Pumkins, Jack O' Lanterns, and Marshmallows

Today was Nolan's Fall Party at school and parents were invited. We had fun with him painting pumpkins, playing pin the nose on the jack o' lantern, and eating marshmallows from a string without using hands. Nolan of course has fun playing on Daddy and he was the last one meticulously painting his pumpkin as neat as a two year old could! He takes after Mark for sure.... if he took after me he'd be the first one done, sloppy and all but ready for the next thing! I'm glad he's just like his Daddy. I tell him all the time Daddy is his hero!

Pumpkin Patch

Last week we went to our favorite Pumpkin Patch in Flower Mound. It was a hot day but you never know what you will get in Texas! We had fun with the cartoon character cut outs around the patch, the horsies to look at, of course the hay ride that took so long to take off successfully that I thought I would lose my lunch with all the starts and quick stops, the bounce house, and of course walking through all the pumpkins waiting for Nolan to pick just the right one. By now it's getting a little lopsided but it's ours! God is good for all these sweet memories.....

Confessions of a Dietitian Mommy

So this was one of those nights that Mark works late so I needed to make something for dinner for Nolan and I. Well, he slept late from his nap then wanted to watch Sesame Street and although I had planned to heat up leftovers, I wasn't feeling it so I had one of those Throw A Hodge Podge of Food Together nights. Here's the confession part: I realized by a fluke a couple of months ago that Nolan likes deviled ham.... if you don't know what it is I'm not explaining it to you! Anyway, he rarely gets it except for one of those TAHPOFT nights so I spread some on some crackers for him. I decided to not have the deviled ham but rather some jalapeno & cilantro flavored hummus with crackers. It's spicy and green. Well, Nolan decided he wanted some of my hummus too and although I told him it was spicy, he said he wanted the Green Ham on crackers too. So he ate enough Green Ham to make his mouth realize that it's spicy! Well, part of the TAHPOFT nights is to eat in shifts as the stomach spirit moves so after the Green Ham (hummus), I was wanting a small bowl of dry Frosted Mini Wheats (I know, I know, but it's high in fiber!). I shared some of the frosted mini wheats with Nolan (what 2 year old likes that but then again what 2 year old likes jalapeno hummus and V8 and anything green?). As Nolan was eating a mini wheat, chomping through the many crunchy layers of fiberness, he asked if he could dip it in the green ham..... I almost said not a good idea but thought better of it; why should he not try it just because no other human on earth would like it? So I said if you want to! He proceeded to dip the miniwheat into the Green Ham and LOVED it so he happily chomped away at Frosted Mini Wheats dipped into the Green Ham (jalapeno hummus!). I was trying not to giggle and he asked me so innocently, what's so funny? Oh, honey Sesame Street was funny wasn't it? Our next course of the TAHPOFT night was strawberries. We were listening to the classical music channel and we air pianoed with strawberries in hand to Schubert, bobbing our heads up and down to the music. Sweet times...... oh, as I write this he's announcing he's pooping (surprise, surprise!). I know, that sounds like he's ready for potty training but that's another post.

Nolan's First Audible Prayer

Nolan has "pretended" to pray several times but yesterday was interesting. It was early evening, we were waiting for Mark to get home for dinner and I was back and forth from the living room to the bedroom putting away folded clothes. He followed me to my bedroom and I was going back out so I said let's go back to the living room to play. He ran behind me saying let's pray, let's pray while folding his hands. I said OK! as I was sitting on the sofa and he stood before me with hands folded and head bowed. Here it is.....

"Dear Jesus, thank you for body, thank you for Daddy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

then.....

"Jesus name, thank you for body, I want Daddy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

I called Mark afterward to share and he was humbled and felt so loved. He said that they had spent a good amount of time the night before talking about the bodies God gave us! I love my little man!!