Friday, October 30, 2009

Trip to the pumpkin patch.

First, I am grateful to so many of you who offered condolences for Puppy. I have driven up that driveway thousands of times with them running out to meet me in the very same way every time. Not sure what happened this time! Anyway, thanks. I am not going to work today. Taking a personal day. We are about to float away anyway. Sooooo,

Get your coffee, or you Special K, and sit back. This is going to be a long, heartwarming, make Mel feel better blog post!! Even bringing in some kickback photos from last year at the patch.

Let's try and shed some light on my gloomy week. Who best to do that than these two!
I do believe in the past I have mentioned how much I LOVE taking the girls to the pumpkin patch.

Let us recall.... last year, draped OVER the pumpkin. This year... sitting square atop it!
From picking out the perfect matching Etsy dresses.
to the perfect matching pumpkin sweaters (Hey, Sarah. Recognize these? Remember last year when I just STRAIGHT UP visited your blog and said, " I WANT that sweater as a hand me down?" I HAD To have it! Well, I found them online and on SALE at Gymboree!! wheeee!)
Poor little non-ambulatory Gabbi has to sit and watch while her sister meanders around the grounds to visit all the OTHER families. Ellie has a habit of that.
ANd like that... she is back in a flash! Toting a saggy big orange bow.
But what else is new? Doesn't this look familiar? Ellllllie, Ellllllie, come back here! We did try to help Gabbi Girl make it around a little. Mary Allison is my every Sunday babysitter, so she won the prize of the trip with us to the pumpkin patch.
Ellie really likes when she is invited to be Gabbi's helper when we are helping her walk.
She just gets a little ahead of us, every time!
But Gabbi just hangs on and enjoys the ride.
This was Ellie being a "big helper" a year ago. This baby doll is so precious.
They have little vignettes set up for picture taking. I am usually not a fan. I prefer candor. However, I thought MAYyyybe, just mayyyybe, I could get a picture of them together if I plopped them down on hay bales.

And suddenly, GABBI of all people, wouldn't even kinda grin!
Ellie gave her a big ol' squeeze, and like that was gone like the wind!
TO the hay bale maze!
Where once again, Gabbi is left eating her dust! Poor, poor Gabbi Girl.

But WAIT! WHo is that!? What? It is! It really is! It's Sarah!! Hey, Sarah. Hey, come play with us!
Or I mean, Gabbi.

Ellie needs no entertainment. She is making her own fun!
Look familiar?Yo, Ellie. Now come on out!
I mean it, Ellie. You are at the crossroads and no other kids can get through!
Stubborn streak now. Same stubborn streak then! (and that is Gabbi Girl hanging in a sling around my neck!)Don't MAKE me come in there and get you. (AS IF!)

Seems like I remember a similar situation last year in the maze!
And last year, just like this year, she eventually made her way to the exit.
THeeeeere you go, sister.
Sarah kinda does the whole "nevermind" thing to Ellie. She is allll about Gabbi Girl these days. And, although Gabbi is VERY persnickety about who she will and won't go to, she LOVES her some Sarah!!

Poor, poor Ellie. She uses every trick in the book to get her some attention!
But seriously, WHO could resist this?!
I slapped that camera in Masson's hands and said, "Hit it." I actually had two girls sitting within two feet of me at one time. It was like a miracle. (at least at the pumpkin patch. If we were at home, this would be EVERY second!)
Quite a change from last year at the pumpkin patch, wouldn't you say? My happy little rabbit.
That is what Miss Jean calls them. Or "Granny" to Ellie Sue.
When I came home yesterday, she said, "Melanie, these are two 'happy little rabbits'!".
I love that. I want my kids to be known for being HAPPY. What a nice word.

Happy. Happy.

Ok, so Ellie was all over that maze.
Doing tricks and plotting her next move.
WHAT? A HULA HOOP!?
Come on, Ellie. I need more twosome pictures.
Aha. A photo moment. a WAGON!!
Remember the wagon last year?
My how far we have come! Such big girls. I don't see the difference in adults from year to year. Even "big kids" don't seem to change that much. But gawlee, the difference in the first 1-2 years is quite phenomenal!
And here is happy little rabbit number two.
and happy little mama, might I add.
I hate to even put a damper, but this one was with me last night with the Puppy incident. She KNEW immediately, not because she saw it, but she has definitely learned her mom's expressions, that something was wrong. She was saying, "Is mama sad?". This is very perceptive kid. Then, when dad got involved, (had to perform a burial), she KNEW that something was very, very wrong and kept saying, "I scared." Not that we were really talking about it, and I whisked her inside from her carseat fairly quickly. But, she knew.
Gabbi Girl gets a ride from Sarah. If Gabbi had her way, she would a) live outside, and b) live in a wagon!
I was glad to see her interested in the patch and all the pumpkins.

Would you look at those blue eyes? precious.
Ellie was hard to tie down, so even though the quality of this picture isn't the best, it deserved its place in the blog today just due to the sheer fact that she stopped to let Masson hold and hug her.
Ok, we are almost there. I promise.
I am stillllll working for that BLOW UP worthy picture of the girls together.
This one was plenty cooperative. And smiley.
This one.... ummmm....
Can you see that Nanny McPhee tooth? So cute. DeeDee thinks we should go as Dracula this year for Halloween. Whatcha think? I wish I had thought of that sooner. But, "Aaaargh", we have other plans, matey!
Well, it's been real, and it's been fun... but the time has come.
Let's pack em up and head em out!
We'll be back next year looking so much bigger and so much older. All three of us!

Mo

33 comments:

Jennifer Taylor said...

Adorable pics at the pumpkin patch! Looking through those will make anyone smile!

Robin said...

Great blog!! I love the pics of you with your girls. All of you look so happy!!! Hope you have a wonderful Halloween !!

Denise said...

Just a plain 'ole wonderful, good-feeling blog tonight. Adorable outfits as always, lots of beautiful (and toothy) smiles, and the two cutest kiddies in the pumpkin patch.
Thinking 'bout you and Todd. :)
Denisey

snekcip said...

Ahhh much better post! All was missing was Maddi!! You are right, the dresses were almost identical to Bree's dress!! I just love THEN AND NOW PICS! I just left the PP about an 2hrs ago, heading back tomorrow for more pics w/different costume!!

You gotta go see my NEW PP pictures on FB!!! We found an AWESOME PP in DALLAS!! Made ours look pitiful!!! UPLOADING PICS LATER ON TONITE!!

Nana said...

Hey...been up in the beautiful Smoky Mountains for a week...and didn't catch the blogs..I am so sorry about Puppy...I know how loved that wonderful dog was!
The pictures are all just adorable. Those are the two cutest little girls...and the precious clothes don't hurt!
Came back through Canton today...and I do have more rolls of fancy stuff. Don't know what I will do with it...but if the Massey girls like it, I will too!

Crystal said...

Thanks for sharing your adorable baby girls at the pumpkin patch! I LOVE their little matching outfits!
Great photos!

stephleighjenkins said...

Adorable as always!!!

Debbie said...

Loved the blog and the pics today. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Happy Halloween!!

God Bless~
Debbie Jean

Liloia Family said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those sweaters, so adorable with the little brown dresses, isn't it fun dressing girls?? Ellie and Gabbi looked like that had so much fun with you at the pumpkin patch. You do have happy kids, that is GREAT to see. I bet tomorrow will be so much fun, halloween is a great holiday for kids. Enjoy!

Melissa said...

Adorable pics! They have grown so much over the past year! Isn't it amazing?!!?

Denise said...

Melanie - You are stunning! Love your longer hair! And you are so thin! You go girl! You look fantastic!

ThinkPink said...

Mo,

I haven't commented in quite a while but still read every time you post. Seeing your happy girls are always a highlight in my day! While I love all of your blogs, this one I think is going to be my new favorite! So, so precious- the shots of you and the girls are so beautiful. And the comparison to last year is just amazing and so sweet to see how they've both grown right up.

Christy said...

Great pics! I love pumpkin patch pictures....can't figure out we didn't take our girls to the pumpkin patch when they were little. What were we thinking?! hope you have a great weekend.

crazy rn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
crazy rn said...

Love the blog tonight - thanks for the great pictures. Especially love the compare to last year. Lots to smile about - precious girls (ok just figured out how to comment :)

tricia said...

Just LOVED reading and viewing. You made my night;thank you

Claudia said...

Wonderful pictures! Glad you had a good day today...you deserved it after your horrible week. Hope each day just gets better and better for you!

Sandy said...

Just too precious. adorable outfits for the girls. Gosh they have grown soo much since last year. Glad your babies has a wonderful MOM like you Mo. Thanks for sharing beautiful pictures of your lil girlies.

SarahBeth said...

i can't help but see your smile in Gabbi's! so precious! looks like a fun day!

Bj said...

Got up...turned on muh "puter"...got muh first cup of cawfee....and came here....what a great way to start the morning. Mo, I guess you know that when the "major-moments" happen in the lives of these two darlin's....we are ALL gonna have to be invited (ie...graduations, sweet 16 parties, weddings, etc. etc.), cause after watching them thru the years and lovin' them like family...WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE FAMILY!...speaking for me anyway...I love reading your blog and when I can, I leave a message. Take care and have a GREAT weekend...you deserve it!....huggers, Bj

Michele said...

Love those pics!! You have a HAPPY Halloween!

Kenzie Holley said...

CUTE pictures!!! Looks like fun! The girls are so big.

Mackenzie

Renee said...

Looks like a fun day at the pumpkin patch. Your girls and your helpers are too cute. Love, love, love the sweaters and brown dresses.

Amy K said...

Precious baby girls in their adorable matching dresses. Love the pics with their Mama in them too!
Happy Halloween Groves Family!

From the K-Krew in cold WI.

Christie said...

I cant wait to see their Halloween costumes. They are always so dang cute. They could have mud from head to toe and look adorable.

MLP said...

These picures and flashbacks make me HAPPY!!!! I love me some Mo and her girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely adorable. I especially love the ones of you with the girls. BeautifuL!

Cling to those baby girls and know that I'm praying for you!!!

snekcip said...

Please check you email Mo!

Carrie said...

So cute! I love how you mixed in some pictures from last years trip to the Pumpkin Patch. And my, oh my have they grown and changed over the past year! I just put up our Pumpkin Patch pictures and a post today as well. I just love taking pumpkin patch pictures! Hope you and your girls enjoy the day and have a blast trick or treating. Can't wait to see their costumes!!!

Kathryn said...

So, so cute! I love those pics!

Sarah said...

What a great day at the pumpkin patch, Melanie! So glad you snagged those sweaters because Sophie is still wearing her 2T one from last year!!! I got two years out of it - woot woot! Thanks for the shout out... I have pics of our pumpkin patch adventures on facebook in the same sweater for this year... check it out. Wait... not sure you have accepted my friend request on there yet. Get on it, chica!

Everybody always focuses on your beautiful babies, but you are not aging a bit... I think going in reverse! Hot mama!! Love the pictures with you and your two miracles!!

Sorry Ellie was so perceptive to your loss of puppy. My little bug picks up on things like that too quickly too. As hard as it may be on them... empathy is a good thing for them to learn early. What a sweetheart she is!!

Happy Halloween!

Unknown said...

Love taking the little ones to the pumpkin patch! Glad everybody had a great time and great weather. Do they like to put their hands inside of them to carve???

Beth E. said...

Lovin' the pumpkin patch pics. The girls have grown so much from last year! Gabbi's Nanny McPhee tooth is a pretty little tooth!

I'm so glad that you had a better day than the day before.

nanny of two said...

Simply adorable. One of my favorite blogs.