My Pumpkin

Sleepover

At 20 months and 18 days, Staley had her first sleepover away from her mom and dad.  And she LOVED it!!  While Zach and I trekked to Indiana for a no-kids-allowed wedding reception, Staley stayed over with her Uma and Papa.  Incriminating pictures of Staley eating Fruit Loops and evidence of a trip to the toy store were just the icing on the cake (or should I say, the ice cream for lunch) of a fun-filled night away.  First sleepover alone?  Success.  Thanks, Uma and Papa!!

Questionable Taste

Driving home after dinner out this evening, Staley was in her carseat playing with the receipt from dinner. 

Staley:  "Put it in mouth."
Me:  "What are you putting in your mouth?"
Staley:  "Receipt."
Me:  "Take it out of your mouth.  That's yucky!"
Staley:  "It's tasty."
Me:  "Paper is not tasty.  It's yucky!"
Staley:  "It's not so bad."

Putting broccoli in her mouth.  Not a chance.  But paper.  Apparently that's not so bad. 

Jumping

Staley has been doing her 'Staley version' of jumping for the past several months.  Bouncing up and down.  Lifting one foot off the floor.  Cute.  But not really jumping.

Today at music class, we were singing a song about jumping.  Staley jumped up with both feet off the floor.  She looked as startled as I did.  Then she thought it was pretty great and did it again...and again...and again.  Most days in music class, Staley spends a good portion of her time dancing and twirling.  But not today.  Today she was jumping.

She Says...

For several months, Staley has been learning about opposites.  She has several books and some cards with opposites, and she loves to practice telling us about her opposites.  The other day, Staley asked to play with two water bottles that were sitting on our bedside table.  One was empty.  One was partially full.  Staley said, "This one heavy.  This one light.  Staley have these opposites."

Last night, Zach and Staley were having dinner with my family while I was out of town.  The grown-ups were visiting at the table when all of a sudden, in her loud Staley voice, Staley began reprimanding her same-age cousin saying, "LIAM!  Not play with food."  (To be fair, apparently Liam WAS playing with his food.  However, that might have been a little hypocritical from one who has a penchant for playing with her own food.)

On that note, the other day at dinner Staley was sticking her fingers into her applesauce.  I asked her, "Staley, are you still eating your dinner?"  Staley responded with, "No.  Just playing now."

Zach and Staley went to Ackerman Farms yesterday while I was gone.  Before going, Zach asked Staley what animals she thought they might see.  She answered with, "Peacocks."  Zach said, "I don't think they'll have peacocks."  However, upon arriving at the farm, they actually saw several peacocks.  Zach told Staley that he was wrong and she was right.  There were peacocks there.  Later, Staley was at lunch with Uma and Papa.  Zach said, "Tell Uma and Papa what you saw at Ackerman Farms yesterday."  Staley responded with, "Peacocks.  Daddy was wrong.  Staley was right."  (Right?  Yes.  Humble?   Not so much.)

Whenever Staley chooses me over Zach (to hold hands when walking, to carry her, to play with), Zach always says that he's just chopped liver.  Lately, Staley has been figuring out the difference between girls and boys.  She loves to play a game when we tell her someone's name and she tells us whether it's a boy or a girl.  (She's generally correct about 90% of the time.)  The other day, we were playing the boy/girl game.  Cade is a...boy.  Olivia is a...girl.  Mommy is a...girl.  The we said, "Daddy is..."  And Staley's answer?  "Chopped liver."

Everyday with Staley is an amusing adventure.  I look forward to hearing what she's going to say tomorrow.

Smarter Than Her Mom

Staley has a great memory, and she loves learning new things.  Her current fascination has been with trucks, trains, and construction vehicles.  We recently checked out several books from the library that had pictures of a variety of these vehicles.  Staley loved to look through these books and point out everything from the giant excavator to the dump truck to the car transporter.

The other day, Staley and I were playing outside.  A man from the neighborhood was driving down the street in a small construction vehicle.  The excitement was palpable.

Me:  "Staley, look!!!  Do you see what that man is driving?"
(All the while, I was racking my brain trying to come up with what type of vehicle it was so that I could tell Staley more about it.  I knew I'd seen it in one of her library books.  Was it an end loader?  A forklift?  I just wasn't sure.)

Staley:  "Man driving skid steer."

So there you have it, folks.  At 20 months, my daughter knows more than I do.  At least about skid steers.

Fall Fun

Spring is good.  I like spring.  The end of winter, the re-introduction of spending time outside.  T-shirts, flip-flops, the park, long walks.  Summer has its perks.  Swimming.  Going to the beach.  Backyard BBQs.  Winter is alright.  It has Christmas.  And....  well, it does have Christmas.  But fall is where it's at.  Fall is my favorite season.  I love the beginning of school.  Football season. The crisp air, the changing colors, the pumpkins, the apples.  Crockpot meals.  Jeans and hoodies.  Hayrack rides and bonfires.  Fall is cozy and comfortable and altogether lovely.  And so it is with open arms that I welcome fall back to Eureka once again.

We kicked off our fall season of fun with the Morton Pumpkin Festival last week-end.

All decked out and ready to go.

Dancing at the Julie K. concert

Staley got to ride the carousel AND a train at the festival.

(For the not-so-bargain price of $4/ride, she only got to ride once.)

What can captivate and hold a 20 month old's attention for

2 straight hours?  The pumpkin parade.

And we enjoyed an action-packed morning today with Melissa and Liam at the Rader Family Farm.

Ride 'em, cowgirl!

Barrel train rides?  Nothing could be better!!

Seriously?  How cute is this??????

And this???