Muddy Pumpkin Patches

Well, it finally happened. 

The boys are not napping. In fact, they are escaping.

 I remember when Evie stopped napping. It was one of the most depressing realizations that there was no longer a separation from the morning and afternoon.

It’s been happening for awhile now. The boys keep each other entertained, and sleep isn't in the plan.

 Once they are in their cribs, in the dark, the party starts. 

Songs are sung. 

Cheers are chanted. 

Conversations about the day fill up the dark room. 

Toys are flung. 

There is no sleep happening. 

They stay there, in the dark happily for about an hour until they start chanting, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy….” 

However, the other day, Caleb casually comes walking out of the room. He looks at me and says, “Hi Mommy. I’m not tired. I don’t want to nap. I want to play, Mommy.”

“Caleb!” I say (as no one has ever actually escaped their cribs and walked out the door) “How did you get out here?!”

Before he could answer, I hear from inside the dark bedroom Levi’s voice shout to me, “He climbed out, Mommy!”

Oh man. Here we go. 

Then suddenly, I hear a Boom! and a Crash!….and James has decided to follow his brother and escape. And so a new chapter begins…

I'll take escaping over what has been happening with Caleb lately. Several times within the past week I enter his room after an hour of "napping" and he's standing in his crib, completely naked. His dirty, poopy diaper is ripped off and tossed across the bedroom.  He calmly informs me it was dirty and that he would like a new one. 

Ok, I think it's time to get them into real beds...and really attempt potty training. 

Our fall, with  all the pumpkin patch visits and hayrides, was actually quite wet and muddy. There was one Saturday that was just perfect and beautiful, and we managed to get out to the farm to get our pumpkins. 

A highlight of the pumpkin patch is definitely riding the cow train. This particular farm is known for its crazy drivers, and after a wet fall, the ground was just right for an all out mud bath.

I squeezed myself into the little cow train car with Caleb on my lap. I haven't laughed so hard in a while as the driver truly gave us a thrill ride, speeding around the fields, not pausing at the mud holes. Accelerating at the various bumps and ditches, I hung on to little Caleb so he wouldn't fly out!

It was the best (and muddiest) cow train ride I've ever been on!

 

 

I also accompanied all the kids on their class field trips to the farm. Evie's was a total wash out, as the rain came down in torrents. However, the program went on as planned. The farmer methodically toured us around the soggy farm as we parents shared in the misery together. 

Despite the utter saturation, Evie and I got to create a cute little scarecrow as well as share a cup of hot cocoa at Starbucks together. 

The boys' farm day was a little nicer, but cold. They marched around together, feeding the various livestock popcorn and picking out their perfect pumpkin. 

Despite the wet fall, Halloween actually turned out to be a nice day. After two years of coordinating the kids costumes, (Goldilocks and the 3 bears the first year….the Wizard of Oz last year…) they all picked their own costumes this year. 

So, we had Levi as “Paw Patrol”

Caleb as Mickey Mouse

James as “James the Train” (from Thomas the Train)

And Evie as Sleeping Beauty.

They all picked up the cadence of trick or treating quite well; however, we had to rotate who got to ring the door bell at each house to avoid the bickering. 

We also had to coach them to say, “trick or treat” at the door rather than simply “Candy!”

We also insisted on “Thank you” and “Happy Halloween!"

Our neighborhood was illuminated with bright lights, excited kids and Halloween festivity. The kids had a blast, and collected way too much candy. Like any Mom, I tried to hide it after they went to bed.

But the first thing they asked the next morning: “Mom, where’s the candy?!” 

They of course inquire about it because they want to eat it. 

However, I noticed that it also became more of a trophy rather than something solely for consumption.

 Levi begged me to allow him to take a small candy bar with him to his bed.

 “I wont eat it mama. I wont eat it. I just want to hold it." 

I know my Levi, and he has a heart of gold. He genuinely wants to do what is right, and when he promised me he wouldn’t eat it, I believed him. 

So,  the next morning I walked into his room and observed him sleeping soundly. He was all curled up with his stuffed animals and, sure enough, there clutched securely in his unopened fist was his melted candy bar, unopened. 

One exciting result from the abundance of rain this fall are all the rainbows! We've witnessed so many rainbows in the sky, some of the most brilliant I've seen. 

It always makes me smile because it reminds me that in this damp, soggy mess sometimes in life, God is behind it. The kids know that too. They point to the rainbows, and shout with delight, "God made it!" 

Pumpkins, candy, costumes, rainbows!!...do we really have to go into the holiday season?! 

Not sure I'm ready for all that yet!