Tate Farms & A Wedding

Well, we have had another busy couple of weeks which explains the delay in updating the blog. :) Monday, October 11 we decided it was time to visit the pumpkin patch so we could enjoy our pumpkins for a while before carving them. We went to Tate Farms (TateFarmsPumpkins.com) and had a GREAT time! Our pumpkin pictures look slightly different than last year though. Last year we were bundled up in our jackets, and this year it was 86 degrees the day we went to pick out our pumpkins. You can see that Dawson has pink cheeks in all the photos below. Tate Farms was amazing though. They had tons of slides of all sizes for children to play on, a big sand box, old tractor tires stacked about 14 feet tall for bigger kids to climb on, a corn box (like a sand box, but filled with corn), old farm equipment that had slides added to the slide for children to play on, swings, a petting zoo with puppies, bunnies, and goats, wooden cut-outs of Thomas the Tank Engine, Sir Topham Hat, Percy the Train, and James the Train, The Cat and the Hat, and a few others.
Dawson loved the entire experience. When we walked up Dawson just started running from one thing to the next. We enjoyed watching him run around, go down the slides, and climb like a big boy! At the end of our afternoon we went on the hay ride to the 60 acre pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins. When we got back to the barn we put Dawson in the wheelbarrow with our pumpkins, and he thought it was hilarious. We had been talking to Dawson a lot about pumpkins before we went to Tate Farms, and the whole time we were there we would ask him, "Where is a pumpkin?" He would look at us and smile before pointing to at least three or four pumpkins. We now have the pumpkins sitting by our front door, and Dawson loves to go outside to look at them.
On Friday, we left to go out of town again. This time our trip was to Tennessee for the weekend. Two of our college friends got married. John's fraternity brother, Jeff, married my sorority sister, Amanda (AT). John was in the wedding as a groomsman, so we made it in town on Friday in time for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at Calhoun's on the River. Dawson got to stay with his Nana and Grandad (John's parents) on Friday evening while John and I were at the rehearsal.
On Saturday evening Dawson got to spend some time with his Lolly and Pop (my parents) during the wedding ceremony. They took him to the Wade Family Reunion, and I think he had a great time! After the reunion and wedding ceremony, I met up with my parents to get Dawson so he could come to the wedding reception which was held at Club LeConte in Downtown Knoxville. At first I wasn't sure how Dawson was going to do because it was a little fussy, but after the d.j. fired up the music and the lights and Dawson could be on the dance floor-he had a GREAT time! Dawson and I spent the majority of the reception dancing. If you've been around Dawson in the last several months, you know that dancing is one of his very, very favorite things to do. The wedding and reception were beautiful, and we had a wonderful time. It was also great to get to see friends that we rarely get to see! I wish I had gotten more pictures, but, like I said, we were on the dance floor! :)
On Sunday, our wonderful friends Josh and Cassandra came to Maryville to visit with us. I was so excited because this weekend was the first time I (FINALLY) got to meet their baby, Henry. He is almost 3 months old, but because they live in North Carolina and we live here in Alabama we're just now getting to meet him. He is adorable, of course, and we are so happy for our friends on their newest addition! I was excited for Dawson to meet Henry since they are future best friends and fraternity brothers (haha!). They didn't interact too much, but I have a feeling that once Henry becomes mobile that will change.
Before leaving town we paid a couple of quick visits to my family again, Jeannie, and Mamaw. The weekend was too short and so busy that we barely got to visit with anyone for very long, although we enjoyed the time we had.
Unfortunately since we got back home, things have been slightly less than pleasant. Dawson started running a fever which I initially blamed on the fact that he is cutting four molars (yes, all at one time). When it got over 101 degrees (he's never had a fever that high), he started refusing to eat (he NEVER does that), and he started acting lethargic (again-NEVER), we got worried and took him to the doctor. After a long week of being sick, basically not eating anything all week, and 2 visits to the doctor's office, we learned that Dawson has Pharyngitis (a throat infection with a rash). He is now on antibiotics, and we are hoping and praying that he starts to get better very soon! Dawson has only been sick a couple of times in his life and never this bad, so this had us pretty worried about him! On top of all that, John now has another sinus infection....for a family who doesn't get sick too often--October has not been our month! We're hoping that this weekend everyone can get some chicken noodle soup and rest and get to feeling better! :)

For now, enjoy the photos below...

Above: I think we picked out the cutest pumpkin on the farm!
Above: Our family at Club LeConte for the wedding reception.

Above: Dawson found an exercise trampoline

at Nana and Grandad's and thought he was

so big jumping on it. (He didn't actually jump, he

would just bend his knees to make himself go up

and down! He was so proud though!)

Above: Dawson and Mommy at Club LeConte.

(There was so much going on at the reception that Dawson is

distracted in all of these pictures! haha)

Above: Our attempt at a family photo, meanwhile Dawson

cannot quit looking at John's orange vest. :)

Above: John with some of his fraternity brothers

at the wedding reception.

Above: Dawson sitting on Erin's lap. (He wasn't unhappy,

he just wouldn't sit still for the picture!) Someone told Erin

that her son (meaning Dawson) looked just like her...haha!

Above: Dawson with Grandad.

Above: Best friends and fraternity brothers, John and Josh,

with their boys, Dawson and Henry!

Above: Grandad got a bowl of grapes for Dawson, but all

Dawson wanted to do was share them with his Grandad!

Above: When we got to Tate Farms this is what

Dawson did...he took off running from one thing

to the next!

Above: Dawson and Daddy playing on one of the wooden

tractor cut-outs.

Above: More fun at Tate Farms.

Above: An old piece of farm equipment turned in to a slide!

Above: Dawson and Daddy preparing for

another slide!

Above: Dawson LOVED the goats.

Above: More fun with the goats in the petting zoo!

Above: Dawson petting a goat.

Above: When we made Dawson come out of the goat

pin, he just hadn't quiet had enough!

Above: Fun in the corn box!

Above: More fun in the corn box.

Above: Cooling off in the swing!

Above: Dawson examining some pumpkins

that had already been picked.

Above: He tries to climb on EVERYTHING!

Above: Pumpkins are not for climbing! :)

Above: Dawson has a recent interest in wheels.

He points them out on all his toys, cars, trucks, and

this old fashioned wagon!

Above: Farmer Dawson

Above: Mommy and Dawson on the hay ride.

Above: Farmer Dawson showing us some pumpkins.

Above: Dawson and Daddy on the hay ride.

He liked being on the hay ride so much he was

clapping!

Above: Dawson though the trains were cool!

(Notice the cotton field in the background)

Above: He started pointing out the mouth, nose, and eyes

on the trains (I think he's used to being quizzed). :)