Living in a world where there are Octobers

Two Octobers ago Milo was just-born.  Last October I was quite pregnant and quite grumpy.  This year, even though the boys are small and Ben had a movie shoot and life has been jam-packed, and I really feel like we've been living it up, autumn style.  Here is some of what we've been up to.

I turned 28, which I love because I'm really feeling like my 30s will be when I hit my stride.  We had a campfire at the house and some friends came over to help us celebrate.  It was the boys first campfire and it made me want to have them all the time.  Elliott loved to stare into the flames and cried whenever the fire died down.  Milo ran around like a completely insane person; without Laurel corralling him, he probably would have ran right into the fire.

Milo turned two and we had his birthday party at Sholan Farms, a local orchard.  It was one of the most overcast weekends in the month, but we bundled up and the party was really fun.  I suggest outdoor parties for toddlers- they can run and make noise and when everyone starts melting down families can easily slip away.  Both sets of grandparents were there and everyone got a cupcake, a cup of cider, and a bag of apples to take home.  My baby is two.

The next day was the last day of the Topsfield Fair.  We never miss a year, so even though we were wiped from a full weekend, we loaded up and took in the sights.   The weather was perfect and I loved watching the boys completely zone out and take in the insanity of the crowds.  Milo liked the animals and got scared of the haunted house.  Elliott and I hung out and shared an apple.

The following weekend, the boys and I went to North Adams to visit my two best friends from high school.  Adrienne and her boyfriend live in North Adams and Jen lives in Rochester, so we met up for a day of fall fun.  I had never been down the Mohawk Trail before, and I loved the view so much.  The trees and hills were insane, but the old-school kitschy attractions were even better.  We spent time catching up and then drove out an apple farm just 20 minutes away (but actually in Vermont!) to share a picnic and get donuts and pick out pumpkins for carving.  We ended the night with dinner and a birthday cake to celebrate our fall birthdays.  I love Jen and Adrienne so much; I need to see them again soon (maybe with a little more wine and a little less kids, both on my part).

Besides all our weekend adventures, Elliott is crawling and eating real food, Milo has learned the concept of "scared" and talks about ghosts a lot, and Ben and I had a nice date last weekend.  We've been watching horror movies, Top Chef, South Park, and New Girl.  We're very busy getting our Halloween costumes ready, but until then, I will continue to drink cider, pick apples, and live the shit out of my favorite part of the year.