The August Garden

When the raspberries slow, and the black eyed susans bloom, I know Summer is winding down. It has been a cooler one this year (which I am so grateful for because I do not enjoy the heat), so the tomatoes weren't as bountiful and the cucumbers didn't last long, but we had some lovely harvests and some new to us produce. Zucchinis actually grew this year! We had several and they are still coming. Our very first garden cauliflower was delicious, and another is growing as I type. There are several bags of raspberries in the freezer, hundreds of peas were shelled, and we are still picking green beans by the bowlful. The lettuce had died down, but is back again with the cooler weather, and although my green peppers never grew, the radishes and carrots did. Just yesterday I planted more radishes and beets (the first batch didn't grow), hoping they will have time before the first frost. I am also trying to re-grow a bunch of celery from a stump. Pinterest tells me it will work!

We're not sure where we will be next Spring, but I've been keeping notes (things like starting the tomato seeds earlier and in larger pots, which plants prefer the cooler weather and can be started earlier, which are not worth growing because they are so cheap to buy - carrots, I'm looking at you - and what varieties I'd like to try instead - I was not too impressed with the climbing green beans I chose) and making plans (if we're here next year, I want to turn the green bean patch into a play space for Josh with tree stumps and a trellis for the beans over head. Also, expanding the tomato space to include more plants). Next up for the garden - getting ready to put the beds to sleep once they're finished, and planting those Spring bulbs.

Now We Are One

We did it! We survived the first year! If you had told me even two years ago that I would be celebrating my son's first birthday, I don't think I would have believed it. It was a long journey, but here we are! This amazing little guy is a year old.

I never had a baby shower, and while we planned to have a little 'welcome to the world baby bird!' gathering after he was born, we were a little preoccupied with feeding issues, and just being new parents, so for this one we went all out. We invited friends and family, we had a lovely music circle for the little ones, there was a baby pool turned into a ball pit, there was a theme (twinkle twinkle little star) and matching decor, and lots and lots of handmades. Of course the birthday boy probably would have been fine with a small family gathering (next year!), but he did enjoy himself (although it doesn't look it in the photo..he's not big on food and an entire cake sitting in front of him was a bit much. He didn't so much smash as poke it a bit and then push it away), and it was a fun day.

There were gold stars everywhere, a handmade birthday banner, star shaped food, and twinkle twinkle little star books for the kids to take home with them. I pulled out all my favourite turquoise and white (and even star themed) Pyrex, as well as some milk glass dishes and vases, and there were matching star paper straws, gold star napkins and gold star party hats. I had so much fun putting it together (and I did know it was mostly for me), but when it came down to it, none of that really mattered. Being there in the moment was what was important. I had charged up my camera intending to get shots of everything so later on we could look back on how much fun we had that day, but I was much too busy actually having fun with my boy that we only ended up with a few pictures, and most were taken by other people. We have a few for the family album, and the rest I can remember myself.

And this one year old? My one year old? Is just amazing. He is so interested in everything and amazes me with the things he can do. He challenges and teaches me every day. I'm not going to say that every day we struggled with infertility was worth it because it led to him, because I do not wish that struggle on anyone. I will say I cannot imagine life without him and am so glad we are here. So long year one, I cannot wait to see what year two has in store!