Happy Halloween!

It's time to put on costumes for one of Mommy's favorite holidays: Halloween! I love making costumes for the kids.













This year, Merrit wanted to dress up as a ham-and-cheese sandwich and it only seemed fitting that Ollie would go as a bag of salt-and-vinegar potato chips. These were fun costumes to make!


















He IS full of salt and vinegar, ya know. AND 100% organic.














I only wish Ollie enjoyed having his costume ON a little more. He objected to wearing it in a big way!


















Early in the day, we headed to Red Storm Entertainment for the annual Halloween party and costume contest.


















When it was time to go Trick-or-Treating, we just dressed Ollie in his warm snuggly winter onesie and headed out into the neighborhood.


















Here are the boys as we make our rounds.













"Trick or Treat!"

Combo: First Word, First Sign!

Tonight, as I was putting the finishing touches on the boys' Halloween costumes with my trusty glue gun, Ollie amazed me by saying "MAMA!" and then, when I turned around to look at him, signing for "EAT!"

To his credit, he was buckled into his high chair, it was getting on towards 5:30 in the p.m., and -- what's this? -- I had yet to produce a pureed delicacy for Prince Ollie to eat? Shame, shame.

So he took it upon himself to call me out on this infraction by blowing me away with a double whammy:

"MAMA! ... EAT!"

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!

Yesterday was Mike's 36th birthday. Ollie says: "Happy Birthday, Daddy!"

We invited "Uncle" Jer and "Aunt" Kara over to celebrate with us. I fixed roll sushi, nigiri, wakame salad, beef teriyaki, white rice, and edamame. Jer and Kara brought the Carolina Pale Ale and, for dessert, we had a itty-bitty chocolate cake (bought it at Whole Foods...it was so cute...AND DELICIOUS!).










A delicious dinner to honor the man who makes it all possible! :-)













Jer and Kara serve up some sushi.


















Merrit helped Mike blow out the candle.


















The cake looks REALLY small in Mike's big hands! But really it was the perfect size: One slice for everyone and NO LEFTOVERS! (Still trying to lose the last of that baby weight, ya know!)


















Merrit mowws down on cake. Mmm, mmm.

Well, Ollie, you didn't eat any birthday cake, but you know YOUR birthday is coming up in just a few more days and, I promise, you will have your first taste of birthday cake on that special day!

No Repeat of Sunday's Big Milestone...Yet

Well, it's Friday here at the Haynes house and our Littlest Haynes has not given us an encore presentation of last Sunday's momentous occasion. We have the camcorder handy, now, though...so we'll be sure to capture steps when they happen.

Stay tuned...

The Blue Ridge Parkway, Dragonhead Trail, and Skinny Dip Falls

Today, Mike, Delores, Merrit, Ollie, and I drove up on the Blue Ridge Parkway to a spot Mike knew about. I can't remember the mile marker number, just the landmarks. When we got to the spot, we hung out at the parking area for a few minutes, totally taking in the amazing view. Wow!


















A nice woman at the overlook offered to take our picture.


















Nanny and Ollie practice walking.












Merrit in a moment of quiet solitude.


















Ollie enjoying the grass and warm sunshine.


















We crossed over the Parkway and found the trailhead. About 50 yards in, we came across the unusual tree that gives this trail its name: Dragonhead Trail.













Nanny found a walking stick...and we were off.


















Merrit's a great hiker! He hung in there for the full two-mile hike. No complaining. No lagging behind. He rocks!

















Ollie rocks, too! Not that he had to exert much energy since Mike carried him the whole time in the Gerry pack. But, you know, he was chipper and darn cute.


















Merrit tackled the trail as fast as those little legs would carry him.


















What a beautiful spot. Dragonhead Trail is one of the nicest hikes I've ever been on!













About a mile in, we reached Skinny Dip Falls. I was a little nervous about Merrit crossing this skinny bridge high above the creek gorge, but Mike assured me that he could do it. (I just read Wild at Heart by John Eldredge so I was, perhaps, a little bit less of a nervous mama.)


















Of course, in this picture, I've got a death-grip on Merrit in case he were to fall off the rocks.


















I love this picture of Delores (my mother-in-love) and I.













Delores took this picture of the four of us.


















We hiked back out and, at the trail's end, Mike told Merrit that he should leave his walking stick leaning against the Dragonhead Tree for another little five-year-old boy to use.


















Just before we got back in our car to leave, Mike and Merrit said goodbye to the Blue Ridge Mountains...

Good Times with Family

Well, of course, we took about a zillion pictures this afternoon, thinking that Ollie would take another couple steps. No dice. But we did get some good pictures of Ollie with the fam, just hanging around the house.















Ollie with his Papa.


















"Do you really think I can do it, Dad?"


















Almost! Almost! But, no...


















Dad Tying Shoes.












Dad Tying Shoes, No. 2.













This is Ollie's latest face. He skrinks up his nose, shows his teeth, and tilts his head back. I think he thinks he's making a joke or being funny because he is so pleased with himself when we laugh at him. Ha ha!














Ah, the Lazy Boy. It's a good thing.













Merrit and I on Nanny's porch swing. It's chilly so we snuggled up together under a yummy blanket.


















I love my little Merrit-man!













Uncle Rocky came over for dinner tonight.

















Ollie got in on some snuggling, Uncle-Rocky-style -- complete with goofy faces and tickling...

That's One Small Step for Ollie; One Giant Leap for...Well, for Ollie

This morning at Nanny and Papa's house, Ollie took his first steps!! He walked to Mike -- two quick steps and then he crumbled to a little heap on the floor. Papa Clyde got to witness it, along with Mike and I. Of course, we didn't have our camera handy!! Figures!

Way to go, Roo!

Posting from Black Mountain

We have made an annual trip to Western NC for the last few autumns because it's just such a beautiful time to be in the mountains. Mike's parents are -- as always -- generous and wonderful hosts! (Mom and Clyde's Bed and Breakfast, we always say.)

We drove up this morning and plan to stay through Tuesday morning. We'll leave early Tuesday and drive back via U.S. 64 so we can spend the better part of the day at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro, NC. (Stay tuned for pictures!)

The drive up was awesome. We decided to take some back roads. It added time to our trip (seven hours instead of the usual four) but made us appreciate all the small towns, farms, and woods that make up this great state!

This afternoon, after we got here and hung out with the family for a little while, we got back in the car (crazy, I know). We just couldn't wait to go see some of our favorite spots in Black Mountain. We made the typical loop: Montreat, Blue Ridge Assembly, Lake Tomahawk. Here are some pictures I took along the way.

Clapping!

Ollie clapped his hands today in his high chair, while eating a lunch of pureed butternut squash. Merrit noticed it and pointed it out to me. Then we kept saying, "Clap your hands!" and showing him how to do it and he was totally getting it. Clapping along. Laughing. Enjoying all the special attention, probably.

Then Merrit started going through all the baby signs that he knows, trying to teach Ollie. We've already been working on "eat," "more," "all done," and "milk." But Merrit whipped old some oldies-but-goodies like "shoes," "play," "get dressed," "light," "moon," "please," "dad," "mom," "socks," "diaper change," "bird," "bath," and a whole bunch more. Ollie's probably completely overwhelmed and confused at this point. I left them in the dining room together to come post about this and I can hear them in there together...too cute...Merrit went to his bookshelf and got his old board book that has baby signs in it and is going through them with Ollie right now. I think I have a little teacher on my hands. :-)

From Monosyllabic Babbling to Speaking Turkish Overnight

Just yesterday, Ollie was babbling in the way that he always has up to this point. Stuff like:

Gaah Gaah
Maah Maah
Daah Daah
Mmmm Mmmm
Nnnn Nnnn
Baah Baah
Paah Paah
Naah Naah
Kaah Kaah
Lots of raspberries
Tongue clucking
Lip smacking

And today, it's like he turned a corner...it's like he's speaking another language. Stuff like:

Galaga Kaboobaah Keepmyee Laps
Baahmaah Teepeek Eek Aahsa Paah Sah
Shhhaas Tah Ka Epoot Ahkaka Supp

Turkish, perhaps? (Not that we've ever heard Turkish.) Could be a Native American dialect? (Ollie is part Cherokee, after all...just 1/32, but still!)

And, more importantly, WHAT IS HE TRYING TO TELL US?!

An Ollie Sandwich

An Afternoon Out of Doors

It was sunny today, with just a little nip in the air, so we decided to spend some time outside. While Merrit played with his tee-ball set, Ollie just enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine.

His Land's End fleece zip-up jumpsuit (a gift from Greg and Erin Richmond) is the perfect weight for this kind of weather. Warm without being bulky.

Tooth Number Six

Just to his right of the two front teeth, Ollie has another little pearly white peeking through his gums this morning. All those sleepless nights are paying off!

Don't Take Fashion Advice from Merrit

Ollie, it's Mom. I just wanted to give you a little piece of advice. Once you're old enough to dress yourself, I don't think you should take any fashion tips from your big brother.

Case in point: