Halloween {2012}

Today was the first year that Sutton could really {kind of} understand Halloween or be aware of what was going on. We talked a lot about it leading up to today because we've found that he does much better if we prepare him for things. 

It ended up being so great! We started the evenings' festivities with a quick stop by Sonic to pick up 15 corn dogs for 50c each for us and the cousins and adults. Sutton has been obsessed with his football the last few days, so it had to come with us in the car.

We went over to Adam's parents house and ate corn dogs and got dressed in our costumes. Sutton was Timmy from the show Timmy Time. This is Timmy:

And here's our Timmy:

I made his costume and thought it turned out pretty cute.

Timmy has a huge tail, so that of course had to be part of the costume. We ended up using velcro to attach it because we figured he couldn't sit in his car seat with it on. The tail ended up being a highlight of our night because he would run up to people's houses and it would bounce the whole way, lol.

The original plan was to cover the entire shirt (front and back) in white fluffies, but I covered the front and the shirt was already so heavy...so I stopped there.

Here are Sutton's three cousins: a princess, an astronaut, and Strawberry Shortcake.

Mommy and Daddy had to get a photo with our little lamb, and sweet little Breegy wanted in too. Love her. I tried to do something to make myself abnormal or Halloween-ish, but all I had on hand was makeup, so I just ended up with some bruises and a little blood on my face. 

Adam's parents live across the street from a church that does a Trunk-or-Treat thing each Halloween, so we went over there first. Sutton got lots of candy and tested out the ropes of being friendly to people he didn't know in order to get candy. He had fun. Cousin Corbin gave him a glow sword that was a hit.

There were a few games there, but most were for older kids. He tried a trike out for a bit.

Sutton and Grandma. This kid is such a pro at smiling for photos...he has picture day at school tomorrow, I can't wait to see how they turn out. :)

Stopping to try some of the candy he'd collected.

We went back to our house and trick-or-treated down our street. After we showed Sutton what to do at the first house, he was a pro and went right up to the second house and said "Oh hi!! Trick or treat! Thank you!" He's the cutest.

He was having so much fun and after every house, he'd ask "More houses? More houses?" There was a street about 2 blocks away from us that had amazing decorations and goings-on. We walked around the neighborhood with Sutton's cousins and had so much fun. Sutton loved getting candy and seeing all the people out and about. This is exactly how I want him to remember Halloweens as a kid!

Sutton's older cousin Bailey met up with us and we went to see her little brother Colston who isn't technically related to us, but is in Sutton's class at school. I won't even try to explain that connection. :) But here they are together, cute little friends.

We stopped at a few more houses on the way back to our own and then ate some candy before bed. He was on a bit of a sugar high, but was pretty exhausted and went right to sleep. Halloween 2012 = SUCCESS!!

Take Picture?

Just a random photo from last night...I was getting ready to leave for a photo session and had my camera out and Sutton said "Take picture? Take picture Mommy?"

After I took it, he told me "Thank you!" Haha. :)

Sutton Place

Found this awesome sign on a building while I was walking around downtown Wichita on a photo shoot this week...how cool!

Gangnam Sutton Style

Not sure if y'all are familiar with the Gangnam Style music video/phenomenon, but Adam taught Sutton the dance. Then he decided to make a movie about it while I was away shooting a wedding Saturday.

Hilarious. I love it. My kid is so awesome.

And I apologize for the few and far between blog updates. Remember how I said we're busy? Well...that's taking on a new meaning this week. Ah!!

The Best Sunday

We are busy people.

Like, really busy. And we will be for awhile with how my job works (photo sessions most evenings + weddings a lot of weekends + editing in my "down" time) and Adam's school (class once a week + online classes + writing his thesis).

I sometimes worry that I'm missing out on making memories for our family because we're so busy. So I've been trying to be more intentional about starting traditions and making the most of the time we do have together.

Sunday was the best...we had NOTHING on the schedule that day. Unheard of!

We'd gone to church the night before, so after a run in the morning, we headed to the zoo.

On the way there, he kept calling in the zoop. He was so excited to go to the zoop and see the turtles.

But the first stop was the giraffes. I think the above photo is cool because in the bottom right corner, I caught a leaf in mid fall.

This gorilla was being a drama queen and pretending he couldn't see us and making all kinds of weird poses.

Not sure why, but Sutton wouldn't stop asking to see the turtles. After every other animal we stopped to see: "...okay, turtle now?" But it was pretty anticlimactic when we finally saw them.

At the petting zoo part, we got to meet a chick that had just hatched the night before, and Sutton got to pet a sheep.

After lunch and a nap for the kiddo {Mommy and Daddy snuck in a little work. And by work, I mean...work ;)}, we decided to carve the puh-kin! that we'd got at the pumpkin patch.

Sutton was very intrigued by the inside of the pumpkin, and when Daddy stuck his hand in there to get out the seeds and goop, he wasn't too sure that should be happening. He refused to help.

The obligatory forced fake smile.

He liked taking the top off but would get frustrated when he couldn't make it fit back on perfectly.

The final product on our front porch!

I'd taken the photo of the pumpkins and was walking inside to put my camera away, and noticed out of the corner of my eye that Sutton was sitting next to them and posing for me. He's SO my kid. :)

We went inside and had a dinner of chicken and cornbread that I made (because, you know, I do that now), and then headed out into the backyard for a fire in the chiminea.

Sutton came out of the sun room and saw Adam making a fire and started making a run for him.

I noticed the light was really pretty, so I had to do a mini-shoot with Sutton. And his turtle.

The next series cracks me up. Such a goofball...just had to show me his grass he picked.

...and the above photo. Sigh... IN. LOVE. My new fave photo of him at this age.

Then it was back to playing soccer and running around the yard.

I hope you all had a fantastic Sunday as well!