Pumpkin Patch

We took Don to the pumpkin patch before Halloween to pick out the perfect pumpkin to carve out and put him in for some pictures. It was also fun to get some pictures while we were there of his first trip to the pumpkin patch. He thought the pumpkins were pretty cool...and I thought he looked pretty cool sitting with them:). Such a big boy!

Our little family on the first of many future trips to the pumpkin patch. I am sure Don will start to like it a little more as he gets older. I was nice because we went during the week, so there was not a big crowd. I felt like we had the run of the place:).

Daddy got a little cold, but didn't have a hat...I thought he looked a little goofy...

Don also thought the pumpkins tasted pretty good!

I just loved this picture. My two guys:)...

These little goats were so cute. They were miniature or something.

Awwww...my sweet boy. Always so smiley. I love it:).

LOVE...he pretty much has me wrapped around his finger:).

I thank God everyday for the blessing he has given us. Don is such a sweet, happy boy and I continue to me amazed by him everyday. I love my little man!

Our Little Pumpkin

This boy sure has stolen my heart! I know this post is a little late, and I have been a crappy blogger lately, but I figured better late than never:). Don's first Halloween was certainly fun. Even though he couldn't really trick or treat yet, it was still fun to put him in a costume and carve a pumpkin out to put him in for some pictures. At first, he wasn't too sure about being in the pumpkin, but never-the-less we were able to get some pictures where he was smiling. This little guy is always so happy! I love it. All you have to do is say "hi" to him and he breaks out in a big ol' smile:).

He loves his Dad and his doggies. The all make him laugh hysterically when we are home. Sometimes he just looks at Baxter and starts to laugh, which, Richie and I wonder if that hurts Baxter's feelings since Don is just laughing at him being normal:).

He continues to amaze me everyday. He now has FOUR teeth and is already 6 months old. The other night I told him to slow down with his growing...it is all going too fast!! I don't think he is going to listen though. Last night he was getting up on all fours and rocking, so I think crawling is going to be in his near future.

When Don was first born, all I could see in him was Richie. I thought they were going to be identical. However, as he is getting older, I see so much of my little brother in him...especially in the way his hair is starting to grow in:)...Ch-ch-cha-chia (inside joke for my bro).

Like I stated above, I just love this little guy so much and he has completely stolen my heart. It is amazing the way a mother's heart can grow everyday to hold all of the new love you find for you sweet baby. Don truly has been a blessing to Richie and I:).

BABIES!!!!

Babies are everywhere! Two of my best friends have recently had babies and it is so exciting to get to share the joys of motherhood with them. Jessica (far right) had Trent three months after Don was born, and then Beth (middle) had Liv just a few days ago, three months after Trent was born. I know these three are going to be great friends...or at least I know they will be forced to play together! It is so nice to have friends going through the same life experiences as me so that I can ask questions, or just chat about what they are doing with their babies. Just a little Mom talk:).

Here is the first of many pictures to come in their lives! It will be fun to compare the pictures over the years to see how much they all grow and change. I can't wait to see them again soon. We have our holiday dinner coming up the Saturday after Thanksgiving...I am really looking forward to having the kids together again! My visit on Tuesday got cut a little short, so I look forward to heading up again soon to get more chatting time:).

We are all so blessed to have healthy babies, to have them around the same time, and they are blessed with instant friends.

The Dons

My son, Don, is named after my Dad, Don:). My Dad is one of the hardest working, most caring people I know and I really hope that my Baby Don will get a lot of his grandpa's traits. They currently get to hang (just the two of them) for a couple hours on Tuesday and Friday...and sometimes on Monday, while Richie heads to work and I head home. I love that my Dad gets some one on one time with Don. I wish I could be a little fly on the wall:).

Seriously...

...how cute are these kids?!?!?! Granted I may be a little bias, due to the fact that one is my son and the others are my nieces and nephew:), but I really feel like this is a good looking bunch of kids. These two are only six months apart and it is so cute to watch them interact. Griffin is such a little lover and always gets so excited to see Abby...it is so cute. Side note: Please check out Griffin's eye lashes. Why do boys always get so lucky????

I know Amy already posted some of the pictures she took this day, but I still wanted to share a few of mine.

I have a feeling these two are going to be great friends. Don just sits and watches Griffin when we are with them. Almost like he is trying to memorize everything he does...just learning the ropes.

...and one shot of my little family.

First Tooth!!!

That's right...my baby got his first tooth!!! You can't see it in this picture and I have not been able to get a good shot of it yet, but as soon as I do, I will post it. We were on our way up to Woodinville for Kimberly's baby shower for Ty and Don was fussing a little in the backseat. I got back there with him, hoping that he would fall asleep, which he didn't do. :) However, he did start smiling and chewing on my knuckle and that is when I realized that my baby was a big boy with a tooth!!! I have heard horror stories about how much babies will cry and fuss when they are teething, but I guess we got pretty lucky because you never would have known that this kid was cutting a tooth. I have to admit, while I was excited because this is the first step of a new phase with our little man, I was also a little sad because it means that he is growing out of the infant stage and becoming a little boy.

Richie and I have been loving every moment with our little man. We both agree that being a parent is the most fun, rewarding thing that either of us has ever done, but I just wish we could freeze time. It all seems to be going so fast!!!

Money Money Money

This summer my Grandpa Dick passed away. It has been comforting to think of him and my Grandma finally being back together. I am sure they had one heck of a party when they were reunited!!!

As our family has gotten older, it seems like we really only get to see our cousins once in a great while. Of course we were all able to get together and celebrate the life of a great man and it was so nice to see all of them.

Grandpa Dick has not always been known for his generosity:). A few weeks before his death my Dad, his sister, and brother took my Grandpa to the lawyer to update his will. When the lawyer read the portion that discussed what would be left to his grandchildren, he said, "Dick, do you still want to leave each grandchild $100? I know in 1980 $100 might have seemed like a lot, but did you want to increase that now?" My Grandpa responded by telling the lawyer that $100 sounded good...that was a fine amount.

So here we are, the grand kids, holding our inheritance:). We had quite a good time joking about what we were going to do with all of our money!!!!

Every time I look at this picture it brings a smile to my face. The thing is, none of us cared about the money, but I sure love the memories I have from when we got that $100. The laughing and joking...it seemed like each one of us was trying to make all the others laugh harder than the last. So, even if it wasn't Grandpa's intention, that $100 gave all of us grand kids a great excuse to laugh and be silly with each other...the way only family can.