Carson and Timber

One day Carson decided he wanted to be like Timber.

Carson still adores Timber and loves to give him treats. Although he sees giving Timber treats as a game, so Timber usually has to work for his treat. =) Carson will say the word "dog" now, and lately he has been trying to say "good dog." It's quite adorable.

Speaking of Timber, he's doing okay. We just got him neutered, so he is recovering from that. He is such a sweetheart, and is great with Carson, but just happens to be really shy, especially around strangers, so we found a really great dog trainer in Tucson who specializes in working with dogs with behavior issues. We have our first session next weekend, so hopefully these sessions will help him come out of his shell.

Tucson Children's Museum

On Jason's day off this week, we took a little drive to the Tucson Children's Museum. It wasn't the best children's museum I've ever been to, but it had some fun areas. The dinosaur exhibit was by far my favorite (a no-brainer for anyone who knows me!) and I think Carson enjoyed it as well. He loves his dinosaur books, toys and stuffed animals, and he seemed excited, although a tad nervous of their size, when he saw the exhibit. There was a also a life-size police motorcycle and fire engine equipped with flashing lights and sounds, which was pretty cool. Now that Carson is getting older, it's fun to see him forming interests to certain things, such as the dinosaurs and the music exhibit in this case.

The Museum

The dinosaur outside the museum

Carson and Jason after they built a pyramid

Carson and I with T Rex

Dinosaurs!

Carson making electricity - he's a scientist in the making!

Jason playing some game...Jason and I probably had just as much fun as Carson

Carson with a rain stick; I think he would have taken it home with him if we had let him

Taking a little break

Jason and Carson steering a submarine

Carson's reaction to a puppet; he loves puppets

Police Chief Heffel

Happy boy!

"The town too tough to die"

During Tim and Dodie's visit last week, we made yet another trip to Tombstone, Arizona. Every time we go, we seem to find something new; we are going to be Tombstone experts after a couple more visits! This time we finally saw the OK Corral shootout, which Carson surprisingly sat through the whole 45 minutes. I think the lollipop I gave him had something to do with that, although the lollipop was also responsible for one sticky boy. =) Then we enjoyed a drink at Big Nose Kate's Saloon and some ice cream at the parlor (two stops we always make while in town). All in all, it was another successful trip to "the town too tough to die."



Carson with Grandpa and Grandma Heffel on the buggy


Jason showing off his cow-roping skills! =)


Now it's Carson's turn!

Carson about to ride the mechanical horse...although it ended up being broken. I love his face in this picture...I think he's thinking "Am I supposed to be on this thing?"

Duck Feeding

A week or two ago (Is that sad I can't remember?! And is it sad I'm that far behind on the blog?!) I took Carson to feed ducks at a really nice little hidden pond on the Fort Huachuca base. I normally don't bother to travel on base because we are not military so I have to get a visitor pass and I don't know my way around on base at all, but I thought it would be something different than our usual playdates, and we were meeting some friends as well. I had been having a horrendous couple of days that week, so we almost didn't make it to the pond at all! First, I backed into Jason's car, then I accidently caught Carson's high chair on fire with a candle (don't worry, he wasn't in it!), and then to cap the week off I was denied access on base that day because I couldn't find my updated car insurance. Luckily, my friend Heather came to Carson and I's rescue and came to pick us up and bring us on base.

Anyways, Carson really enjoyed the pond and feeding the ducks, although he wanted all the bread I had brought to himself. Nothing surprising there! I didn't get any really great pictures, so maybe if I decide to venture out there again I can get some better ones.

Trick-or-Treating

Carson did amazingly well for his first time trick-or-treating. Last year he was only 3-months-old, so he pretty much slept the whole time. He fussed a little when Jason and I were putting on his vampire costume, but once he knew we were going outside, he perked right up. He walked on his own and even held his own bag. He looked so proud walking with all of us! Grandpa and Grandma Heffel came along with us since they were in town visiting, which I'm sure Carson enjoyed.
I will admit, I had a tearful moment when I walked him up to his first house - I just hit me how big he is getting! After a couple of houses in our neighborhood, he picked right up on what he was supposed to do. He started reaching for candy, trying to go into people's houses and he even tried to give people candy from his bag (he loves to share!).
The frightening part of the evening came when we got back to our house, and I noticed a snake on our front porch by the pumpkins. It turned out to be a baby rattlesnake!! The first we've seen here in Arizona. We made into the house safely, but the snake did not have such a happy ending. We just can't have rattlesnakes on our property with Carson running around. He wouldn't have any problem walking right up to it.
Carson also enjoyed having trick-or-treaters come to our house. He would wave at each kid as they left. It was quite adorable. Overall, we had a pretty successful halloween.

Our cute little vampire








Carson didn't get scared once, even though some of our neighbors had some scary costumes and decorations. He's such a brave little boy!


Carson admiring his candy

Our halloween visitor

Carving Pumpkins

As part of the our halloween festivities for the week, Jason, Carson and I carved the pumpkins we picked from the orchard. Carving pumpkins has always been one of my favorite things to do in the fall, and I hope Carson will learn to enjoy it as well. Jason found a recipe for cooking the pumpkin seeds, so he worked away in the kitchen, dishes banging and spices flying, and the seeds turned out to be delicious!




Cleaning out his pumpkin



Hmm.....what should I carve on my pumpkin?




Notice the smile behind his pacifier - he always enjoys to get to do big boy things with dad.



Playing with the slimy seeds


He really got into it! =)


Carson was clapping at a passing car. Silly boy.

The finished product! We called Carson's pumpkin - a starry night. Our pumpkin carving kit came with a pack of little glowing balls, so we had him push the balls into holes that Jason had drilled into the pumpkin. That way he could feel like he was participating in carving his pumpkin.

My pumpkin - a witch

Jason's pumpkin - a pirate ship