Petaluma Pumpkin Patch Fun

My DH and I spent last weekend visiting our eldest daughter and her family.  On Sunday we all went to the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch.

Rawlings got to ride around in style....in a red wheelbarrow.  Her father was the driver and he went faaaaaaaaaassssssstttt.

Dad and Rawlings took a tour all through the pumpkin field.  Then it was on to Hay Mountain.  There was quite a pile of hay bales and Rawlings was a surprisingly nimble climber.

Rawlings and Grandpa at the summit of Hay Mountain

Dad waited for the little one to catch up.....

....and when assistance in achieving the summit was required, he gladly provided it.

After all the climbing, Rawlings had quite a grand time in the big box of corn kernels.  I had never seen such a thing.  It proved to be a most fun activity.  When someone got bored with shoveling the corn around, her Daddy happily began to bury her in all the golden kernels.

I was surprised at how comfortable it actually was.

While Rawlings played and explored and tried all the activities at the pumplin patch, her baby brother, Reid, caught some zzzzzzzs in his stroller.

Daddy is even entertaining when you get back to the car to head home.  He makes monster faces through the window and growls and snorts and is ever-so-amazingly-fun-and-funny!

Rawlings had so much fun she had to take a little rest on the way home.  It's a good thing blankie was waiting in the car seat, ready to lend a snuggle and a bit of comfort.

Gramma and Reid had a little play time when we all returned home.  And, yes, I do dote.

Just a little.....

Breaking News!!!

I got an email, very early this morning.  The message read: "Rawlings has some news."  And the photo, well, the photo says it all!

We are giddy with gladness!

First Visit to Rawlings

I just returned from visiting Rawlings and her doting parents last night.  I was only away for three days, but it was three days of bliss.  I sat, as I said I would, on the couch, holding my newest grandchild, and watched her face as she slept and listened to her little baby grunts and gurgles.

Once in a great while I let her parents have a moment with her....but mostly I hogged her the whole time I was there.  Her mommy did a little work while letting Rawlings sleep in her new carrier.  It worked out very well.

Her daddy headed for her the minute he got home from work.  He seemed to expect that I would relinquish her to him.  Bah.  Fathers!  What do they know?

Occasionally I  had to let them hold the little one because it is exceedingly hard to hold a baby and take a picture of that baby at the same time.  I know this for a fact.  I tried it repeatedly with less than stellar results.

Rawlings is definitely interested in the people around her.  She is also very enamoured with lights and her father's hair.

And, oh my!  How her daddy does love her.

Her mommy loves her, too.  In fact, they dote.  (As they should.)

I enjoyed both my flights, to and fro, as the weather was clear and I had lovely views of passing mountains.  Mt. St. Helens was looking most interesting.

Rawlings Attends Her Own Baby Shower

The guest of honor at a baby shower for my daughter Jennie was her new daughter, Rawlings, who arrived three weeks early.  Rawlings was a most welcome addition to the festivities, although she apparently had partied hard the night before because she barely opened an eye the whole time she was in attendance.  My sister-in-law, Nancy, and her daughter Megan were the hostesses for this happy event.  From the decorations to the food, it was perfect.  Thank you so much, Nancy & Megan!

She loves to sleep with one or both hands up by her face.  That's the way she was "photographed" in the womb, too, always with the hands held high.

Photo curtesy of Don Whitebread, aka "Grunkle" Don

Here we have Great Grandmother (known as GG in our family) meeting Rawlings for the first time.  She apparently passed muster....

Photo by Don Whitebread

That happy looking young lady in the enter of the photo holding the little sweater is my daughter Jen.  Her sister Annie is to her left, and then me, in the red.  Many family members attended, including my beautiful daughter-in-law Kellie, who you can see just behind me in the white sweater.

Photo by Don Whitebread

The happy parents were gifted with many beautiful items for our new little one.  Rawlings will have quite the wardrobe!

Photo by Don Whitebread

Here is the proud papa, Chris (known as Critter within our family as Annie's husband is also a Chris....it gets confusing!) and his mother, Ginny, the other grandma.

Photo by Don Whitebread

And here is another shot of the very proud papa and his new little one.  He is adorable, too!

Photo by Don Whitebread

My two eldest granddaughters, Emma (6) and Alex (5) were able to attend the baby shower, too.  They both looked like spring gardens in their pretty dresses.  I think they are as cute as can be,  just as ALL my grandbabies are!  Yes, I might be biased.  But still, I bet you, Dear Reader, think they pretty cute, too, don't you?

And here is my beautiful Jennie and her little one again.  The circle of life is something, isn't it?