Autumn

Dear Beanie,

This time last year I was writing about October. It was snowing, the leaves were crimson, and there was a week of warm sunshine forecast. October simply must be my favourite month of the year, and although the first two weeks of this October were grey and filled with what we Aussies call 'European Rain' (that is, rain that just seems to penetrate slowly into everything, including your brain), the last two have redeemed it. It remains my favourite month!

A beautiful Autumn day!

The colours are just incredible, and something that I could never have imagined before living here. It is strange for me to think that this, along with snow and lakes and mountains and punctuality, will be your idea of normal; that Eucalypts, the Indian Ocean and magpie song will be a thing of holidays only.

The incredible colours of October

You are walking more and more lately and we are using the pram less and less. You are fascinated by the fallen leaves and my heart swells in predictable joy to watch you run about in them and fling them above your head, as if you are in an advert for some children's clothing brand.

While I still remain a little scared about the winter and all the slipping, sliding and crashing that will surely entail when we have a new-ish walking boy holding the hand of his mummy who has very little ice and snow experience, we will embrace this new existence together and, as with many future things I'm sure, you will no doubt have much to teach me by the season's end.

I love you, my beautiful happy boy.

Love, Mummy.