Pumpkins and Apples

Fall is here and we spent a great weekend enjoying some fun fall activities!  On Saturday, we took Brody and Briana to the Buffalo Pumpkin Patch and on Sunday we went apple picking at Stone's Apple Orchard.  At the pumpkin patch Brody fed the animals, rode a pony, played in the bounce house, did a pumpkin maze and had a great time exploring the farm.  He was very excited to pick apples this year with two of his favorite girls, Julia and Maggie.  We talked about it all week and he was very excited.  This year he was very into finding apples and picking them off the trees which was fun.  He also loved riding the tractor and feeding some of the farm animals apples. We let Briana eat an apple and she loved it, she was crunching away and it kept her occupied for a very long time. We had a fun and busy weekend and it showed as both kids slept in late today and are both napping right now.

I decided to be pro active and instead of waiting until January I took Brody this past week for a speech/preschool screening.  They ask you a few questions when you call to set it up and the lady thought everything sounded fine but I wanted to take him in just to see what they said.  Brody did really well with the screening and was able to answer all of the questions she asked, which he could not do when I took him at 2 years old.  In order to be considered for help they must score a 33 on the testing portions and Brody got a 78!!  They have absolutely no concerns and told me to just keep doing what I am doing.  The lady went on and on about how smart he is which of course would make any Mom feel great.  He is trying to sound out words to read them at 3 years old which is just crazy!  She said to just wait and his language is going to come along just fine.  They are confident that the 6 ear infections he had between 9 and 18 months (prime time for picking up language) played a huge part and we just have to give him time to catch up.  She stressed that he is not speech delayed and that kids just pick up language at a variety of times.  His vocabulary is huge so it is just a matter of him putting all his words together.  He did try to run out the door at the screening and I had to laugh because the lady laughed it off and said "totally normal 3 year old boy behavior" (considering that was such a big deal at the preschool).  Brody asked a few times during the screening if he could be all done and go home.  He's definitely not a fan of sitting right now!

We had music class this morning and I am so proud of Brody because he got a great compliment from the teacher in front of the whole class.  She said "He has come such a long way with this only being his second session of music class.  He is doing so great with listening and following directions."  That was a very proud Mommy moment and she is so right.  When I took him to the first session he had never done anything like this before so sitting for the circle time and waiting his turn was hard for him.  Now he is doing great in all areas.  Each music session is 6 weeks long and today was our 4th week of the second session.  He really loves going so we will definitely keep it up!

Briana is a lean, mean, walking machine!!!  She is walking everywhere and has been for a few weeks now.  Tim and I laugh because sometimes she gets going and puts both hands in the air and she looks like Frankenstein! :)  Must be getting in the spirit of Halloween.  I took her for her follow up next appointment two weeks ago and thank God everything is ok!  It is definitely a muscle and it feels less defined now.  I think now that she is moving more that helps too.  She is still only 19 pounds and a little peanut but she is doing great!

We have been enjoying a weekly trip to the zoo, going to different parks daily and spending time at the museum.  Brody got to feed the giraffee's for the first time last Tuesday at the zoo.  He thought it was so funny because they have such long tongues that they lick you when they eat.  Such a fun activity!