Walking! Well, some steps. Steps!

It's been a big week around here, kids. I think this calls for subheadings.

The Walking
Finn's been more and more excited about being vertical lately - to the detriment of his health, even. The boy looks like we carry him around in a sack full of bricks, and they had to call me twice from day care Wednesday with "ouch reports." But he's making progress, and here he is yesterday shortly after he apparently took about 7 steps before falling over. I say "apparently" because I didn't witness it myself, but Jonathan was there, and Grandma and Grandpa Fortney were watching via Skype.

Steps! from Katie on Vimeo.

The Insanity
Jonathan is back in town to stay, as of Friday night. Until November 6. And except for spending the night at work tomorrow night for remote observing. Sigh. Here's a sampling of some of what we've had going on while he was away and since he's been back.

1. Finn may have had pink eye. (He's fine.)
2. Murray got an emergency middle-of-the-night trip to the vet. (He's also fine. And expensive.)
3. I had a paper due yesterday. (I'm fine.)
4. We think the house we're renting has termites.
5. Finn now has long sleeved shirts AND pants, which is good, since it's October.
6. We still have no driveway, although there are some paving stones out there in spots. The guys working on the driveway are very nice, and Finn likes the boss's dog.

Here's what hasn't been going on: laundry, cleaning generally, seeing and talking to most of our family and friends (Hi! We're still here! Somewhere. I think.), and just about everything else that doesn't kind of make itself obnoxiously necessary. And yet, we still made time for the pumpkin festival.

The Pumpkin Festival
We've gone to the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival for the past 3 or 4 years now, and we weren't going to let a little thing like our LIVES get in the way of that. So Saturday morning we threw Finn in the car when he was ready for his morning nap and headed over the mountains. First stop, Arata Pumpkin Farm and their awesome straw maze. Here's Finn, resting his weary head near the end of the maze.

After that we let him play in the pumpkins, corn, and straw, and pick one out to take home. He's a pumpkin fan.

Then we headed to the pumpkin fest. Better than last year: we did manage to meet up with the Smiths. Not better than last year: Jonathan was unable to get in on the pie eating contest! It's a great deal, because slices of pie are $5, but you get a whole one for $1 if you stick your face in it for the contest. Alas, it was too crowded this year and Jonathan didn't get a spot. Or any pie. He says he can make it until Thanksgiving, or until I have time to make one, whichever comes first. I'm betting on Thanksgiving.

MANY, many pumpkin photos at Flickr.
Oh god, I almost forgot. Watch this, from Thursday:


Finn LOVES the fountain! from Katie on Vimeo.
Sorry about the sideways-ness at the beginning. Jonathan likes to shoot in portrait. But check out the facial expression at about 0:10.