Holding on to Autumn

What once were monthly updates on our family life (ok, mostly Miriam) have become more seasonal, and as I looked out our window at winter's first flakes of snow, I realized that I had better commemorate our autumn in some way before it becomes a distant memory.

Needless to say, autumn in New England does not disappoint. We got out and enjoyed it all this year - the fair, the pumpkin patch and apple farm, parks galore and even some vineyards in upstate New York - in an effort to pack it all in before the weather turns bad.

Awed by the animals at the fair

Miriam has three speeds these days, running, sleeping, and eating. She loves the usual toddler things like our neighborhood park, playing with her baby doll, and excitedly pointing at any dog within sight, but she has also picked up her own quirky pastimes like begging to smell all our spices, reading through cookbooks like picture books, and calling out her favorite storybook characters' names while trying to fall asleep.

The beginning of the school year brought more routine in our lives as I began to teach French once a week at a local public elementary school. The opportunity sort of fell into my hands, and it has been oh so nice to flex my brain in new ways.

About a month ago, Zach came home with the good news that he had been promoted to project manager on the maternal health grant that he has been working on. The promotion was great affirmation from Harvard that they'd like to keep him around for a while, and the fact that it came on the exact same day that we got a rather large bill for some car work that the previous owner 'forgot' to mention was more than a little nice.

Her favorite spot to watch for passing trucks and dogs 

 Working on the Curious George O'Lantern

Dressing up as an African mama (just like her doll from Aunt Kristiana) for Halloween

Miriam has become quite the little chatterbox at home, and watching her understanding of language unfold has been incredible. The video below shows her reading one of her favorite books with her typical enthusiasm.