Pumpkin Hunting!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

Brighton exploring her roots.

Brighton loved the cows, but Will said they were too stinky.

Much more fun to just stomp on the pumpkins :)

Whew, farmin is tough work!

There is a little girl under there somewhere...

Will loved piling hay on Brighton, and Brighton loved every minute of it! Who knew a trailer full of hay would be such a hit!

Will ran up and down the hay bales several times.

Little Miss Independent

Time to wash up--farm style.

All tuckered out...time to hit the hay!

Short hair and Gators!

September was not really the busiest of months for us despite Will starting preschool. We have adjusted to our schedule now, and Will continues to do really well in school. It has finally started to cool down a little here, but September was very hot and muggy. Here are some pictures of a Gator festival we went to a few weeks ago. The kids had a good time getting to touch some of Louisiana's wildlife. There were some pictures I left out on purpose because they involved my children touching snakes, and I decided I did not want snakes on my blog because I am terrified of them. One snake that Brighton and Will were playing with (a large one) wrapped around Brighton's little arm, and Will immediately tried to yank it off. The whole incident made me want to puke as I watched it from a safe distance. Jon was with them, but I couldn't get within 20 feet of the snakes! So only the alligator pictures are on this post. I also included pictures from this past Saturday. The kids (and Jon) went to get some badly-needed haircuts. It was Brighton's first actual haircut, so we took some pictures, and I snagged a small curl or two to save. She looks much better even though it wasn't a great haircut, and I can still put her hair up in pigtails. Brighton still has a little bit of a mullet, but I think she is just taking after me at that age--or maybe she's just proud to be a Louisianian, born and bred. :)

Not his first time holding a baby gator...he's a pro!

Not sure about this...

I think the smile says it all...she's a little gator gal, true to her birthplace!

Will got to pet the little (but not a baby) alligator too. I'm not sure about that tape around the mouth though.

Will got to ride some little rides.

Mommy and Brighton stayed off of the rides since I can't handle going around and around in circles. Daddy rode with Will on a one ride, but Will rode most of them by himself!

Brighton did have the important job of holding Lightning McQueen while Will got to ride.

Happy Haircut Day! We both need one!!!

Clearly, a BEFORE picture...

She did not stay very still, and the hairdresser wasn't exactly the best, but she lost the rat-tail/mullet combo with a little help from a lollipop.

Will is always very good for haircuts. He never stops talking to the hairdresser.

I think she's happy with the haircut despite some tears.

Our Growing Boy

Our William Craig is getting so big! We celebrated Will's fourth birthday on August 23rd. His birthday fell on a Monday this year, so on the Saturday before his birthday we took the kids to the aquarium. Will has wanted to go for a very long time, and he is still talking about the neat fish he saw and the cool stuff from the gift shop that he picked out (with quite a bit of thought I might add). On Monday, we kept things fairly quiet, Jon was able to take the afternoon off, so the four of us shared in all the birthday fun at the house. I did have a little birthday playdate with the MOMS group that I'm a part of. On Labor Day weekend, we did some shopping to get Will ready for preschool which he started on Wednesday. He was so excited about preschool that he stayed up past 11:00 PM talking about how fun it was going to be and the friends he was going to make and the conversations he was going to have. I stayed up much later worrying that I wouldn't be able to hold back my tears in front of him. On Wednesday morning, he popped out of bed requesting eggs and wanting to get his doggy shirt (the shirt he decided to wear two days before) and school bag and head out the door. Jon stayed home that morning to go with me to drop him off. Will walked right into the building saying hello to everyone, and barely pausing to take a breath from speaking. Upon entering his classroom, the teacher held out his nametag and asked if he knew what it says. His response was "Yep, says William" then he took it right out of her hand and slapped it on his chest. He made his way over to the toys and waved goodbye to us. The teacher commented that she doubted she would have any trouble remembering his name. Brighton was not so sure about leaving her brother behind, but I had planned a full day for the two of us. I was able to not cry until I got into the car, but I couldn't help but be sooooo proud of Will. I can't believe how grown up he is now. He has been my constant companion for four years, but I know he is ready for a little away time from Mommy (and I think Brighton needs a little alone time with Mommy). I know I'm biased, but Will is a very smart boy, and I think preschool will prove to be a very positive experience for him. God has blessed us with the most precious children, and it makes us so happy to experience these milestones even if it means they are growing up!



Our birthday boy at the Audobon Aquarium in New Orleans.


Checking out the stingrays (which he refused to pet).

Studying the sharks.

Brighton liked the penguins most of all.

Looking at the tiny seahorses.

THE LIONFISH! THE LIONFISH! Will has anticipated this moment since March when he learned about Lionfish from a story that my mom read to him from the Reader's Digest.

Will's favorite thing was the sharks.

We had a birthday water-balloon fight in the backyard on the day of his birthday, followed by presents and cake.

The birthday boy waiting for his presents :)

Will wanted a doctor's kit most of all for his birthday. He gave check-ups to everyone in the house including Boo.

He loved his blocks from his buddy, Jack. He and Daddy built a house, boat, and helicopter all in one night.

Penguins of Madagascar cake.

Will approved of the cake!

Someone else enjoyed the cake too :)

I put together a little birthday playdate the day after his birthday. Here he is opening a present from his friend, Claire. We went to the spouts and shared snacks and bday cake with our Moms Group friends.

Labor Day weekend started out with a little shopping spree. Jon and I have recently lost some weight and were in desperate need of some better-fitting clothes. The kids are obviously growing like weeds, and they needed some new fall clothes. After all that shopping we had to take the kids to the park around the corner to "get some energy out" as Will likes to say.

Jon worked with Will for a while attempting him to pump his legs, so he could swing on his own. I think Will was too distracted by his new shoes to really get it.

Little Spinning Hokies: On Labor Day, we all dressed in our Hokie gear (because of the game later that day) and went for a long bike ride to a nearby park. We had a little picnic and let the kids (and us) run wild.

Our big boy's first day. He was so excited, and he did so well. We're so proud of him!!!!