Dear Etrain

Dear Etrain,

Last weekend we took you to Tanaka Farms for our (now) annual trip to the pumpkin patch. This year I think it was much more of a success than last year. Let's go back to when you were ten months old.

Last year we made a pretty big mistake and we ended up with a hangry baby. We knew we wanted to take you to the pumpkin patch, but didn't plan very well. We tried to fit it in before a nap and hadn't fed you prior to going. We got there and it was hot, you were hungry and getting tired, and therefore not into our shenanigans. Needless to say, we weren't there very long, but we checked out the pumpkins and tractor, took some photos, picked out a pumpkin to carve and got outta there. My Instagram photo probably sums it up. Poor boy, once you had your bottle you were more happy, but also tired and ready for a nap.

I mean, we did actually get photos with smiles, but sometimes you gotta keep it real. #hangry #doesntlikehay

A photo posted by Alex North (@alexnorth) on Oct 17, 2015 at 1:50pm PDT

The pumpkin patch may not have been too fun for you, but you loved carving the pumpkin...or at least you loved playing with the pumpkin guts. You were the cutest little helper.

Pumpkin carving is fun.

A photo posted by Alex North (@alexnorth) on Oct 25, 2015 at 5:49pm PDT

We of course also know how much you love tractors so we bought tickets for the tractor ride. A big tractor pulls a couple wagons full of people all around the farm. I really liked seeing all the delicious fruits and vegetables the grow there, but you just loved the tractor. You pretty much had a smile on your face the whole time unless the sun was in your eyes.



We tried for another photo op of you on the hay stack with the pumpkins. Again, you weren't into it. No major tears, but you wanted off quickly. So we visited the tractor, since that's your favorite thing. You weren't too excited to share at first.

No tears this year so I consider it a win. Which pumpkin do we pick?

A photo posted by Alex North (@alexnorth) on Oct 15, 2016 at 5:28pm PDT

The best part of that video...


Dada tried too. No luck...

Touching it with our hands is Eww.

A photo posted by Alex North (@alexnorth) on Oct 23, 2016 at 10:04am PDT

In the end we created some pretty awesome jack-o-lanterns and had fun along the way. The only down side is that we carved them too early, and they have now already spoiled, but that's ok. We hadn't planned on putting them at our front door since we're still in the apartment, and we're planning on going trick-or-treating in our old neighborhood, so we won't need them for the new house. It was more about the experience. I can't wait until next year to see you're reaction to it all.

Love,
Mama