First pumpkin patch of the season

Our first pumpkin patch of the season was one of the ones from last year. You just can't beat nearby and free! Right in the front they have hay bales and pumpkins set out for pictures, so of course we took advantage.

Last year Luca was shy about the animals and loved the corn kernel bin and the recycling water pumps. This year he was still a little leery of the animals but very interested in them. There was a llama there that kept making noises and Luca would make them back to it. It was pretty funny, but of course as soon as I started taping a video he stopped. Oma showed him that the goat wanted to have his head scratched and that if he took a little fist of hay he could feed the tiny horse. So Luca got his own little fistful of hay and offered it.

That horse really wanted Luca to get just a little closer

He also enjoyed the pigs, cows, chickens, turkey and what we're guessing is the family dog. He did not, however, enjoy the corn bin this year... I plopped him in it and he immediately started crying and shaking. I don't know if it was because he didn't expect to sink in the kernels or what, but he was terrified. Tessa, however, liked it just fine.

Little ghost sleeping on the kernels

Luckily, Luca thought the pyramid of hay was fun.  It was way too tall for him to climb himself, but when he was put up on the top he pulled out little bits and handed them to me, asking me to go feed the cow. Then he grabbed some for himself and went to do the same. As we were headed back toward the pumpkins, we happened across a chicken driving a tractor. Trying to anyway.

Silly chicken. =) So we walked among all the pumpkins, looking for just the right one. Found one to carve later. Luca picked one out for Oma, and then he found little ones for himself and for Tessa. The one for Oma was a little big and heavy for Luca, but he tried to carry it anyway.

And that was the first trip to a pumpkin patch for the season! At least one more planned, maybe even a third. Maybe this year we'll go on a weekend sometime so Josh can come too!