adventure to Houston.  Was he ever that small?

Fletcher is ONE!

It's still hard to believe it's been a year since Fletcher joined our family.  We successfully weaned him from the bottle/formula last weekend and while I'm ecstatic to never have to buy formula again, I haven't brought myself to pack the bottles away just yet.  I am not as nostalgic as I thought I would be on his first birthday.  I do miss those sweet still moments you only get from a baby but I don't miss the multiple nighttime feedings, spitting up and other rigors of newborns.


From the moment Fletcher came into this world, there have been two words associated with him.  Happy.  And Big.  


He arrived with the declaration, "that's a big baby" from my OB.  Not exactly something I wanted to hear mid-push.  None of us were expecting a 9 1/2 pound baby.  But it was an easy pregnancy, easier delivery and he's been the easiest of babies!  So content and happy all the time.  And still big.  


He plows through kids, toys, furniture.  Nothing can stop him.  His grip is incredibly strong.  Children (usually Sydney) - and even sometimes we - scream in frustration holding the other end of whatever he has in his grasp - completely unable to pry his fingers away.  He's not aggressive mind you.  He doesn't hit or bite or intentionally take toys from others, but his brut strength just gives way to caveman-like qualities.  While those children scream, he often looks at them in bewilderment, not quite sure what the problem might be.


Not only is he generally a happy baby, he is blissfully content.  Content to sleep anywhere, be held by anyone, play by himself, eat anything.  Even as he's gotten a little older, when other babies begin to get a little more particular, he's still our go-with-the-flow kid.  Maybe it's being a second child.  Maybe it's a boy.  Maybe it's just who he is.  I look forward to seeing his personality really bloom as he becomes a little person this next year.


The best gift of Fletcher, by far, is the bond he and Sydney share.  From the moment she first met him and spoke the word "BABY" for the first time (and then repeated it over and over and over again) they have been buddies.  She was remarkably gentle and careful with him as an infant - she herself only 13 months old when he was born - and continues to be cautious but much more playful as he too has grown.  Everyone said having them so close would be a wonderful blessing.  We agree.  


You already saw the cake.  Here are a few more pictures of his special day.

Attempted family pic before the mayhem began (yes, Syd is picking her nose - I'm afraid her finger is going to permanently affix there).

Ooooh - paper!

And ribbon!

Grateful for a big sister to help

Show off.