Harvest Moon ~ Equinox ~ Growing Up

The end of September has been filled with the kind of events that mark the milestones of our lives! Everyone who knows me knows that I love a good "ritual" (or at least to evoke a tradition that will recognize the cyclical events that occur each year that allow us to gauge growth and change). As a gardener, and someone who has been aware of the cycles of the seasons all of my life (thanks to my father), I especially love the time surrounding the full moon that denotes the time of harvest. As my dad recently said "this seems to be the busiest time of the year" but also the most fulfilling! Miles and I have been making trips to local farms and gathering ingredients to fill our "cellar" and sustain us over the winter. So, I thought it would be a great time to bring back the tradition of the Harvest Moon Party! Also a reason to have people get together for one last big celebration before this baby arrives.

Miles loves to help with cooking. Here he is taking all of the spices from the rack on the counter. He helped me prepare food for the party. I do hope that he is forming memories filled with the smells and tastes of the kitchen!

We found these wonderful "Teddy Bear" sunflowers at the market to use as a centerpiece. Miles liked them so much he wanted to kiss them!

Friends arrived with a dish to share and all the food was outrageously good! We filled two tables with dinner and dessert items, and I think everyone went back for seconds. My favorite moment of the evening occurred as everyone lined up for their meal. I was busy making sure there were enough plates and forks while Michael was helping with drinks and seating. Suddenly I heard a friend ask, "Is Miles allowed to have a whole donut?" A whole what?!?!?!?!

Our sneaky little boy had obviously been appraising the array of donuts from a local orchard that were precariously perched close to the edge of the table. As soon as everyone was focused on filling their plates with food, he took the opportunity to grab one that was covered in chocolate. Then he went and hid in the corner and started eating as fast as he could! I let him keep about a third of the treat - and eat his dessert first - after all it was a party!

The evening went by far too quickly, and I barely managed to snap enough photos to commemorate the event. I did manage to have a friend take this picture of the "B-Girls" and the "second babies." We had so much fun celebrating and catching up with people - some we hadn't seen in far too long! It was also fun to "connect" people from different parts of our lives and watch as they found things they had in common. I did manage to snap a picture as the (almost) full harvest moon rose above the festivities, and take a moment to give thanks for all of the fabulous food and friends I have surrounding me this harvest season!

This year we had every intention of marking the equinox with another hike to our favorite tree for a photo shoot. Something I know we will do very soon, but honestly I just ran out of energy! I am starting to feel the third trimester fatigue and although I do not like to be slowed down I am trying to listen to my body right now and honor it's requests. So - instead we rested for a good portion of the past two weekends. Michael and Miles worked on the new sleeping arrangements for our house. First they unpacked the cradle from storage and put it back together!

As they worked they watched football. Miles was mesmerized! After watching for awhile he said "People, fall down." I loved that he came to the conclusion that really - football is just a game that consist of lots of guys falling down over and over again! I tried to explain that those men are professional "fall downers" and they make a lot of money doing so. As they watched Michael would "tackle" him and they would fall down laughing. He really got excited about it though, and all week we have been battered with requests to "fall down" every chance he gets.

They work really well together. Miles loves to build things with his Papa. It is hard to believe that it is already time for the cradle that we bought for Miles to be inhabited by someone new. We truly cannot wait to meet this little being!

Once the cradle was ready, it was time to move the crib. Miles has been close to crawling out of it a time or two, and he also has been struggling with sleeping lately (to put it mildly). So, we thought it would be a good idea to get him a big bed in advance of the baby arriving. That way he did not feel that the baby "took" his bed. Instead he got a new one, and he just "happened" to give his to baby at the same time.

Even though it seems to be time I was still not really ready to see my baby in a twin bed. Miles was ecstatic though! He just kept saying "own bed, own bed" - like he couldn't believe it was really all his own.

We read books before bedtime like usual, then put him in his bed and said goodnight. We cracked the door and Michael and I waited in the hallway. Sure enough, a few moments later we heard movement... then suddenly the door was pushed shut! We quickly opened it again and helped our little man back to his bed. Then we waited. Again, he got out of bed, but this time he simply waltzed into the hallway where we were waiting and put his hand on his hip and said "HI!" He was so very proud of himself! I wish I had a video, the moment was priceless.

The third time was a charm. The next morning we woke up to him talking to his stuffed animals. Then he must have realized that he was free to roam. He crawled down and we heard the pitter-patter of little feet make their way into our room. He crawled up into our "big bed" and wanted to "cuddle" and drink "milk." So I guess that is it. Our little boy is growing up. I know that each day he gets one step closer to independence. I know that I am only here to keep him safe and guide him. I know that this is his life, and I want to help make it the best life it can possibly be. At the same time I have to admit, I got a little teary eyed when I saw him in his "own bed." I just know that I am going to turn around and any moment I will be taking him to college - and setting up a bed for him there. Maybe his Papa can build him a loft as cool as the one my dad built for me when I went to school.