The Last Beach Day Of 2013.

A Post From My Blog.

These photos were taken shortly after Labor Day. This post got pushed back until now.

Do you ever feel like you need to get away? For no particular reason? Just pack up and do something different? This was one of those days. Scarlett and I like to keep busy. On this day, we packed up and headed out to the lake. When we got there, we hauled our bags down to the sand. As I looked up to the water, there was nothing but peace and tranquility. I exhaled and looked down to Scarlett's face. She was obviously excited for the same reasons that I was. The beach was empty. This is typical of the lakes here in New England after Labor Day. But with the last of the warm days, we wanted to take advantage of the sand, water and sun. The sun was setting a beautiful scene atop the lake. I laid out our blanket and watched Scarlett run to the water, pail in hand. Her favorite beach toy is a little purple watering can that she always picks first. I laid down on the vacant beach and inhaled the fresh air. There is something so wonderful to me about lakes. Maybe because Ty and I had so many memories on one. It's really where we began. (Here)  It's calming to me. Clears my mind.

I just laid on my back, head turned to the side watching Scarlett play. That is therapy in itself. Her little hands molding sand, little voice singing sweetly. Perfection.

I just wanted that moment to last much longer than I knew it would. We took a little walk out to the sand bar. Scarlett was very interested in the random sand in the middle of the water. Sometimes you plan these kind of trips or days and everything goes wrong or not how you planned. It seems to me that the spontaneous, unplanned trips like these are the best and they happen to be my favorite memories.  Like our spontaneous dinner outings or the random picnics that I spring on Ty periodically.

Anyway, this one day was one that I will most certainly not forget. And of course, I have this post to remind me :)

2 years, 5 months...

You have been in my life for 2 years and 5 months. 
I can't believe it's been that little amount of time. It seems like you have been with me forever.
But no. You have only been with me for 2 years and 5 months. That and 9 months inside my belly.
You started daycare a couple of weeks ago. The day after we got back from Disney to be exact.
I cried.

Of course I did. But you are doing well there and I think you like all the learning and structure they have to offer. We picked the best school we could find. Even though it costs a little more, we want you to be in a place where you are safe and you can learn. I am still looking for a job. Hopefully I will have one soon. I've had a few interviews. Daddy is starting to work overtime at work. Which means we will see him less.

Lately, you are becoming such a little girl. You tell me stories and explain everything in detail. So descriptive. Everyone is impressed by your speech. My little talker.

You love princesses lately. Belle is your favorite and we watch Beauty and The Beast pretty much every week. Princess and the Frog is another favorite. This week, I bought you my favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. We watched it together. Disney was amazing. You loved it!! We will definitely go back soon. I will post soon about our trip. You were also the flower girl with Elyssa in Nunna's wedding. You did a good job.

You started gymnastics this month. We will see if it is something that you like. I want you to try all sorts of things until we find something that you really love!

 your bedroom

2 years & 4 months.

Dear Scarlett,

Summer camp ended for you in August. I think you miss it. You ask for it everyday. You are such a social little girl. You love to be out and about, doing new things and enjoying yourself. You are like me in that way. I love to be busy. This summer you went to 5 weeks of summer camp for 2 year olds and then I got you into the 3-5 year old summer camp for 5 weeks since they thought you were so well behaved for a 2 year old. Your teachers all love you and want to be your preschool teacher. But you aren't going to the YMCA preschool, you are going to a brand new preschool. I get sad about this. I don't want to leave you for full days. I want to go back part time, let you go to school part time and spend the rest of my days with you. But I have to go back to work to get health insurance for us. Daddy's insurance isn't very good at all and we need to save up as much money so that we can start saving for your college ;)

This month, you have been getting good at going on the potty. You tell me usually. I can tell it is going to be quite easy for you. You're just a smart cookie! You are speaking fluent sentences and you crack me up with the cute things that you say! I need to start posting some more videos on here.

We have been enjoying summer. Going to the beach, kid concerts, picnics in the park, play dates and more. The family came down recently and we all took a trip to the zoo. You fed goats, saw camels and played with giraffes. I want to do as much as I can with you before I go back to work....tears again. I know you will love it but it's still hard for me. You are becoming quite the string bean. Tall and skinny. But happy as can be. I love all your expressions. They make me smile. You don't seem to have any characteristics of a "Terrible Two Year Old" .......maybe that is yet to come?

I was thinking about this today. I hope you and I are always as close as we are now. When I was younger, I went through a teenage phase where I was not close with my mother. In ways I felt like she was absent and it hurt me a lot. Now that I'm older, I understand that things don't always go as planned but I promise you Scarlett, I will be here. Forever. Through thick and thin. I want you to come to me when you are sad, come to me when you are feeling lonely. I want you to talk to me like a friend. When you hug me and ask me to cuddle you, I think, "I wish you would need me like this forever."

Happy 28 months little lady! My how you are becoming a sweet little girl.

Love Mama

 You got sick a couple times with ear infections. We ended up in the ER this night....

 You love babies lately. Little motherly instincts already.

 Another favorite lately is horsies. You sleep with 6 of them at night.