See ya later, Summer

My Lolabug --

The end of summer has come. For us, that means a different schedule -- the one where I'm not a stay-at-home mommy for awhile. I still feel lucky that we get to experience both working-mom and working-at-home mom schedules each year, but of course there's something bittersweet about this time of year.

So as I hold this summer to my heart, I want to tell you my favorite things about this particular end of s-u-m-m-e-r.

Seashells & Seashores -- what a fun time at the beach as an extended family. We went last year, too, but you were so much more aware and full of preferences this time. While your sweet cousin preferred the sand, you loved playing at the water's edge.

You traded shells and checked out hermit crabs and wiggled your fingers in wet sand. So fun.

(& playing kite with Daddy was fun, too)

Understanding -- we just can't get over all the new sentences and nuances you can create now. I giggle when you work "quite" or "actually" into your statements, and it's so neat to me to hear you navigate whole conversations about accidents, or bad choices, or plans for our day.

And those A-B-C's continue to stick! Some are hit and miss, but you're so interested. Reading a book often comes to a halt as you yell out letters you know :) And on a recent visit to a train museum, when you started yelling out letters on a train car, we stopped to show you they formed your middle name. You seemed surprised, but pleased...

Make-believe -- goodness, we have fun pretending, and I love how often you prompt our play. We walk in circles inside our house, and we wind up visiting the ice cream store, the restaurant, or the park. (I'm not sure who you're modeling from a restaurant, as you keep ordering popcorn and macaroni. Together.) At every park with a steering wheel, you offer to drive us (usually to the park). Just today, our living room became the park, and we pretended to swing and slide. 

Memory! -- you continue to remember comments and details from days or even weeks before. And you've also showed some interest in a Memory-style Dr. Seuss matching game. Granted, some times you're more focused than at other times, but you're so excited when you remember where Hop on Pop or Horton is hiding.

Energy -- from a 2-yr-old? Um, yeah. But many times, this is fun. You keep us jumping and running and sometimes yelling for no good reason but noise. 

Rest -- I'm so glad we had a time of slightly later mornings and long breakfasts and mini-trips to family. Your momma sometimes struggles with a feeling of go-go-go, so these times are especially good for us. One of my favorite pics from the beach is the three of us just siting on a mat, completely without agenda.

I loved our summer, Lolabug. And the next summer will be good, too. 

'Til next time, Love to my Lorelai