Kuiper's Farm

Today we headed back to Kuiper's Farm for our annual apple picking. Ben was so helpful getting ready.

Brad and Denise met us there. We got their first, so we killed time on this tractor.

Livvie Lu was all smiles, of course. She just took it all in.

Then it was time for the tractor ride to the apple orchard. It was a very nice day today and there is no Bears game on, so it was super crowded. But even so, the lines weren't as bad as they looked.

Just like Ben at this age, Livvie was a big fan of the apples. Mike bit into one and then let her lick the juice. She loved it!

Ben too. He ate two while we were there picking them.

Us adults liked them too.

We tried to get a family photo, but the kids weren't cooperating as usual... Here are the outtakes.

1. Liv is too busy staring/smiling at Ben to look at the camera.

2. Ben starts laughing because Ben was grabbing his ear.

3. Both kids staring the wrong way.

4. Liv grabbing Ben again.

5. And again. And we give up.

After picking apples, we went in for some pumpkin donuts and apple cider. I gave Liv a tiny taste of the donut. She seemed to like it, unlike Ben who didn't eat his. Surprise, surprise.

Then it was over to the kid's area for a trip down the huge slide.

Hard to make out, but that is Ben with Denise and Liv with Mike...

Then a pony ride for Ben on Teddy.

About this time, Liv took a cat nap. The fun was just too much for her. ;-)

Mike, Ben, and Denise fed the goats while I kept an eye on Liv.

 Checking out the horses.

And another disastrous set of family photos inside the hay stacks. I want bore you with all of them. There were cool tunnels and stacks of hay for the kids to climb on. Liv is still sleeping...

Then a stop at the petting zoo. Ben loved feeding the animals and was super gentle.

And finally at stop at the pumpkins. With my cutest little pumpkins.

For the first year, Ben didn't have a meltdown when we left. Usually he is so over tired and hungry, he flips out about something in the pumpkin area. But this year he was super good. And Liv was super good the whole time; she never fusses. We are lucky parents!

Ben crashed in the car. See you next year Kuiper's!

Happy 7 Months, Livvie Lu!

Olivia is 7 months old today. She is getting so big and showing so much personality these days. She is still a very happy-go-lucky girl! And EVERYTHING goes in her mouth these days. She has a few teeth in (the middle bottom teeth and one upper) and is getting more, which I'm sure is the reason for the constant chewing on anything and everything she can get hold of.

In the last few weeks she's started sleeping through the night about 90% of the time. She falls asleep between 7:30 and 8 and is up between 6:00 and 6:30. Yay! She is still drinking 5 oz bottles about every 3 or 4 hours, but also has cereal/fruit in the morning, a veggie in the afternoon, and a "dinner" at night. If she still seems hungry after her dinner, I'll give her some yogurt too. She usually will eat about half before she is full and starts spitting it back out. Then you know she's done. She mainly just wants the spoon. She LOVES to hold that spoon and shove it in her mouth.

Looking for her dropped spoon...

I tried to get a really cute pic of Liv on her actual "7 month birthday," but these were the best I could do. The first one might have been a winner, but it's blurry. Doh.

Then she just kept blinking from the flash. By the time I turned the flash off, she was done with posing. Oh well, better luck next time!

Happy 7 months Livvie Lu. We love you!