Glorious Fall

We had a truly wonderful month of October. In general, this fall has been one of the most beautiful and enjoyable that I can remember in years. We have had glorious, warm afternoons and cool evenings and the fall colors have been magnificent. I went for a run yesterday and couldn't help but be amazed by the beauty in our own neighborhood. In our personal lives, we are finally feeling a sense of stability after the stress of law school and hardship with the bar last year. Although some days are still hard Miles is getting a little bit more cooperative and we have all fallen so madly in love with Tommy that we cannot remember life without him in our family. Here are some of the photographic high-lights.

This fall I started doing a preschool co-op with some moms in our neighborhood. It is pretty informal, but Miles really is enjoying it and I have actually been a little surprised by how much I enjoy planning the lessons when it is my turn to teach. I am already starting to get sad just thinking about Miles starting kindergarten in two years, and am really trying to savor this time I still have to spend with him around most of the time. Anyway, for one of our field trips we went to a you-pick apple orchard and Miles and the kids had a blast picking their own apples.

We are still having sleep issues at our house in spite of Tommy being !eight! months old now. He was actually a really good sleeper a couple of months ago, and we sadly have had some serious regression. Miles also has now sworn off naps in spite of my best efforts to continue them. Unfortunately, the car seems to be about the only place I can count on them both to sleep. They look so peaceful in these photos that you would never know how resistant to sleep they often are.

We have been going for scoots/walks several times a week. The boys seem to have my deep love for being outside and we have been trying to soak up the last days of nice fall weather, but it snowed today so I think that we may have sadly reached the end of it.

We have lived in our house for over three years and were surprised to discover this month that just down the road from our house there is a lovely trail through the woods. We have gone for several walks there already and enjoy being surrounded by nature in spite of living in a fairly urban area. Miles is forever picking up interesting leaves, rocks, sticks, etc. and adding them to his nature collection. He has had a number of bugs in jars as pets, and I was impressed to find out that box elder bugs can live in a jar with no food, water, or fresh air for over two weeks. I had to draw the line at bugs, though--we passed a little snake on a walk recently which Miles wanted me to catch but there was no way I was touching it let alone bringing it home!

Tommy is in prime cuteness these days. I love this stage of infancy--super smiley and interactive, but not quite mobile enough to be into everything yet! 

These boys are sure growing up!