This past fall was a whirlwind in my life. We moved to Bellingham in June, Silas was born in August and then in September Josiah and Autumn started two new schools on two different schedules. Every morning we all got up with Silas who was just weeks old and Brian helped get the kids dressed and fed and then I would drive Josiah to school at 8:20am, drop Brian off at work at 8:30 and then go sit in carline with Autumn for her 8:45am drop off at Montessori. All the while Silas screamed because he hated the car, especially when we sat not moving at red lights and preschool carline. Then I would get home around 9am, go back out at 11:15am to sit in preschool pick up carline to pick up Autumn, then we went him and had to get back out at 2:50pm to park at Josiah’s school, unload us all, rain or shine and go up to the school building to pick up Josiah.

It was a mommy nightmare of driving, screaming infants, rain, ceaseless anxiety that I would forget someone in my newborn induced sleep deprivation..and lets not forget Silas could not establish a nap schedule.

One day I was looking down Autumn’s class list of contact info and noticed that a boy in her class lived close by us. I thought about calling the family right then and asking them if they were interested in carpooling, but my social anxiety had gotten worse the more tired I got and the longer I was isolated by the move and postpartum stage. So I didn’t. Then one day Autumn told me she saw a boy from her class at Josiah’s school at pick up time. It occurred to me that maybe this family from her school also had a sibling at Josiah’s school and I asked her preschool teacher that week. Finally I sent Amanda an email and she was so sweet to schedule a playdate right away and invite us to join the carpool they already had going. Turns out her older daughter is in the same grade as Josiah at Columbia Elementary!

Since then Autumn and her friend Elli have become best of friends with weekly playdates, Amanda has taught me to coupon and Josiah and Grace even enjoy getting all together with Autumn and Elli after school. There are no words to describe knowing another mama has your back and can pick up your child in an emergency or having a mom friend with a child that your child loves so much its almost easier to have them together than separate. It’s just pure sweetness.

Last week we hung out and walked all over the Columbia Neighborhood for some photography. It was so much fun and here are my favorites! Enjoy!