Florida!

Everdeen and I just returned from an amazing week in Florida with my sister and brother-in-law!  Oh how I wish we lived closer, but getting to visit Florida to see them isn't too shabby :) 

I will hold you till my arm falls asleep

My little Everdeen turns two a month from tomorrow.

She is no longer a baby.  She is a sweet little soul that loves on you and needs you just as much as you need her. Her latest saying is, "I need my mama" with which I reply, "I need my Everdeen." Because it's true, we need her and she needs us.   

She waves to the cars passing in the parking lot like they're old friends and says thank you to the cashier at the grocery store. She asks for hugs and gives you kisses when you least expect it. But lately, she has been the most clingiest she's ever been.  I feel like I hold her all day long.  I lower her to the ground so I can maybe put the dishes in the dishwasher, but her little legs wrap around my waist with such strength and a "No! Not right now" is yelled very clearly.   I always try to stick to the books when it comes to routine and structure...but sometimes you can feel when change is about to happen. When I can tell Everdeen needs a little more of something I let it all go and follow her lead.  I figure she'll go back to our normal when she's ready.  

We've had a few long nights since I got off of school.  I brought her into bed with us and instead of falling right to sleep in the middle she crawled into my arms and wouldn't let me put her down. I couldn't remember the last time she had fallen asleep on my chest...it was almost like we both needed this.  With her two year birthday approaching fast maybe it was a much needed reminder of how life used to be not that long ago.   My arm began to fall asleep, but I kept holding her, because that's what us mamas do for our little ones.  

The Lake

There seems to be something about going to the lake that makes me feel all summery and nostalgic...like the 4th of July is just around the corner.   

Maybe it's because lakes are where summer camp happens and family reunions take place.  We never spent much time at the lake when we were little...except for one time when got to spend a week at Lake Michigan with my cousins.  We collected snails in plastic bags and hid them in our rooms until we wondered what that smell was :) We swam in inner tubes and watched the older cousins try jet skiing.  It was one of those vacations where you live in your swimsuit and your hair dries smelling of lake water.  Where your bronzed arms are always covered in sand and where all the cousins sleep piled in a heap on the living room floor.

I can't wait for Everdeen to have those summer memories :)

I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to jump on the furniture...

But when you're this cute how can I say no?  Plus, that giggle you have is the most amazing thing my ears have ever heard :)

A New Summer Ahead of Me

Ahhhh...summer vacation is finally here!  The last few days were a whirlwind.  The entire school had to be packed up to make way for the new carpet and updates our school is receiving.  And as we all know, teachers are notorious pack rats...you never know when you might need that half eaten pencil or that transparency from 1993. 

It always takes me a while to process that the school year is over.  You go from warp speed to complete stillness with the last ring of a school bell.  For weeks we've had days of testing and packing and suddenly it's over.  I've been getting so excited for next year and my move to 4th grade...I think this is the first summer where I can't wait for the next school year to start.  But not too fast because first I have endless summer days ahead of me with my little family.

Martin wanted us to do something special to start off summer so we decided on a little hike...which, with a toddler, turned into an epic hike that got me the biggest workout I've had in a while.  "Mama down!"  "Mama help me up!" "Mama down!" "Mama help me up!" 

We talked to prairie dogs, heard the birds and crickets chirping noisily amongst the spring wildflowers, and had bumble bees the size of peach pits buzzing much too close. 

It was the perfect way to start my time off...now I can fully devote myself to my family and I think that means starting with the large pile of neglected laundry :)