The Pumpkin Patch!

Trying to pull on the pumpkin plant.
Am I the cutest pumpkin in the picture?
Hanging out with my Uncle Eric.
"I want to take ALL these home!"

Eli is excited to go to the pumpkin patch with Eva!
But first, some leaves for munching.
Isn't he an adorable bee?
Mommy feeding goats, Eli though they were funny little creatures!
Sittin' on a hay bail- Eva thought it was too prickly!

The Realizations Hits

What realization you might ask? Well, the realization that I am a mom. Weird, since I've been doing this for over eight months, you are probably thinking. And I've definitely had these moments before, where you're doing or saying something and all of a sudden you think "Huh, I really AM a mom..." But it hasn't happened to me in awhile. I think you just get caught up in the day to day- taking care of your baby, working, keeping in touch with loved ones, keeping your house clean (sort of)- and stop taking the time to think about what you are doing because it doesn't seem as new and exciting as it used to. And then it hits you again- and you say to yourself, "Huh, I really AM a mom!" So tonight, long after Eli went to bed, I decided to straighten up the house so that in the morning it looks nice to walk out to. Funny that the baby doesn't even have to be awake and present for a moment to occur! I was picking up his toys, and trying to remember which ones need to be handled carefully and turned off before chucking them in his toy bin. I was failing miserably and set off not one but two toys- one of which has a volume switch that you can hit to turn it UP and not OFF and of course I turned it on louder before finally getting it off. And I was praying that Eli didn't wake up and trying to gently set the rest of the toys in the bin and all of a sudden, BAM! It hits me again- I'm someone's mom! How strange... I have to know, do you ever get used to it? Having that be your role? I used to be a daughter and sister, then friend, then girlfriend and nurse, then wife, and now mom. This seems to be the hardest transition to get used to, but not in negative way. Just that I still marvel that Dylan and I are parents. And maybe I don't want to get too used to it, maybe that means you start taking it for granted because in the same moment that I realize I'm a mom I also thank God that I have Eli and am so grateful to be doing this. So here's hoping that the realization continues to hit at the odd moments in child rearing and to always remembering how precious it is to be a MOM!

I wanted to share a little Eli movie with you all- He is loud, busy, constantly moist and way too much fun!!!