These are a few of our favorite things: July

Dear Em,
Yesterday was a full day...of work & school & grocery shopping & dinner & tucking you in early in preparation for another full day tomorrow. It was sometime in the middle of it all that it hit me. We are back to our non-summer routine. While it feels good to be home & good to be together as our little family of three, it makes me a little sad in my heart. I loved our non-routine summer routine. Every day was filled with new adventures...except when we were too exhausted for adventuring an opted for a seldom night in.

In July, there was so much to smile about. We started with a bang...literally.

Fourth of July:

A lot of people were bummed that Independence Day fell on a Wednesday this year. We thought it was the perfect time to take a mini staycation, & took Thursday & Friday off. We started with fireworks on the water in Narragansett. We filled the rest of our days with the beach, yummy food, fun with my best friend & Nonnie, & our very own fireworks show in our backyard.

Urban Dare:

Your daddy has no skills when it comes to three-legged races.

Your daddy & I also competed in the Providence Urban Dare the weekend after Independence Day. It's a little like the Amazing Race, only in one city. It was a fun day with friends & a great way to exercise. Our favorite find of the day was Harry's Bar & Burger. They've been voted best burger in the USA, & I would have to agree. Their slider style burgers almost melted in my mouth. So yummy (& they had fun drinks too).

Sand Castles:

Steamy days at the Zoo:

What goes perfectly with a steamy day? Dels at the zoo. Roger Williams Zoo also has a wicked fun Big Backyard, an outdoor play area with tons of water & other fun activities. By the end, you aren't just cooled off, you are soaked with a big smile covering your face. I loved our sunny, fresh air zoo days.

Outside Dining:

Outside is the best spot for messy, sticky, chocolate ice cream faces...& dinner with Nonnie, Grandma, & Papa.

Thursday Night Dinner with Friends:

We had so many fun dinners with friends, especially with your Nonnie always being around to babysit. We went to Duck & Bunny (my new very favorite place), The Cove, Pizzico, a PawSox game, & Chelo's Waterfront. It was such a yummy & fun way to fill our summer (& our bellies).

A visit from Aunt Andrea:

We hadn't seen Andrea since our trip to Florida, & it was so great to have her in Rhode Island. Every time we're together, I think it's so fun for her to see you a little bit taller & hear all of your funny, little phrases. You loved every minute of her visit, especially when Aunt Andrea read to you.

Rhode Island Philharmonic on the Beach:

Once a year the Rhode Island Philharmonic plays on the beach in Narragansett. This was our first year going. Grandma, Papa, Nonnie, Daddy, Aunt Andrea, our friend Kara, & I had dinner at Monahans & then headed to the beach. I thought it was the perfect concert setting: sunset, ocean waves, & beach towels & chairs in the sand. It was so fun & also free.

Rhode Island Lighthouse Tour:

Did you know Rhode Island has 21 lighthouses? From what we were told on the tour, it's more than you can find in a area this size anywhere else. Your grandma has been wanting to go on a lighthouse tour & planned the fun outing for all of us while your aunt Andrea was here. We got to see 10 lighthouses, two bridges, lots of Newport yachts, & a gorgeous sunset on the water. I don't think we were really prepared for how windy the highspeed ferry would get, but we had such an amazing time (even if my hair looked like a rats nest by the end).

Picnics on the URI quad:

We try to get a few of these in while the students are on summer break. We end up with the whole quad pretty much to ourselves for a picnic, football, frisbee, & soccer. We only made it once this year, but we enjoyed showing Nonnie the quiet quad & some of the classrooms where your daddy & I took classes.

Getting up close with the animals at the Southwick's Zoo:

This was our first time at the South Wick's Zoo, & I was amazed. I was amazed by how large the zoo was & how many opportunities there were to get close to the animals. My favorite part was feeding the little goats & sheep. You did not particularly love that part. You loved the cute little babies, but some of the animals were a little larger & could get somewhat aggressive when they saw food. As soon as one of the goats jumped up on me, you were done. You were cautious once we got to deer forest (I actually carried you on my shoulders for most of it), an area where we could freely walk with tons of deer. I loved it. I'd much rather be walking around with the animals than watching them behind bars, & the Southwick's Zoo gave us so many opportunities to do that. You were finally happy to get up close with the animals for your very first pony ride (I thought a camel ride would be way more fun, but no, you wanted to ride the ponies instead). You asked for a pony right after your ride, but I think we'll stick with cats...or maybe someday we'll get you a cute little beta fish. Anyway, while the zoo was pricey compared to others we've been to, it was worth it & I can't wait to go back.

Water Fights:

Perfect way to cool off on a hot day.

Playing Catch with Daddy:

Your aunt Wendy got you a little baseball glove. I have to admit, when I first saw it I was not loving the pink. I was also thinking you're probably still too young for a baseball glove. But then your daddy took you outside & started teaching you how to throw & catch the baseball. It was such a precious, precious moment & I'm so thankful for your cute, little baseball glove.

Birthday Parties:

Meeting a Baseball Great:

When your daddy & I met Tim Wakefield, of the Boston RedSox, it was one of my top moments of the whole summer. Plus, it was a little fun to see myself on the front page of the Sports Section the next day.

I love love love that we filled our July with memories, just as we'll do with our September...as soon as I feel like we've caught up on our sleep. 

Stay tuned for our August fun.

I love you so,

Mommy