Falling.

*photo credit bz
"Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. If I knew your address I’d send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils."
- Tom Hanks in “You’ve Got Mail”

I love fall. Unfortunately fall doesn't happen soon enough or last for very long... It's nice to break out warm clothes, and actual shoes... (and socks...and warm drinks at Starbux without laughter behind the counter- kimberjane pointed this out to me today...) I like this time of year at the gym (as if I've been lately) because you work up a sweat in the gym and then come outside into the cold. It's probably a good recipe for sickness, but I like it just the same.

I hope that this fall I can get things in order so that we have a good winter. I have a few good ideas for Christmas presents and hope to have them started/finished by November. This will make for a much better December. I've been really inspired by the craftiness that surrounds me lately (V) and it makes me want to try new things. Anyone who knows me knows that me+new things= no good. Hopefully I can complete something before the end of the year. Hopefully my New Year's resolution won't be to complete my Christmas cards.

Last fall I was out of commission. It started off well, I had signed up to serve cotton candy at the girls' school fall festival and instead sat in the hospital looking at my baby born 13 weeks too soon. I've been looking through her first photos lately - reminiscing about this past year. V and I were trying to find something appropriate to put on her 1st birthday invitations - I told her I wanted to put "Look who made it a year!" but that sounded a bit dire - even though it's the way I feel. In a good way, though - like HOLY COW I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE MADE IT THROUGH THE NICU EXPERIENCE ALIVE! It's pretty amazing that she came though not only that but also the following 9 months with me as her primary caregiver. She has not been sick a day - no respiratory illnesses or anything. We are gearing up for another RSV season - which means Chloe gets to stay home, home, home and we get to have NO visitors at home. Her birthday will mark the end of visitors and Chloe getting to hang out with anyone other than us. That's just the way it has to be.

I am glad that it has been a year. I'm glad she (we) made it through the first year. I'm glad that she was born in the fall so that my favorite time of year would include reminiscing about the miracle that she is and continues to be.