Oh, How We LOVE NC Sunshine

Dear Em,
I think it's pretty clear how much we love the beach. I think I've talked about the beach on my blog more than anything else, other than you (i.e. here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here). When we're in North Carolina, we soak up as much beach time as possible.

As much as we love our Rhode Island beaches, there is only a short period of time somewhere in August where you stop feeling like you're going to die of hypothermia when your body hits the ocean. Plus, it may be the "Ocean State," but the beaches are tiny. I feel like I have to get to the beach at the crack of dawn in order to find a small area of sand that is not already covered with people to fit my bum (& the 300 things you have to bring when you go to the beach with a child). Rhode Island beaches will always hold a very special place in my heart, but I am filled with an amazing freeing feeling when I go to North Carolina. Not only is the ocean temperature perfect from April to October, there are miles & miles of open beach space (it's kind of neat when you don't have to sit on top of other people at the beach).

We spent three days at the beach during our stay in North Carolina & they were beautiful days.

On the first day, the weather & water were so beautiful that we spent almost the whole day in the water. We rode waves & floated. It was amazing & exhausting & perfect. I slept so great that night.

For our second & third trips to the beach, we took a few more littles with us. Your daddy called our car the beach bus. It was packed.

Between the big waves & the extra kids, there wasn't as much opportunity to swim in the water. So, we spent most of our time wading, looking for shells, buildings sandcastles, & enjoying the sunshine. I of course used my time on land to snap photos of precious beach moments.

OMG, I think littles on the beach are the cutest thing EVER.

Except for you & Nonnie, most of our family members avoid going to the beach with me like the plague. It was such a surprise & a treat when your aunt Gina & uncle Greg agreed to join us. The day was filled with special moments with both of them.

It made my heart so happy when I caught this precious moment with Nonnie, Greg, & Gina.

Sigh, family & the beach are definitely two of my favorite things & how lucky are we to have enjoyed both on our NC trip?

I love you so,

Mommy

Our First Cross Country Meet

Dear Em,
Remember last year when I felt like I was just living out of a suit case? I'm starting to feel that way a little again this year. Vermont...North Carolina...Maryland...we've had such amazing adventures the past few weeks. But, boy, does it feel nice to come home, just the three of us. It's like nothing else to come home from a trip & sleep in your own bed.

I have so many posts to catch up on & memories to share, starting with our trip to North Carolina. So for now, I'm going to close my eyes & pretend my overflowing suitcase has already been put away, the laundry has already been done, & all the cat hair has been vacuumed up (I swear our cats had some kind of kitty kegger while we were away...cat hair EVERYWHERE).

One of the highlights of our North Carolina adventure was going to your uncle Jared's cross-country meet. I left for college when Jared was just 3 years old. Being so far away, I've missed a lot of the day-to-day things with my siblings. Things like their first day of school, watching them learn to ride a bike for the first time, their games & meets, taking a million pictures before prom & asking them about every detail after...it makes me so sad not to be a part of it all. When we get to visit, I want to soak up as much of the everyday as possible. Plus, it doesn't really come as a big surprise to anyone that I was a cheerleader in high school. Cheering on my family is one of the things I love best.

So, it was exciting for us to go to our very first cross country meet & see Jared in action. It was a really large meet, with teams from all over the state. We jumped a little when we heard the first gun-shot go off to indicate the start of a race. It was so exciting to see the swarm of runners as they started the races.

And they're off!

We found a nice shaded spot near the finish line & waited for the Jared to pass by. Your papi saw him first, & we all started cheering just in time to see Jared kick it up & sprint to the finish line.

Here comes Jared!

Sprinting to the finish!

Jared did so great. He finished his race in the top third. We were wicked proud of him. Who knew cross country running could be so exciting?

You had so much fun cheering Uncle Jared on too. Hmmm, like mother like daughter? Will there be cheerleading in your future?

I love you so,

Mommy

First Day of School 2012

Dear Em,
You started pre-school again on Monday. Remember how tough the transition was last year? Things got better little by little, but it was a really hard transition for all of us.

This year you've handled things like a champ, especially because you started school the day after we drove for twelve hours & returned from our vacation. You love your school. You love being with your teachers again & you're thrilled to play with your friends.

My favorite part of the day is the conversations we have about what you did at school. Last year I would ask you about everything & you would remember nothing. This year, you're a little chatterbox. You tell me all about what you did, what you ate, & who you played with. Yesterday you were so proud to tell us that you did the weather & annoucned that it was "sunny!"

I have a feeling it's going to be a great school year.

I love you so,

Mommy

These are a few of our favorite things: August

Dear Em,
Why is it that everyone seems thrilled about these cooler temps except for me? I'm all about bringing back the warm August weather & activities. Our August flew by. I keep wondering where our August went...& then I remember, we did a lot, an awful lot.

These were some of our favorites:

Your first Baseball Game:

Omg, you were so stinkin' cute in all your Red Sox gear as we took you to your first Pawtucket Red Sox (or PawSox) game. "I look just like Daddy," you exclaimed as I put your Red Sox hat on you (which we've had since before you were born but you hadn't worn yet). PawSox games are perfect for first games. The tickets are cheap, the ballpark is beautiful (especially as the sun sets), & it's a great place for kids. Before the game, kids dangle buckets full of baseballs into the dugout, & the players will sign the balls. Unfortunately, we were running a little behind & didn't get there early enough to try that. We realized that getting there any earlier may have been rough. You cheered & you were cute & you filled up on Dels & fried dough, but by the third inning you were pretty antsy. Sitting is not really a strong suit for you. So, we mostly walked around. Luckily, there's a great view of the field from all angles of the park & a great top walking area. There's also a grassy field that fans can sit on & watch the game. That's where we will definitely be the next time. It was a great place for kids who have a tough time sitting still. We did sit in our seats long enough to get on the jumbotron (yes, you were on the jumbotron at your very first game) & meet Paws, the team mascot. You loved it (you cried when we told you it was time to go) & I got tons of outdoor exercise walking. Win Win!

Being Artsy:

This is your very first person you drew all by yourself. Let me tell you, when you're a Mommy the small stuff really matters. I almost cried happy tears the first time it seemed like you were coloring things & not just scribbling all over every page. I cannot describe to you how excited this picture made me. I was practically ready to throw a parade. I know I'm a little biased, but I think you're the most adorable little artist.

Charlestown Seafood Festival:

Daddy was away at a concert & it was just us girls at the festival. We were excited to show Nonnie how yummy the jumbalaya is & how fun the rides are. Nonnie would not step foot on one ride, but you're a little daredevil. Look how high you flew on the airplanes! I see Daddy having a roller coaster buddy in the future.

Looking for Treasures & "Surfing":

I think Nonnie took home at least a ton of Rhode Island beach rocks & shells. When you weren't helping her search for smooth & pretty rocks, you & I were having a blast with the boogie board.

Outlet Shopping:

Megan, of A Baby Makes Four, Nonnie, & I took the kids on our annual fall outlet shopping trip. We blew through so many outlets. I spent way too much money. It doesn't seem fair that most of the things we bought were for you when I think back to how much you seemed to hate shopping during different points of our shopping adventure. Maybe 6 hours of outlet shopping is too much for a two year old? Asking you to try ANYTHING on pretty much wasn't going to happen. I feel like I bought EVERYTHING, waited until we got home to try it all on you, & then brought ALMOST EVERYTHING back when it didn't fit you. Sigh, at least we got some amazing deals, but I'm thinking Megan & I should think about leaving the littles with the Daddys & doing next year's shopping on our own (why do I hear angels singing when I think about shopping without kids?).

Watch Hill fun:

We brought Nonnie to Bay Street Deli & Catering for the best Rhode Island Clam Chowder anywhere, played on our favorite beach, & then went out for ice cream. It was a perfect way to end a work day.

Swimming:

A Visit from Papi:

Car dance party with Papi.

It was so amazing to share so much of our summer with Nonnie & that Papi was able to come to visit for a couple weeks too. It's so hard to live so far away from them, but I think we make the most of the time we do have together.

More fun at the Zoo:

We picked Papi up from the airport & said "surprise, we're going to the zoo!" It was quite a surprise considering Papi had gotten only 3 hours of sleep before leaving to catch his flight, but we all had fun showing him the animals & the zoo's Big Backyard. Plus, he treated us to Dels while you enjoyed a puppet show about recycling (they have puppet shows & story time at the zoo, how cool is that?).

Newport Vineyards Tour & Tasting:

So, you didn't go on the tour & you certainly didn't participate in the tasting. We surprised Nonnie & Papi with a fun date & dropped them off for that part. We hung out in the beautiful, grassy fields of the vineyard while Nonnie & Papi enjoyed the tour & tasting, & I got some fun shots of you & Daddy playing together.

Picnicking on Goat Island:

We packed up dinner & headed to Goat Island in Newport. I first found this spot when I was at a convention at the Hyatt in Newport for work. I had lunch at the poolside restaurant outdoors, surrounded by an amazing view. There's a great grassy area with adirondack chairs. We enjoyed our picnic dinner with full view of the Newport Bridge, sailboats, & a wedding in front of the lighthouse.

Dinner at the Beach (with all the Grandparents):

Pizza, grandparents, & beach...yay!

Shipping up to Boston:

Our plan was to take Nonnie & Papi on a tour of Fenway & then play at the Boston Children's Museum. Well, you know the saying, "when you fail to plan, you plan to fail"? I majorly failed. I'm typically a very thorough planner, but figured I would relax & things would fall into place. Whoops. On non-game days, the Red Sox have tours of the ballpark from 9-4 (& it was a non-game day). After getting stuck in traffic & getting a little lost, we got to Fenway at 11:20 & went to buy tickets for the tour. Unfortunately Bruce Springstein was perfroming that night & the last tour started at 11:00. I was so bummed. Nonnie has never been in Fenway & Papi has never been on the green Monster. After some serious retail therapy at the Yawkey Way Store (probably the most expensive & coolest place to get Red Sox gear), we ate lunch at Remy's. Papi looked at me & said, "that sure was a long drive just for lunch." Augh. I was determined to show them a fun time, & we decided to go on a Duck Tour. The tours are half on land & half on water in a vehicle that is half boat & half truck (a DUCW). It was a blast. You were thrilled when you got to drive the boat. The driver asked you what you wanted to be when you grow up, & you said a sheep. You had the whole boat laughing. After our truck/boat tour of the city, we headed to the Children's Museum. You loved riding the subway. We got there at 4:33 & found out the museum closed at 5 (which shocked me, even the Providence Children's Museum is open later than that). Bummer. We had less than 30 minutes to go through 3 floors of fun. Whoops. We just made the most of our time & planned to go again soon. On the way back to the car we grabbed some dinner & ice cream. I realized I had parked in a different parking garage than we typically do & the one we parked in was way more expensive. sigh, the whole day wasn't exactly what we planned, but we still had so much fun with Daddy, Nonnie, & Papi. Plus, now we can take Nonnie & Papi to Boston next year for a tour of Fenway & fun at the Children's Museum (after better planning, of course).

A visit from our favorite Buckeyes:

It's so fun to watch you becoming friends with my best friend's little one. It's so crazy how much you kids have grown since we were last together in March, it was so nice to be together again. For Baby T's frist trip to Rhode Island, we wanted to show him everything. We went to URI & got you both some URI gear. We went to Galilee for fresh lobsters. We played at the beach. You were so sweet with Baby T. At one point he was crying. You ran into the room & said, "it's ok sweetie, I'm here."

Steak & Lobstah Dinnah:

Every year there is a fair across the street from our neighborhood. We typically have a big get together, & people can walk over to the fair from our house. This year was just so busy. Daddy had a golf tournament & other friends already had BBQs planned. So we had a few people over on Friday night instead of Saturday. Rather than cook hotdogs & hamburgers, we made steak & lobster (correction, Nonnie & Papi made the lobster & then cracked mine open & got the meat out for me). It was the yummiest get together I think we've ever had.

Vermont Get-Away:

While you were away in North Carolina & we were desperately missing you, your daddy & I decided to make the most of it & go on a little get-away. We headed up to Stowe, Vermont. I don't think we realized how much we needed the alone time until we got there. It was an amazing weekend of biking, kayaking, yummy food, a Ben & Jerry's tour, & relaxing on a hammock together with some wine & amazing mountain views. I think Stowe might be one of our new favorite places. It is such a cute town that is so biker & activity friendly. We can't wait to go back & someday bring you.

So, that was our summer. After our Stowe trip, we were back on the road to North Carolina to reunite with you & spend some amazing time with my family (which I'll talk about next week) for Labor Day weekend. Sigh, I think the summer goes by quicker every year. I loved Summer 2012, but I'm ready for Fall 2012 & all the amazing apple & pumpkin smells & activities that come with it.

I love you so,

Mommy

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