Lewis is a Train

Many months ago, Lewis declared that he wanted to be a train for Halloween. Halloween is still weeks away, but we had a couple of events at the beginning of the month that merited a costume, so I had to get to work on it early.

This is the very intricate/fancy train at the zoo that is his inspiration (there is also an orange one). He also wants a toy version of one for Christmas, which I think I'll have some wiggle room with (as long as there is some orange and some blue on it). I forewarned him that I would do my best to make him a blue and orange train, and so far he has simple tastes (thank goodness).

We already had a couple of train whistles and conductor hats, and, as things have a way of working themselves out, I stumbled across a conductor's jacket in his size at Goodwill for only $1.50. I saved up some diaper boxes in anticipation, and I was able to use duct tape leftover from last year's cardboard airplane costume. The plane just got smashed in our move, so I was able to remove and reuse the webbing (for shoulder straps). We did have to go to Home Depot to pick out spray paint (and primer), which was fun. Lewis wanted an 'orange and blue train' like the train at our zoo--I think it wanted it like half orange and half blue, but I explained that would be challenging to do neatly with spray paint. We settled on a blue train with orange accents. We had looked at some ideas on Pinterest, and he liked one that had a '4' on it because he is 4. Although, eventually, he decided he wanted a 4, 5, and 2 for reasons unknown to me. And he declared that he wanted to wear one blue glow bracelet and one orange one as part of his costume. He had/has it all planned out this year, let me tell you!! We also bought a headlight for the front, which I attached with Command velcro strips and a touch light from Walmart.

 Can you see the vision of the train??

 I scored and bent the box flaps to build the front cylinder (and added a piece of cardboard to the front to enclose it)

Primed

 The steam pipe is an empty duct tape roll tube that happened to come available as I was making it

 I expanded the box flap holes on the sides so that they were big enough for Lewis's arms to go through them to help take the weight off of his shoulders a bit (it's kind of heavy!)

 The conductor with his train :)

 I think he's happy about it!

 #2

 #4

 #5

 Taking it out for a spin at Creasey Mahan's Haunted Hike

We were at the zoo the night before, but the train stayed in the car while we trick-or-treated in raincoats and under umbrellas.

We don't have another event until Halloween weekend--he has a Trunk-or-Treat at his school, plus trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Hopefully we get good weather for both of those!

Fall Festival at Gallrein Farm

Kevin and I were talking, and we think we have officially gotten our fill of fall festivals this year! Our last stop was a trip to Gallrein Farm on Saturday with my parents--you'd think that walking around for hours might kick start labor, but alas. 

Lewis and I had been out to this farm once last year with Tonya and Carlton, but it was during the week, without the full scope of activities up and running. I'm so glad we went back--it was a beautiful weather day, and just about everything they offered was right up Lew's alley.

First stop was a farm-themed bouncy house with a tractor inside--hello!

He spent most of the time in there running up one side of the tractor and leaping/bounding/sliding down the other.

Before we left that morning, I told him there was a John Deere tractor train that I remembered from our last visit, and his eyes lit up. I think it lived up to the hype:

Heading out, verrrry excited

He's the one, 6 barrels in from the left. That ride was a pretty empty one, obviously! He was pretty brave, going all by himself.

Returning back, with a 'that was awesome' face :)

Poke, poke, poke

He found that piece of straw and was pointing it around, like a wand, saying, 'Poke, poke, poke.'

After getting sufficiently straw-covered, we headed to the pony ride and petting zoo:

I think the donkeys were his favorite. :) Looks like he was ready to climb in the pen with them.

Next up were the pedal cars...Kevin was prepared to have to pedal Lewis around again, but Lew was totally able to do it himself:

Look out, here I come!

Onto the real tractor, pulling our hayride

We rode out to the pumpkin patch but just stayed on for the return trip (we have enough pumpkins already).

We still had some tickets left, so Lewis asked Gramma if she would ride the barrel train with him a second time:

She said he really seemed to think he was steering his barrel--he'd turn when the train turned and was taking it pretty seriously. :)

Our final stop was just a big play area of straw bales. Kids were throwing it everywhere, and it seemed like the 'thing' to do was to bury yourself in it. Lewis got right on that:

I am buried. Can you see me???

It cracked me up how he covered his eyes with his arm--I bet he felt like he was really all covered up, my sweet boy. :)

The best!

Lewis slipped/wiggled off the bale, straw was everywhere, etc. I love it/them.

We stopped on the way home at the new outlet mall in Simpsonville, and I was excited to find some big kid-sized footed pajamas for Lewis--last week, he was waking in the middle of the night, needing the covers put back on because he was cold. I didn't realize they made the sleepers after size 5T (which he has outgrown), so I'm glad we happened upon them in bigger sizes for our big boy.

Catching Up/Other Fall Fun

These are a potpourri of pictures, if you will, from the past week or two from my camera and Kevin's phone. (There was a potpourri category on Jeopardy the other night, so that is the only word I can currently think of to describe what I'm trying to say.)

 Hanging with Hattie

 Always has a watchful eye on Lewis and his actions. :)

Sweet basement snuggles with Dad

And more!

This was what I found on Sunday morning when I woke up--pure, snuggly, laidback-weekend goodness. :)

This is Lewis' photo wall in his room! 

I finished it a month ago, but just got around to taking a picture of it. The middle picture is him at one day old, and I ordered the fire truck and railroad crossing prints from art.com. I got the idea for the tractor and roadway initial from Pinterest--the tractor body is his footprint (with construction paper cutouts) and the roadway is just a painted 'L' with cars super-glued to it. I left it spaced out so that we can add to it as we find more pieces.

Yesterday after school, we got to work on our pumpkins. I'd picked up a sticker set for Lewis to use on his pumpkin, and he designed it her all by himself. She has a hairbow, 'like Minnie and Daisy wear,' and she has 5 teeth (he was very specific about the #). :)

I don't need to look at the camera! The pumpkin needs to look at the camera!

He seems very proud of his finished product.

After his was finished, I quickly carved a basic jack-o-lantern for the back porch. I think I spent more time gutting it and cleaning up the seeds to be roasted (yum!):

Lighting up the jack-o-lantern last evening before bed

It's back to the doctor for me tomorrow, so I'll update as we know more about when this baby will arrive!!

***Also, I just added a short video at Huber's of Lewis riding a tricycle--it's about 2/3 of the way down the (really long) post.

Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead

Earlier this week, we met Tonya and Carlton out at Blackacre for a morning of farm fun. It's only about 15 minutes from our house, but I've never been out there before. I had heard of it, both back in my environmental education days and as I was looking at places to volunteer--I'm really glad we finally made it out there. Next time, we'll have to take some snacks to feed the farm animals. They were sweet, even without treats for them.

First stop, of course, was the old blue tractor:

The very sweet baby horse saying hi to Lewis

The more timid baby cow 

Checking out the waterfall

 This pond will come back into play...notice Lewis' clothes now vs. later in the visit. :)

 Up into the hay loft

Lewis was a bit scared of climbing back down the ladder, understandably! This old barn reminded me of when I was a kid, playing at my friend Ellie's grandparents' farm, in their hay barn. So many fun memories. :) 

 The goats were a little less willing to hang, since we offered no treats. :)

A plane!

 Best buds

I am cracking up at how dirty Carlton's pants are--he found every mud puddle. :)

'Fishing' in the pond

A few minutes after this, Lewis stood up on that rock, verrry slowly and dramatically lost his balance, and went head over feet into the pond. He was noooooot happy about it. Thankfully Tonya had brought a fresh change of his clothes (from falling in mud at their house the last time we were out there). So it worked out! He did have to put his water-logged boots back on, but he was okay with wet feet.

Playing with Lewis' toy tractors

From then on, we stayed off the rocks and just hung around the perimeter. :) And Carlton lost his pants at some point because of how wet they were. Oh, boys. :) 

 Back to the tractor

Lewis was yelling out, 'I need a trailer!' and 'I need somebody to get the gate!' That might have been what Carlton was doing in the picture above...maybe? Who knows. (He's barely there on the left, messing with the gate.)

Saying hi to another sweetie--she was a very big/tall girl and very sweet (and slobbery) :)

It was a great morning with perfect fall weather. We'll have to go back on a weekend, too, when they are open for tours (I think Sunday afternoons, only). Lew would be happy just going back to play on the tractor, I'm sure. :)