Pumpkin Patch

Well, the Pumpkin Patch started off on a bad foot.  IT WAS FREEZING!  People who know me well, know I don't do FREEZING!  Unfortunately, I believe this is a trait that I passed along to my boys.  Hughes refuses to wear a hat - I had to force the pullover on him.  Banks just wasn't sure why the heck we were out in the cold weather.  So, needless to say, it was a rough start.  

Banks can barely see with this hat on.  Oh well, at least his head was warm.
Hughes still trying to get into the pumpkin swing.  We were still not at our best yet.
We're waking up!  The sun came out and, at least, took the freezing chill out of the air.  Here are the boys wondering through the big pumpkins.
Banks still not sure why we're out in the cold weather and standing next to the huge orange balls.
Hughes, William and Conley having a (orange) ball.
After picking out our prize winning pumpkin, it was time for us to hit the hayride.  Huge Success!  The tractor pulls the wagon out into the middle of a pasture where all of these cows are grazing.  Cool, right?  Cows upclose.  Then, the teachers start handing out snacks for the cows.  Cool, right?  Not until your son hands his cow snacks to you and expects you to feed the cows with their slimy, slobbery, monstrous tongues!  Talk about disgusting!  And if once wasn't enough, Hughes kept going back and getting more cow snacks because he loved it so much.  When we rode off, the cows started mooing.  Banks loved this!
This is Hughes' orange arm.  He's really close to the cow but don't be fooled.  I have the DNA from the cow still on my hands!
Checking out some other farm animals.
After seeing all the animals, we headed to the playground.  Hughes played with lots of different things but Banks had his eye on one toy only.  He sat in this car for about 45 minutes.  He loved it.  I'm thinking HoHo may have to put this on his list.  In fact, when I took him out (only b/c it was time to go) he threw a tantrum.  I've never seen him throw a tantrum so I know he really liked the car.
We had a great time.  I think next year I'll suggest that the school take this field trip earlier in October.  It was just too cold!

Haunted Playdate

We had a small playdate on Tuesday.  We had a tree(Conley), a drummer(Wyatt), a zebra(Hughes), and a giraffe(Banks).  Absent from this picture was our fairy ballerina(Miller).  The kids had a great time seeing each other in their costumes.

Pirates, Giraffes, and Zebras - OH MY!

Today, we went off with Jan and Clayton to experience some Halloween fun.  They have some neighbors at the creekhouse that love (and I do mean LOVE) Halloween.  They decorate their entire house and road with all sorts of ghosts, witches, skeletons, etc.  It was a beautiful day to be outside.  They had all these pumpkins to choose from to carve and take home with you, treat bags for the kids, wide-open space to run around, and lots of skeletons to explore.  Clayton, Hughes and Banks had a fantastic time and looked ultra cute in their Halloween costumes.  We had a pirate girl, a zebra and a giraffe.  No one was cuter than these 3!
Jan testing out what a boy feels like.  Banks gave his giraffe approval.
Hughes checking out a skeleton and trying to figure out if he is a skeleton or a zebra.  Mighty Confusing!

A giraffe having a chat with a pumpkin.
My Wild Animals

In the graveyard, checking out some bones.  Later on, these two were grave robbing the bones and running around with them.
We had a great time today.  Thanks Jan for inviting us!

Barberry Flood

With all the rain from yesterday and early this morning, our neighborhood flooded.  We've had flooding issues in the past.  In fact, our neighborhood is currently pursuing a lawsuit against the developer and whatnot over this exact issue.  Well, with the torrential downpour we had for a solid 18 hours, our drainage issue has become very apparent.  Below are some pictures David and I took this morning.  Now, it has gone down quite a bit already in these pictures.  We have a debris line about midway up in our front yard.  Our yard has never flooded so for it to be flooded down on our end is major.  People were out in kayaks, cars were floating, at one point in the neighborhood the water is waist deep!  It is CRAZY!  

Mountain Time

This past week the boys and I headed to Cashiers, NC with BecBec and PopPop.  With a husband doing double duty with law school and work, I decided the boys and I would crash Mom and Dad's vacation.  It was the perfect time to go - the leaves were gorgeous!  We went on several small hikes - carrying a one-year old or pushing a stroller up a mtn. was not my idea of fun so we made sure that the hikes were short.  The waterfalls were incredible.  Hughes really liked watching them.  During the day, we explored our surroundings and shopped.  At night, we had family time.  Both boys got nasty colds while we were there.  It was a fabulous trip.  On the way home on Friday, we sent Hughes with Dad in one car and Mom, Banks and myself stopped by Gaffney to hit the Pottery Barn Outlet.  What a way to end a trip!  

Banks snoozing through his first hike.

I was a nervous wreck with Hughes walking around at the viewing area.  That danger sign says that 45 people have died there.  I didn't want to make it 46!



This waterfall, we could get down to the bottom.  Hughes enjoyed picking up leaves and throwing them into the stream.  We hopped on rocks, threw leaves and enjoyed watching the waterfall.

Giant piece of art in downtown Cashiers.  They have the best playground right next to this piece.  We visited the playground several times.  
This waterfall you can drive your car underneath it!  
Check out the slide static!  Banks loved this slide with help of course.  

Speech & Potties

We have now had two therapy sessions with our new therapist, Ali. I take Hughes to our local public school once a week for an hour. The first time, I walked with Hughes and Ali to her room and then left shortly after that. When I picked him up, they had been working on the /ck/ sound. She says he does not recognize the muscles in the back of the throat that make the /ck/ sound or the /g/ sound. So, we've been really working on those sounds. This week I met Ali in the office and Hughes walked down the hallway with her like a big boy. I couldn't believe he just went with her! That's great but he is just growing up tooooooooo fast! I'm glad he's so comfortable with her. She's young and energetic so I had a pretty good feeling about this match-up.
Hughes is also doing wonderful in potty training this go around. He's still wearing a pull-up at naptime and bedtime but during the day it is strictly underwear. I'm so proud of him and he's so proud of himself! We've mastered public restrooms, too. Sometimes he says the flush is "lowd".

Happy Birthday Hughes!

Dear Hughes, 

I can't believe 3 years has flown by and you are now officially 3!  You came into this world like the perfect first born child - on your due date by yourself.  I woke up in the early morning hours on the 9th and knew right away that I was in labor.  I let your dad get some more rest b/c at the time there was nothing he could do for me.  Charlie and I walked and rocked and watched all kinds of crazy tv until I just couldn't take it anymore.  You took your time but you made your appearance into the world at 6:26pm.  Thanks heavens for epidurals - 3 in fact..  The only unfortunate part was that you were monstrous to me- hence the nickname Huge Hughes - 9.11 lbs., 21 3/4 inches.   You have kept up that growth rate, too.  At 3, you are near 37 lbs.   You have had 3 surgeries so far and one more definite one for your lip at age 5.  

  Your bestfriends in the neighborhood are Conley and Wyatt.  Everytime we go for a walk or bike ride, their houses are the first ones you go to.  You love grilled cheese sandwiches and hot dogs.  You don't like vegetables.  Chocolate milk was just introduced to you which made you smile from ear to ear.  If you think something is tasty then you always remark with an "mmmmm".  Potty training is going pretty good.  You get M&Ms for using the potty.  One day I found you had used the stool to get into the treat jar and were enjoying yourself some undeserved treats.  In fact, I have found lately that you use the stools for lots of things that you want like retrieving the Sweet 16 doughnuts off the counter while we're upstairs getting ready for church.

  Speech is coming along.  You talk a lot to me.  I understand about 90%.  You're very quiet at school which makes me sad because I know you have lots of ideas that are just bursting to get out!  One day you will shock them all!  You have great manners and always say "tank oo" and will keep repeating it until someone says "your welcome".  You say "peaz" and "a-ight".  You can say "ye-mmmm" (yes mam) when prompted.  

  Banks adores you.  He thinks you are the funniest person he has ever met and all he wants is to be by your side.  Right now, you get very frustrated when he comes near your toys and you fuss at him.  This makes Banks very sad and he normally comes crawling back to me crying.  I know one day this will end and you will realize what a great brother Banks is.  I hope you two grow up thick as thieves.  

   Hughes, I love you.  I love you when you're moody and fussy.  When you're happy and laughing.  When you're covered in dirt and when you're squeaky clean.  When you wake up from a bad dream crying and when you snuggle up and want to pretend "night night".  I love that your 100% boy, you say nasty when you think something taste bad, and can suck a juice box down in about 3 seconds flat.  My latest love is when you teetee on the potty, say "I did it", jump up and give me a huge unsolicited hug and kiss!  I love those kisses.  

    You are my big boy now but you'll always be my baby.  I love you to the moon and back. 

 love, mama

Clemson Tiger Photoshoot

On Sunday, we tried to get a shot of all the Holman grandchildren dressed in their Clemson rags.  Banks disagreed with this.  Hughes and Kate were quite cooperative.  Below are just a few shots.  Banks got happy once we left him to do what he wanted.

Here Banks is with his brand new push toy.  It makes lots of noise and we can't wait to repay the favor to Aunt Deyna and Uncle Andrew at Christmas time!  He does love it and so does Hughes.  In fact, this is one of the first times Banks got to play with his toy b/c Hughes had laid claim to it.

After Party

When all our friends left, we had the family still here.  Anna Banks, Emma, and Bryce were performing cheers for us.  At which point, Kate decided she needed some "cheer time".  

You can't tell from these pictures but Kate was really getting into it.

Hughes figuring out his chainsaw.  He thought the goggles were for swimming and kept saying "I wimming, I wimming".

How's that for a glamour shot?