Old Mr. Rector had a farm...

Today John went to the farm!  The weather was great so we took full advantage.

There were baby pigs born over the weekend, and John saw them when they were only a few hours old.  He loved to stand by their little box and pat them.  Unfortunately, we forgot our camera that day, but when we went to see them again today we took some pictures!  The pictures aren't amazing because the heat lamp makes everything look red and blurry.

Daniel sat John down with the pigs in their new and bigger box.  They were VERY interested in John.

John tried to pet them but they were not so interested in that...

Daniel picked up a pig for John to pat.  John was very gentle.

"Hi Dad!"

He's waving...  He waved at the pigs a lot and me a little.

Pretty darn excited!

Daniel picked up a little girl pig named "Happy" for John to pet.

John wanted to taste her.

John got to hold Happy all by himself!!!  

John was THRILLED to hold Happy.  Happy was not happy.  

Then we took a walk out to see the other baby pigs.  There is a total of 45 baby pigs!  All born within a few days of each other.

Following Grandpa through the hay barn.

This is the pig that tried to kill me a few years ago.

John loved watching the babies!

"Pinky" and one of her babies.

I love their stripes!

John wonders why piglets get 14 nipples and he gets only two.

Hi cow!  Cassidy came in to say hello.

Pig nose!

Jackson and John meet... all three of my boys!  

John loves Toast!

John even got his first horse ride today.  He thought it was great. 

Nesting...

John has recently enjoyed playing with the laundry.  He will take it out of a pile, out of a basket, out of a hamper, and off the drying rack.  He moves it around, arranges it into a nest, lays on it, buries his face in it, licks it, sucks on it... he just can't get enough!!!  He loves his nests.

Taste it...

Smile, John-boy!

Sniff it...

Is your nest comfy, John?

Rearrange it...

Taste your comfy pants...

Rest.

Work!

:-)

Yummy?

VERY proud of himself!!!

Members!

Today, John and I became members of St. James Lutheran Church.

It was also "Flannel Sunday" with a pot luck afterward.

Here is John and I in our flannels, getting ready to be installed.

John is wearing his Stormy Kromer.  You can see Daniel's matching hat hanging above us.

Goin' on a Tree Hunt!

Today Daniel suggested we go look for a Christmas Tree!  I was surprised because as we are between residences and planning to spend the bulk of our holiday with my parents... I assumed we would skip a tree this year.  Apparently I was wrong!

So after a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, John was bundled up and we headed over to the property to do some tree hunting.  We decided to get just a small tree to decorate.

John is snuggled!  Mom is having her morning coffee.

Closeup.  John was really excited, even though it was nap time!

The tree John picked out

He's getting so big!  When he wears his hat I can't really see over him.

Daniel sawed down our "little" tree and we headed back to the barn to decorate.

He was so enamored with the tree he wouldn't even look at his dad!

Looking at it very very carefully.

The finished product!  Not bad for a "woods" tree.  We also didn't put up all our breakable ornaments... the risk of bumping them in this environment is really high.

He loved touching the tree. 

True to form, he had to try to put it in his mouth.

His hands smelled like Balsam after all this exploring.

All lit up!

Then on the way home, John got to drive!  (On the back roads).

He loves to drive...  He makes his excited noises the whole time!  He also practices his "broom broom" car noises.

Hands at "10 and 2!"

So Happy!

The peanut gallery

Funny face at his mom.  "Watch the road, John!"

"Ok mom!" 

"Am I doing it right, Dad?"

Practicing some one handed driving....  good thing dad is here!

He has a good right turn but his left turns not so good.  That's ok, he has a few years before he drives on his own. :-)

He went home to have a two and a half hour nap.  It was a big day for a little boy!