Names

I call Camden lots of names. We always thought we might call her "Cammie," but it never has been in our choices (although some of her cousins use it). Besides her given name, my list of usual names includes: baby girl, sugar plum, monkey pants, cutie pie, hunny bun, and missy moo. Most often, I hear Kevin call her baby girl or just baby.

The little squirt usually calls Kevin, "Daddy" or occasionally, "Dad" if she's yelling for him. Lately, she has taken to calling him, "Honey" (probably since that's what she usually hears me call him). A few times, "Kevin" has even been uttered.

My name has changed several times. I started off, of course, as "Mommy" and that still is used frequently. It switched a few months ago to "Mama" or "My mama." I actually like both of those quite a lot. I get the occassional "mom" too, which always makes me think of a 10 year old, not my little one. And, yes, "Gina" has been said too. This last week she has been calling me, "Miss Mommy."

Austin is always, "Austin" or "Bubbie."

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

No, we have not gotten a new kitten. Camden and I walked to the post office to get the mail last night and a neighborhood kitten followed us home. It probably had to do with the fact that Camden was giving it lots of attention - and plenty of "hugs" and kisses.


The cat explored our front yard...always following Camden and seeing what she was doing.

I finally got Camden to sit down on the porch and try to get the cat to come over to her. I wasn't going to post this series of photos because they aren't that good, but it shows the steps Camden took to get the kitty to come to her. I think Camden's plan was to put the necklaces on the cat.

Finally the cat decided it was time to go home, but Camden wanted it to stay and play. She followed it all through the yard trying to get the cat to come back. We have talked about getting a pet, and it's obvious that Camden would like the idea...but I think we'll still wait a bit (I don't think I'm ready!).

Date Night

Kevin took me on a date on Saturday night. We rarely get out by ourselves anymore. We decided to check out a wood-oven pizza restaurant. It is an interesting place in the middle of nowhere...that actually had some good options.

We are spoiled by another little joint near Turkey Run that has amazing pizza, but we'll probably give this place our business in the future.

It actually was in a little tiny town that is the second oldest in Indiana. It also had one of the Parke County covered bridges right across the street. We enjoyed the nice fall evening and strolled across.


It was a very nice, relaxing evening out together.

Apples

I've been wanting to get some apples to make apple butter, but hadn't found one close to our house. Ideally I wanted it to be a u-pick so we could walk through the orchard and sample. GaGa told us about one fairly close to Waveland that we planned to visit (and still may), but Camden and I were out driving on Saturday and stumbled across an orchard near Rockville. It wasn't a u-pick, but we got a peck of apples and so apple butter or applesauce or chunky apples are somewhere in our future this week.

Camden has been eyeing all the tiny pumpkins that are out this time of year as well. This place had a nice assortment, so she picked three. She has been taking them with her everywhere she goes.

The little store did have a great variety of apples and samples of each. Camden usually doesn't like the "skin" on apples, but surprisingly ate two varieties (scarlett beauty and gala) skin and all. Of course she wouldn't eat the peel on the ones we picked to bring home (jonathan).

Oh well, we loved the flavor of them. We may just end up eating this batch and heading to the other place this weekend to get some more. There is nothing like apples from the orchard!

MNF

Uncle Ric helped Kevin change the brakes and rotors on our car on Monday, then we had a quick bite to eat and headed to our hotel room for Monday Night Football. (We knew it was going to be a late night and I had to be on campus bright and early on Tuesday morning, so priceline came to the rescue once again). It also turned out great because Camden could go to bed at a reasonable hour and we could still watch the game.

No Camden is not a fashionista with an off-the-shoulder shirt. She kept taking her shirt off and on and missed one of the arm holes this time. Not sure what's up with the hair. She's such a squirt.

Pumpkin Patch

The search was fun! So many cool pumpkins to be found. We needed 3 more. Everyone looked.

Aunt Carole helped Camden and they found hers right away.

The vine was a little prickly, but she loved it's perfect "Camden" size.

We still had more to find, so Camden helped Gramma Pat and picked out a nice medium sized one.

After we picked out our favorites, we loaded up our wagon and headed back toward the car.

But first we stopped to see some sunflowers and the giant pumpkins.

By this time, it was already late afternoon and Camden hadn't had a nap. You can tell in most of the pictures she is not at her best. Plus, it turns out, she was getting pink eye. Ugh! Despite it all, we had such a wonderful time at Exploration Acres and we will definitely make this an annual tradition.

Exploration Acres

On Saturday morning, Camden and I headed to Lafayette to visit with Gramma Pat and Grampa Jim. We also got to see Aunt Linda and Grammy.

That afternoon, we wanted to do something fun, so we headed to Exploration Acres. Aunt Carole, LaLa and Ree Ree joined us.

We didn't plan to do the corn maze that this destination is famous for, but instead wanted to visit the 6-acre pumpkin patch. Before we ventured out in the field, however, we did some of the kid-friendly activities they had set up.

Of course because Camden loves water and loves rubber ducks, she immediately was drawn to the duckie races.

There was also a great hay mound that Ree Ree willingly took Camden up despite the fact that her allergies were going bonkers because of the all the hay. She's such a good cousin (who Camden adores)!

Next they headed into the small "practice" corn maze. Camden wouldn't crawl through, but neither would the older girls...it was dark!

Then we hopped on a wagon for a brief hayride to the far end of the pumpkin patch.

It was a hot day and the sun was beating down. Grampa Jim forgot his hat (and needs to stay out of the sun because of skin cancer)...so Camden's extra pair of shorts did the trick!

Then it was time to start our pumpkin hunt...

Grammy's Keyboard

Some of my favorite childhood memories include sitting around my Grammy and Aunt Mirna's living room listening to Grammy play the piano while the rest of the family sang hymns or even silly songs that she had taught us. Even when her eyesight began to fail, she wanted a little electric keyboard so she could keep playing. Now, several years later, she's at the point she can't play at all, but wanted someone to have her old keyboard. Camden was the happy recepient. She has enjoyed playing it all weekend.

Sometimes even with her toes! Now that's talent!

Recovery

Camden did great in her minor surgery. The nurse who prepped her was absolutely fantastic. The front desk gave her a small bear when we arrived and the nurse used it to do small things on before she did it to Camden.

For example, she put the thermometer in the bear's ear first (and mommies too) and she had the bear try the mask (and daddy too) before Camden did. By the time it was time to take her back to the operating room, she willingly left my arms for the nurses.

We only waited about 25 minutes before they came and got us because she was already waking up. The nurse said she gets the prize for the best "coming out of anesthesia" award for any patient she's had in the last 10 years. The anesthesiologist (or however you spell it) also walked by and said, "now that's a picture perfect wake-up." Apparently she woke up quickly, smiled at everyone, sat up and started jabbering coherantly.

She played with her tongue for the next 1/2 hour not quite sure what to think because it felt a little different, but after that was perfectly normal the rest of the day. We went shopping, took a nap, played outside, etc. The only not normal mode was she could only have "liquids" yesterday (a day of only ice cream, yogurt, and pudding...what's not to like?) and is on soft foods (eggs, bananas, cottage cheese) today.

We also immediately noticed that the split was gone, she can push her tongue out almost to her chin, and some of her speech is clearer. I doubt many would realize the difference in her speech though, because everyone's so amazed at her clarity and complete sentences. The nurses even remarked that for a child who just turned 2, she talks more fully than her 4 year old grandbaby.

We are so thankful that it truly was a minor, uncomplicated and successful procedure. Yea Camden!