5:47 am

His status:

awake and happy for over an hour

I'm so glad he's feeling better.  There is nothing more heartbreaking than a sick baby.

Around here...

...we've all needed meals like this.

First flu of the season.  

Courtesy of the sick guy who sat next to Jon in class.

And now it's fall.

Fall fell at 5:19 am this morning.  

I was sleeping, so I missed it. 

 

We informally celebrated with a cookout on Sunday evening.   Meet our new grill.  

My parents found this little number and fixed it up for us.   They dropped it off Sunday afternoon, complete with charcoal, steaks, potatoes, a salad, rolls, AND desert.  It was an amazing way to celebrate everything that summer was.  

Already the weather has been cooling and it's felt very appropriate to walk to school in crisp morning air.  I feel the urge to go buy new pencils.  And maybe a trapper keeper. (anyone? anyone?)

Summer was wonderful:  we had the move to Baltimore, our weekend beach trip with the family, I started school, Owen started solid foods,  Gina joined our family, Les and Tay came for a visit, Jon started his LAST fall semester at AU, we had walks in the park, weddings, a fun trip up north, ice cream, Bananagrams, family, friends, and fun.  I loved it.

Deep down, I'm a fall girl.  I love the color and cool air, the apple cider and sweaters.  Down comforters and warm soup.  Mums and the smell of cloves.   Fall is such a nice way to transition to winter's grey cold.  It kind of fools you into thinking that icy, slushy, windy days won't be so bad.

Yay for fall!

Me and My Boys

I've been incommunicado for a bit as it seems like there's a million things to do and never enough time to do them. Even so, you get a nice bit of rest every now and again.

What this blurry picture is showing you is me catching a quick 'cat nap' (pun completely intended and way over used) with Owen and Cass. Since we've moved to Baltimore and Cass stayed behind to continue enjoying the wilderness beauty at High Point with Joya, I rarely get opportunities like this to enjoy his company. This one was too good to pass up.

As soon as I sat down on the coach with Owen, Cass immediately jumped up, ran over, and climbed down into my lap. It's just too bad we couldn't lounge all afternoon.

Z

Owen at one week.  

I don't think I've ever posted this picture.  Which is a crime.

Also criminal is the fact that I have 563,869 awesome blog posts lined up.  Weddings, Baltimore funness, more weddings, family stuff, Owen coolness, Jon love (as always - gosh I love that guy), etc, etc, etc.  

They're coming!  (I just have to make room on my computer so I can download the bazillion photos from the camera.  Life as a compulsive shutter bug is so tough.  sigh.)

It only gets better...

On Wednesday we celebrated the magnificentness that is Jon's birthday.

A little scavenger hunt started out the day and some surprise homemade cupcakes finished it off.  Not a bad way to commemorate 35 years. 

The one giant cupcake was a special treat for my birthday man.  :)

Gina did an awesome job decorating them while we were out for a relaxing dinner.  

Happy Birthday Jon.  I've gotten to celebrate 10 birthdays with you now - and reflecting back through the years and seeing where you are now fills my heart with immeasurable joy.  

You are my great treasure and I love you madly with every ounce of my being.

7 Happy Months!

Look at me!  So sweet and innocent and sugar and kitten tails!  Come on over!  I'm cuddly!

A little bit closer...you know you can't resist the puppy eyes!

Just a bit...more...

Got it!  Mwahahahahahahahaah!  Maybe I will eat this.  Who am I kidding.  Of course I will eat this.

Owen is seven months old.  Could this mommy thing get any more fun?  I love it!

Owen has impressed me this month with his patience and flexibility - a lot to credit a baby with but he really has endured a lot of crazy in a way that makes me question my own response to crazy twists and turns in life.

From patiently sitting though long road trips to enduring his mom's ever changing, stress marked schedule, to delayed feedings and missed naps, Owen was always calm, rarely complained about anything and had a ready smile for me whenever I needed a reality check.

Thanks for such a happy month Owen!