[ fall's charm. ]

Today we went out and did some fall-ish things. I've been looking forward to this all year! Seriously. As soon as the last leaf falls during an Autumn... a sense of sadness sets in over the fact that we'll have to wait twelve more months to witness that kind of beauty again. Good thing we have a Creator, who knows how to create! Thank goodness he created four completely different seasons who have beauty all their own. So, in celebration of this season: we did things today like ate lunch at an orchard, sipped apple cider, savored every last bite of a cinnamon sugar donut, admired the glowing trees, touched cool pumpkins, and strolled through quaint gift shops. Love Robinette's! Where else can you locally find a place that maintains an orchard, makes their own cider, fudge, donuts, and lots of other goodies, shuttles people propped on bails of hay around through the orchard, sells pumpkins, has a full blown gift shop, and winery?

 Check out the little guy who's loving the leaves too... He know's how to stop and savor the beauty! (Or maybe he saw me staring up into the tree through my viewfinder and was trying to figure out what I was looking at...)

Yes, please!

Believe it or not. I've lived here nearly two years and today was my first trip to Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Scupture Park! It was nothing short of perfection. It was immaculate and very apparent that someone put some serious time into thinking through every aspect of that place. I didn't see a single detail that was overlooked, or half-heartedly installed. It is absolutely beautiful. I just kept saying, "Breck, you are going to love this place!"

 Even the concrete supports were designed to resemble the structure of a tree. How stinking cool! Now that's creative.

There was something magical about this room. Topiaries and suspended Mum ornaments decorated this solarium.

This was Bonsai Maple Tree... it was literally about 18" tall. It was amazing. (Look at that handsome guy in the reflection of the mirror.) :)

We realized today that it will probably be about another 25 years or more until we are able to hold hands again. We used to hold hands all the time. Now, if both of us aren't carting diaper bags, or Breck, or carseats around, one of us has our hands full with something having to do with a baby. But that's ok... Breck is totally worth it and we wouldn't have it any other way. We'll just try to hold hands during the .5% of the time our hands are free.

 Tired, sweet boy. He did so well though!

He was too busy checking out this massive jack-o that he couldn't waste time looking at Mama for a picture, but we got Daddy to look!

This was so very cool! I felt like a little kid and couldn't stop Ooo-ing and Aaaaah-ing over it! It was a Great Lakes water table. See how it is shaped into the Great Lakes? In the middle and lower portion of the picture you can see how the states Michigan and Indiana are stamped into the ground.

 Chihuly exhibit... very, very, cool. Amazing talent!

The most beautiful view of the day:

Champagne chandelier by Chihuly.

 Want one of Chihuly's masterpieces? Well, you may sure have one if you can come up with, ah-hem, $5,500. Not too shabby.

Off the subject of fall, orchards, and art... but couldn't leave out our sea creature friends who joined us at the dinner table tonight. Thankfully, MomB and DadB were there to instruct us step-by-step, otherwise, we would not have had a dadgum clue how to crack, cut, or dig into those suckers. Yum.
(See the steam?)

[ autumnal bliss, knits, and shopping carts ]

It's been snowin' leaves the past few days, so much so, that it's only a matter of a day or so the trees will be bare and Breck will no longer be entranced by shaking leaves. I knew that the next day the landscapers would be by to rake, chop, or blow away those glorious colors. Which, might I add, is a crime! Why can't leaves just lie around and decorate the ground for the duration of fall? Why do old people go pick up every last leaf off their yard? I know, I know... it's not good for the grass. Blah, blah, blah. Loving these colors while we can!

So... Mama took her baby out for some pictures in heaps of golden hues before they are kidnapped from us.

(Breck's hat was my first knitting project! I love how it turned out... and I'm making one identical, but just opposite colors for Daddy! This mama is hooked on knitting!)

Baby boy can clap now! And he's so proud of himself... Mama and Dada kind of are too! (Love this little cock-eyed-tilt of his sweet little red-head lately!)

Baby boy loves to count too! He points and does one all the time...

And what's Autumn without acorns and candy-corn?

Doesn't get much better than seeing your little explore the most beautiful season of all for the first time in his life. Ok, so maybe it does get better... I get to say good morning to this beautiful face every morning and tuck his sweet body in for sweet dreams every night! I'm a blessed mama!

I spy?...

He managed to get a whole handful out of this grab... it went right to the mouth. I did not let him eat it, but maybe mama let him try a pinch of candycorn, maybe she didn't. :o)

Ps. Look at this big boy! He LOVED sitting in this cart. Part of me thought... there's just no padding, or extra protection, it's just so bare... my baby is too little for this. But it's true... he's perfectly fine in it. I was gentle with the turns, but he did great and just took it all in!

 

[ Mama Memos ]

Five months ago... I was anticipating the most amazing gift I have ever been given.

I used to sit and rock and just day dream in Breck's room.

 I would look at his canvas, painted with love by Daddy, and wonder if Breck would even notice it, and wonder if he would like it. (Little did I know, that he would be mesmerized by it. It's reminds him of his familiarities and symbolizes his little world of comfort.)

 I would "touch" my baby and dream. Just the skin of my womb came between the palm of my hand and his sweet, unborn body. I would try to imagine that there, right there, in that brand new crib would soon be my sleeping baby boy. Unreal. It seemed as though somehow it wasn't really going to be; that I would have to continue dreaming it all up in my head. It seemed to be forever an untouchable thing. It felt like I was so close but yet so far away from being a mama. He couldn't come quick enough, but yet at the same time... oh, how I would miss those sweet flutters, jabs, floats, and rolls inside of me. As much as I miss being pregnant... I would miss my baby Breck even more if he was back in there where he came from. Now, every day I'm reminded by sweet moments that I am very much Breck Reid's mama. And it is for real, baby.  For real. I'm a Mama! And I adore my job. 

These sweet moments that I run smack into every single day... are what I call "Mama Memos." They come out of no where, and I see them all the time. These are things I see that burns a fuzzy feeling in my stomach, creeps its way up into my heart, and reminds me... I am Breck Reid Buckingham's Mama. No one else in the world is this precious boy's Mama, but Me. Wow. I am in awe.

Mama Memo #1: Binky. 

[ In my mind, I could just envision a post-it note sitting beside this pacifier that read: Why is there a pacifier on your dining room table? Because you, Mama take care of me... you show me comfort by giving me this right when you know I need it... because you are my Mama! ]

Mama Memo #2: Out to dry.

[ I walked by the bathroom one morning and got that burning, fuzzy, bubbling love feeling when I saw Breck's sleepers air drying. How cute they were... all lined up in a row. Too quickly these little sleepers will be too small and will be folded and stashed away; stacked into "hand-me-down" piles. Time is flying. ]

Mama Memo #3: Prepared.

[ Why else would a girl have two extra pacifiers and baby socks in her purse? Because she's a Mama! Did I mention I love my job? And LOVE looking down into my purse and seeing these things. They just remind me over and over again... that I am living, loving, and doing my dream job every single day. ]

Mama Memo #4: Joined.

[ You know what this belly button makes me think of? Of course it is, hands down, the cutest little belly I have ever seen. His belly button (gosh, there has to be a more techical name for that) reminds me that there... right there at his belly button is how he and I were joined together while he was growing in my womb. For nine months, that is how is little body received nourishment in order to fourished, and grew, and grew, and grew into the 8lb. 14.5oz baby that I birthed! Simply a miracle. Only God could design something so amazing. ]

I'm sure there will be many more Mama Memos to come, since I see them every single day, but for now... that's what I've got. 

[ i pick ginger ]

I am in love. 

In love with the Epiphanie: Ginger. The greatest invention yet. It's: The "It Bag." The "SLR Purse."

Here's the inventor: Maile ( and why she did what she did ) Genius.

[ my hunk ]

I think I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I'm in bed right now... next to this hunk. Look how handsome he is! Just look at him! Goodness.

And I'm looking at him right now. Poor baby is in so much pain... thankfully he's sleeping through the pain with the help of some lovely little pills. I'd buy him a new back if I could. Man, even when he is hurting, he is still amazing at his job of being an incredible husband. Today brought it's fare share of frustrations for this wife and momma. I needed him today. I needed him bad. Just for him to touch me and say, It's OK. You're OK. It will all be OK. You're doing a great job! Just the simple, warm, safe touch of his handsome hands on my skin can melt away any frustration the day has so graciously brought my way.  Today, his fingertips oozed just the right dose of confidence and energy I needed to make it through the day. His touch gives me confidence like nothing else can. It's powerful, and I wonder if he even knows it? He will now. He is my man, always will be my man, my love, my support, my hero, my rock, my provider, my Baby's Daddy. And I call him Babe... and I love it when he calls me sweets and his baby girl. 

Here's to you, Babe! You complete me. 

Love, Your Baby Girl