The Longest Day of the Year

Alternately Titled: Why I Haven’t Been Blogging 😉

I’m on VACATION (still)! If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that last week I got to spend five glorious days with eight of my college girlfriends at the beach. They are SUCH a special group to me, and our time together was perfect. We laughed, we cried, we solved all the biggest dilemma’s of parenting, we stayed up late, slept in, and took naps. We hung out at the “quiet” pool and relished in the fact that we weren’t chasing kids. I read a book. While we were together we talked about how – despite the fact that we live far away from each other and only get together once or twice a year – we still feel like we have so much in common and “get” each other. I think that’s because college is such a formative time for people. These girls have seen me at my worst and still love me. We KNOW each other in a way you only really can get by being family – and that’s what we were for the four years we were at Clemson. They are my people. I’m SO thankful for them and the time we got to spend together last week.

Now this week, I am at the beach with my little family + Jeff’s parents (and my parents joined us over the weekend). It is wonderful in a totally different way. Kids at the beach is totally exhausting, but also so fun. Nora is like a little sea turtle. We put her on the sand and she just crawls straight to the ocean every time. She loves it. And Sam. Sam is in wonderland. His little nose is covered in freckles and his arms and legs are tanned. He’s been building sandcastles and would lay in the surf ALL day if we let him. On Thursdays, a marina here does hermit crab races, and he got to participate last week. He is counting down the days until the next one.

Summer is always pretty carefree for me, but there is something about being away from home and obligations that just feels so free. I’ve even found myself doing a load of laundry every day and not minding it one bit. The most stressful thing on my mind when I woke up this morning was that I needed to write a blog post today. This is the life.

On a different note… I also haven’t been blogging because my girl has been REALLY clingy ever since I got back from my trip with my friends. Like, screams and grips on to me when someone else tries to hold her and throws a fit when I sit her down. It was cute and sweet for the first couple of days, but it’s a little out of control now (we’ve been back together since Thursday). She was with both sets of grandparents at the beach while I was gone – so, I have no doubt – was completely loved and spoiled, so I have no idea what’s going on with her. Have I scarred her for life? Do any of your kids do this when you come back from being gone a few days? When traveling in general? How long does it last? I also have finally weaned her, so I’m thinking that has something to do with it too. I’d welcome any thoughts or tips you have about clingy babies. 🙂

Anyway, happy first day of summer and longest day of the year. I hope yours is great!

E

“She looked at us all radiantly. ‘Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it.'” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby