I love fall - I couldn't imagine living in a place where the leaves didn't change color. I think of my step-dad and his funny quips when he travels up from FL in the fall or winter and asks why all of our trees have "died". I was going to call him today and joke w/ him that I think all of our trees are dying b/c their leaves are changing color and falling off....LOL
I was determined to go apple-picking this year - when we lived upstate NY (or even LI), it was fairly easy to find an orchard and you didn't have to go very far - it is afterall the Big Apple :-) I have always figured there was apple picking somewhere around here, but it was never as obviously close as it was back in NY. I searched online a couple of weeks ago and found this orchard - Stepp Apples - in Hendersonville - about 2 hrs from Charlotte. My friend Sharla (also Ben's babysitter) told me her family went apple-picking down in York but they only had these Winesap apples that she was undecided about (or maybe just sick of after having at least a bushel worth). Stepp Apples has 22 varieties, though there were only 2 left when we got up there (Rome and Yellow Delicious). I got 1/2 bushel of them mixed. They also had this great "real" pumpkin patch. So, we went apple picking last Saturday. We probably missed the "peak" leaf time by about a week but it was still beautiful. We had hoped to do a bit of hiking (and maybe see a waterfall) but we spent a long time at the orchard (especially since we decided to fully enjoy the experience and walk through the orchard - you can drive up closer to the apples but we thought this kind of spoiled the experience). The weather in Charlotte was damp and cool but we had nearly 70 degree weather and beautiful sunshine all afternoon. We actually managed to miss the rain completely on the drive out there and back. It was a lot of fun. We stopped at another orchard after apple and pumpkin picking and Ben got to see a Llama and a couple of goats. He thought it was really neat - I'm excited to bring him on the safari at Disney (we're heading there for Thanksgiving). He would squeal when the goat started walking over to us - it was adorable, though hard to capture on film....(ironic statement considering everything is digital but I suppose it has the same meaning...) I can't wait to go back next year - though I wish Joel could've enjoyed it w/ us, though he was having his own fun at the Wake vs Navy game.
Last Fri, Ben and I had dinner w/ Marshall and Mike and since then, their family has had an addition. Mary Marshall (7lbs 11oz) was born on Wednesday morning. Congratulations to Marshall and Mike! Speaking of new babies, congratulations are also in order to Penny and Chris, who welcomed little Judah Asher last week (8lbs 8oz). Two weeks ago, Ben and I also went to Kathy's shower for Cooper (due to arrive the beginning of Jan - another Capricorn!) I think I am starting to get baby fever again....next week we're going to go visit Marshall and the new baby - hopefully that will quell it for a bit.
So, Benjamin is a lion for Halloween. It is kind of frustrating celebrating these "first" holidays. It's like you want to make a big deal of them because they are the "first" but the baby is really too little to understand all the fuss.....I got him a lion costume that is adorable and at least we got some professional pics done of him in it - when I dress him up in it, he looks at me, like Mom, why do I suddenly have fur....and a tail!?!? I brought him to the Pumpkin Patch Party at Gymboree and he seemed to enjoy it - lion suit and all. We had a lot of fun - a lot of the kids were a bit older, but he definitely seemed to enjoy all of the excitement. Tomorrow, we are going back to Gymboree for a free preview class of the 10-16 month class. I am excited that it's a Sat morning class and want Ben to be around some more babies / kids. Despite his lack of experience, he gets along well w/ other kids. Joel had an election event at the Imaginon and we played for a bit w/ a little girl who was 8 months old and Ben jumped right in there and played nicely (it made me a little sad that I couldn't spend time there w/ him during the week...). We have a gift certificate for 3 free classes at Gymboree so at least we will try to use those.
He is getting big so fast, though I have discovered that either his proportions are completely skewed or the manufacturers of kids clothing have no idea what they're doing.....the sizes are not even close to consistent from size to size and I don't understand how 6-9 month old clothes can be so small and then 9-12 month clothes be too big - what are you supposed to do in between? I am actually already buying 18 month clothes a little at a time b/c they tend to jump sizes so quickly and he's so long that I don't think these 12-month pajamas are going to fit very long.
As far as new developments, Benjamin is becoming a pro at getting around. He crawls quickly, pulls himself up and has started getting really daring where he will hang onto something w/ one arm while reaching toward something or someone else. He has also tried a couple of times in his crib to let go of his railing - he stands momentarily and then falls on his butt. I wonder when he will have enough balance to start taking a step or two. He has also gotten really into checking things out. This last week Ben has made a couple of interesting discoveries. He has figured out how to open the cabinets in the bathroom but he stands in front of them while opening them so his weight leans against them and closes them right away - I'm sure soon enough he'll figure out how to take everything out. He has also discovered the doorstop behind our door in the master bedroom. He will lay on his belly for 5-10 minutes using his little pointer finger to make the spring go "boing". He is fascinated by it. He has also been developing a great relationship w/ our golden retriever. She has been wonderful w/ him since he came home but now he is really into crawling down the hallway to her "squirrel" or bone but doesn't really want to do anything w/ it - he just wants her to come over and play w/ it. Of course as soon as Ben heads for them, Graham runs to get her bone or toy and will play w/ it. Ben just sits and watches her and occasionally will crawl over to her - it's cute b/c it looks like he's trying to "play" w/ her. I can't wait till he really is old enough to play w/ her.
