Old McHayden had a Farm

We had a party today for Hayden's first birthday. He doesn't actually turn one until Wednesday, but we started his "birthday week" celebration today! We had a great party with lots of friends, and as you can tell from the pictures Hayden had a lot of fun as well.

Bobby and I were both commenting that sometimes we don't realize how much Hayden really comprehends when we talk to him. We had been saying all morning long that today was his party, that his friends were coming over, etc. Well, once we had him dressed and people started coming, you could just see how excited he was...he knew that this party was all for him!!!

Pumpkin Carving

Last Saturday, we had some friends over to carve pumpkins. And now when I say, carve pumpkins, it's not your ordinary pumpkin carving...we got fancy! There were Dremel tools out, grapefruit spoons, woodworking tools...all to carve different designs in the pumpkins. We had a lot of fun and I think most of us are looking forward to it again next year!!

Little Bo Peep and her sheep

Look at me now!!

For a while now, Hayden has been standing without really knowing what he was doing. He would be preoccupied with a toy or trying to reach something and stand for a few seconds on his own. But, in the last couple of days he has started to stand and realize what he is doing. We will stand him up and he will get so excited about what he can do...so excited that he loses his balance and is back down sitting on the floor. It's so cute to see him so proud of himself and we know that now that he is starting to stand that walking is not that far away!

Hayden's First Haircut

Well, I finally broke down and agreed to let Bobby take Hayden to have his hair cut. They went this morning to see Ted Geifer, a man in our church who is a barber. The top picture shows him "before", the middle is at the barber shop, and the bottom is the "after" picture. I couldn't believe how just a little trim made him look look so grown up!

Lauren's first grade class took a field trip this week to Weston Red Barn Farm. They learned about picking apples, but because of a late spring frost that left the trees with no blossoms, they weren't able to actually pick any apples. The farm had a large assortment of animals that they were able to see, and some they were even allowed to pet. After finishing at the farm, they drove to a nearby state park where they ate lunch, played games and then decorated pumpkin cookies before heading back to school. Lauren was so exhausted she fell asleep on the bus on the way home!!

Go Crusaders!

The varsity cheerleaders at school held a Cheerleading Clinic yesterday. I asked Lauren earlier in the week if she wanted to go, and she told me she did. So, I signed her up, paid the fee, paid for a retired uniform for her to wear and then...a couple days later Bobby tells me that she said she didn't want to go. Well, that day when I went to pick her up from school, she hops in the car and is all excited because the cheerleaders have come around to promote the clinic. When I questioned her about why she would have told Bobby she didn't want to go, but was then so excited she told me, "Well, I thought I would have to go to the doctor." In her mind, because it was called a "clinic", she thought that involved a doctor. After reassuring her there was nothing medical involved, she was more than eager to go.

So, Thursday afternoon she and several other elementary girls practiced and learned a routine. Then tonight during halftime of the boys varsity soccer game they performed. They did several cheers, as well as a small pyramid (which Lauren said was her favorite thing). They worked so hard and it was great to see all of the girls school spirit as they cheered!