An epic fall, so far

Really, life is simply never boring. Even with all the seemingly mundane routines of cooking, cleaning the kitchen, cleaning the kids, doing the laundry (I actually had a friend mention her laundry being done...I had no idea what she meant), picking up toys, there's really never a dull moment.

For example, my background noise while tidying up the lunch dishes was Parrot Sofia flying around the house and cawing, and Nico doing some quite experimental dance moves in the middle of the kitchen. Earlier today, while Sofia was in school, I took Nico to Cafe Au Play. In his first exploratory mission away from the play area, I found him by the water bubbler, holding the tap open and pouring water everywhere. Recently, I found him crawling along the keys of our piano. I'm still really not even sure how he got up there, as the bench was pulled several feet away from the piano. I've found him in cupboards, in toilets, under furniture, in the recycling bin...generally any place that isn't intended for children.

Oh, so back to our Epic Fall. It's been GORGEOUS. Sun and rain, brilliantly colored leaves, crisp temperatures, pumpkins on our porch, long cooked-from-scratch soups and breads -- yep, it's pretty cozy around here these days. This being, technically, only my third real full fall season, I'm still drinking it all in. Bring on the hay rides and pumpkin patches!

We were super lucky this year to get to take Jess, Cody, Bradyn, Aiden AND Crystal with us on Sofia's pumpkin patch field trip. They came down for a whirlwind visit, and boy did we pack it full of good stuff -- Voodoo Doughnuts, downtown food carts, trampoline, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds, etc. It was great. Sofia was beyond thrilled to have her cousins sleep on her bedroom floor.

Of course our most epic fall event (and yes, I did cruelly bury this -- how else can I ensure people continue to read my full posts?) is finding out that Baby Caselli #3 is on its way, due May 20! Frankly, it was one big shock, something we weren't quite geared up for at this particular moment. God can be pretty funny, but as one friend put it while gesturing to another friend's set of newborn (and unplanned) twins, he could be funnier! Our excitement is growing every day, and how can it not? Sofia's joy at having another baby is indescribable. She's already planning what books to read to her (she has already decided it's a girl, Mary), and has the ultrasound picture hanging right by her bed.

So on we go. Only a couple more weeks to go before the second trimester, when I'll hopefully hit that magic "eye of the storm" phase of pregnancy. Now all I have to do in the next seven months is teach Nico to talk, get him potty trained, and teach Sofia how to cook and we'll be all set!

And now, your totally random, incomplete photo blitz update:

Hammock time!

Headed to the farmer's market:

Last playdate with Miles before he moved :(

Fresh blackberry milkshake!

Fueling up for a swim:

 Our summer swimming hole:

Hiking with Nico while Sof is in school:

First attempt at spongey curlers (didn't last):

With our resident snake, Slither:

Cousins at the pumpkin patch:

Crystal, Sof and baby cow:

Nico also loved snuggling the baby cow:

Yay, Voodoo Doughnuts!

Post doughnut "coffee":

At the Duck Store:

This is what happens when you put a hairdresser in the backseat:

Jammy time:

Enjoying the Arch Bridge before it opened to traffic:

One of our numerous sunny hikes with friends: