Sunday, September 9, 2012

The Traveling Circus

Dear Snowflakes,


As far as cataloging memories go, I think Vacations should have their own special place. I mean really  they are a quite a phenomenon unto themselves aren't they? When else do you pack up everything you own (and I mean everything), just to take it somewhere else and pretend you are not home? And rules? Forget about rules! If I had a dollar for every time someone counteracted my eye rolls with a "but you are on vacation" I could have bought a plane ticket to an Island Paradise (notice I said "A" plane ticket - as in singular!)
Alas, we survived - and did not even have to cut our trip short - although each night I swore up and down we were leaving in the morning. Eight Fun filled days of hanging out in the New England Area - Mommy's paradise getaway! Daddy can have his mountains  - I will take the quaint main streets and fall foliage of New England any day!
Our first stop was to see our cousin Christine in Massachusetts, and uproot her home and terrorize her kittens accordingly. I am pretty sure once the overstuffed caravan pulled onto her peaceful street she was whole-heartedly rethinking her offer to let us stay! But after a long drive we were all just ready to get out of the car and stretch out - anywhere! We had a great night toasting smores in the back yard and eating WAY too much chocolate before bed time - hence, the first of many "you are on vacation" chimes rolled in.
Night #1 we discovered a very grim traveling detail  - Jake, you are a devout Crib Sleeper. No Pack-n-play nonsense for you! I swear you must have gained 10lbs on our trip because I kept giving you bottle after bottle just to shut you up and not wake the whole house up! You most certainly gave us a run for our money - I must say you have one heck of a set of lungs on you! Maybe I just suppressed all those torturous nights with Isaac, but you Mr. Cranky Pants had me at my wits end every night! You'll be lucky if we go on vacation again before you are 5!
Day #1 Boston. Oh how I missed thee! What a beautiful city - and just as spectacular as I remembered it to be! Even though it had been 6 short years since my last trip there, it seemed like a lifetime ago - well, actually 3 lifetimes ago! We had so much fun exploring the city and seeing all the sights to see! Isaac and Daddy loved hanging our on the Wharf and gazing at all the boats! We rode the train, play in the Public Garden, and even caught a magic show from a street magician in Faneuil Hall! It was a jam packed two days of site seeing in the city - then followed by a certain someone screaming all night long ...hint hint :)
Finally we were off to Maine to check out "the way life should be". First stop, some roadside fried clams for Daddy and a much needed potty break for me! For some reason the trip to Maine seemed longer than the entire trip to Massachusetts! Maybe because a certain dynamic duo was not having any part of being in the car again. I don't blame you! I spent much of the ride sitting backwards on the arm rest entertaining or holding bottles in their mouth or replacing binkies every two minutes!
Ah Maine - indeed you live up to the hype - you are the way life should be! A special thanks to Kelly and Neil for sharing their amazing beach house with us! It was perfect - and just big enough to muffle the sounds of a certain someone screaming all night :) Daddy had his first Maine lobstah and quickly became a fan! Isaac, you were like a fish! As soon as you had the life vest on, we could not keep you out of the water! Lucy and Jake were less than pleased with the sand filled getaway. Day #1 they barely lasted an hour on the beach but by Day #2 they were getting the hang of beach bumming just like the rest of us!
Next off to Portland to check out the city life  - and while the "men" feasted on Mussels and Clams for lunch, Mommy and the Babies did some sight seeing of our own! We ended the day with Boat ride along the Bay  - a perfect family day in Northern New England.
Our last day at the beach was spent like the first - doing nothing but hanging out on the Beach and making some new friends! Isaac, by the end of the night I thought you would be tired enough to sleep outside! I guess that is the sign of a good vacation - complete exhaustion!

SO the first Family Vacation is hereby in the books and we all survived! We created memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life - and my sweet Isaac I hope with you as well. You are getting so big I need to stop and remind myself to take in all these little things while I can! In a few short days you will be starting Preschool and I will somehow have to accept that my baby boy is growing up!
Lucy and Jake I feel the same about you! I know you will never remember this vacation but I hope when you look back at your childhood it is filled with memories of us all doing things and going places together - as a family - or in our case one big traveling circus!

I love you all my dearest little Snowflakes! Sleep tight (PLEASE!!!) I love you to the moon and back - forever and ever. Amen.

Love, Mommy

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Isaac 3.0

Dear Isaac,

August 17, 2009.

The day my life changed forever in ways I could never imagine. Little had I known, long gone were my nights of being bored, occasionally over sleeping, and (on very rare occasion) looking halfway decent when I left the house. My nights were now filled lots of screaming, tears, and feedings - mostly yours, but a lot of mine too.
Two has been a great year for us. It started out in Denver - just me, you and Daddy and ended up with not one, but two siblings! You are an amazing big brother - and I love the way you dote over Lucy and Jake! You are a natural at being a big brother! You have gone through quite a lot in the past year and you take it all in stride - and always with such a smile on your face - and some quick wit on your tongue!
So how can it be now, in 2012, three years have gone by and my little monster baby is now a 3 year old crazy toddler? THen again, how can you ONLY be three? I feel like I have known you my whole life. I know have LOVED you my whole life.
As you lay asleep as your first night as a big three year old, I cant bear to think of how quickly this time will go by. You will never be this young again - yet you are the oldest you have ever been. How can time and reality be so full of evil trickery? Someday all too soon I will be saying, "I cant believe you are driving, I cant believe you are graduating, I cant believe you are such an amazing young man!"
So tonight I take comfort in knowing that tomorrow morning you will scream for me to come and get you out of bed, that it will be me who gets all of your morning kisses, and it will be my arms that carry you up to naptime - even though I know it takes me one day closer to you being a "big boy" - I take comfort in knowing that tomorrow you will still be my little boy and I will be your Mommy.

I love you my monkey man, my big time cool dude
Love always.




Mommy