the first scents of autumn

Yesterday morning I walked outside and was met with a crisp and cool scent that hung in the air til noon. It was Autumn. She's a little early, but she was just reminding me that it won't be long til pumpkins and apple cider are household scents and the colors of the changing leaves are Nature's newest art show.

I'm not ready for Autumn, but that little glimpse helps me prepare. I still want to soak up the rays of heat from the sun and swim in the pool and go to the beach and do summery things. But that small reminder was sweet, because when this beautiful and hot season ends, another beautiful season will start.

Home life has been so sweet and gentle lately. Summer has been refreshing, and the newness of life seems to find us at every corner with a sweet surprise.

Fred and I are having a baby girl. This is our sweetest surprise of late.

I always thought of Autumn as a more feminine season because of its beauty and attention to detail. This new discovery seems apropos with our transition to a new season for some reason, as silly as it may sound.

Pregnancy is one of the most personal experiences I've ever had, and yet it's shared with soooo many by necessity. I don't really mind most of it, but sometimes I want to just sit there with Fred and feel her movement, so it is just us and our little girl.

Before pregnancy (and early on during the first month or so) I remember thinking "This sounds awful" when I would hear about certain changes. For instance; not sleeping on your back anymore, losing your stomach muscle strength, having to pee all the time, having to go in every month for checkups. Granted, some of that is bothersome a few times, but most of the time I forget about the discomfort when I think about her. If I had her in my arms, I wouldn't think about how much more comfortable I would be if I could rest my arms this way or that. I'd probably be lost in that little face, or at worst, sleeping. So goes my feelings thus far. At the beginning I was uncomfortable, but after seeing her in the ultrasound, and what is more, feeling her movement, it's been very easy to forget whatever comfort I might have had without her.

I feel blissful in the changes that are happening, which is unexpected for me.