The joys of Fall

Reed carefully examined all the pumpkins at the local farmer's market for the perfect pumpkin for his first Halloween.

We finally settled on one that was just the right size for Reed.

Reed took his first tractor ride this weekend at Granny and P-pa's house. Cousin Owen celebrated his fourth birthday with a bonfire and hayride.

Reed, Owen, and Bob are enjoying the hayride.
Cousin Willa found that trying to eat the hay was just as fun as taking the ride.

WHERE IS REED?!?!?!

...we thought we had misplaced our boy, but it turned-out he was just hiding in the leaves! see, that's what happens when dad stays home and watches Reed!!!

Illini Weekend

Go Illini!

Last Saturday we took Reed to visit his potential future Alma Mater (no pressure, Reed). Bob, my brother, and my dad went to the football game and witnessed an unfortunate, disappointmenting loss, while Reed, my mom, and I went to the mall for a little fall shopping. Afterwards, we went to dinner and gave Reed the full tour of the Quad. He was pretty impressed. I think he wants to apply for early admission.

He's a mover and shaker

It's just so amazing to me how quickly Reed is growing and changing. It seems like we just brought him home from the hospital and he would just eat, sleep, and lay there. Now we can hardly keep him still. He is literally shake, rattle, and rolling these days. Here is a little clip of him in the exer-saucer jumping around.

Back to Work

Yesterday was a big day for the Mihelich Family. As many of you know, I was laid off one week before Reed was born. It was a little shocking and scary at the time, but it provided me the wonderful opportunity to take more time than the three month maternity leave that we had planned for. With two extra months at home under my belt as Reed just turned five months old, an unexpected job opportunity came up quite suddenly which I felt I couldn't pass up. I'll be working three days in the office and a few hours from home each week. About two months ago, we gave up Reed's spot at a wonderful home daycare near our house, but when I called to check on any openings they happened to have three days open (which is unusual but fortunate for us). As nervous as I was to leave my baby, it was the opportunity that I had been hoping for. My new boss is an ex-coworker who started his own architecture firm. He is a great guy and a real family man. He has been super flexible and is excited to have me.

So, yesterday was not only my first day at my new job, but also Reed's first day at daycare. Needless to say, I was more than a little anxious about leaving him with "strangers." But I have been talking with Sue, the owner of the daycare, since the early part of my pregnancy with Reed and I do feel that she is a very loving woman that has the best intentions for Reed's well-being, and that makes things much easier to accept. Bob and I both dropped him off and he didn't seem to care as we left, because he had little faces to study of the other children at the daycare. We got a full report and he did great. I'm back home today and he doesn't seem to have forgotten who I am. :)

Bob, Erin, and Reed at the new daycare with Sue

The other exciting thing is that Bob is going to start staying home with Reed on Wednesdays. He'll be working four days at his current job and continue to teach his architecture class two nights a week. Tomorrow is Bob's first whole day with Reed. Hopefully I can get Bob to post a little report on their day together.

Big Fun with Cousins!

Mason and Porter came over to play on Thursday morning for a few hours. They love to shower Reed with attention...and stuffed animals. They were running around collecting all the soft toys they could find to fill the play pen with fun stuff for Reed to play with. Reed just watches them in amazement.

Birthday Shoutouts

This past Sunday, September 21st, was my Grandma Reed's 99th Birthday! What an accomplishment. My dad, Grandma's baby boy, will be celebrating his 59th birthday tomorrow on the 24th. Nathan, my not-so-little brother, will be turning 22 on Thursday! I thought I'd share the exciting Reed family birthdays with a little shoutout to some of my favorite people.

Disclosure: this photo was taken earlier this summer and Grandma is only 98 years old here.