October brings our annual trip to Bengston's Farm (warning! midi on site!).

Much warmer than last year. We skipped the pig races and concentrated on the important things: kettle corn, feeding carrots to baby llamas, and getting the perfect pumpkin for the evil mutant squirrels to demolish to decorate.

So we headed down the hill away to the field of pumpkins and let Bear loose. Off he ran. And ran. And ran. The boy inspected only eleventy bagazillion pumkins. If it was orange, he was considering it.

He found a big one after about 10 minutes that made him grin. We grinned back and thought ourselves lucky. No. No. No. The limpid pools of blue (so recently ill and sad) batted at us, pleading. Bat, bat. Plead, plead.

"Can I have two pumpkins this year? One big and one small?" Bat, bat, bat.

With a sigh, I nodded. CD clearly mouthed the word 'sucker' at me over Bear's head. Meanwhile, our son did his ricochet rabbit pumpkin hunting act for a solid 4 or 5 acres of pumkins.

Finally, a lovely smaller pumpkin was found. Clearly, it met some kind of secret Bear criteria. I nodded, tiredly, and we marched down the hill with it to join CD.

"Wait!" Bear pleaded as the tractor came to take us back up to the checkout. "There is THREE people in the family. We need THREE pumpkins!"

Seeing my weakness for my son's eyes, CD firmly jumped between us. Super-Dad! With hands on hips and a granite expression. "TWO Pumpkins is all we're getting!"

Yeah, we're such badass parents.

Although he seemed melancholy on the ride, it turned out he was just tired.

By the time we pulled out of the parking lot, Bear was out cold (and snoring just a little). His hand in mine in the backseat. A few minutes later, I was too. Happiness, blue skies, and pumpkin hunting turns out to be a recipe for a long nap.

And all I could think as I slipped into sleep is "this is how the days should be".

Posted by: Elizabeth at 03:53 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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1 Our WS (wonderful son) has to have three as well: a big Daddy pumpkin, medium Mama, and smaller WS! It is my favorite time of year when we do the hay ride and drink hot cider, get lost in a corn maize, pick our pumpkin family.... It's been raining lots here, so we haven't even gone yet! 8-(

Posted by: Trish at October 10, 2005 04:57 AM (POAga)

2 Awww...what a beautiful family afternoon!

Posted by: Grace at October 10, 2005 05:26 AM (L058b)

3 Two years ago, we ended up with 8 pumpkins. But not because of Caleb. Because of my husband.

Posted by: Cheryl at October 10, 2005 07:52 AM (xz8OC)

4 Sounds & looks like a wonderful day. Hope you're feeling better after a good weekend.

Posted by: cursingmama at October 10, 2005 08:02 AM (PoQfr)

5 Beautiful pics - and what a fun trip!

Posted by: jill at October 10, 2005 08:32 AM (mPnaW)

6 Yeah for pumpkins! I'm with Bear. It's hard to stop at just one : )

Posted by: Laura at October 10, 2005 03:38 PM (LMDzv)

7 What a great day! We always have at least two pumpkins. This year's count is 6. So far.

Posted by: christina at October 10, 2005 07:49 PM (myf5L)

8 Sounds like you guys had a great time. We have been wanting to take the boys to one of those farms this year. I love fall!

Posted by: Crystal at October 11, 2005 02:39 AM (tatlE)

9 I was so happy reading this post just to see the words "Bear... running." My heart ached for you when he was sick. I am so glad he's feeling better.

Posted by: Lucinda at October 11, 2005 11:20 AM (OPvIN)

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Stealing a bit from the brilliant Everyday Stranger...

8:29AM Wake up. Realize that CD didn't re-set the alarm when he left for work. I have 60 seconds to get up, get Bear up, and get him the 7 miles to school. 7 city miles. There is no way it's gonna happen. Sure, if I had one of those FLYING CARS we were all promised ...

8:40AM From under the pile of pillows faintly hear Bear shouting "Mommy! It's time to get up." Huh? Hrmf? OK, honey! Just give mommy a minute to get up!

8:45AM Whomp! I have been climbed. By a big giggling Bear. The pillows, they are no defense!

9:30AM I have my 'fat' jeans on and they are tight, people. TIGHT. I am about to chew my own arm off as a weight-loss plan. But thank my stars we are finally gonna walk out the door. Uh, not so fast. Am reminded by Bear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

9:40AM Am reminded why we sit to eat. Like civilized people. In my haste to herd us out the door, I have caused Bear to now be wearing the most of important meal of the day. Apologize profusely as I head back to his room fo a fresh shirt. Stand there and wonder why I am there.

9:50AM Attempt to leave the house. Bear reminds me that lunch is an important meal, too. Plop him in front of Nick Jr. while I race back to the kitchen and grab peanut butter and jelly.

10:00AM Oh. Dear. God. We never cleaned out his lunchbox from the Friday he got sick, almost two weeks ago. The inhumanity of moldy watermelon! Repress gacking urge as I attempt to wipe it clean.

10:20AM A glance back at Bear as we finally hit the road to his school and I realize he is still wearing blue yoghurt. Gah. Pull into Old Navy with a squeal and run with him to the boys section. New blue shirt on clearance: $4.99.

10:35AM Pull up at his school. There's SOMEONE parked in the only emergency spot. Pull ahead into the tow zone and flip on the flashers.

10:36AM Ring the doorbell and wave at the security camera. Pull the ancient door open with a heave as the buzzer sounds.

10:37AM He's halfway to the stairs when the office lady comes around the corner. "Excuse me! You DID know that there is no school today?"

10:38AM Slight cardiac event as I look around at the empty hallway and realize this is NOT a bad dream.

10:45AM Back in the car on the phone with CD. Reminding him of that bargain we had where I do all the running around he does the scheduling and planning. Growling and snarling. Oh, I'm a joy to be married to.

11:15AM Home again. The place is STILL a wreck because the magic fairies didn't come and clean it. Bitches. Bear looks wearily at the nest on the couch where he has spent most of the last 2 weeks. I rub his hair and promise it will only be for a little while.

11:25AM Wow, I actually have time left in my sick-day bank. Find the courage to leave a message for my HR rep - "You know how I was coming back to work today? Uh, not so much." Wonder vaguely if I will actually be fired or if the grievance I filed will protect me for a while more. Wonder if I actually had pushed the button to disconnect the call before I reminded Bear, for the bagillionth time, that playing with his penis is a private activity and not something boys do just because they are bored.

11:35AM Sing the "Backpack" song with Bear and Dora as I type on the laptop. Stubbornly do not open work mail. Try to get Bear excited about a day spent cleaning the house. From the look he gives me, I can tell that my tight jeans have kept the blood from my brain.

11:35AM Whisper to Bear that we will have a fun day. He grins and we plot a little. Tell him that I am sorry that there's no school. That he has to spend the day with me, again. Feel his small hand slip into mine as he whispers back "That's OK, mommy." Lean down and kiss his head as he tells me that our days together are his favorite.

Posted by: Elizabeth at 05:41 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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I'm too tired to pull my thoughts and words together, but Bear has - finally - turned the corner. It has been 10 days of crazy high fevers, vomiting, headaches, and hives that covered his body and swelled into his eyes. It has been battling the itching, the dehydration, and the disorientation (at one point, he cried in my arms that he wanted his mommy).

4 visits to the doctors, including one to the best Children's hospital in Chicago, and we still don't know what the cause was. That is a battle for another day. Tonight is for a long hot shower, peace of mind, and a deep sleep.

They said this evening on the television that the Internet is a dangerous place, full of cold-blooded opportunists with schemes and petty despots with diatribes.

Wish they could get a load of you evildoers, what with your support and sympathy and encouragement and advice. Heh. Wouldn't that ruin their hypothesis?

Really? Thank you.

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