thirty four

I was greeted this morning, after getting to sleep blissfully late, with my door opening and Dennis shouting "Happy birthday, Mommy, I got you a card! Surprise!". He climbed up into bed with me and gave me the card that he 'signed' himself. Daddy was right behind him with another card and a gift, a new Wii fitness game (EA Active). What a wonderful way to start my 34th birthday!

We visited the local pumpkin patch and met up with the Gallmans and Allison--the guys didn't join us as they were moving furniture into Uncle Denny's place. The kids had great fun at the pumpkin patch riding the hayride, picking pumpkins, and most of all, playing on the giant inflatable structures there (something Dennis will probably do a couple of more times this month while the pumpkin patch is open). We certainly enjoyed hearing Dennis and Chloe talk to each other. They had actual conversations that were so cute. The one I missed but Ellen heard: Chloe asked Dennis "Where did your Mommy go?" and Dennis replied "she went to the zoo" (I was walking to the car at the time).

We partied at the lake house with cake and a delicious supper followed by s'mores pie (made especially for me by Ellen because I am so crazy about s'mores). Dennis and Chloe dressed up in his firefighter costumes and played around for a while. They both wanted to wear the same pair of boots (Dennis' Cars rainboots) and compromised by each wearing one of them. They split his pair of cowboy boots also. They played and ran and yelled and carried on for hours, and when we decided it was time for them to calm down, I set them up in the bedroom watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and they happily cuddled up together and we could hear them talking about the show.

I am so proud of Dennis for climbing up the BIG slide and going down twice! This was a GREAT day and I got GREAT presents and I couldn't be happier. Dennis was happy all day too. I think we all were. Thanks everyone for everything--it was WONDERFUL!