Monday’s post got me thinking… as I mentioned, we have been going to the same pumpkin patch for five years now. That number would be six, to match the number of Halloweens that T’s been alive for, but given T was just three weeks (four?) weeks old at his first Halloween – and I was a brand new mom – we didn’t haul him into the haystacks at that point in time. Sure, some regrets I guess, but how was I supposed to know he wouldn’t die going out that young?!
Anyway, I went digging through my photo archives of T having fun through the years, mostly out at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch but the earlier years it looks as if some of the shots were captured elsewhere. I decided to try to focus on two series of shots: One of T on the train (when we had those), and the other of T and me through the years in the pumpkin patch (when possible).
T at just under four weeks old on his first Halloween (2007).
A 12-month-old T explores Pa’s Pumpkin Patch for the first time. I guess he really liked the hay! (taken October 2008)
T’s first spin on the Pa’s Pumpkin Patch train. He turned two just before this photo was taken (October 2009).
T is three years old in this picture and is at the height of his train-obsessed phase. Thank goodness for that red train out at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch! (October 2010)
A four-year-old T makes sure to get that first-row seat on the Pa’s Pumpkin Patch train. (October 2011)
And that brings us to this Halloween season… T back at the front of that train at Pa’s! I hope this lasts at least until next year, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see!
So as the pictures show, T didn’t really discover the amazing red train until he turned two years old. When he was one year old, he was not even walking yet, so my guess is that we just didn’t feel right about putting him onto a train by himself. Again, we were new parents, so what did we really know? Not much apparently. But from age two through five, that train sure has been a recurring hit. It’s something T looks forward to every season, and given that his love of trains is somewhat waning (sniff) this makes for a lovely tradition as long as we can keep it chugging.
Me and my little pumpkin head. OK, so not a little head really as that newborn hat doesn’t even come close to fitting T’s very large noggin! This was on T’s first Halloween (2007).
T’s already a Parrothead at one year old… and I’m a pirate at not-even-40. (October 2008)
T and I out at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch in October 2009 just after he’d turned two. It was the first year we’d gone to Pa’s; now it’s a solid family tradition.
I could not find a photo of T and me out at Pa’s in October 2010, but I did find this picture of us out at Irvine Park Railroad during their seasonal Pumpkin Patch event. I think this was one of T’s field trips with his preschool… on his 3rd birthday. OK, it’s official: T is one of the luckiest kids around!
A four-year-old T and I at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch in October 2011.
T and I out at Pa’s last week (October 2012). Thanks for the nice smile, son, and I cannot believe we’ve been going to Pa’s for five years now!
Now as for the photos of T and me, not too many changes to report with me anyway, but for sure you can see how much T has grown. From my little pumpkin sprout at four weeks up to his “Pocket Monster” self today, yep, these kids grow like weeds… or pumpkins perhaps!
Have you looked back through the years at Halloween or another particular family event recently, RMT’ers? ‘Tis the season!
Real Mom Time (RMT) 