Daniel

Darling, Crazy, Sweet, Funny, Wild, Obstinate, Wonderful Daniel.

This morning on the beach you were one, and this evening in your bed you are two.

You are two years old today and I am feeling sad, I feel like I blinked and missed this whole year of your life. I guess being pregnant for much of it could be to blame. We found out Vivian was on her way just before your first Birthday. But I think its more than that. I can't believe you are about to be two because you have always seemed older than you are.

You have seemed like a two year old since you started walking shortly after  you turned one.

It was like you stood up and said,  

" Ok! I'm in the big kids club now and I would like to be lumped in with Isabella and Tommy please. Don't worry about me... I can keep up."

And of course you said please because its your way. 

You are ornery and rambunctious unlike your siblings but after you defy me and do it your way, you always apologize. And when your Daddy is helping you get dressed you always thank him repeatedly.

And if someone sneezes you will yell blessings at them until they acknowledge you properly.

Yes communication is the one thing about you I see changing as you were approaching this milestone.

Suddenly you could talk. And boy has that helped you to not be frustrated lately.

We all knew that you knew what you wanted but we couldn't figure out what and you couldn't tell us.

That must have been hard and I feel bad for the many times I let myself get nearly as frustrated as you were.
Today in the car you chatted away, growling when we misunderstood. Telling us "Appy Biwday" when we said it to you first. Yelling "I am Twoooo!"
Shouting "Dere it is!" when you would see a truck or an airplane.

You are never in the middle with your moods my sweet and sour boy.
You swing wildly in every direction, excited to angry, laughing to crying.
Life with you is like a roller coaster of emotion. But I am proud of the spitfire in you.
I love that you are who you are, and you feel what you feel, and everyone else has to accept it.

Many days I wish to be more like you wearing my heart on my sleeve. And many times in the middle of a meltdown on a hard day I quietly admit to myself that I want to sit on the floor and scream too.
Often when you give your brother or sister a good smack I find myself laughing under my breathe thinking that "yeah they had that coming!"

We have to harness your wild side, tame it a little.
Teach you to control your reactions.
But never lose that spirit, I hope you always go after what you want with this same passion.
It won't always work out, there will be failure and heartache. But when I imagine what life holds for you I am excited and imagine that it will be quite and adventure.

Maybe the reason I can't believe you are already two is that time flies when your having fun.
And you my little boy are the life of the party.
Happy Birthday Baby.

Last Day

Last day on the shore today. Heading back out so I have no time to write. 

But enjoy the pictures and the stolen sentiments.

"But more wonderful than the lore of old men and the lore of books is the secret lore of ocean."

-- H. P. Lovecraft

 

The sea pronounces something, over and over,

in a hoarse whisper; I cannot quite make it out. 

~Annie Dillard

 

The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea.

  ~Isak Dinesen

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. 

~Thomas Fuller

 

“It’s hard for me to put into words why I like the beach so much.

Everything about it is renewing for me, almost like therapy...Beach Therapy”

  --Amy Dykens 

 

By the Beautiful Sea

We are loving our beach bum lifestyle.

I'm sitting in bed now feeding Vivian, listening to the sounds of kids playing and smelling Tom's awesome breakfast!

 
 

We spent lots of time in the sand and surf yesterday, today even more I hope.

We are ironing out the kinks in our operation... with four little kids we have found we need a plan and lots of provisions to avoid many trips back and forth.

 

They love playing in the sand but they would much rather be running in the waves.

Bella and her Daddy are both on the look out for perfect shells.

Playing with Nana and Pappy... I actually saw my Dad run yesterday, haven't seen that in a while.

And then Tom found this guy.

The lifeguard said if it was this close to shore it was probably dead... nope.

Still kicking! This was when Dad went from fun to awesome in the eyes of his children.

This was them watching him scurry away.

Except Daniel.... notice he is moving away. He is chasing seagulls.

Like its his job.

All of them are.

I was walking back to our chairs with Bella and she started moving away from me.

Just as I turned my head to see why she breaks into a run and I hear her saying over and over again,

"Seagull, seagull. seagull. seagull..... sseeaagguulll!!!!"

 Daniel would follow them to Delaware if he thought he had a chance of catching one.

It's hilarious.

So in short they are loving it, and when we are not out their you can find them here... longing to get back out again.

"At the beach, life is different.

Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. 

We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."

-Unknown

The Ocean

Yesterday we kissed Jack goodbye, handed my cousin our house keys, and headed for the Beach.

Tom's mom told me to remember that the drive is half the fun... I hope not because it was not very fun at all. We hit Phillie right at rush hour.

That's a bad thing people.

But we made our way slow and steady and kept our optimism... thanks to our new DVD player and micky mouse.

And the tunnels... the kids thought the tunnels were pretty awesome.

Snacks were very helpful also.

We finally got to Ocean City around seven.... we were aiming for three, then six.... yeah, it was rough.

But oh so worth it....

Bella was here once for a few hours when she was Vivian's age.

 
 

So really it was a first for all of them.

They were awe struck.

Look at the lights!  The sand is so soft! It's getting in my flip flops!

Daniel had a silly grin from the moment his toes hit the sand.

Then they all hit the surf, and for the first time the felt the cool saltwater rush over their feet and around their ankles.

Then they giggled and wobbled as the sand ran out from under them. At some point they all fell down.

Made me miss my Gram, she could never stand in the surf either... at least as long as I knew  her, which was from her seventies on.  Is this a normal thing for the young and elderly? Or is it just our weird gene pool.

After a decent night sleep we are off to hit the sand in the sun and soak up the memories.

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” 

--Jacques Cousteau