The Adventures of the HRGCs: October 2012

It's Pumpkin Time!

October 21, 2012

It's the other most wonderful time of the year! Harvest, Thanksgiving, Halloween. The rains have come, the leaves are falling, the heavy ocean wind has returned, and we are back into our vests and gum boots once again. I just love fall. To me it is a season of new beginnings - I realize that is supposed to be Spring but I guess, maybe because school always started in the fall for me, I feel a sense of anticipation, excitement, and re-birth. Also, orange looks good on me.

We went back to the pumpkin patch today. Finlay couldn't care less about the pumpkins. He was all about the tractor and hay ride. One of his favourite books right now is a Thomas the Train book called "Edward and the Party." In this book, Terrence the Tractor gives hay rides to the people at the party. Finlay made the connection pretty quick and was squealing about the tractor the entire time we were there.

"Look, Fin, pumpkins!" and he sees the tractor, screams, yells "purdy" which to him means "LOOK!"

Game over. We are maybe 3 meters into the patch and all he can see is the tractors, two of them, driving people back and forth from the parking lot to the patch (we walked from the car).

"Finlay, will you help us pick a pumpkin?"

"No."

"Will you hold this one and pose for a picture?"

"No."

"Look, Mama is posing for the camera."

"No." He turns to look at the tractor and starts walking towards it. He waves "Hi!" over and over to the tractor.

That's right. Terrence is getting more of a greeting than I do when I pick Fin up from daycare each day.

So Tyler and I chose the pumpkin. We went with the one on the right. No soft spots, kind of yellow, not too big...

Tractor and Toddler. Together at last!

Still didn't want to pose for a picture. He's out of practice. Just wanted to ride or drive the tractor.

There. We sneaked onto the tractor for a hay ride. He was beside himself with excitement. Squealing and beaming and vibrating with joy!

We're moving!!

Also rode a cow. There are a lot of cool things to do at this pumpkin patch, like a haunted house, train ride, corn maze, bouncy castle, and petting zoo - but due to moving at the end of the month, we were low on cash. The cow ride was free.

So was the balloon. We go a lot out of an hour at the Pumpkin Patch! So glad we went!
I'm excited to return with a slightly older Finlay next year! We'll take the train ride for sure!

All About Billy

October 19, 2012

When Finlay was "Chick," we had a weekly picture of the growing belly and lots of commentary on how the pregnancy was going. It's not that the second time around it any less exciting or wonderful but we are a tad more busy! Tyler has this wonderful thing called a "full-time job" and we have this creature called a "toddler" living with us and it seems to mean that we are up before dawn and moving all day and all evening and when we finally sit down at 8:30 I fall asleep on the couch and Tyler seems to be on nightly dish duty.

To add on top of all of that, we are moving to a house in just 10 days! Packing has begun and more time is being funneled in new directions. Hopefully, once we are a bit more settled, the new dishwasher and washer/dryer will assist in time-saving and we will have a little more time to do other things! Like blog!

So what about this pregnancy? My mom asked me the other day if I was showing yet! I am 27 weeks in and I think I was showing by mid-August. Although Billy is due a month after Chick was in the calander year I seem to be looking/feeling the same amount pregnant as I was at this time with the first one. But the pregnancies could not be any more different. Billy's personality is shinning through! S/he is full of energy. Lots of kicking and dancing and quick and sharp movements. Very playful and non-stop. Unlike with Chick, Billy wakes me up at night! S/he shakes my who body with her/his big movements. Billy likes to announce her/his presence loudly and with strength. Chick had a concentrated stretch on my right side where Billy kicks one side and then another within seconds! Billy is all over the place, unpredictable, and just so interesting to me!

This time around, I am conscious of the time I have with Billy in a way I wasn't with Chick. With Billy, I recognise that these days are the only days where it is just me and Billy - I get her/him all to myself! I also recognise how contained and easy it is to look after Billy right now and know how much things will change come her/his birthday!

I'm in no rush, I am enjoying these pre-birthday days.

So way back in August, we went for Billy's ultra-sound. Billy's personality shone through. S/he was playful and not exactly cooperative! We had trouble getting some good shots.

Here is a profile of Billy. With Chick, I immediately saw Tyler in there. But with this one we both see more of me.

A shot of the spine for the Chiros in the family.

Little foot! Hopefully Billy remains sporadic and constantly moving so that those little feet don't cause the havoc that Chick's did.

Another profile. You can see umbilical cord clearly.

Little arm waving hello!

And here is the cutest thing - Billy pointing! We were hoping we would get the finger but it was still really cool to catch on camera! Where are you pointing Billy?

So there! Finally, we are getting our act together! Pictures of Billy! Now to get me in a mood where I will allow my picture, and hence evidence of the belly, to be taken.

We're Back! Sans Camera!

October 14, 2012

So, you may be wondering what's happened to us lately. Well, I was working a lot and, our camera may have been stolen. Until it resurfaces, we had a few more pictures from summer saved elsewhere that I posted below and we will be taking some pictures with our iPad.