The picture abruptly changed

Seemingly overnight, the trees around here have started to change color. Reds and oranges are popping up everywhere, and I have a feeling that by this time next week we'll be getting a spectacular show. I'm going to have to try to make time for a nice long drive with the family, maybe go find some apple cider.

Things are changing in house too, most notably with Grady. Several people have remarked how much older he's looking lately--his face is thinner, his body leaner, and he's looking more little boy every day. He's more coordinated, and more active, than he's ever been before, and it's changing the shape of things.

He's also acting more boyish these days. G has always been a rough and tumble, trucks and cars kid, but that's coming out more than ever now. He's taking risks with his play, and trying new things all the time. When he plays, there's much more crashing and banging and all those boy noises that he can make that I have never been able to. It's like a gene I'm missing--my husband and all my brothers can do it too. You know, make a sound like something is exploding, or like there has been a horrible accident. Grady can do that now too, and I know I didn't teach him.

When we take our walks, the constant "what's that?" questions have been replaced by a need to gather as many sticks and rocks as possible. He'll carry them along, sometimes replacing a stick for a longer one, or maybe getting a more jagged rock. Some of these treasures get left in the yard, but usually one or two come inside to find a place of honor in his little shopping cart or alongside his pillow. That is, until Mommy swoops through when no one is paying attention and throws them all outside again. The last thing we need is a stick to the eye or a rock through a window.