Pumpkin Painting, Patching, and Making Memories

So, in prior years we've been too scared to venture out to any fall festivities (RSV season officially starts October 1 each year) with Addie, too swamped in crazy feeding schedules to even think of getting out "just for fun", and too deep in preemie "stuff" for it to even occur to us that pumpkin patches might be fun (or at least a fun photo op) for our little miss Addie. Once I realized that we had missed out on some amazing one year old Addie-in-the-pumpkin-patch-pictures and memories, I was determined to get some cute ones this year. Of course, she has been sick a lot the latter part of the summer and we have some big things coming up that I really, really need her to be healthy for (and it is October after all. ..we preemie mamas are conditioned to a fault), so I will admit that I was starting to wonder if our time in the patch was doomed to be put off another year. Thanks to an inspiringly fall-ish weekend, amazing weather, and an awesome fourth antibiotic for Addie, we ventured out this past Sunday! We found the best patch at the cutest little church near our house and away we went, Addie in tow! Here are the pictures that resulted:

Photo Op with Dad!

She liked this part of pumpkin patching best - she's used to paparazzi following her every move!

Love my girl. ..

We picked out big pumpkins. ..good thing we brought this strong fella!

Not so sure about strange people and an unfamiliar place. ..

Our haul!

Smiling again!

My family looks great in fall clothes!

She's having fun and starting to relax!

...not enough to actually sit in the wagon but all that matters is she had fun!

Paint Face!

And once you've picked up your pumpkins. ..you really should paint them!

We love painting projects.. .and making messes (as long as they're washable)!

Apparently her tray needed some decorating, too. ..

..thank goodness it is dishwasher safe!

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons - the coziness, the warm drinks, football, the fall colors, festive holidays and the crisp change in the weather. Prematurity stole that love for a while, my fear of the impending flu and RSV seasons and months of isolation dwarfed any love I had for the season. Fall just meant winter and long, dark days were that much closer. While RSV and flu season continue to strike fear in my heart and modified isolation is still in our future, I can safely say that I'm starting to relax enough to appreciate the wonderful things that made me love this time of year again. I want to create traditions and memories that Addie can love and cherish from every season of the year, just like I have from my childhood, and I can't even begin to describe the joy I get from trying to come up with new ways to do just that. I'm so thankful for the time we had together as our little family this weekend. It's amazing how 30 minutes in a church's back yard - turned pumpkin patch can create hours and hours of happy memories. These are the best days..