Gettin' our punkin on

A sunny Saturday afternoon in late October screams "go to the pumpkin patch!" if you ask me. So we went.
Our friend Finley (and her mom & dad) joined us, as well.

C'mon, guys! This way!

Not so sure about those alpacas...

Getting the lay of the land to plot our course.

Cheese. (Period, not exclamation mark.)

If you're going to go to a pumpkin patch, you're going to take a hay ride. It's part of the deal.

Finley's first hay ride!

Actually, Shae's first hay ride, too!

Finley poses with a pumpkin. The cuteness is practically overwhelming.

Shae also poses with pumpkins. Also cute, but you know how it goes with wee little babies and such.

I know! I have a great idea! Let's pose 4-month-old Finley on Shae's lap with the pumpkins! Both kids seem very enthusiastic about the photo op, no?

Picking out the perfect pumpkin with Dad.

Again: cuteness overload. Kyle managed to find a perfectly Finley-sized pumpkin and she was having a blast balancing on it and standing up all on her own. All together: awwwwww.

Christmas card? Probably not... but family photo!

At the very end of the day, Shae mustered the courage to pet the alpaca. Yay!

October = birthdaypalooza!

October has always been chock-full of birthdays and this year is no different! (Um, that doesn't even make sense...)

Shae went to Elitch's amusement park for her cousin Courtney's birthday party. First up: the carousel.
Then a spin on the ferris wheel with her cousin, Nicole.
Pause for a snack.
All the kids walking through the park. (L-R: Uncle Buddy, Emmy, Roy, Courtney, Shae, Austen)
Dinner time! The whole crew goes to the parking lot to have pizzas delivered, then some cake and ice cream. Uncle Buddy tries to get Shae to climb a tree.
Back into the park for some evening fun!
Dad wins Shae a prize.



Then Dad rides a ride with Shae. (Note: the ride starts and Shae panics; the ride ends and Shae immediately asks "can we ride it again?")
Then Shae rides the train with Mom.
Silly faces!
Trying to capture a Christmas card-worthy picture.
#Fail.
The day begins and ends on the carousel.


Thanks for a fun day, Aunt Cindy!

Next up: Shae's birthday party! On the Saturday before her birthday, Shae hosted a kid party at Jumpstreet (a local indoor trampoline place).
Shae and Quinlin.


Pizza time! (L-R: Armstrong, Kora, Shae, Quinlin)
Maya, Tristan & Jude get in on the pizza action, too.
"Mom, we're trying to eat here..."





Armstrong indulges my request for a photo.

Have you ever asked a group of 2- and 3-year-olds to sit still (AFTER cake and ice cream) for a group photo? (L-R: Jude, Kora, Maya, Shae, Maya, Armstrong, Hayden)


Time for presents!




After we got home, Jody and I sent Shae to the basement rather than her room for some quiet time (knowing full well she wasn't going to take a nap). Why the basement, you ask? Because we were busy upstairs transforming her room into an official Big Girl Room.
...including her very own Big Girl Bed. Now the challenge was to keep her out of it until after the family party gifts were opened!
A much-belated "THANK YOU" to Aunt Peg for the gorgeous blanket.
Family party time! Lots of treasures to unwrap.



The moment of surprise... At the end of her presents downstairs, we said "There's one more present for you Shae -- go up to your room." She did and we followed her. She was very confused when she first walked into the room (her crib bed used to be on the other wall), then turned to see her Big Girl Bed and hesitated for just a moment....
...asked "is this for me?"...
...then got very, very excited!

Finley can't wait for a Big Girl Bed of her very own.


It was a very long day with lots of people, lots of fun,and lots of sugar. When the time came to sing "happy birthday" again, Shae was a little less than enthused.

This pout is all for show -- she was smiling and laughing until I said "say cheese!"
...but she cracked under pressure.

Finley got to try out Shae's Tinkerbell chair.

Birthday Princess, age 3. What a ride it has been!