How Quickly Time Passes

I realized I never posted any pictures from Syd's second birthday party. And nearly a month has gone by - just goes to show how hectic things have been. But, I've got updated photos now and I know you'll forgive me for my latent posting. Regardless, he's so darn cute, so I should be forgiven, right??

Syd checks out a card featuring Mickey Mouse's theme song. I have to confess - we watch more PBS than Disney, so he's not as familiar with this particular ditty.

For his second birthday, we had gluten-free carrot cupcakes with homemade whipped cream and "decorate your own" sprinkles and candies. He managed to blow his own candle out (thanks to all that practice with dandelions in the yard!) and devoured his cupcake, asking for "mo-lah!!"

A year has gone by since Sydney was first really introduced to pumpkins. Yes, he was pictured snoozing in one when he was just a month old,

October 2009

but last year, he got to walk around the orchard, feel them, compare sizes to them, trip over them, etc.

October 2010

This year, he got the full experience, and he loved it. Watching the natural progression of his age and size really brings home the fact that he's such a little boy, now, though he has his baby moments, still.

October 2011

Although we bit the dust a few times, literally (added a nice piquant flavor to baby acetaminophen, since we're teething canines hard...), we made an afternoon of it, and turned it in to a play date at the same time.

Syd loved the cow train, asking for more of this until we had our 'sleepy break down.'

He really enjoyed the bouncy pillow, too, but had enough after falling one too many times.

What's nice about this outing is that, even though I work hard to maintain a balance between family and work, the balance really gets thrown off at times, and this weekend helped restore what should be. The weather was gorgeous, Syd was in a good mood, the company was very nice, and hubby and I treated ourselves to lattes before hand. And it felt like the balance was truly corrected. It helps, too, that Syd took a 3 hour nap when we got home.

Thank goodness for mid 70s afternoons with crystalline, cerulean blue skies and acres of pumpkins, the perfect squash. I love pumpkins, but at the risk of waxing philosophical over a vegetable, I shall end this now. The only thing that tops today is adding playing in the leaves, which haven't fallen yet. But we may take another trip in a couple of weeks...