Two different days this fall we had the opportunity to take some photos in the gorgeous fall colors!  It was October, and 80+ degrees. . . of course.  That’s OK, it gave us all a healthy glow – when we weren’t dripping with sweat!
Our first trip was to The Arboretum with Alycia and Ary for some pictures with Alycia’s friend Carey.  He is an amazing photographer who is just starting out and wanted to get some shots to build his portfolio.  We are very lucky that he was willing to do this.

After Coop and I got home, and took a little nap, Cory, Coop and I headed out to Minnetonka Orchard with Brooke, Ryan and Ava Jakubov.  Brooke is the photographer that has taken all of the photos of Cooper, and Ryan and I work together at WeatherNation.  They are so sweet!  We checked out the apples, the goats, the corn maze, and walked through the trails.  It was a gorgeous – 80+ degree day.  Brooke was nice enough to snap a few pictures of us (after an outfit change).  There is no way we could have lasted in sweaters and long sleeves for the whole time!

I can’t believe how incredibly fast the last 6 months has come and gone.  It is so weird to think that one year ago at this time I was packing up my house in Minnetonka to get ready to move to St Michael with Cory.  SO much can change in one small year.  When I think back to that time it seems like yesterday, but at the same time in seems like years.  Life just has this way of turning out.  If someone had told me that this is where I would be, and that I would be a mom, and have an amazing boyfriend who is the greatest dad a mother could ask for, and live in St Michael . . . I would have said “Not a chance”.  But thankfully, I got my chance.  My chance at experiencing the unbelievable and unconditional love for my son, and finally feeling and getting to know what true love is.  As much of a planner I thought I was, I never could have written this script, it would never have played out this way.

Here are the 6 month photos that we took with Brooke, and then Alycia, Ary and Coop and I did a session at the Arboretum on “hot” fall day.  We have such a gorgeous little guy – I know I am biased, but I don’t care 🙂

This truly has been the most amazing 6 months of my life.  It is going way too fast.  I realized the other night, while talking with Cory’s sister Alycia, that I am struggling a little with how fast this is going.  My baby is turning into a boy before my eyes.  Yes he is still a baby, but not at all what I expected.  He is crawling around like crazy, climbing up stairs, getting into the cabinets and pulling himself up on bookcases, and chairs, and tables, and cabinets, and doors, and . . . . well, everything.  He is eating like a champ, putting down rice cereal like it is the last bowl on earth.  I know that I should be giving him real food now.  Developmentally he is more than ready.  The kid can hold his own bottle, and I would bet that if I let him for a few days, he would probably master a spoon.  However, there is something inside me holding it up.  I know it is not right, irrational even.  But, I don’t want this to go so fast.  I know I am being selfish.  I know.  But, I honestly expected to have at least another month of my little baby.  Helpless, and needing me.

He just stayed at Granny Pat and Grandpa Ron’s house last night – the whole night.  I woke up with panic in my chest thinking that I had slept through him crying.  I opened the door to his room and quickly remembered he was at Granny’s house.  It was the emptyiest feeling I have had in a long time.  I knew he was in the best of care, with people that love him probably as close to as much as I do, but it still was tough.  I think part of it was the realization that he was OK without me.  He doesn’t need me to eat anymore, in fact he doesn’t really even want to breast feed anymore.  He will go to anyone with a smile, and is happy and smiley pretty much anywhere – with or without me.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely know that these are all good things.  Great self esteem builders for him, all healthy advancements, all great things.  However, it still stings a little.  I think I just got my first real glimpse of the heartache of being a parent.  That at some point, your kids will not need you.  I just didn’t think I would have that realization at 6 months.