the calm before the storm

We have an independent boy on our hands.

Now that he's the ripe ol' age of three-quarters-of-a-year old, he's exerting his independence, his big-boyness. Apparently, he's not a baby anymore. He doesn't need mama to hold his bottle, he reaches for the spoon during meal times. He crawls up the stairs on his own and scoots back down on his bum (this second part started today, and by the way, mama is secretly right behind him:)). 

Oh, that's our wood pile that we've been diligently stacking; getting ready for fall fires:)

I want to teach him so much, but I also want him to learn how to learn on his own. And it's really so fascinating, so wonderful, to watch him realize how the world works. I'm applauding his independence:).

He's had a bit of a cold lately. And while it makes me so sad to see him sick, he's a little more vulnerable and in need of his mama. And while I do love the independent streak, I embrace the neediness while I can. When he's sick, he sneaks over to lay his head on my lap (something he never does on a normal day, because he's too busy exploring, trying to wiggle free from mama's grasp). But since he's sick, I'm babying him; giving extra long hugs and rubs through the (sometime crocodile) tears, letting him take three hour naps during the day, throwing his usual schedule to the wind. It's no fun to be sick, especially when there's a whole world that needs exploring. So I'll make it as good as I can for him:).

We're hunkering down in preparation for Hurricane Irene. It's hard to believe that the seemingly quiet and and pensive sky is about to turn mad on us in a few hours.

The calm before the storm.

We're ready for it though; we've brought out the candles and flashlights, we've charged our cell phones, taken our patio furniture in for the night. I've even filled a few old milk containers with water, just in case.

Enjoy the weekend! I hope you're safe & prepared if you're on the east coast.

xoxo

9 months ago.....

Nine months ago today, we thought we were going to have to wait another day to meet you.

Nine months ago today, the theme song from Angry Birds forever associated itself in my mind with the day you were born (great source of entertainment during those last hours though:)).

Nine months ago today, your mama and dada had a very trying and sleepless night, but the moment we saw you, we forgot all about it.

Nine months ago today, your grandparents (all four of them!!) showed up at the hospital thinking that they were just going to say hi to mama and dada, go home for the evening, then come back to meet you the next day (as they had already waited patiently for you for over a week). Little did they know that on their way to the hospital, you decided that you just couldn't wait to meet them.

Nine months ago today, we fell in love with our little boy 

(well.... 18 months ago, actually....).

Today, we continue to fall in love with you and the little person that you are becoming.

Happy first 9 months, sweet Benjamin... here's to many, many more.....

xoxo,

mama

A Weekend of Firsts

Happy mid-August:).

This past week felt a lot like the beginning of autumn; the days were rainy and dark, the night air had an early fall-ish chill. I'm trying so hard to just soak up the end of this summer, to be present and to bask in Ben's first summer,but I find my usual childhood giddiness with the onset of fall creeping in. 

Today we split and stacked wood; the wood that will provide the sole source of warmth for our home from October through April. And the whole time that I was stacking, the smell of logs had me day dreaming about apple picking, toasting pumpkin seeds, baking pies, lighting cinnamon-scented candles and snuggling up on the couch with a cozy blanket and a steaming cup of cider. Oh, how I love fall. And this fall, Ben's first fall, will be filled to the brim with everything that there is to love about the season. I'm going ten-fold this year. Ben may not remember his first autumn, but I'm laying the foundation for years and years of tradition to come. And it is going to be sweet, sweet, sweet:).

But I mustn't let the end of summer slip away without a proper goodbye. She is, after all, so very special in her own right. We're enjoying our summer, very, very much. This weekend we took the canoe out to our favorite little pond. We loaded the pup, the babe, a cooler full of snacks, wine, and the picnic blanket into the car and drove the two miles to the pond, where we relished in Ben's first (of many to come) canoe trip.

It was just perfect.

There is something so incredibly moving about watching my son experience his firsts in life. He's young now and won't remember this canoe trip specifically, but there will be so many canoe trips, so many campfires, so many frogs (he saw his first frog yesterday and laughed as it leaped out of my hands and onto his leg) for him to enjoy.

We're merely laying this foundation; a love of nature, of curiosity and activity, an appreciation of life. He won't remember these early firsts, but thankfully we will. And we'll keep them tucked away for a rainy fall day in the future... :)

Happy end of summer to you.

xoxo

midsummer dreams:)

It's already the middle of July! Where did time go? I take a bunch of photos, meaning to post & share, then two weeks go by in the blink of an eye. I'm going to try SO hard to be better at posting. I don't do it enough, but when I do, I love it.

So, here are some random happy midsummer notes, along with a few photos from Ben's first summer;). Happy Summer to you:).

midsummer garden peas

midsummer obsession with lobster



midsummer DIY courtyard installation project

midsummer cold :( and teeth!!

midsummer hummingbird lovin'

midsummer peek-a-boo

midsummer nap time

midsummer blocks

midsummer smiles

midsummer letters

midsummer hydrangeas, or snack, in Ben's case:) (he ate them right after this photo was taken)

midsummer dada ride; currently Ben's favorite activity

midsummer beauty

xoxo

June blooms & puppy love

Happy June.

Happy (near) summer:).

The flowers are blooming here like mad.

When I was 8 months pregnant, I planted several perennial bulbs around the house, big belly and all. 

I'm delighted that the little guys have made their appearance:). And will bloom for many years to come.

And each year that these blooms show their lovely heads, I will tell Ben that they were planted the year that he was born. The year that our lives changed forever:).



peonies from the garden- my absolute favorite:)



On another note, Ben loves himself some serious puppy.

It may not appear that way from the above photo, but he adores his dog. The phrase 'Benji, gentle...' is frequently said around here, as he wants to take his puppy and devour her. We have to show him how to be sweet to the pup. She may look like a walking teddy bear, but she's much more fragile:).



I don't know many bears that walk around the wild with tennis balls in their mouths:).



This week we had a scary reminder of how precious this life is. Thankfully, everyone will be fine, but there is an overwhelming desire to give extra long hugs, make more phone calls and throw in some extra I love yous to the people that matter. Life is so goddamned good and it needs to be cherished and celebrated. It's too short to do anything but.

Happy almost summer. I hope you're enjoying every beautiful minute of it with the ones that you love.

xoxo

Friday:)

Enjoying the beauty outside.....

And inside......

Happy weekend to you......

May it be filled with many beautiful things.

xoxo