Columbus Day Parade

I love a good parade, but anything that's not about Thanksgiving and Christmas has a tendency to be hokey in my opinion. You know the kind that has pageant queens and her court, politicians, car dealerships, firetrucks, and two dozen bands?  Despite the hokeyness, I took Baker to the Columbus Day parade since it was happening steps from our doorway and he was really into it!  It got me so excited knowing that we are going to be having two huge parades during the holidays to take him to that he is going to love!

Playing in the park while we waited for the parade to start.  It was pretty warm that day, one of the warmest we've had in a really long time.

Who knew bike racks could be so entertaining?

I could take throwing leaves pictures all day!

Mayor Daley (soon to be former) and I have no clue who these other guys are.

He loved the floats!

Plugging his ears because there were about 20 police cars passing by, all with sirens on.

Country Music Festival Weekend

No, we didn't really attend the festival since we're not big country music fans but since it took place in our backyard, Millennium Park, we had to check it out!  So we were curious and I wanted to take advantage of the bouncy and kid stuff they had out there.  I know there were quite a few artists performing but since we're not into it, we didn't know who they were.  Apparently, Gretchen Wilson is pretty big so we can at least say we saw her!

Baker loved this!

Jumping in the bouncy

Got to get the soccer ball in the hole some how!

Little pharaoh

We heard Jewel was singing Sat night so after dinner, we strolled by on the way home for a little serenade.

How gorgeous...I love this pavilion.

Columbus Day

So excited about the parade!

Throwing leaves...

All kids love it!

Hot day for the parade and kind of hokey but Baker loved it!

Just a bunch of random pics taken over the past week... 

We wanted to hang a lamp in Baker's room so we had to have one of the building engineers to come drill a small hole in his concrete ceiling.  So, of course, anyone with tools and a ladder is a friend of Baker's!  He immediately ran to got his toolbox and started hammering away.

He couldn't take his eyes of Leon!

Scoping out the construction of another tower two blocks behind our building.  Baker thinks this is so cool!

It's Wrestle Time!  That's what we say when it's time for a little wrestling on the floor, one of Baker's favorite things to do.  Just look at his face....he loves this!

Playing at the park yesterday...his face cracks me up!

He's not happy at all.  :)

I have these Shutterfly photo albums out that as of now, are all from our time in DC.   Baker looked through them once, saw all of his friends and now he loves to flip through them.  Sad thing is, he often says he wants to go to their house.  Not to mention that he says at least once daily that he wants to go home.  Breaks my heart every time.  He's really looking at the pics of he and Noah here.

His favorite book is his 2nd birthday book.

Nothing like cuddling while watching a little Sesame Street.

Where Oh Where? 

Okay, let me start out by saying, PLEASE ignore our singing!  I'm sure that most of you have heard of Hee Haw and likely have watched at least an episode of it way back in the day.  If so, you know the song "Where oh where, are you tonight?".  Well, Brad and I sang this for Baker one day and he about died laughing.  He thought it was the funniest thing ever!  His laugh is completely contagious in this video!

Pumpkin Picking at County Line Orchard

We took Baker to the cutest pumpkin farm two Saturdays ago...the County Line Orchard in Hobart, IN.  It was a little different from other pumpkin farms we've been to, not quite as hokey.  Don't get me wrong, there was definitely some hokiness there but it's branded so well!  We spent the day there, skipping Baker's nap, so we could really just enjoy the day.  The weather was perfectly fall so it was even more so such a fabulous day!  I took loads of pictures, and though it may look like I put them all on here, I definitely didn't...I just have a hard time editing!  :)  

First stop, seeing the bee hives.  Baker loved it!

Leaving the bee hives in their cute little tents

 

Baker standing next to the Three Little Pigs houses.  Seriously, how cute is that?

I should have gotten their autographs!  I so wish I could have one of them...and a goat.  I don't think this would work well in the city though.

Old McBaker on his farm.  He found this cute little wheel barrel and pushed it everywhere!

He was really working hard on his farm! 

 Some really nice young photography student was taking pics of her niece and nephew and took a few of Baker too!  She emailed me a few.  Nice huh?  Love his face in this one.

So sweet.  He especially loved the mini bird houses.

 I so love this picture...if only those ugly coolers weren't in the background, it would be perfect!

 The back of the prettiest barn I've ever seen!

Feeding the cows

Brad wanted in on the action too!

Sharing wheel barrels with another little boy.  He wanted him to have it so bad...poor thing got rejected.  Amazing how hard it is, even for something as small as this, to see your little one get rejected!

Feeding the goats.  Animals make him so happy!

Having broccoli and cheese soup for dinner.  This was the BIGGEST hit...he hate a huge bowl full of  it!  I think he'll be having more of this in the future!  :)

The official picture of the season!

Who knows what he's doing here!  This is what I typically get when I'm trying to take a cute picture...silliness!

Riding the Moo Choo with mommy.  What a squeeze!  There is no way that Brad could have fit in it.

Riding the train through the apple orchards.

Little tractor...

big tractor!

Now this is definitely not something that I get to see everyday!  Brad thinks it's funny that I used to drive them back in my tobacco picking days!

Love it.

And all three of us!

He looks so long here.  He's definitely getting more difficult to carry!

Daddy and Baker with Peter the Pumpkin Eating Dino.  :)

Watching the staff make donuts.  He later enjoyed his own apple cinnamon one!

More of that wheel barrel!

Running through the mini hay maze...his face should tell you how excited he was.  After several rounds of it, we let him do it alone while we watched on and he loved that!  Pure joy!

Playing in the pumpkin house - I LOVE THIS!!  No caption needed.

I mean, he thought he died and went to heaven in this little house.

Later, Baker helped daddy make a pirate pumpkin.