Walking Down Apple Picking Memory Lane

Dear Em,
Brrrrr. There is a chill in the air. Last night your daddy brought up turning on the heat. I told him I'd rather wait until October. September just seems so early to be turning on the heat. Less than a month ago we were swimming in the ocean, & now we're all bundled up.

I officially took all the summer clothes out of your closet & replaced them with winter clothes. I tried not to cry as I discarded your favorite outfits that you will never wear again. One of the saddest things for me as a mom is going through season changes & cleaning out your closet. I'm just filled with memories as I take each adorable, little item of clothing out of your closet. It's not just that you're never going to wear the things again...it just reminds me that you're growing SO fast. Next year will come with new clothes & new things.

At least this season is filled with some of my favorite things, like apple picking. We went apple picking at Narrow Lane Orchard last Friday. It was a rocky day, we almost weren't going to make it. But there wasn't any other time we would be able to fit it in, & I really didn't want to miss it this year. So, we made it work, & I'm so glad we did. It was a blast.

Apple picking made me reminisce about the last few years. This is our fourth year apple picking with you. Well, technically, it's our third, but four years ago you were a little life growing inside me.

2009:

The little apples just made me think of you. I couldn't think of anything but how fun it would be to apple pick once you were born. The woman working the register said I looked like I "was going to pop at any moment" which was really nice because I wasn't due for another three months. Sigh, I really don't miss pregnancy.

2010:

In 2010 we went apple picking right after church, & we went to the orchard your daddy had gone to when he was growing up, Hazard Brothers Orchard. We brought the wagon with us so you & the apples could ride in it. Of course, at just over eight months old, you had no interest in sitting. You preferred to get out & push the wagon. The sun was shining. You could smell fall in the air. It was one of my favorite days, our first time apple picking as our little family of three.

2011:

In 2011 we got off to a rocky start. We planned to meet your daddy back at Narrow Lane Orchard after work. Just before we were about to walk out the door, you vomited all over the carefully selected outfit I had chosen for the occasion (& all over our rug). This wasn't just baby spit-up. This was the first time you had actually for real vomited. I think I stared at you, crying, & the vomit all over everywhere for a full 60 seconds before I could even do anything. I was frozen with the word "FRICK!" (or something like that) repeating inside my head. For better or for worse, I quickly decided (hoped) it was a one time thing. Maybe I had rushed you eating your dinner a little too much. I cleaned you up, rolled up our throw rug & threw it outside (I have a weak stomach & there was no way I was cleaning that up), & we were off for some apple picking.

You loved it. This was the first time you could actually pick apples. It was so much fun for you to run down the lanes of apples & find the ones you wanted to pick. We had a blast, & I patted myself on the back thinking the whole vomiting thing really was just a one time thing...& then you vomited in the car on the way home. Whoops, so I guess it wasn't just a one-time thing.

And then there was this year, 2012...

Every year I look at pictures of people going apple picking, & I think "wow, isn't it early to go apple picking?" Then I realize September is almost over & scramble to try to schedule it in. This year was no different. Our day was already going to be hectic, but I was determined to fit it in...& then I got a flat/shredded tire & had to fit in the maintenance of my car on top of everything else. We actually took a Cadillac rental car to apple picking (which Daddy loved, but you were disappointed by the fact you couldn't reach the buttons to roll down the windows).

Apple picking with you this year was so amazing & so fun. Every year seems to be my favorite year, but then the next year comes & I have a new favorite year. You had a blast running up & down the rows of apples & finding the "perfectly perfect" apples. Most of your favorite apples were teeny tiny, & it made me think of how much I loved the littles before you were born because they reminded me of the life growing inside of me.

We ended our hectic day with sundaes at Newport Creamery, & I couldn't think of a better way to end our crazy day or two people I would rather end a crazy day with.

This morning I ate homemade apple pie for breakfast. Yup, I love apple picking.

I love you so,

Mommy