Pumpkin Patch & Halloween

Today was Halloween. Ivan went to his first Halloween party. It was a party of his Sunday neighborhood playground group (about which I must blog; it's on my must-blog-about list) hosted by one of the moms. It was fun. All moms and dads were there. Most of his little friends were there--Bella, Janey (both of these girls are so cute and so determined and extroverted), Mateo (whose mom hosted), Seger and Robbie. A few other kids/parents came who were friends of the hosts, including a little toddler girl named Klara. (Why are Klaras suddenly coming out of the woodwork! It is my name, I say!)

Ivan was dressed as a lion--in his Dora's hand-me down suit, which was a bit too snug and couldn't be "onesied" over his crotch since it was for 12-18 month old; the other option was skunk--except he adamantly refused all our attempts to put his hat (mane) on, and I was rather unsuccessful in trying to draw some whiskers with my eye shadow. He ended up with random smudges on his face and his lion belly full of color.

He had fun. All kids played with toys, etc...and somewhat interacted. They are all a few months too young to really play with one another. They tend to be in interested in the same things (if one goes for the box of toys, then they all follow) but not necessarily play.) It also seems they all have an agenda and move to their own drum....

At first, Ivan was standing by the side, seriously observing all other kids haggling over toys. Eventually he join. And after a while, he was roaming around the house from one room to another (it's a small house, luckily) pursuing his own what-ever agenda, completely not interested in where we were and what we were doing. It was almost as if we could've left and he would've not noticed.

There were a ton of trick or treaters coming to the door...so eventually Ivan went to check them out. Then he discovered a huge basket filled with chocolates and candy. And he was hooked. Not on the chocolates but on the basket. I don't think he realized (really knew) that the shiny silvery wrappers contain chocolate. He just liked the abundance of shiney "pebbles." He (and Bella and Janey) kept taking the candy and giving it to people, hoarding it, taking it out and putting it back in.

It was really funny.

For dinner he had some pizza. Then the desert came out--a place of four mini chocolate and chocolate covered bundt cakes. And he was glued to the serving table, wouldn't budge, ran straight back to it if I relocated him to Andy's side. Eventually, I broke down and took a little piece for us to eat. But he wasn't satisfied, he went back for more, gluing himself to the table. It was a struggle to divert his attention. What I want to know is how does he know that those were chocolatey deserts. He's never seen a bundt cake with or without chocolate!

We got back to our house about 8:30.....we only had two trick-or-treaters after that. I hope that Andy wasn't dissappointed. He wanted to start a family tradition of a big Halloween night, like the previous two years when he and Mariposa hung outside and we played old records. He was initially upset when I agreed to the tot party. But I think in retrospect, it was the best decision. Had we stayed home waiting for trick-or-treaters who wouldn't come, I think all of us would've been disappointed.

Butler's Orchard
Last Sunday, we finally went to the pumpkin patch. We went to Butler's Orchard in Damascus (up to Rt. 270) for the Pumpkin Festival. It was awesome. The day was a perfect warm fall day (which was a surprise considering it pour the day before and the entire week after).

I think all of Washington with kids under five was there. All three of us had so much fun.

In addition to the requisite hayride to the pumpkin patch, they had all these activities for tots and young children: slides, a corn maize, haybarn (who knew hay was so slippery), trains to sit in, etc....

Before leaving, we stopped at the farm's store, where they had homepage apple cider slushies. I got a cup for myself, which, of course, Ivan pried from my hands and would not let go. He drank the entire cider, leaving the slushy ice behind. I was afraid it would be too much sugar for him and that he would be bouncing off the falls, but luckily it was a small cup and he fell a sleep as soon as we got into the car. At least, I saw that he knows how to drink from a straw. I wasn't sure if he knew--he only has one straw sippy cup which we don't use often--and apparently drinking from a straw is an acquired skill.

This is definitely a family tradition in the making!

(Before going to the festival, we had breakfast at Parkway Deli....pumpkin pancakes, etc....)