paint, pumpkins, it's fall, oh my!

It's October, so basically this is as close to Fall as it's going to get here. Best way to celebrate with a a toddler and preschooler? Why, painting pumpkins of course. We made a swing by the grocery store and inspected numerous pumpkins until we finally chose three perfectly robust, deep orange pumpkins. You know because painting pumpkins is so fun I wasn't about to miss out on that activity.


Mason could hardly wait to get home I swear he tried to bust open the paint in the car. Against all odds and my fabulous luck he failed his mission. I am fairly certain I heard "is it time to paint pun'kins yet, dis is taking sooo wong" about fifty six times in a fifteen minute drive home. Alas, we pulled in the driveway and raced inside to begin pumpkin (or pun'kin) masterpieces!


I carefully poured little runny puddles of colorful paint on to a paper plate, gathered lots of brushes, cups of water, and Mason's secret "snack" he somehow snuck in to the grocery cart to our backyard. It was time to get festive. So we did.



Max took right to the paint. He loved it - on his belly and hands and even as dessert. Max's recklessness was not appealing to Mason, the world's most easily stressed three year old. He was panicking...Max was making a mess, he was mixing all the colors, oh heavens no who does THAT? I don't know what I was dreaming of when I only set up one color palette for painting. I should have known better. These are my kids after all, I should wise up.

Mason excitedly spotted his mystery snack. In the cutest little voice ever he asked, "You got dat for me mommy? You are teh best mommy ever, I wuv you". I guess he meant you didn't realize I'd snuck a COKE in our basket while Max was screaming and throwing everything off the racks of every aisle we attempted to go down? You won Mase, you snuck it past me, but don't think it'll be that easy with the booze in thirteen years buddy. He won indeed. Sipped it right down with a festive ORANGE straw.



After the old fashioned coke was demolished, a spurt of energy appeared. Enthusiasm rekindled and painting ensued. Mason took a lot of time and worked hard, painting his tiny little pumpkin for nearly thirty minutes. I ended up having to force him to stop because between all the mixing of colors his pumpkin was starting to look rotten - well, a rotten masterpiece I mean.


The mosquitoes were in full force taking no prisoners and not quite taking the hint that it's FALL, or that were pretending it is. Lastly, Max had ingested more paint that was on all three of our pumpkins and I know, I know it's non-toxic, but the thoughts of what color diaper I was going to end up with tomorrow at 9:00 AM were more than enough to go ahead and end our lovely activity.


We are already painting pumpkins - so c'mon Fall, do your damn thing already.