Flashback to September

Well, this is a little embarrassing. I knew I was way behind on blogging and wanted to try to play catch up on the last six months (!) of personal photos now that wedding season is over for me, but when I logged in to figure out where to start, I discovered a half-finished blog post from September. Yes, I know that was almost a year ago. Oops!

[I started to put a paragraph here apologizing for not being able to keep up, but then I thought better of it. There is nothing to apologize for, and I hate it when women apologize for things they don't have a reason to be sorry for. You weren't hurt by my lack of blog post in September. I am a busy mom with a full-time career and a small business, so this is just how it's going to be from here on out, so there's no use apologizing. I think this is what the kids are calling #sorrynotsorry. :) ]

So, flashback to September, when Afton was one month old! My mom had been here awhile already, and Dad came to join her for a few days before they headed back to KY together. This photo of Afton with Granddaddy is one of my favorites. She is such a lucky girl to have such wonderful grandparents! 

baby with grandparents

Shortly after they left, uncle Nathan (Alex's brother) stopped in en route to a work conference nearby. Such perfect timing!

uncle holding infant niece

While he was here, we took a beautiful nature walk (Afton's first one!) at the Old Fort Bayou Coastal Preserve. This was actually our first time on this trail--we didn't know about it until we learned about the daycare Afton now goes to, which is right next door! 

rustic trail sign with arrow
macro green plant, dad with baby in carrier in woods

So many beautiful colors to take in! 

berries
crepe myrtle plant (pink, green, blue)

Check out these spiders! 

spiders in webs (macro)

Up next: a visit from my brother, uncle Alex! 

uncle sitting on couch with baby niece

Another nature walk, this time at the National Seashore Park. 

Nature's Way Trail sign (Ocean Springs, Mississippi)
evergreen tree branch, pine needles

We had a rare daytime raccoon sighting!

raccoon in nature in daytime

And of course a gator encounter! (Not rare, but still exciting every time.)

alligator in water

During Alex's visit, there was also some serious tennis playing...

two guys playing tennis at Ocean Springs public courts

...and Afton's very first trip to the yacht club! (She has since become a regular--and a favorite--of course.) 

mom, baby daughter, uncle/brother

What a fun walk down memory lane! Living far away from family is hard, but it makes us all the more thankful for visitors, and Afton's first family visits were so special. I'm so glad she has gotten to see these faces and many more plenty more times since--including at Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I blogged about a long time ago, ha! Stay tuned for more catch-up. :)