Pumpkin Patch 2011

Remember last year when we went to the pumpkin patch with Carmen and Parker?  Well, we went back just yesterday.  Look at the difference a year makes...

The boys loved checking out all the little pumpkins and gourds.  Austin, as usual, did not want me to take his picture -- hence the grumpy face you'll see every one I did take.  I'm so happy that Austin has a cousin that lives near him (although, we'd love it if ALL his cousins lived near him).  Austin and Parker are great friends already and I can only imagine what fun the next few years will bring.

'Twas a Great Day for a Cape

Last Saturday Toren introduced Austin to a cape -- in the form of a backwards bib.  Austin loved it!   He thought he was pretty cool. And, I'll admit, he was.  After wearing the bib around for most of the morning I decided to make him a proper cape out of an old t-shirt of mine.  Well, he liked that one even more.  I realize he doesn't have pants on, but doesn't that just make him more superheroish?

He wore it while helping Toren organize a few things in the garage.

And while I tidied the house.

And while he smothered Baxter.

And while he ate a fruit by the foot. 

He even wore it to the annual Spader Family Pumpkin Carving Contest that night (no pictures).  All in all, 'twas a great day for a cape!

Our Day Today

I've learned that to be a successful stay-at-home mom I CANNOT stay at home.  In fact, staying at home all day ensures that by dinner time (if we are still alive) I am completely bonkers, the house looks war torn, and Austin is practically climbing up the walls.  Our best days are spent out and about until lunch/nap time.  We go to story time at the library, swimming at the public pool, to Walmart or Costco to browse around, to play dates with friends in the ward.  And sometimes we go to the mall.

I hate/love the mall nearby.  I hate it because it's a terrible mall (for shopping).  But I love it because it's so terrible that it's always deserted. I can let Austin run the length of the mall without getting into anyone's way.  And there are two play areas for him to keep busy on.  That's where we went today.  Sorry about the poor picture quality.  I took them with my phone.

As we were migrating to the next play place, Austin noticed Tilt, which, of course, was also deserted.  He LOVED it.  He probably wandered around checking out the games for at least a good half an hour.  He even found tickets that someone left behind -- enough to buy a pixi stick.

On the weeks that Toren is out of town I allow Austin and I to eat out for lunch once (it helps me stay sane).  Usually it's the dollar menu at McDonald's or a $1.50 hot dog at Costco, but today I treated us to Panda Express.  Austin devoured the spring roll, orange chicken, and rice.  He even got his own fortune cookie.  I wish I would have taken a picture when he found the fortune inside.  His puzzled face was priceless.  His fortune read: You would be wise not to seek too much form others at this time.  I'll be reminding him of this tomorrow morning when he wants breakfast.  Just kidding... Mine was: Lady luck will soon visit you.  I already feel incredibly lucky to be able to spend every day moseying around with this handsome boy.  I just couldn't ask for anything more!

Phone Photo Montage

I recently (finally) got a new cell phone.  Before I made the switch I transferred all the photos I'd taken with my old phone onto our computer.  In about 72 pictures I had captured Austin's first year.  It was quite nostalgic to look through them all again and I thought I'd share a few...

The first picture here I took just hours after Austin's birth.  It's one of only a handful that we have of him in the hospital.  He so scrunched...I love it!

These are pictures from this summer.  

Top Left: On our way to Utah for Amanda's wedding.

Top Right: Enjoying a cupcake at cousin Parker's birthday party.

Bottom Left: After eating a plum Nana gave him.

Bottom Right: Devouring beans and rice at Chipotle (he loves this place). 

And, this is my favorite picture of the bunch.  We were at a sporting goods store and I put a coonskin cap on Austin thinking he'd pull it right off.  Not so.  He wore it the entire time we were in the store.  He loved it.  Luckily, Nana couldn't make him put it away so she bought it for him.  Now he wears it around the house every once in a while.

My Busy Boy

Austin is a very busy little guy.  I have a hard time keeping him occupied when we're at home (or, keep him occupied and manage to get something productive done).  It feels most of our time at home is spent running around in circles -- him destroying the house and me putting it back together.

He won't spend longer than 5 minutes on any one thing!  And it would be an absolute miracle if I saw him playing on his own with his toys.  Usually he's dragging his toys around and following me as I do chores.  Or, he's dragging the toilet plunger around, or trying to suck on the toothpaste he can now reach out of the bathroom drawer, or pulling all the clothes out of our dressers, or climbing in the kitchen cupboards, or sticking pennies, paperclips, batteries, rocks in his mouth (I never know where he finds these treasures since I do keep the house clean).  He drive me absolutely insane some days, but I love him to pieces.

I mean, really, how could I not?

Peeling Post-its

There's just nothing like enjoying a late summer evening laying on the deck peeling Post-its apart...with your best Beagle friend.

15 Month Check-Up

I took Austin if for his 15 month doctors visit a couple weeks ago. As expected, he is totally on track. He's not saying very many words, but the doctor wasn't concerned at all. She said he is further along in other skills than some at this age so she thinks his little brain has been focusing on other things and once he's mastered those things he will start focusing more on talking.  He does say Mama and Dada (sometimes), Ba (for Baxter), ruru (barking like a dog), caca (when something is icky).  Mostly, though, he just talks in his own language and points a lot. 

Austin's 12 month stats:
Weight: 24 pounds (25-50 percentile)
Height: 31.25 inches (50 percentile)
Head: 47.5 centimeters (75 percentile)

Austin is a total toddler now and we just love him more and more each day.  At 15 months Austin...

...is running.
...loves BBQ food.
...is starting to throw little tantrums (falling dramatically to the ground screaming).
...willingly gives smoochies to almost anyone who wants one.
...got his first fat lip (by diving into the tub while I was taking a shower).
...has 8 teeth (including 2 molars and 2 more molars on the way).
...sleeps at least 12 hours at night and one 2-3 hour nap during the day.
...got his first head wound (by falling on the sidewalk...it really wasn't that bad at all though).
...loves to be chased.
...climbs on the couch and anything else he can.
...loves animals of all kinds (this summer he almost ate a worm, was bit by a rat and nearly hugged a cat to death...and that doesn't include the smothering he does to Baxter).
...loves buttered toast.
...legitimately threw up for the first time(s) because he was sick.
...is Mom's little magnet
...loves to put and carry things around his neck (necklaces, computer cords, cell phone chargers).
...can feed himself with a spoon and fork, messily.
...loves to dance.
...is starting to actually enjoy reading books (well, maybe one book at a time).
...applied for his first passport.