We had a nice October, with good weather and lots of parties, including a great cider press party with tons of good friends. The weather was so beautiful, and everyone had a great time. It was so easy, that we thought we'd throw a pre-Thanksgiving turkey fry at the last minute, too. I sent around an email on Wednesday for the party on Saturday, figuring that not may people would be able to make it. Instead, we had 34 adults, 17 toddlers, and 3 infants, all inside out tiny house because it was pouring rain outside! It was so chaotic, but fun all the same. You were so good about sharing your toys and your room with so many kids, I was really proud of you.
Having fun at Shannon's house
Multi-tasking in the morning
Harvesting grapes with Dad
Measuring out the new house
We've been thinking lots about building a new house, and so you've gotten to help us with measuring, staking, and planning the whole thing. You are usually a good little helper.
You were a lion for Halloween--Ryan the Lion--which you came up with yourself. Your costume was a big hit, and you liked to wear the hoodie around the house, and even wore it to daycare a few times. Pretty cute.
Full sentences--"My scissors not working, Dad's scissors working yes!"
Dance parties after we get home at night
Rogue River trip--you stayed with Noni and Grandpa Rick
New game--kicking the door lock with your foot quicker than I can open the door to get you out.
Climbing into your crib on your own
Being a joker--"Want hear something funny, Ma? Noni, Grandpa, pancakes...syrup!! Hahahaha!"
I went out for a run and when I came back, you and your dad were laying together in your crib doing a sticker book. I came in and you said "me and dad snuggling in my bed!"
Judging by the photos from this month, I've been working too much--most of them are you at daycare, or hanging out with friends who are so kind to take care of you while I'm working...
You and Copeland swinging at daycare
Hiking with Copeland. I heard that you threw a giant fit when he wouldn't keep holding your hand.
Rosie and Ryan, enjoying some down time
Helping Dad at work
I had to go back and check the calendar to remind myself what we did in September--it felt so busy, but we didn't actually do much. We had a nice weekend in Bend with all of the Millers. They all see one another all the time, but you get right in there and it's fun to watch you playing with your cousins and getting to know them all.
You've also become good friends with Copeland, who started at Shannon's daycare with you this month. At first, you guys were getting in a bit of trouble, pushing one another and egging each other on like siblings would. Now, it seems to have settled down and you get so excited to see Copeland and hang out with him. You also seem to have a big crush on Julian at daycare, who is the sweetest kid. Whenever I drop you off at Shannon's, Julian comes running to the door and you give each other a huge hug. It's so cute.
I put on the Green Home Tour this month, and it was a ton of work. Somehow, you and I ended up "manning" the ticket table together in the morning and afternoon of the Tour, and you were such a trooper. At one point, it was getting to be nap time, but people were still milling around, buying tickets, so I didn't want to pack up. I laid out a blanket for you and you curled up on the grass with your pacers and blanket and looked like you were going to fall asleep right there. You can be so flexible and easy going sometimes--I love it :)
You and the real Baby Toben
This is what happens when you sneak a box of bandaids into the Chariot while we go running
At the park in Bend
You and Copeland eating your favorite food: noodles
One highlight was a trip to Chicago, Champaign, and Burlington, WI for our friend Aly's wedding. You were great on the plane, though we had a few rough moments trying to get you to fall asleep in a nest on the floor of random friends' houses and hotel rooms (first time traveling without a pack and play). You'd just get more and more wound up and it would get later and later until one of us would basically tackle you on the floor and hug you until you'd stop squirming and almost instantly fall asleep. Naps were also a bit tricky with full days of travel and activities, but we made it through. I think the low point was getting behavioral coaching from Uncle Joel, who's just spent the last year working with high-needs kids with autism. You were basically throwing a tantrum, I put you in a time out, and you proceeded to yell and scream and flop around on the floor. I looked at Joel and he just shook his head and looked at me like, "good luck to you". Great.
Downtown Chicago
You loved holding Uncle Joel's hand. At all times.
It was super fun to hang out with Christie and Colin at the wedding, and Colin was a big Ryan fan. We went to the WI State Fair, and also met up with Becca and Finbar in Chicago. You were a big fan of Finbar, and Finbar was a big fan of Joel.
Riding the bull with Finbar
Creampuff assembly line at the WI State Fair
My work is sponsored Bike Commute Month in September, and so I felt like I
needed to participate. Too bad they don't give extra points to parents
who bike commute their kids to daycare. Anyway, I borrow a friend's kid
seat for the back of my
bike (thinking it will be easier than hauling the trailer around), dust
off my paniers, strap your diaper bag to the back, and off we go down
the driveway on the first day. We make it 5 feet. 10 feet. But, we're swerving terribly. It's
getting worse and worse, and then...we CRASH! You poor thing, you were
crying and so scared (though the bike seat did its job and I couldn't
find any scrapes on you!). But, my knees were all scraped up, and we
were both pretty shaken. The
short version is that I adjusted some weight, and we rode on, but I had
so many moments cruising down Tucker Rd. with my shaky legs hoping
that we wouldn't crash again, thinking to myself, "what the heck am I doing right
now?!?" If you grow up to hate bike riding, we'll know why. Every time
we hit a little bump in the road, you yelled out "Ah!
No! Bumpy! Falling!!!" Luckily, we made it without further incident, and you rode in the Chariot every day after that.
We had a birthday party for you in Hood River, the theme was box fort and pancakes. Nana and Papa came up with their trailer full of furniture boxes (I think they spent two full days driving around to places in Bend, The Dalles, and Hood River collecting boxes for us--thank goodness, otherwise the box fort would have been more like just a box). Noni and Victoria and Ivan also came up to celebrate, and we had a great party with a bunch of friends, cupcakes, and fort fun.
Fort Fun
Dress up
You got a little baby doll for your birthday, which you (of course)
named Baby Toben, and it's so cute to watch you care for him.
You carry him around, cradled in your arm and bounce him up and down,
carefully wrap him up in little blankets, sit him on the potty, and take
him everywhere. One time, I heard you pick him up out of the little stroller and whisper, "Hi, Baby Toben, you nice nap?" and then you hugged him.
After your birthday party, we packed up and headed to Timberline Lodge for an overnight backpacking trip. We did one overnighter last summer and I remember it being a little bit like survival backpacking the whole time. But this year was completely different. It was so much fun. I have great memories of hiking down the trail, you in the backpack over my shoulder singing out, "Mama! A big tree coming!!!" The next morning we day hiked from our camp, and you hiked a lot of the way on your own, running up and down the trail, checking out the flowers and bugs and critters. It was one of the first times that I've felt like you were enjoying the outdoors, too, not just being drug along by your parents.
Things to remember:
Goofy voice--you have this kind of deep, scratchy, silly voice that you use when you're being funny or telling jokes.
Potty trained (mostly)--right before your birthday you spent a few days naked around the house and that was pretty much the end of diapers during the day. You still have accidents now and then, but you're doing great with it.
Pretends to read and says, "I love you, Mommy"
Counts "3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9!"
Based on the video, it seems like maybe I'm pushing your limits a little with giant slides and spinny playground equipment. Woops.
