Prairie River Camp Corn Maze

Did you know that this month has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays, all in 1 month!  I found out it only happens once every 823 years and how cool it happened in my very first October!  I also got to experience my very first corn maze on Friday, Oct. 22, 2010.  Mom, Grandma Judy and I met at the Prairie River Camp after my afternoon nap for pumpkins, corn and hayrides.

Here's us at the beginning of the maze.  The maze was in the shape of a lion that they did via GPS and we had to find all 12 zodiacs and 5 numbers related to the gospels.  It was really cool and I must admit we had a little trouble finding Grandma's zodiac sign, Pisces, but in the end we found them all.  I think Grandma and Mom were a little more into it then I was but it was fun being outside and playing in the corn.

I even got a corn silk mustache which Grandma and Mom found pretty funny but I really didn't want to have anything to do with it:

 

Dad says the mustache makes me look like one of the Mario Brothers.

After the corn maze we got to take a short tour of the facilities, they have bunk cabins to rent, ropes courses, grounds for weddings, etc.  We then got to go on a hayride with a cool tractor and my favorite part was the bench we sat on was the perfect height for me to practice standing & allowed me to look all around.  We had such a fun time I hope we can go again next year.  I wonder what the shape of the maze will be?

On Sat., Oct. 23 I met up with Grandpa Allen and went on my second combine ride but my first combine ride with him.  It was a fun afternoon as in addition to hanging out with Grandpa our Iowa State Cyclones beat Texas!  Can you believe it?  We couldn't either but couldn't be happier for our Clones.  We ended the weekend by hanging out at home and hanging our Christmas lights - they look great!  Now all we need is snow...

A Trip to Lanesboro, MN

This past Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010, Mom and I met Aunt Jennie, one of Mom's best friends, in Lanesboro, MN for a fun autumn day.  We started are day by visiting the Farmer's Market and then walked around town checking out the shops & sites.  One shop/bar had a funny sign that said, "Beware Poker Players and Loose Women".  We thought Dad would find it funny so we had our picture taken next to it.  I think the people inside though we were a little strange!

 Aunt Jennie has a great sense of humor and got her picture taken next to a sign that said, "She's lived outside for seven years.  She's not homeless".  We think it was talking about cats but what a funny thing to say.  It was more fun watching Aunt Jennie get stuck inside a phone booth.  My Mom and her couldn't stop laughing and I must admit I was a little embarrassed by the people staring at us.  Mom said I will most likely be embarrassed by my parents many times in the future so might want to get use to it now...not a reassuring thought!

We had a nice lunch on an outdoor terrace at the Riverside on the Root, Dirty Martini Lounge & Outfitters.  Note I was not allowed to have a dirty martini but we did have an excellent lunch that overlooked the Riverside bridge and bike trail.  Afterwards we visited the Scenic Valley Winery which make all their wine from local fruits, berries & vegetables.  It was a pretty shop which I waved bye-bye for the first time.  I think I was aiming at the clerk by waved at the ceiling fan instead...oh, well I'll keep practicing.  We ended our day with awesome pie from the famous Aroma Pie Shop just outside Lanesboro in Whalan, MN.

Today, Oct. 17th, Dad, Mom and I got Christmas lights after church.  Can't wait to see them put up and go sledding and all that fun winter stuff.  We spent the rest of the day at home playing and hanging out.  Here's me wrestling with my Dad.  I totally had him pinned. 

Here's Kato, Mom and I playing and giggling together too.  Fun family filled weekend!  Up next the a"mazing" corn maze!

1st Haircut & Autumn Pictures...

On Friday, Oct. 15, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. Grandma Judy, Mom and I went to my first haircut at Liv Aveda Salon & Spa in Mankato.  I know it all sounds rather fancy but Mom really wanted me to meet her hair stylist of 6 years, Noelle, so we made a special trip.  Besides Dad kept telling me "curls are for girls" so I had to go, I couldn't take his teasing anymore!  That and my sideburns were driving me crazy, I just kept pulling on them.  Here is the before picture or like Mom says, "The before I have any idea what is about to happen to me" picture...

Here I am just getting in the chair with my fun, new cape.  I loved playing "So Big" in it.  Noelle wouldn't let me take it home to play with; maybe next time.

I really liked the salon because it was really big, had lots of lights and fun things to look at and there were a lot of "ladies" there for me to flirt with.  It was great!  Mom said I sat like a big boy in a booster seat, no straps or seat belts or anything.  Grandma and Mom said they were really proud of me because I sat really well and didn't cry or get scared once. 

Man, Noelle was fast! I think it only took 10 minutes or so and we were done. Dad was really happy with the end result and thought I looked really handsome.  I had a lot of fun and can't wait for my next haircut. 

Here is the "after" picture with Mom, Noelle and I.  Looking pretty good if I do say so myself.  Thanks Grandma Judy for coming along and helping take some awesome photos and being my moral support!

After my haircut we went to Drummer's Garden Center for their annual fall photo shoot and I got to wear my Halloween costume.  I'm a cowboy this year!  Note Kato is not pictured but he is my trusty horse and yes, he does have his own saddle too!   While we waited in line I got to pretend I was a scarecrow:

While we were waiting I also got to ride my first bicycle or rather, tricycle, with Mom (*I think my Mom was the biggest kid there!):

I even got to meet up with my good friend Katelyn and her Mom, Stacy.  Here's us playing before our photo shoots:

Finally it was time to take my pictures and I even got to hold pumpkins during the quick, less the 5 minute photo shoot.  Here's a couple of my proofs that show me with and without my cowboy hat.  Hope you like!

11 Months Old!

Today I turned 11 months old!  These days I find it hard to sit still long enough for Mom to take my picture but here are some of my 11 month old pics...like my Halloween P.J.'s?

 

 By 11 months I had a few more firsts and could do even more stuff:

• I feed myself more accurately and more fresh fruit & steamed veggies.
• I now "understand" no but I don't always like to listen; I really like to look at Mom, smile & then keep doing whatever I was doing.  She can't help but smile too!
• I'm just starting to "walk" or "cruise" while holding onto furniture while standing up.
• I can pull myself up in my crib to a standing position & like to talk loudly to let Dad & Mom know I'm ready to get out of "jail".  I'm now doing it on other furniture too.
• I say "mama" a lot more and starting to say "dada" more and more.
• I'm transitioning from bottle to cup...slowly...
• In the last month I've been working on giving up my pacifier, rode my 1st bus, got my first ear infection & first pink eye, therefore, the first time I got sick and missed "school" (*daycare), and first combine ride!  Many more of those to come!
• Finally, I'm getting my two front teeth in!  The next picture you can see them poking through!  That would be teeth number 4 & 5.

Up next my 1st hair cut!  Dad says I look like "Doc Brown" some days so I need a trim.  Before my cut Mom took some pictures of my curls and I have to say she looked a little teary eyed when taking them.  I think she'll miss my wild locks.

Hair cut is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 15th; I'll keep you posted how it goes...

Pumpkins!

So by Friday, Oct. 8th I was starting to feel like my old self and even napped for three hours in the morning and two and half in the afternoon!  On Saturday I went with Grandma Judy and Mom to our good friend Mandy's baby shower (*can't wait to hang out with Baby Hansen!).  Mom and I made her a first year scrapbook and here she is opening it up...

I even got to hang out with my girlfriend Ava and her mom, Anna.  Here's my cutie pie!  I think we were the free entertainment for all the ladies and once again I was the lone dude which I must say I didn't mind.  After the shower Grandma, Mom & I went and picked out pumpkins to carve.  Some were bigger than me! 

Here's a quick pic of me on the move as I'm now into everything...I figured out how to rollover, crawl and I'm working on pulling myself up on anything I can and cruising around.  Watch out Dad & Mom here I come!

On Sun,, Oct. 10th Dad, Mom, I & Kato got to carve!  Here is our before we got messy picture.  We wanted to carve outside because the weather has been beautiful but the bugs were getting us so we moved indoors.  Here are some pics before we went inside.

Look my pumpkin is as big as me!

 Dad and I cut out a lid on my pumpkin and I got to pull the seeds and stuff off....yuck! but so much fun to squish between your fingers!  Dad wouldn't let me eat the seeds though.  Bummer!

After we moved inside we began to clean our pumpkins out.  Here is Mom and me cleaning my pumpkin out...she had to help scoop because my arm wasn't long enough yet to get to the bottom.  I did enjoy reaching inside and using the spoon to fling the pumpkin parts everywhere.

 Here's Dad handing off to me and then I would put it in the bowl, well, sometimes it would go into the bowl!

 Family picture!

 Did I mention I kept trying to sneak bites...

Awww....SUCCESS!  And it tastes good!

All done...can you guess which one is mine?

Pretty "wicked" uh?

Under the Weather...

You may have heard that this past week has been a little rough because I've been a little under the weather all week.  Yep, the first time in 10 months that I've been sick.  On Sunday I got a pink-eye infection in my left eye and all week I've had to have these terrible drops 3 times a day every day.  Even though I haven't felt good I did get to stay home with Mom on Monday & Tuesday which was great because I really needed my cuddle time with her! Especially when my fever got to 103.8 degrees which was the highest it has ever been. 

By Wednesday we thought I was all better as my temperature was back to normal and then Wednesday afternoon my temperature spiked to 102.3 again.  So back to the doctor Mom and I went.  I now have an ear infection in my left ear, I think that side of my body is rebelling against me, and I'm on even more medicine.  This time I'm taking some pink, bubblegum flavored stuff that I can't decide if I like the taste or not.  The first time I took it I gagged a little but by tonight it wasn't as bad.  I think Mom has got a kick out of my silly faces I make when I take the stuff.  Still way better than the eye drops! 

At least by this morning I was feeling better and by this afternoon I was back to as Mom & Dad call me their, "Happy Hayden".  So I'm happy to report I'm on the mend and look forward to a fun, beautiful fall weekend.  Hope you're doing well & wishing you a fun weekend too!  XOXO, Hayden

First Combine Ride!

We had more bath time fun this past week with a pumpkin puppet washcloth that Grandma & Grandpa Sergeant sent me.  Here's me pretending to be a pumpkin!

Then I decided to play peek-a-boo...

But I must say my new favorite thing to do is climb out of the tub or try to stand by myself; no matter how slippery it may be or how many times Dad & Mom say "no".  It is a lot of fun! 

I'm finally big enough that I've out grown my baby towels and graduated to big boy towels.  My favorite is a bear towel that the Vicki Hanson made for me because I like to pull the ears!  Here's me all bundled up!

On Friday, October 1, 2010, I had my very first combine ride!  It was a really nice day and since it was a little windy I wore my Prestegard Farms coat just like Dad & Grandpa.  You can't see my Charlie Brown shirt underneath that says, "The Great Pumpkin is Coming" but I got lots compliments on it.  Before I rode with Dad & Mom I met up with Grandma & Grandpa Prestegard and cousin Hannah.  Here we are having a fun and checking things out.

While Hannah, Grandma & Grandpa were riding together I rode with Dad and even helped him steer! My Dad said I was a natural farmer because the first thing I did was reach for the joy stick which gets things going and then I reached for the steering wheel.  Dad said I was pretty smart.

Here is Dad and I driving together and then...

 Dad let me drive all by myself!  Didn't miss one bean either!

After Mom & I were done riding, taking Dad dinner and our homemade chocolate chip cookies which we made together earlier that afternoon, oh, did I mention the dough is a lot of fun to squish between your fingers!  Well after all that we met Grandma Prestegard and cousin Hannah at our house to play.  I really look up to my cousin and love her very much.  Every time she comes around I just smile and giggle.  Here's us playing peek-a-boo:

 Then we decided to have a wrestling match.

 Then practiced giving hugs and kisses.

 Then went back to playing.  I showed off my crawling and walking skills and then we crawled through the tunnel together and hung out.  I had so much fun I can't wait until she comes back to visit and play with me again soon!