Back in the Patch

Today marked our second annual trip to Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in West Hollywood. It's becoming a family tradition and is marking time in such an incredible way. C looks so big now. I know every parent says this, but it really does feel as if we were just here five minutes ago ... only C wasn't able to walk and the word "No" hadn't yet entered her vocabulary.

But you can see the difference. (She also looked less like a Halloween kitten in '07. What a difference a year makes.)

If you've never been to Mr. Bones, it's really cute. It's located on Doheny between Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards in a large open, well, patch strewn with hay and pumpkins. Once you walk in, you grab a wagon or just let the kids roam free among the gourds, oversized rocking horses, bouncy pumpkin and other Bones attractions.

We started off with face painting. And luckily for everyone, the woman who was applying the paint was almost superhuman in her speed. I barely had C on my lap before the woman said she was done. I was sure she had just slapped some whiskers on C and called it a day, but the final product was adorable.

Next, we joined the wagon train. C loved riding around in the little metal carts, just like she did last year. She seemed more at ease with just taking a ride around the patch, unlike last year when she wanted to make a break for it at every opportunity.

To tell you the truth, I already can't wait for next year, and it isn't even Halloween yet. (I'll have to post pictures of C in her costume later this week. That will be a trip ... her first time trick-or-treating.)

But seeing last year's photos compared with this year's is so jarring ... in a good way. How much will she have grown by Halloween '09? What will she be doing? Saying? Wanting to wear? Will she be so over kitten face-painting? Who knows?

One thing that has remained constant, however, is her unfortunate disdain for the most adorable pumpkin hat of all. (See Grumpy pumpkin post.) I guess some things never change.