Schaefer Family Adventures: October 2019

October came and went like the leaves of fall. Here today, gone tomorrow! It was filled with photo sessions for me, a birthday for John and some major milestones for Grace!

At the beginning of October we went to Simmons Farm in Pittsburgh, PA with some friends to go flower picking. There are rows and rows of colorful flowers and you are given a some scissors and a bucket to fill with as many flowers as you want! It’s increible. If I lived closer I think I’d be there every weekend, picking my weekly bunch of fresh colorful flowers! It made me really want to grow flowers in our backyard next year so I can cut them and have fresh flowers in my home. There’s something so uplifting about a house filled with flowers. We will definitely need to make a trip or two next year to Simmons Farm, they have so many fun things to do there in addition to the flower picking!

John turned 3 years old mid October and we celebrated with a day of John’s favorites. We woke him up by signing him “happy birthday”. He got candles on a Mickey Mouse waffle for breakfast. He then went to Montessori and afterwards I took him out for ice cream. We went to lunch at the cafeteria at Franciscan (his favorite place to eat) I know, hilarious right?!? After his nap we went to a park to play and then after dinner we pushed the couches together to make a mega couch, popped some popcorn and watched Toy Story 4! It was a great day! I can not believe he is 3 years old. As I sang him to sleep that night, I kissed his sweet head and my eyes welled with tears of joy and thanksgiving for the gift of his life. This little child of mine has profoundly impacted me over these last 3 years. I’m more of myself because of him. He is constantly shaping me and teaching me how to be a better mother. In this past year he has grown so beautifully into the role of older brother and though he has his moments (especially when Grace messes up his nicely lined up cars) he is so quick to forgive and show love. I love that he wants to be just like his Daddy and he still wants his Mommy to kiss his boo boos. I’m seeing first hand how a 3 year old lives in this tension between being a baby and being a kid. He’s got a foot in both worlds and therein lies the source of his frustration and tantrums. Wanting to be big and yet still being so little. It’s takes so much energy and patience on my part to help him and guide him through his emotions, not letting them overwhelm and rattle me but rather love him through it. Easier said than done, but that’s parenthood for ya!

The rest of the month was filled with regular days with John and Grace, taking time to be outside while the weather was still nice. We had decided to be the Incredibles for Halloween but due to a very cold and windy storm on Halloween night, the city postponed the actual trick or treating to the weekend and we ended up being out of town that day. So no pictures of us in red spandex! You’re welcome. John did go to a local trunk or treat sponsored by the humane society and he was dressed up as Gecko. Candy and dogs, I think John was in heaven.

Grace took her first few steps on John’s birthday and by the end of the month was pretty much walking. It happened so fast. This little 9 and a half month old, walking around our home…it’s amazing and terrifying! She is so pleased with herself….she can almost keep up with John, almost. She’s talking so much more, and tries to copy what I say. It’s quite adorable! I’ve discovered at school that she loves baby dolls so I think that will be her Christmas/birthday gift this year. She also loves to take toys and put them in something and then take them out again. There’s a specific work at Montessori school called an Imbucare Box that she loves working with. She puts the ball in and then it rolls out, and then she puts it back in. She does this, so focused, over and over again! It’s really incredible to watch.

It’s been a busy month (hence this blog post being so late!) but it was a very good month filled with so many memories. Here are some snapshots of our October!