The Sweet Heat Of August

August has this way of sneaking up on me. One minute I’m complaining about the blazing heat in July, and the next I’m realizing the summer is already slipping through my fingers. The air feels a little heavier, the evenings are a little sweeter, and I can’t help but linger in it just a bit longer. It’s like the month is whispering, “slow down, soak it in, this is the last stretch.”

This summer has been all about me and my little honeybun. At 8 months old, he’s experiencing the world with these wide, curious eyes that make even the stickiest August afternoons feel magical. We’ve spent our days walking in the sun, sipping (well, me sipping—him drooling) iced drinks, and letting the summer hum carry us through. The way his little hands flap excitedly when we’re outside makes me laugh every single time.

But as much as I’ve loved this sweet heat, I can’t lie — I’m starting to feel the pull of fall. I’ve caught myself scrolling through pumpkin-scented candles and cozy sweaters online like it’s already October. I’m daydreaming about crunchy leaves underfoot, hot cider in my hands, and bundling him up in tiny knit hats. The thought of taking him to his very first pumpkin patch makes my heart squeeze in the best way. I can already picture his little chubby fingers reaching out to grab a pumpkin twice his size.

That’s what August is for me: this perfect in-between. It’s hot, yes, but it’s also tender. It’s giving me just enough time to say goodbye to summer while I quietly make plans for fall. The sweet heat reminds me to be present, to sweat a little, to laugh a lot, and to hold on to these everyday moments with my son that I know I’ll miss one day.

So, here’s to August — the month that tastes like peaches, feels like sunshine on skin, and carries the promise of autumn just around the corner.