Jack has a Christmas birthday – and winter in PA is usually NOT the best time to take outdoor portraits!!

So – we had a half-birthday shoot!!

Jack will be FIVE this Christmas! FIVE!? Gah. How is that possible.

Last year he was diagnosed with Autism. He had a pretty severe speech delay.

And now. NOW. I can’t get together with my sister and him without crying.

He talks SO MUCH. He understands SO MUCH. He asks SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Did you know that finding a therapy that works for YOU and YOUR child is THE KEY!!

Go with your gut – and sometimes you have to go with the gut of the people that love you and want the best for you.

Sometimes a diagnosis is TERRIFYING. The thought of a diagnosis is crippling.

And sometimes a diagnosis is THE KEY.

Jack is kind. Jack is empathetic. Jack is FULL of questions. And a while ago – he wasn’t.

And my sister cried because he wasn’t talking. And now we cry because he doesn’t STOP talking!!

This is where his mom & dad said YES – FOREVER!!

MY FAVORITE!!

NOPE – THAT one is my favorite!!

And one of us together – because I don’t think I have ANY of us together!!

I think he looks more like me than my sister – if he looks anything like anyone except his dad – because he’s his clone!

JACKIE BOY – we love you so much and are SO PROUD of all you’ve done and all that you WILL do!

My sister came to visit in July – so we all stayed at the farm together!!

I posted a blog recently where Enoch helped my mom make food for Ebony and feed her. Jack hadn’t been able to help yet – so Enoch had to step aside – which was HARD for him.

You know what else is hard!? Navigating boundaries and relationships with your siblings when you all have kids and parent differently!

My sister lives 3 hours away and my brother about 6 – we live about 45 minutes from my parents. We see them quite often.

And when we are all visiting together – I have a hard time. Because I want to see my family and I want my kids to experience their cousins. BUT I also want my niece and nephews to experience G & Pa without my kids there monopolizing ALL the time and attention!!

SO – Enoch had a little bit of a hard time handing it over to Jack – because we are a selfish race!

AND – he ended up doing really well with the sharing! After his initial whining of course.

Jack is 13 months younger than Enoch – but they’re about the same size – the Trout genes are strong!!

THOSE GUYS – Jack only calls him Enochguy and Enoch usually calls him Jackieboy!

I LOVE THAT SHOT!! Makes me laugh every single time!!

That’s Red and her gorgeous little guy – Brownie!!

I hope we have a few more years with Red!!

Jack with his little arm around G – I know that everyone loves their mom – but our mom is AMAZING!!!

THAT FACE!!! Like I said – EVERY CHILD should grow up on a farm!!

That guy – look at how GROWN UP he is looking!!

THAT SHOT – I see teenage Enoch in that face!!

ALSO – if you need a cat – if you want a cat – DO YOU WANT A CAT!? My parents might have a few you could take!!

Do you drop off your pregnant cats at farms – PLEASE don’t.

We are NOT bringing a kitten home – but if we did – it would be that one!!

I truly believe that every child should grow up with a farm!!

Ebony thinks that Enoch and Fitzy are her cow friends – or maybe she thinks she is a person like them!

That little kitten found a home a few weeks ago!!

THESE are the memories I put on my walls!

Enoch is VERY bothered by the flies that stay on Ebony – so he thought if he held on to her – they would leave her alone!

That guy …

They’ve stopped counting at 20 – because – farm life means an abundance of farm cats. Because people love dropping off their cats in the country.

That one – she is such a sweetie – and she already found a home!

That’s Red’s sister – Blondie. It’s how we decorate the farm – and my kitchen!!

My parents have a small farm – and Enoch LOVES the cows! He has loved them since he was a baby – even though their MOO scared him so much he shook!!

Right now they have a baby girl that needs bottle fed! E was SUPER excited to help make the formula AND feed her!

ALSO – if you want a little kitten – they’ve got LOTS to pick from!!

Her name is Ebony! Her mom kicked her in the head and wanted nothing to do with her – so my parents adopted her!

I rarely take REAL pictures of my kiddos anymore – it’s something that I struggle with – living in the moment or living behind the camera capturing the moment.

I’m so happy I pulled my camera out for THESE moments!!

My dad and my brother – they have a special bond too! And if you look at my dad’s pictures from high school – you’d think it was my brother!

I’m so thankful for the time our kids get to spend together – even if it’s only once or twice a year!

That shot MIGHT be my favorite shot of the five of them together! You can’t even see Fitzy’s face – but you can still tell that he’s smiling!

That smile on little *J*’s face – AHH! And *R* – she LOVES her cousins! You can just SEE IT!

G – she’s the ABSOLUTE BEST!

I got my brother and sister-in-law a big print of this photo for Christmas!

*J* needed his THREE year pictures – THREE!!

My sister – she’s been trying to get that Enoch-guy to love her for his WHOLE LIFE! Sometimes he does!

G and her little *J* – AND BLACK & WHITE! THE BEST!

*J* LOVES calling the cows in! AND he loves his G!!

My sister AND my brother came home for Thanksgiving!

We weren’t ALL able to be together at the same time – Samm’s husband got home when mine had to leave – but I still wanted to take ALL the pictures!

*R* is 3 months older than Fitzy – her birthday was yesterday actually – they have a special bond!

*J* did NOT like the camera on someone else – so he snuck RIGHT IN!

*J* – he’s such a silly guy!

*R* and Sammy have a special bond too!

GOSH – I JUST LOVE BLACK & WHITE!

That sweet face!! Again – FOCUS IS OVERRATED!

As usual – I took WAY TOO MANY PHOTOS – well – is there such a thing?! No. NEVER!

SO – stay tuned for the rest of our Thanksgiving fun!

My parents are starting a new business soon – Top O’ the Hill Farms – I think that is the name anyway …

They have joined with their friend Melody to raise Dexter cows – a smaller, bettter quality cow that produces milk for the lactose intolerant.

I went down to see a few of the calves – Mom said they were TINY – smaller than Schrute – but I didn’t believe her!

I should have – they are TEENY TINY!