Autumn arrives in our backyard

Earlier this week every leaf from our neighbor's tree fell in our yard overnight. Cooper has a bit of an obsession with leaves; if there's a single leaf outside he'll find it, carry it around, and probably try to eat it. So when I saw leaves several inches high in our yard I bundled him up (don't you love the monkey hat? It was a gift from my brother Adam), grabbed the camera, & took Cooper & the dogs into the yard.
Most of the time I'm a little disappointed that photos don't really capture what's happening; you can't see the action - the way Cooper's dancing, or how his expression changes, or anything. Not the case with these pictures. They fully capture everything that was happening:


I know. You were expecting some action-packed shots with smiles, and flying leaves, & the blur of a toddler. Me too. But this was it. I set Cooper down in the yard, and he stood there. He moved a little because the sun was in his eyes, then stood. Still. No stomping on crunchy leaves, or throwing them in the air. Nothing. He did eventually pick a few leaves up & held them, but that was about it. When he finally actually moved, he went over to the deck, climbed the stairs, & stood by the door until I let him in. Oh well, we'll try again soon.