Delicious Autumn

"Delicious autumn! 

My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird 

I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." 

-George Eliot

A couple mornings ago I opened the front door to take Ryan to the bus stop, and as we stepped outside and saw the fallen leaves sprinkling the front lawn he exclaimed,  "Mom, Fall has come!"

It is now officially my favorite time of the year.  I have always loved the Fall more than any other season, but for the past five years I have lived in a place where it did not really exist.  Sure I would still feel joy in my heart to see Halloween decorations in stores and batches of pumpkins in the Trader Joe's parking lot...but that's about the only signs of Fall I got to experience in the valley of death (aka Phoenix).  It just didn't ever feel like fall when I was still dressing Ryan in shorts and flip flops to pick out his annual pumpkin.  Every year I would long for my hometown of Prescott, and would even travel up there every Halloween to experience the real smell of leaves and pumpkins and the fabulous spirit of Halloween.

And now, I finally get to live in a paradise of Autumn, where the temperature drops (!!!), the leaves turn colors, and pumpkins and corn actually grow on the side of the road.  It is fabulous.

Nathan and Angela drove us up around the Alpine Loop last weekend. It was beautiful (despite poor Pete getting car sick and losing his iPhone on the side of the road).

In other news, I am now 21 weeks pregnant and the magic of Autumn has also seemed to bring about a magical upswing in my NVP.  The past couple weeks have produced many more good days than bad days, and even the bad days do not seem to last all day anymore.  I have even manged to go a few days here and there without Zofran at all...although it seems like when I do, I pay for it the next day and end up huddled over my peppermint oil trying not to throw up.  But even then the sickness passes within a few hours or is relieved by taking a nap, and that is pretty awesome progress.  I have managed to keep the migraines under control (for the most part) with high doses of caffeine, and I have finally gained a few pounds thanks to my increased appetite (and breakfast dates with my love while Ryan is at school).  I think it is safe to say that I am no longer suffering from HG, and I have hope that the rest of the pregnancy will be much easier to get through.

On the downside, my back hurts like hell most of the time, my hips are expanding and sometimes ache so bad that I can't stand up straight, and I have never been more tired in my life. I get winded going up stairs and my ability to get through the day without a nap is very low.  I am determined to start going to the gym again so I can try to tone up my arms and butt, and I would love to take walks everyday in the cool Fall air...but I have yet to find the energy to do either one.  Bleh. 

Things that I love right now:

* Ryan loves school and loves to do his homework. He is so incredibly smart, it blows me away sometimes. I teared up the first time he recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

* Spending the mornings alone with my wonderful husband.

* Shopping for baby girl clothes. 

* Pete playing Tim McGraw's "My Little Girl" on his phone on top of my belly, and Ryan bringing me a jar of baby food in bed, insisting that I eat it so that his baby sister does not starve.

* Being cold enough to wear sweatshirts, even though none of them fit me.

* Chips and salsa.

* I am finally making friends with other moms in the neighborhood, and hanging out with them is way better than staying home and doing anything productive.

* The new season of Modern Family starts tonight, and Gloria is pregnant. :)

* My Halloween decorations are up and it makes me oh so happy.

Now it just needs to get a little bit colder so I can drink hot apple cider and get Pete to make me some butternut squash soup, and I just may be happier than I have been in a very, very, very long time.