The Schmidt Family Grows: 1st Annual Schmidt Family Pumpkin Carving

To say pumpkin carving with a 10 month old and 3 year old is fun is putting it mildly. I can't tell you how many times Adam and I dissolved into fits of giggles b/c of something funny one or the other did and/or said. Enjoy the pictures and a few highlights of how awesome it was.

Morgan's pumpkin carving story in our words:
Morgan doesn't like to get dirty much. Ok, I'm lying. Morgan hates getting really dirty. She will touch weird things with her finger tips (ie. shaving cream, paint, various consistencies, etc.) but to dive in and make a huge mess? Nope. She has always been that way (ie. reference somewhat boring 1st birthday cake pictures and requiring a fork before she'd get really "into" her cakes). She was all about cutting open the pumpkin until she saw the inside. FREAKED. "I don't WANT to put my hand in there!!!" We encouraged her anyway but then let her do whatever she wanted while encouraging her to at least try scooping with the orange scoopers or a giant spoon. She finally did so by holding the very TIP of the spoon and then being extremely proud of herself when she scooped out two seeds. As in elated, thus hilarious (how to hide the fact that we found it so funny...ok, we didn't, we laughed). Our absolute favorite, however, was when Hadley was enjoying her baby antics (read below) and Morgan yelled, "NO MOUTH!" and batted her hand away from her mouth. We didn't care what Hadley did and told Morgan that Hadley was fine to explore the pumpkins, inside and out. She took in that bit of info and then cringed every time she saw Hadley stick her hand in a pumpkin. She winced every time I pulled out goo with my bare hands. I told Morgan that we could clean the seeds, roast, and then eat them if we wanted and I thought she was going to die. We heard an instant, "I DON'T LIKE THOSE," in a very matter-of-fact tone (from a girlie who's never tasted them). Once the pumpkins were cleaned out, she was a CHAMP at helping Adam carve them and took her role of hole-poking (for the tiny saw to get in) very seriously (reference picture below). She loved it and enjoyed looking at them outside with candles lighting them up. Nice work for your first time, kiddo. :)

Morgan's pumpkin carving story in HER words (ok, what I think her words might have actually been and actually were in some cases):
So we got these pumpkins and we were going to carve them! I was SO EXCITED!! ::jumps up and down:: Daddy cut open the top and when I looked inside, it was FULL OF GROSS GOO!! What!? What was God thinking when he created pumpkins?? I wasn't so sure I wanted in on this anymore. I sort of tried to touch the inside at the very top but that was yucky that I said NO and I didn't like it. I tried using a scooper but the handle was too short and I was too close to actually touching the goo. Daddy got me a big, long spoon and that helped a little, but let's be real - this was a lost cause. I then decided to use my long handled spoon to clean up the goo that got on the sheet and helped that way so as to avoid my hand accidentally touching the inside of the pumpkin. I just couldn't BELIEVE they let Hadley touch and LICK the pumpkin goo. I almost freaked out every time I saw her do it. I tried to help her see the reality of how gross it was, but alas, the parent folk made me leave her alone and she was a disastermesschild. Whatever. I know gross when I see it and it's not MY fault that she's a baby and has no clue. Hopefully she'll grow up and realize someday that I'm (always) right. Then Daddy said we could carve the pumpkins (which involved poking and cutting! Woo!) and I was an expert poker so Daddy could cut holes in the pumpkins with the tiny saws mom got out of the pumpkin carving kits. Even though there was so much grossness involved and I almost fainted three times from it, carving pumpkins is REALLY fun and I can't wait to do it again next year!!

Hadley's pumpkin carving story in our words:
Oh Hadley. You make us smile so much each day and today was no exception. So as soon as the three of us older people in the family were busy setting up for the great pumpkin carving, Hadley took off for the (up)stairs b/c theoretically, no one should be watching and she'd have free reign for at least 23 seconds to scale as many as she could. I convinced her to see what we were up to and once she actually saw the pumpkins, she came a crawlin'. Fast. Adam cut open the first one (reference Morgan's reaction above), put it on the floor for us to start cleaning out, and Hadley had NO problem DIVING in and seeing what was all up in there. Of course, she grabbed the pumpkin stem/lid and tried to eat it. My brother, Travis, said his girls really enjoyed eating pumpkin and hey! Why not! We use it to cook! So I let her taste it all she wanted and wowzers, does that kid love pumpkin. Finally, she saw that stuff was coming OUT of the pumpkin and immediately wanted in on the action. (PS. dressing kid in feetsie jammies was the best idea ever - SO easy to clean up - face, hands, done.) She pulled out goo, ate some, threw the seeds down, licked some, got more goo, and enjoyed watching her sister freak out. She touched her sister with it once and we all had a good laugh as I'm sure you can imagine by now how that went down. Hadley could have stayed there forever playing with the pumpkins but soon it was past her bedtime and since she's boycotting naps at Mary's house this week (say what!?! we think it has something to do with the meds she's on??) she needed to get to bed. Minimal naps + pumpkin carving = baby who slept straight through the night. Lovely. Best pumpkin carving ever.

Hadley's pumpkin carving story, as told in her words:
Stairs!!
Orange things!!
Pumpkin lids taste good!!
Leave me alone, Morgan!!
I love pumpkin goo!!
::make funny face::
It's really squishy!!
I throw you, pumpkin goo!!
HA HA HA got you, Morgan!!
::make funny face::
Why can't I have a big bite, Mom?!
I love the scoop!!
I put goo back in the pumpkin from the bowl!!
::make funny face::
Here, Jessie, pumpkin tastes good!!
Why no puppy sharing, Mom!?
::rub eyes, get dangerously close to pumpkin goo insertion::
::protest getting clean::
::protest new jammies/diaper::
::take medicine like a champ::
::kisses goodnight::
::drink 1/2 of bottle::
::take last medicine::
::splat-out-cold baby for the night::