Distractions (and T42?!)

With the big job transition just around the corner, I’ve been in need of more distractions than usual. Thankfully the weather has been gorgeous and the trees spectacular, so Felix and I have enjoyed lots of time outdoors.

We visited a pumpkin patch a couple weekends ago and Felix was most excited about big trucks on the freeway first. Then he warmed up to the place and had a great time riding trains, petting animals and playing in the corn box. I asked another parent to take our photo and had a mini panic attack when I realized that if I go according to my plan B, I will be doing another home study before next October and THESE pictures will be part of my profile. Ahh! I am so not ready for that. (Plan A was to start again when Felix turned two, but the desire for a bigger house and life with a toddler pushed back the timeline to at least next fall.)

Look mom, trucks!

The corn box - challenging but fun.

Riding to the pumpkin patch.

Running away from the camera.

We also took a long walk on the greenbelt, and I could have spent the whole time taking pictures of the trees. Instead I decided to put away my phone and just enjoy it. I finally broke down and took just a couple of pics at the end when Felix was playing in the leaves. He knows when the camera is out and sometimes looks away and shakes his head "no", so I'm trying to keep the annoying mom habits to a minimum.

Last weekend we went to Baker City for a friend’s college graduation and Halloween party. (The same family we stayed with when Felix was a newborn.) Andrea went all-out decorating the house and coming up with freaky ways to serve food, and we had a great time! Felix wasn’t scared of any of it – he walked right up to a skull and said “Hi!” I consider this an accomplishment because he was scared when Halloween costumes first hit the stores, but I stopped to play peek-a-boo with the scary masks and little by little, he associated them with fun and games.

Fix-It Felix and Lois Griffin. He traded his hat for Stewie.

Another friend and her two kids were in Baker as well, so we had big sleepovers two nights in a row, breakfast together in the mornings, and I had babysitters on hand all weekend. On Saturday we moms sipped lattes and walked the quaint downtown shopping thrift and antique stores. Then we took pictures of each other’s families in the park (I’m saving my favorite for our holiday card). That night we had dinner at a brew pub, then played darts and had another drink at the new brewery across the street. It was a long, tiring day, and we were all home by 9:15. Ha.

My dad loves this pic because it reminds him just how small Felix is.

Mara (13) did an excellent job taking care of Felix and going through his bedtime routine. She prides herself on having “changed his diapers since he was newborn” and was able to tell when he was tired and ready for bed. She even had the sense to swap his empty milk cup for a stuffed animal when he started to cry, then read him a couple of stories and put him to bed. He slept soundly on his own all night.

Now I'm ready to get through my last few days at work so I can get into a new routine before the holidays!