Living life with THREE little Boyds: Fall!!

Let me just say...I love Fall! I guess technically it's not Fall, but it's starting to feel like it. I think this is the time of year when I spend the most time outside. There is just something about the way the air feels and smells that makes me almost giddy. My runs are so much more enjoyable, my morning coffee seems to taste so much better, and I can now add soup to our dinner menu...Hello crock-pot! The kids and I have been going on really long walks every day, one day last week we even went on 4 (one of which was in the rain). We sometimes go to the trail for our walks, thanks to the handy mile markers, and the fact that I have most of the trail completely memorized, I always know how far we've gone. Gemma can walk a whole mile without even getting tired, and Makael can go a whole half a mile! Have you seen his little legs? That's a long way for him, not to mention he's basically running the whole time.

I've been told that kids are still considered toddlers when they're 3, but I don't believe that's the case with Gemma. She has taken some major steps out of toddlerhood recently. First off, she started coming out of her room in the mornings instead of calling for me to come get her. I'm surprised this took as long as it did considering she's been in a regular bed since she was 18 months old, but I'm also surprised by how much I miss going in to get her. No denying it's pretty dang cute hearing her footsteps coming down the hallway, but I got no fair warning to this change in our morning routine, and it's just one more thing she no longer needs me for. The same day she decided to come out on her own, she also asked me to take down her bed rails. Yep, just like that! I was getting her ready for bed and she sweetly said, "mom can you take these things off my bed, I won't fall off I promise". She kept her promise...she didn't fall off the bed that night and they have been off ever since. The only time I had to put them back on was the night she had a sleep over with cousin Ariya. That in itself is weird! She should not be old enough to be having sleepovers! Ariya has stayed with us before, but they've always slept in separate rooms. They got in bed together (hence the bedrails), got their flashlights, then talked and giggled until they both passed out from exhaustion...by 9 p.m. Party animals!

Turning one is definitely a turning point in a kid's life. I've taken care of many kids, and it always amazes me how much of a change there is from one day to the next the second they turn a year old. They suddenly understand more, communicate better, and overall seem more "mature" for lack of a better word. Makael is no exception. Although he doesn't say any words, he now thinks his gibberish makes sense to me. He'll stand there, look me right in the eye and "converse" with me, hand motions and all! Thankfully, when there's something he really wants, I'm usually able to decipher what it is. He had his one year check up last week. He weighs 17 lbs 8 oz, and is 29 inches tall. Still between the 5th and 10th percentile for weight, but definitely getting taller. I have to admit, I'm loving his tininess!

We've been busy getting some projects done around the house. Just today I finished painting our basement floors so the kids can play down there while it's still unfinished. It looks great but my shoulders are seriously killing me now. I think I've done more than my fair share of painting...it's David's turn next time. Unfortunately, the drama involved in the selling of our old house is still not over, which has been stressful for us, but we are really enjoying making our new house into our new home!