Gentry's Farm x 3

 

Last year I discovered Gentry's Farms during a VHA (Vanderbilt Housestaff Alliance) event and Jack loved it.  I knew it would be something we would do every year.

 

This year Jack, Maddie, & I made three trips throughout the month of October!

 

At the beginning of October my parents came to visit and we went on a Monday morning.  It was one of the first cool mornings we had had in Nashville & there was lots of rain the day before so Jack sported jeans for the first time this season & his rain boots.  We also tried to get some pumpkin pictures with Maddie, but she was not too pleased and it was the end of the morning so Jack was not cooperating. 

We took our second trip with the neighborhood girls and it ended up being a hot day!  So funny how the weather was all over the place during the month of October.

The third trip was the weekend before Halloween with Aunt Taylor & Uncle Jeff.  This was the VHA event this year and afterwards we headed to Pumpkinfest in downtown Franklin which was such an adventure.  It truly felt like we were in a movie in the middle of a small town festival and so many kids in costumes all around.

We left the Ergo carrier in the car, but dad made his own carrier out of his jacket for the hayride.

Halloween 2013

We had a great Halloween week again this year.  It is crazy to think this is Jack's 3rd Halloween and so fun to celebrate Madelyn's 1st Halloween.

It was a week full of dressing up!  Monday we met up with friends at Monkey's Treehouse, Wednesday we went to storytime at the downtown library which is always fun on Halloween, and Thursday Jack dressed up for school and we had our evening Halloween activities.

I started asking Jack what he wanted to be for Halloween a couple of months ago.  I would list things and he would pretty much say yes to them all...so that didn't really work.  I knew I could take him to the store and let him pick out his costume, but we started reading his Fisher Price Little People Halloween book and every time he would repeatedly point to the little boy dressed like a cowboy/Lone Ranger...So that's what we went with.

With Maddie being so young, I didn't really put too much thought into her costume...and I wasn't finding too much in the 3 month size to choose from.  My mom picked up the cutest strawberry bubble and she looked adorable and didn't cry when I put it on her which was a win in my book.  I'm sure the Lone Ranger likes strawberries, right?  He wanted the strawberry to wear his hat!

 

It was a crazy morning before we headed to the library for storytime so I just threw both the kids in the "Dr. Jack" scrubs.  I love seeing Maddie wear the same things that Jack wore!

Storytime selfie

On Halloween Jack wore his costume to school and then we made a trip to Krispy Kreme afterwards for a free donut.

 

Nashville had rain & strong winds in the forecast for Halloween night so the traditional trick or treating in the neighborhood was out of the question.  We waited until the last minute but decided to head up to the mall for some store trick or treating (I guess this happens every year but who knew!). There were so many people and it was CRAZY (just getting both kids into the mall in the rain & wind by myself was an adventure), but the stores were handing out candy so Jack had lots of fun. We met up with the Schot's & Buzz (Hudson) & Jessie (Mackenna) were so cute.  Hudson and Jack have so much fun together and I cannot wait to see Mackenna and Madelyn interact as they get older. 

 

 

The next morning Jack carried his pumpkin around and pretty much ate candy for breakfast.

 

Another memorable Halloween in the books!

Madelyn - 3 months

 

It's Madelyn's quarter birthday! 

She's changing from a newborn into a smiling baby and has been the perfect addition to our family.  I managed to get her 3 months photos taken but don't be fooled because behind the scenes both of her brothers wanted to be in all the pictures, too! 

Sleep:

Night sleep has been pretty consistent.  You normally go to sleep for the night around 9pm & will sleep anywhere from 4-8 hours.  After you eat once in the middle of the night, you go right back to sleep and have begun to sleep another long stretch until you are ready to get up for the day around 7:30am.  (note: this has NOT happened the last 2 nights…let’s hope this isn’t a new trend).  You move lots in your sleep and have started rotating.  I never know where you’ll be when I check the monitor. 

 

Eating:

You are still exclusively BF.  You rarely have a bottle but when we have company you tend to more often.  You eat about every 3-4 hours during the day and about once during the night with your last feeding of the day being around 9pm. 

 

Sizes:

You are wearing size 2 diapers and 3 month & 6 month clothes.  I can pretty much put you in both and they fit.  I’m hoping you don’t outgrow all these cute fall & winter clothes we have for you!  Thanks goodness you have lots of leggings and dresses which will fit many different sizes.  I LOVE dressing you each day.  It is incredibly fun to try new clothes on you and now that the weather has changed you are consistently in fall clothes and lots of leggings & cute tops & dresses. 

I also love picking out your bow & hair accessories each day.  You don’t seem to mind them (I’ve been trying to get you used to them from the beginning).  Your hair is about 2.5 inches long & seems to be growing in lighter than the color you were born with.  You lose a few strands here and there but for the most part it is staying put.

 

Things you love:

You still love to play under your jungle gym & hang out in your swing.  I love to set you up on the couch and you just look around and take everything in.  At night when I read to Jack at bedtime, you are normally with me just chillin on your newborn lounger and I think hearing the stories relaxes you because you often will drift to sleep.  You have starting smiling and love when anyone just holds you and talks to you.  I sing and talk to you and you love to just laugh and smile away.   You also love your longhorn wubanub.  Jack never used it too much but it is your favorite because you can grab the longhorn, spin it around, and try to get the pacifier back in your mouth when you need it.  

 

Activities:

You are still enjoying pretty similar activities as last month.   You also go on lots of walks/runs with mom and are always such an angel.  In this beautiful fall weather we have spent many afternoons lounging on a blanket in the yard and you just look up at all the trees.  

You spend most of your day when we are awake exercising. You move your arms and legs all over the place and just kick, kick, kick.   I try to hold you and keep you upright after you eat and you just want to move. 

 

New things:

You smile all the time when anyone talks to you.  You also coo at certain times, but it is not constant. Not only do you smile, but you’ll open your mouth up wide and make the happiest expressions.

Your neck control is getting stronger and you look up and around.  It is not 100% so we are still very careful with you.  You don’t want to rest your head on us when we are holding you, but instead you want to lift it up and look everywhere.    

You have also begun to roll on your right side in the last week.  You have not rolled over all the way, but are thinking about it!

You have definitely discovered your hands.  You love to grab things and suck on your hands all the time.  You have just started to reach out on your jungle gym and grab the things that are hanging around you.

You went to your first pumpkin patch in the last month (actually you went with mom & Jack 3 times!).  You also went with mom to get her hair done & were on your best behavior...pretty soon you might be the one getting your hair cut at the rate it's growing!  We're lucky you're not a boy or we would have probably already had to cut it.

You also have your first cold (I think we can blame your germy brother for this one).  You are pretty congested and have a running nose.  It breaks my heart to hear you breathe through your nose when you are congested.

 

I think I tell you about a million times a day how much a love you & give you lots of kisses.  I never knew I would be able to love a baby as much as Jack, but you both have my heart and I surely do!  Your beautiful brown hair makes you so different from Jack, but y’all both share the most beautiful blue eyes right now.  The past 3 months have flown by and we are ready and excited for the many more to come!