Project 365: Week Forty-One

The forty-first week of Project 365, which came to an end this past Monday, was marked by trips to two separate farms, the twins' first hayride, a little pumpkin pickin', and the return of the pumpkin hats that the twins wore as six month old babies last October (They still fit!).  With this week's weather turning cold and wet, it is fortunate that we were able to fit so much fall fun in last week when the weather was more cooperative!

281/365:  Under the Blanket

Will has always been our snuggler.  He rocked to sleep long after Maddie began putting herself to sleep and has always been one to hug and cuddle with stuffed animals.  Will often "asks" for us to wrap blankets around him so that he can cuddle up in their warmth. He still likes to be held while wrapped in a soft blanket, though not for TOO long.  He continues to be a man on the move, but a soft, warm blanket and some snuggles with his Mama do slow him down for a few minutes.

282/365:  Slack Jaw

Maddie routinely wakes up from her nap before Will awakens from his.  While we wait for Will to wake up, Maddie and I sometimes watch a little TV in the master bedroom.  Maddie and Will are big fans of Caillou  (though I don't know why - he's a whiny brat!), so we often watch On Demand episodes of the program.  From the second I turn it on, Maddie's mouth falls open and remains that way until the episode is stopped.  We call this face (which Will wears while watching TV as well) "The TV Face".  We're pretty sure that the twins have caught several flies in their mouths while watching  episodes of Caillou and Sesame Street.

283/365:  Humpty Dumpty

We've noticed a lot of "Monkey See, Monkey Do" around here lately - what one twin does, the other must do.  Maddie had just been sitting on this retaining wall behind the berm when Will decided that he must do like his sister and sit there, too.  By the time I was camera-ready, Maddie had moved on, but Will remained perched atop the wall.

284/365:  My Girl

This picture, taken during our visit to Lindner Pumpkin Farm last Friday, is one of my new favorite pictures of Maddie.  It isn't always easy to capture her smile; she definitely makes you work for it more than Will does.  Yet I was somehow able to catch her sweet, gap-toothed grin as she played in the Big Backyard play area at the farm.  

285/365:  Joy

Saturday wasn't a particularly good day around here; outside, it was gray and gloomy while inside, it seemed that we were all moody and mad.  It was one of those days that I didn't care to document with any pictures, so I was forced to use this picture of Will for Saturday's submission.  His expression of simple joy brought a smile to my face on a day when I needed it most.

286/365:  Lil' Pumpkin

On Sunday, Jim and I took the twins to Cozy Nook farm to see the cows, go on a hayride, and pick some pumpkins.  I had been looking forward to getting some pumpkin pictures of Maddie and Will, but it was difficult for me to compete with the cows and the tractors that distracted Maddie and Will's attention away from the pumpkins and the camera.  I was able to get just a few pictures of Maddie with pumpkins, but Will did not want anything to do with me unless I was going to help him up onto a tractor.  

287/365:  Pumpkin Kiss

It would have been appropriate for the twins to wear their pumpkin hats to the pumpkin farm the day before, but I forgot all about them until Monday, when I put the hats on the twins before we headed outside to play.  Maddie and Will were having fun pushing and pulling their pumpkins and gourds around the yard in their wagon when Maddie stopped to give Will a smooch on the lips.