Dribbles, Nibbles & Scribbles

Happy First Birthday MiniM.E.!

Sunday we had a party for MiniM.E.

This is why I haven't written a blog post in forever.

the cake

MiniM.E. got to open a few presents early...

the bow was the best part

MiniM.E. seemed to have a good time, though she really didn't have a clue what was going on. The whole cake thing? She didn't have a clue.

"seriously? what is going on?"

"you really wanted me to wear this?"

"am I done?"

blowing out the candle

I was hoping for a baby smashing her face into a cake. Instead I got this:

daintily "smashing" the cake

feeding Mommy

feeding Daddy

Typical MiniM.E. She didn't even TASTE the cake.

at least WE liked opening presents

"that's right I'm one. and don't you forget it!"

MiniM.E.'s favorite part of the party was the balloons. A huge thank you to my parents, who, despite the helium shortage and the extreme difficulty of finding a place to buy helium without remortgaging their house, managed to find us enough helium to inflate more balloons than any one-year-old needs at a party (I needed them though-all of them). THANK YOU!!

...Okay, it might have been a tie between helium balloons and Daddy juggling

Oh, did I forget to mention it was also Bob's birthday? Lucky him: from now on his birthday is all about MiniM.E. But birthdays aren't important when you're old anyway, right? Still, he got a present. No, not MiniM.E., though she does look cute in a bow... A wheelbarrow. Which, actually... is more of a present for MiniM.E. since it's purpose is obviously giving her rides...

Monday was actually MiniM.E.'s birthday and my mom and I took her to...

BOWMAN ORCHARDS! Again! Because she really loves it. She rocked the teeter totter.

and the tractor

and the slides

Until it started raining and we had to move our mini-party to the Tiny Tots Tea Room... which, if you live near Clifton Park and have a child under the age of 6 is a fantastic place to go.

I was a little worried about MiniM.E. turning one. I've only been dreading it for months. BUT... as it turns out, she's even awesomer today than she was yesterday. And today she was one. All day. So... I guess it will be alright. I just have to get used to the fact that she's not a baby anymore. Officially. She'll always be my baby...

Apple Picking

Sunday morning we went to an apple orchard with my parents and C. & H.

Remember H.?

isn't he a cutie? no wonder MiniM.E. has a crush on him

We went to Meadow Ledge Farm, and this time, we actually picked apples.

But first, we picked through some pumpkins

Then we got on the ~~hay~~tractor ride to the orchard

Ate some apples

Picked some apples (or at least looked like we were)

Rode the tractor back (while the babies ate more apples)

And played a while...

Before heading home.

The babies had a blast eating apples, picking flowers and riding the tractors.

And might I add that they have THE BEST apple cider donuts? Seriously... any cider donut you've ever had can not compare to these ones. They make them hot right in front of you on one of those old-fashioned donut machines and they're hot and greasy and super tasty. mmmm... donuts....

Is it sad that the thing I write the most about is donuts?? But really... they are sooo good.

Heritage Farms

The weather for our NH Saturday didn't look great... but we still wanted to try to enjoy the fall as much as possible.

With some savvy web-searching, we found a cute farm with a petting zoo about a half-hour from my parents house. It was the perfect Saturday activity. Especially because they also had a restaurant specializing in pancake breakfasts. Animals and pancakes? What more could MiniM.E. (or me) possibly want?

MiniM.E. riding the calf. (before we saw the sign that said not to)

The calf. I want one.

on the crazy exer-swing

chickens

were fascinating

goat

and more goats

collecting leaves

practicing swinging

sliding

bouncing

playing in the sand

not sure about that truck...

visiting the ponies

I loved Heritage Farms and can't wait to go back next year. The animals were awesome- they just roamed around the farm and even played on the playground. MiniM.E. loved it. AND the pancakes were fantastic. Get the pumpkin ones.

Mt. Kearsarge

Friday of our NH vacation the weather was nice and my sister had the day off from work and we climbed Mt. Kearsarge.

When we took on our first ever mountain-with-baby in NY, I was expecting a Mt. Kearsarge-type hike. I was sorely disappointed. Fortunately, the hike this time was just as I remembered it and we made it up and down the mountain only singing for a few minutes.