The Perfect Pumpkin{s}

We took Harper to our favorite pumpkin patch this afternoon. Last year, she was just big enough to hold {or lick} a little pumpkin and she picked out the perfect one 

Reminisce Here or Here

This year, she is big enough to run all over that patch. Picking, picking another, picking yet another. She had a blast! 

She'd say "Puh! A-nuh Puh! A-NUH puh! A-NUH, A-NUH!" This translates to "Pumpkin! Another Pumpkin! Another, another, another!"

or the cutest was when she would find a little one, her favorite type, and say "Baby Pumpie". So cute!

Her first little find. 

She spotted the pond {"Wah!"} when we first arrived. However, for some reason, she thought the pumpkins needed to go IN the pond, so she kept trying to take pumpkins down to the pond and put them in the water. 

Funny Girl.

She picked so many at times that she would need our help carrying them. 

Actually never mind, now that I think about it, I can hold them myself. 

She hit the mother-load!

In order to get Harper to look at the camera, Kevin had to hold a pumpkin near it. Now if we could just get her to smile on cue.....not gonna happen!

All those pumpkins, and Harper wants the one in Kevin's hand!

Those pumpkins made this kid seriously happy.

She wanted to sort and organize some of her favorite picks. Here she is gathering the best baby pumpies with Dad, 

In the end, she chose three perfect pumpkins. All small, each a little different than the other. Each of them special to her. She held them in her lap all the way home. 

She even took a bite out of one of them...precious.

Fall Break

For the first couple days of my Fall Break, Kevin, Harper, my folks and I went to Branson. This would be Harper's first "vacation", first time in a hotel, first time at an amusement park, first time to eat in restaurants for 3 days straight {a fact that caused me to lose many nights of sleep}.

Although she was an excellent traveler, traveling with a toddler ain't what it's cracked up to be. There were very few things that would keep her attention long enough to make them worth it. But we had fun anyway! 

She loved running along the lake at the Branson Landing. Whether it was the beautiful weather, or the fact that she had just been freed from her car seat; whatever it was, she had a blast. 

Examining the fountains with Daddy

Nana & Papa

Walking with her Papa

 The water from the fountains started to spray us & Nana is trying to get {drag} Harper to safety.

 When we got checked into our hotel, HArper spent 30 minutes or more just exploring the room, and playing with her own toys. I guess they are different when they are in a new setting. 

She played in her pack-n-play for the longest time. She wanted us to put her in and then wouldn't come out. 

We went to Silver Dollar City on our 2nd day, hoping Harper would be able to ride a few rides. Had she been 36 inches tall, she would have taken those kiddie rides by storm! However, all 33 inches of her had only a couple rides to choose from. 

At first, while standing in line, Kevin though that riding rides was out of the questions. As you can see from these first pictures.....

However, as soon as the rides started, we discovered that Harper LOVES rides....she just HATES waiting. 

So she would cry and throw a fit in the lines and while boarding the rides. But the moment they started moving, she was on cloud 9. 

She was clapping giddily! It was adorable!

But then, all that emotion came flooding back...... As soon as we made her get off the ride. 

Waving to her adoring fans.

Our next endeavor was the tree house.....it was full of crazy kids, parents trying to keep up with them, guns that shoot bouncy balls all over the place. It was a bit terrifying. 

And the slides were exceptionally skinny. But long. I didn't think Kevin & I were going to make it out. 

Because of the skinniness, Harper got to go down a few times by herself. She loved it....

Then it was time to ride the train. We almost didn't ride, due to the long line and Harper's aversion to lines. My dad couldn't believe that we weren't going to ride the train:

"That girl needs to ride that train."

"She loves trains, you have to."

"I dont think the line is that long."

So we planned our timing just right and hopped on the train. Dad was relieved. And Harper had a great time. 

Harper drug her daddy through another tree house contraption. She thought it was really funny when she ran from him.

Her first carousel ride

It was a Happy Fall Break!

punkin pickin

Last weekend, while visiting Kevin's folks, we loaded up and headed to a farm near their house. It had a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, and harper's favorite....tons of slides.

Lindsay took Harper on the crazy tunnel slide. She is the only adult that could fit {sorry Lindsay} ;)

Harper's new love is sliding on her belly. LOVES it!

Gramma & Pops picking a little pumpkin for Harper. 

The whole gang {Harper is trying to unlock the car apparently}

I think this was the only animal that Harper wasn't afraid of. And it was also the only animal that had a sign warning that it might bite. Haha!

Here you will see a very rare thing. My favorite thing...EVER. This is Harper's 'cheese' face, her 'smile for the camera' face. She never does this, but when she does: I. Love. It.